Back Surgery and Neck Surgery
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Tue, 11/03/2009 - 10:49
Papaya - Has anyone been fused with it?
Years ago - many years..... like 25 yrs ago my hubby who was a coal miner and at the time about 21 yrs old was injured and his L5-S1 disks herniated.
They fused him using Papaya ( yes I am sure it was Papaya lol ).
He recovered GREAT! Was back to work full time in 6 weeks as a deep under ground coal miner. the highest height he worked in was 22"! I could not image that WITH a GOOD back lol 
he was a miner for 17 yrs with no back issues. He quit the mines as of his knee caps going bad ( go figure ).
Fast speed ahead - his back is still doing very well, with no treatments, PT, Meds etc since the 6 weeks it took him to recovery from surgery.
Now his legs just crumble for no reason. His legs are VERY weak. he sits down as often as he can. So far he does not fall down as he has been able to catch himself going down when the knees crumble under him ( crumble being his word ).
I spoke to my own Dr. in passing about this and he said that they stopped doing Papaya infusions as people were getting paralyzed from it. He also said that this leg issue my hubby has is a side effect from the Papaya fusion.
The only option is to get it removed and a re fusion. Hubby says it is not "that" bad yet.
So I am just curious if anyone else here had this Papaya fusion done and the results of it ?
_____________
Ms. Humpty Dumpty Took a great fall and all the Drs and surgeons could not put her back together again.
After my fall I started to fall apart. L1-L2-L3-L4 - S1 & S2 gone. ( full herniation )Spinal stenosis, spinal arthritis, degenerative disk, scoliosis.
The spacers in your back are gone/going, spinal nerve damage.
Spinal spurs. Both knee caps & both hips have degenerative bone disease, arthritis and bone spurs.
No surgeries as Drs. don't think it will help and may make things worse.
Age 47 - Here to find & offer support.
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I thought papaya was used for disc problems. I didn't realize it was used for fusion. I believe the FDA banned its use because the results were too unpredictable, with some resulting in paralysis.
spondylolisthesis at L4-5; stenosis at L3-4 and L4-5
radiculopathy for about 3 years
PLIF (L4-L5)in Jan '08 (PEEK cage, rods & Screws, BMP); continued radiculopathy....
Lami-foraminotomy L5-S1 Jan '09; continued radiculopathy;
Bulging discs L3-4 & L5-S1; crazy screwed-up S1 nerve
***** I have no medical training and am in no way connected with the medical profession, other than doing my part to keep them at full employment. My posts are based on personal experience and knowledge gained through the adventures of living. Take them for what they are worth....
Some time between my first (1978) and second lumbar surgery (1982), papaya came on the scene to help with shrinking herniated discs. I never heard about if for fusions.
NY Ranger Goalie John Davidson had some herniated discs and he went under that treatment. He was back playing goal that same season.
We had looked into it for me, none of my doctors could do that, because it was not approved in the USA, only in Canada at the time.
Since that time, I havent heard it being used for that purpose.
Ron DiLauro (aka PapaRon)
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hmmmmmm. I will have to do a recheck with hubby. I "swore" he said fusion. But I could be wrong.
Ms. Humpty Dumpty Took a great fall and all the Drs and surgeons could not put her back together again.
After my fall I started to fall apart. L1-L2-L3-L4 - S1 & S2 gone. ( full herniation )Spinal stenosis, spinal arthritis, degenerative disk, scoliosis.
The spacers in your back are gone/going, spinal nerve damage.
Spinal spurs. Both knee caps & both hips have degenerative bone disease, arthritis and bone spurs.
No surgeries as Drs. don't think it will help and may make things worse.
Age 47 - Here to find & offer support.
Ok - I had him come and read these posts and he said that it was his L4 & L5 disks and that the Drs said that the Papaya would dissolve the interior of the disks and fuse them together. Which it did from the tests he has had done down the road. It actually held out really well - look at above posts to see all he did for 17 yrs !
However now he has the "falling legs" issue, that I was looking to see if anyone else know more about.
Thanks
Ms. Humpty Dumpty Took a great fall and all the Drs and surgeons could not put her back together again.
After my fall I started to fall apart. L1-L2-L3-L4 - S1 & S2 gone. ( full herniation )Spinal stenosis, spinal arthritis, degenerative disk, scoliosis.
The spacers in your back are gone/going, spinal nerve damage.
Spinal spurs. Both knee caps & both hips have degenerative bone disease, arthritis and bone spurs.
No surgeries as Drs. don't think it will help and may make things worse.
Age 47 - Here to find & offer support.
Papaya, as in the fruit?!
Also, I'm sorry to hear your husband is having such trouble with his legs. I hope if he does decide to go for the fusion, that he is pain free afterward!
27 years old, suffering from back pain for 11 years.
Two disc herniations at L4/L5 & L5/S1
Discogram done 10-06-09
Minimally invasive TLIF & laminectomy for L4/L5 done on 11-03-09
Medication: Nucynta, Lyrica, Metanx & Flexeril