For over twenty years I've been dealing with constant pain in my low back. But I can't say as I've been exactly kind to this body. I've been throwing myself on the ground with reckless abandon since I was a kid, and it has finally caught up to me. I've walked away from some spectacular crashes on two wheels, but I couldn't escape the long-term consequences forever. I've tried every possible non-surgical treatment available. Some were admittedly a little ridiculous, and others downright barbaric. I found moderate relief in some treatments and failure in others. My decision to undergo surgery comes only after years of exhaustive research.
I've tried:
• Chiropractic
• Various strengthening programs
• Acupuncture (traditional)
• Acupuncture (electric needle stimulation)
• Magnets
• Biofeedback
• Hypnotism
• Decompression
• Yoga
• Countless supplements
• Epidurals (and other numbing agents)
• Platelet Rich Plasma (PRP) injections
• Dextrose (prolotherapy) injections
And the list goes on...
I was born with a unilateral L5/S1 sacralization. Which means that my L5 vertebrae is naturally fused with my sacrum on the right side. This isn't altogether unusual. Supposedly around 7-10% of the population has some form of sacralization, but most people never even know it. This congenital fusion basically means that the sacrum begins at L5 and the lumbar vertebrae begins at L4, because freedom of movement doesn't begin until L4. Because the L5 is fixed it forces the vertebrae above to overcompensate, applying increased pressure to the disc at L4/L5. In my case, the disc at L4/L5 is desiccated, meaning it's absent of the spinal fluid necessary for shock absorption and general healthy disc function.
In my mid teens I took a hard fall on asphalt, spraining my back. It's believed I sprained the ligaments in my SI joint. My back problems were intermittent throughout my late teens, but by my early 20's it became a daily problem and has slowly deteriorated since. For the most part I've been able to remain active and live my life on my terms. I was forced to give up certain activities, like surfing and any hard impact sports. But I've been a lifelong cyclist and all around athletic individual. But the constant pressure and tension in my low back has been angrily chipping away at my sanity, forcing me to seek out any treatment that promised a hint of release.
Nothing provided what I would consider significant relief, so I finally decided to seek the advice of a surgeon in my late 20's. The doc told me I wasn't a surgical candidate because I could bend over and touch my toes. Looking back I'm glad he didn't recommend surgery at that time because I would be the veteran of numerous revision surgeries by now. Spine surgery has come a long way since the late 90's, and I'm glad I waited until I could no longer wait.
Things finally came to a head in July of 2013 when I seriously injured my back while cycling. I can only describe the pain as immobilizing. It struck while I was simply pedaling my bike, and the tearing sensation in my back rendered me completely helpless. It felt like the fabric of tissue in my low back tore in half like a cheap velcro wallet, stopping me dead in my tracks. I've broken various body parts over the years, and I like to think I have a healthy appreciation for pain. Nothing comes close to what I experienced that day.
Since that moment my back has prevented me from living what I consider a normal life. I can no longer exercise, work, sit or stand for any length of time and even walking has now become difficult. In June of last year I was summiting the highest peaks in Lake Tahoe on my mountain bike. Today I struggle to walk around the block. So with my free time over the past six months I continued to seek out non-surgical treatments, until I could no longer ignore surgery as a viable option.
I sent my films to two doctors in Europe considered to be leaders in Artificial Disc Replacement (ADR). Both doctors recommended replacing the disc at L4/L5 and seemed extremely positive that I would benefit tremendously from this procedure. I looked into ADR about 6 years ago, but chose not to pursue it any further as the results at the time were still not convincing enough. Since then new discs have been introduced and the procedure itself has been perfected by doctors in Europe. Thousands of patients have experienced dramatic results from ADR overseas, many of them coming from the United States to take advantage of doctors who are years ahead of procedures available in the US.
So I selected a surgeon in Germany, Dr. Thomas Bierstedt, to perform the operation. On February 25th I'll be the proud new owner of an M6-L artificial disc at L4/L5, with the hope of returning to my active life and regaining my freedom. I have a lot of hoops to jump through before I leave, but I'll record my feelings and progress as things unfold.
I've never been so scared and excited at the same time.
