Back jack..aka Vertiflex....

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inkjunkie

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I am scheduled to have a Vertiflex...
https://www.bostonscientific.com/en-US/products/indirect-decompression-system/superion-indirect-decompression-system.html
put in the 4th. Doc has told me that base off of my 2018 MRI he will be putting one in between L4 & L5. However, that is subject to change depending on what my upcoming MRI shows. The disc between L3 & L4 is loose.
I am going for the MRI this Wednesday. I have the newest Medtronics Spinal Cord Stimulator in my back. It is MRI compatible. Just not "open" MRI compatible. Not a big deal...except for me being a bit claustrophobic....
Inland Imaging offers sedation...thing is what they are going to give me is what I have been taking for the past 4+ years to help me sleep...which often times does not do much for me. Pain clinic has said they will give me a script for a Valium....which cause me some pretty vivid hallucinations. Not sure that is a good idea :rofl:. Saw my primary care doc the other day for my monthly fix. Talked to him about this. He told me that prior to heading out the door for the MRI I should take my daily dose (2mg) of Xanax. Which is what Inland is going to give me about 45 minutes prior to sticking my fat *** in the machine.
I am freaking out about this....it is the only thing I have been able to think about since finding out that I can no longer have an Open MRI. Inland told me that my device is compatible with only one of there machines. It has a very large tube that is also only about half the length of the older machines....did not help...still freaking out....
 
I am scheduled to have a Vertiflex...
https://www.bostonscientific.com/en-US/products/indirect-decompression-system/superion-indirect-decompression-system.html
put in the 4th. Doc has told me that base off of my 2018 MRI he will be putting one in between L4 & L5. However, that is subject to change depending on what my upcoming MRI shows. The disc between L3 & L4 is loose.
I am going for the MRI this Wednesday. I have the newest Medtronics Spinal Cord Stimulator in my back. It is MRI compatible. Just not "open" MRI compatible. Not a big deal...except for me being a bit claustrophobic....
Inland Imaging offers sedation...thing is what they are going to give me is what I have been taking for the past 4+ years to help me sleep...which often times does not do much for me. Pain clinic has said they will give me a script for a Valium....which cause me some pretty vivid hallucinations. Not sure that is a good idea :rofl:. Saw my primary care doc the other day for my monthly fix. Talked to him about this. He told me that prior to heading out the door for the MRI I should take my daily dose (2mg) of Xanax. Which is what Inland is going to give me about 45 minutes prior to sticking my fat *** in the machine.
I am freaking out about this....it is the only thing I have been able to think about since finding out that I can no longer have an Open MRI. Inland told me that my device is compatible with only one of there machines. It has a very large tube that is also only about half the length of the older machines....did not help...still freaking out....
Hang in there man!!! Don’t freak out. Do you trust your doctor? If you do, then pray for healing and let us do so as well! (If you don’t, then choose another doctor.). You got my prayers. Keep posting and let us know how it progresses.
 
dang, as if all the other stuff isn't bad enough already. try to focus on the outcome. good luck
 
Hang in there man!!! Don’t freak out. Do you trust your doctor? If you do, then pray for healing and let us do so as well! (If you don’t, then choose another doctor.). You got my prayers. Keep posting and let us know how it progresses.
I do indeed trust my doctors. I am doing my best to not be so focused on the MRI.
Thanks for your prayers.

dang, as if all the other stuff isn't bad enough already. try to focus on the outcome. good luck
I am doing my best to just think about the outcome being positive. Looking forward to being able to lower the Opioid dosage.
 
I feel your pain. I have stenosis and five bad discs.

I have a knee replacement scheduled for 10/28 (#2)...then a total shoulder replacement (#2)...then a rotator cuff fix on replacement #1.

If i live long enough i hope to have my back repaired.
 
I do indeed trust my doctors. I am doing my best to not be so focused on the MRI.
Thanks for your prayers.


I am doing my best to just think about the outcome being positive. Looking forward to being able to lower the Opioid dosage.

If that MRI machine is anything like the one they used on me last week, ya know those earplugs you use when you're taking photos of the nitro cars? They won't be enough! I'll never complain about a back-up alarm on a tractor ever again.
 
