epidural lysis of adhesions

[suejeryl]

hi, everyone! i've had sciatica-like pain in my right leg the last couple of months, so my surgeon referred me to a pain management specialist. the recommended treatment is an epidural lysis of adhesions. has anyone out there had one of these? if so, please provide the gory details of the procedure...i've read some literature, but it was aimed to doctors....thanks!

[LindaRacine]

Hi Sue...

That's a new one on me. I found this site:

http://www.milwaukeepain.com/epidural_lysis.html

which explains it in relatively laymen's terms.

Regards,
Linda

[chrisfrie]

Chrisfrie

Hi Sue,
I had a spinal epideral for the same pain. I am not sure of what specifically yours is. Mine helped for about 1 month and then the pain is back. I am trying to keep down my use of pain pills because of I have surgery in June. The epideral I had gave me constant hot flashes and hyperagitation for about one week. It was weird. But then I am in the premenopausal phase anyway. It was a rollar coaster. Those symptoms decreased and the pain was manageable after that. They send you home with some pain meds the first few days. The procedure itself was easy and painless. Some pain at the point of penetration into the disk for a few days and then that goes away. I will be having a disk repaired along with the Scoliosis.
Hope this helps,
If you find out more specifics of the epidural you mentioned let me know.
Take Care!
Christine

[suejeryl]

hi, christine! thanks for the info...i'm sorry you didn't get longer lasting relief. from what i've read, short-term improvement is the norm, which is probably why insurance companies don't like this procedure. i have an appt. with a pain mgt. specialist on friday who does these procedures; maybe we'll talk about less drastic measures first! i've found that exercise really really helps relieve the pain, so maybe there's an interim step we could try. stay well....

[chrisfrie]

Sue,
I noticed that you got fused from T3 to S1. I am going in for surgery in June. From T3 to L1. A lot less surgery. They are doing an additional piece during the surgery on some disks in my lower back and hopefully no fusion. I also wore the milwakee brace as a child. I thought I was fixed. I really didn't have problems until my late 30s and exercise managed it well. Breathing problems got bad around 40s and here I am preparing for a surgery I never thought I would have to have. What has your experience been.
thanks!
Christine

[suejeryl]

hi, christine! it sounds like the 30's are the time of truth; i didn't have back pain until then, either. once the pain started it just kind of got worse and worse; i would have long spells of sciatica and i had bulging discs here and there and then some arthritis. i finally couldn't keep up with my children and when i saw elderly women with scoliosis who could hardly walk i just knew that would be me someday. the surgery was the best thing i could have done for myself. even with this new leg pain i feel 1000% better than i did a year ago. my surgery was long and the hospital stay was long (2 weeks), but i've had a smooth recovery and i'm doing all the things i'd hoped i'd be: working out, attending the kids' sports events (all day at the track today!), standing in the kitchen to cook and bake, etc. that doesn't sound like an exciting list of "want to do's", but i was hobbled by pain for 20 years and it's exciting to me! how long did you wear your brace? are you ready for your surgery?

[chrisfrie]

Surgery

Sue,
Thanks for writing back. Yes, I mentally am prepared I think as I can get. I agree the pain is getting the best of me and I never thought I would say that. The breathing I am hoping will improve also. My spine is bending inward so the surgeon will be pulling it out as well as untwisting in and realigning it. It is truely amazing the technology to be able to do all that. I do feel grateful. It seems like you, so many people are very positive about their recovery. This was not so true when I was a child. My doctor back then wanted to do everything to avoid it. I wore the brace from 7 years old to 16yrs. when they thought I had quit growing. They identified scoliosis at age 3 from film studies that had been taken at that age. How about you?
Christine

[suejeryl]

christine, i remember how frightened my parents were at the thought of scoliosis surgery 40 years ago. i'm glad i had the brace; it bought me lots of time, and i think it kept my thoracic curve from being as bad as it might have been. my dad is the one who noticed my scoliosis...one night he said, "stand up straight" and i said, "i am!" and he said, "no, really. make your shoulders even..." and the rest is history. my scoliosis started to progress rapidly from there and my parents found a dr. who was willing to try the new (at that time) milwaukee brace. will you wear a brace after your surgery? if you do, your experience with bracing will come in very very handy!