Updates
It's been a month and 7 days since my stem cell injection. Since then, I've gone back to Colorado twice for my Platelet Rich Plasma (PRP) injections (call them fertilizers), 2 weeks and 4 weeks after the stem cell injection. As I've mentioned before, these serve to increase blood flow around the disc and provide nutrients for the stem cells to grow. For my last injection, I had Dr. Centeno do the procedure. We went through a lot of things, stuff that I will cover later on in the post.
As for pain levels, I've had a couple of serious sciatica flare ups. They've happened during or after strenuous activities such as gardening or prolonged sitting. I've avoided these now, and the sciatica pain is gone.
As of today, I have no pain in my lower back. Also, sciatica is barely noticeable. I still don't consider these successful results because I haven't undergone any further strenuous activities. In a month, I'll be taking a 25 hour flight to South Africa (I'll be there for a month. Any soccer fans out there?). This will be the ultimate test on whether the treatment was successful or not!
Live X-Rays
I promised to post live x-rays of the stem cell procedure, so here they are!
Comments
During one of my sciatica flare-ups, I got really depressed and considered the treatment a complete failure. Since then, it's calmed down and I feel a little optimistic again, especially considering a new blog post by the regenexx people on a successful treatment they've recently done. Here's the link:
Regenexx Blog - Dramatic Reduction in Disc Bulge
During this depressive period, I seriously considered getting a Micro-Endoscopic Discectomy done. I even had a surgery date set! Anyways, I cancelled the surgery due to some serious considerations regarding the South Africa trip. It's only a month away and I wouldn't want any complications to occur away from home. Also, I'm giving my stem cells a chance to do their magic. Besides, the real timeline to see results is 3 months, and it's only been 1 and a half. So... i'll wait!