If that MRI machine is anything like the one they used on me last week, ya know those earplugs you use when you're taking photos of the nitro cars? They won't be enough! I'll never complain about a back-up alarm on a tractor ever again.

I had an MRI last week . They gave me sound deadening earphones with Music and they could talk to me through them also
 
I remember going in for a closed MRI...right before they slide you into the tunnel, they hand you a panic button...why would you need a panic button?
"Just let us know if you need to get out"
So, in I go...then I start to think...hmmm...I'm pretty much pinned - my head is in a vise...what if...all of a sudden, I'm thinking of Phantasm...

 
I remember going in for a closed MRI...right before they slide you into the tunnel, they hand you a panic button...why would you need a panic button?
"Just let us know if you need to get out"
So, in I go...then I start to think...hmmm...I'm pretty much pinned - my head is in a vise...what if...all of a sudden, I'm thinking of Phantasm...


That was a cool old flick. Mind over matter in them MRI machines. They have come a long ways.
 
If that MRI machine is anything like the one they used on me last week, ya know those earplugs you use when you're taking photos of the nitro cars? They won't be enough! I'll never complain about a back-up alarm on a tractor ever again.
I made & sold custom olded earplugs for years at motorcycle rallies. They only block so much!
The issue with the MRI & your nitro cars is bone conduction. Sound is vibration.
Your skull will conduct the sound in, just like when you use a screwdriver against your ear to try to pinpoint a rod knock.
Anyway, have them play the music loud and get it done.
Following to see the results of your procedure, as I have 6 bad lower back discs they want to fuse!
Good luck.
 
I forgot my ear plugs. Got them from Costco, they are actually the molds they make hearing aids from. Years ago i had some custom ones made at a guns show...they were double the $$ from the ones I got from Costco...no better at noise reduction.
New machine was a bit larger. And a bit shorter then the last one I went in. Not that it made much of a difference but I went in feet first instead of head first. I took one of my 2mg Xanax pills as we were heading out the door.....and took the 1.5mg of Xanax they offered. Got thru it with no troubles...actually that is not true. I have a mild case of Asthma. The Neck Gator I wear, despite being just a piece of fabric, makes it very difficult to breathe after 25 minutes or so.
Also had some x-rays taken. This was the first time I saw any images of the Spinal Cord Stimulator inside me...
stimulator.jpg

Seen the pain doc yesterday. Gave me another tune. So far this is the best one to date. Ever since they have started trying to get it dialed in I have had zero sciatic pain. That is still true. While I have not done much yet today, other than getting a 40 pound bag of pellets for our stove this morning, helped feed the 5 dogs and moved my truck in the garage, need to fix a few things, I have very little pain.
Doc asked me if I was sure I wanted to go thru with the upcoming Vertiflex implant...kind of a foolish question. Initially I was told that they were going to put 2 in, one at the L-3 to L-4 disc, the disc is showing signs of betting loose and the L-5 to L-5 disc, the disc is herniated out the front, pressing on my spinal canal. After looking at my MRI from 2018 doc decided to only to the L-4 to L-5. Lauren told me yesterday that, depending on what the new MRI shows is subject to change. I told her if that was the case to not even bother calling me, just plan for it.
I want to get off of these effing Opioids. So sick of feeling like I am brain dead. What I am hoping for is to be able to get off of the meds...even if I hurt some so that I can have a pain pump put in. Right now I am on 60-80mgs of Oxy a day as well as 900mgs of Gabapentin. These meds work by coating the pain receptors in your brain. Thing is they coat more then pain receptors. Which is why opioids can cause all sorts of other issues. The pain pump doses in micro grams instead of milligrams. It injects the meds into the area where the pain originates, so all of the side effects of the oral drugs are non-existent.
Spokane County Raceway already has a tentative schedule posted for 2021. I am hoping that, if I can get off the pain meds and have the pump put in that I can have it done prior to the start of the schedule next year. I really enjoy being the "official track fat guy with a camera"...aka the track photographer.
 
Glad you got through it. Hopefully the Doc will have some good news after seeing the MRI
I've used those thin neck gators for mowing. I find they build up a bit of moisture after a while, so I rotate it to a fresh dry breathing spot.
Good luck going forward.
 
Glad you go through it ok! BTW, they got your stim box in backwards. ( ;-) )
 
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