Jim B. from Wisconsin

Patient Name: Jim B.
Age: 58
Location: WI

Diagnosis: Herniated disc at levels L3-L4-L5-SI and spinal stenosis.

Procedure Date: May 5, 2009

Type of Procedure: DND

Pre-Surgery Life Style / Condition: I was using pain medicine for over two years to control the low back pain I had to a level of 3 to 5 most days. Without the meds my pain level would rise to a 7 or 8. I was limited to physical activities and could not do sporting events such as golf, baseball, bowling, deer hunting, or anything that would require any heavy lifting or strenuous work. I had several episodes of major back pain and disabling occurrences where I was off work for as much as 6 weeks at a time over the past 20 years, commonly missing at least 2-3 weeks per year because of back pain. I have been treated for back pain by chiropractic care, which did help me for the most part, physical therapy, and steroid shots. Most of the time these procedures helped, but my symptoms and pain always came back. After many years of enduring back pain, I decided it was time to do something about it. I began researching back surgeries and discovered North American Spine on the internet. I have a sister and a brother-in-law who both have had traditional back surgeries, and after seeing what they had been through with poor results and relief that lasted a very short time, I decided that I would not go the same route they had gone.

Post-Surgery Outcome: On May 5, 2009, I had surgery on my lower back at 12:00 pm. The staff and doctors at North American Spine were very friendly, understanding and thorough in explaining the procedure and showed very much concern and care for me, the patient. I was treated extremely well and was very satisfied with their professionalism and genuine concern for my comfort and health concerns. I was released from the hospital a couple hours after surgery and went back to the hotel with my wife. At 4:00 p.m. my wife and I went for a walk around the city and to a restaurant for dinner. We walked several miles that day. The next day I went back to the hospital for a post op check up and everything was good so I left Dayton, Ohio and drove to my sister’s house, in Michigan, over 300 miles away. The following day I drove home in Wisconsin, which was an 8 hour drive. I felt the best I had felt in many years. One week after surgery I began physical therapy. My physical therapist told me he could not believe how well I was recovering from back surgery after only one week. He said he normally does not see back surgery patients for at least 6 weeks after their surgery. I went to physical therapy 6 times and was released to go back to my job full time with no restrictions on June 8, 2009. I am a truck driver and I many times load my truck and have to do some heavy lifting, up to 100 pounds or more. I have been back to work now for over two months and I feel very good. There are days when I have a little pain in my back in the early morning when I first awaken, but the stiffness or tightness usually is gone within 15 minutes. I do not take any medication for back pain and have not since surgery. That in itself is a big plus for me. Thanks to North American Spine's AccuraScope procedure, I have been able to do things without back pain or very little pain since my surgery. I can go for long walks or bike rides with my wife and children without worrying about having pain and having to stop before we finish. The only time I had any pain was when I was really working hard physically such as working 12-14 hours a day and doing some heavy lifting throughout the day, and when I first started aggressive exercising at physical therapy. Today is August 10, 2009, just under 13 weeks since surgery. I am on vacation in central Wisconsin. I went golfing for 18 holes yesterday, 9 holes today, and went water tubing on Big Green Lake for the first time in my life. I am very satisfied with the results I have had from the surgery I had at North American Spine and would highly recommend it to anyone who has back problems that is considering surgery.