My 3 mo X ray - Discs tilted all over the place

[steve55]

Thanks for your concern everyone : )

And Katie, no offense taken. LOL. never crossed my mind, your post was perfectly fine.

Well, what can I say? I never heard from Dr B or Dr Guyer. I emailed Dr fenk Meyere about 9 days ago too. Just waiting to confirm Dr B got me the green light to se eDr Guyer at the TBI. But so far, nothing, no contact whatsoever. : (

I called Mark around last Thursday. He was to email Dr guyer himself since Mark is in tight with him. I have emailed mark for updates monday and Today. Still standing by to see what Mark found.

I told Dr B the cold shoulder I got from Dr Ziglar's receptionist and that based on the comment I got, I had my doubts. But Dr B was absolutely 100% convinced he could get me in with Dr Guyer. We'll see.

Regarding my comfort level, well, I have a deep penetrating dull pain that mostly affects me in the evenings. With or without Ibuprofen, its still uncomfortable. It doesnt bother me too bad in the days, but evenings, it really gets to me. If I had to decide today, I would have the revision to fusion. But with pain killers, I can get by ok at nights and still give this time to potentially resolve on its own. But I really want to get in for a 2nd opinion. I need a doc who can order my MRI or CT scan etc so I can have Dr Regan and Dr Guyer give me their opinion on a wait and see approach. Dr Fenk Meyer's original email made it sound risky by waiting, harder revision by waiting. But now Dr B says otherwise. I want to confirm which is correct ASAP. Im still way better off now than I was pre surgery.For example, if I had to live my life with this level of pain, I could. Pre surgery, I didnt want to live. It was constant hell. Pain level in the evenings now is maybe 3. Pain level pre surgery in the evenings was 7-9.

[Katie]

Steve, how are things going? Please give us an update if you can.

[steve55]

Well, Mark called yesterday to touch base. Apparently he has been overwhelmed with his own medical issues as of late which is why it's taken him a while to get back to me. He emailed Dr. B directly and he got a response! Dr. B says he is seeing Dr. Guyer tommorrow in a conference in Vienna at which time he will discuss my case with him. This is big and I can't imagine Dr. Guyer not taking me on if it's a face to face personal handoff! So this is good news after all. I still never heard back from dr b's team despite 2 emails, so it shows what how it pays to have mark on your team. I likely wouldn't have ever gotten the chance at such a discounted surgery with dr Regan if it wasn't for mark either. I may still need that option in the future.

My pain is really quite bothersome and keeps me miserable much of the time. It's like it is affecting my whole nerve system deep down. I feel like i can sense that the culprtit is the C6/7 not the higher up levels. I want this ADR out, as long as this ADR removal and fusion has a good track record, I will do it rather than live like this for 5 months on a wait and see. Dr bitan in NY talked about it as a no risk no worry slam dunk procedure, but mark and even dr b seemed not quite that assured. Dr b did say fusion is a generally safe procedure but he just pointed out the fact that anything can happen.

Ibuprofen and alleve don't do much for me right now. Pain killers do though.

[Cindylou]

Steve, good news that Mark was able to save the day there. I will be anxious to hear what happens after their "conference" about you!! How cool is that? I pray you get this removed soon so you can get on with the job of living your life. God bless.

[steve55]

Katie , cindylou, thx for your interest & well wishes.It gives me more motivation to post updates : )

[JKDE302]

Do you wish you chose a diffrent adr then the Prodisc Nova ?

Anyway I hope the fusion gives your neck the extra stability under the 2 ADRs

Since I can only get a 1 level AdR here in Delaware I think my doctor is going to do a prestige at c4-5 and a fusion under it at C5-6.

If I had the money I would go to Germany and get the new M6 disc at both levels...Maybe my mom will take me over there...Idk

best of luck...keep us updated...

[steve55]

Just got word from Dr Fenk Meyer as follows:

Dr. Bertagnoli did communicate to Dr. Guyer and Dr. Ziglar – they are more than willing to have you in their unit at Texas Back Institute for the revision/fusion of your c67.

More so: Dr. Bertagnoli would like to and is welcome to be present in this surgery.

And as your pain did not come close to zero (in a spontaneous fusion this would have cut the need to re-operate), we recommend this to be done timely.

And I will support from over here with any medical issue open. Wishing you best success!

So, as Mark said, sometimes it takes an act of congress, and Dr Bertagnoli is the congress. LOL

I cant say enough about Dr Bertagnoli's concern in my case. Not to mention that not too many people get a free 45 minute follow up consult at the airport with the greatest surgeon in the world. And the fact he wants to be at my surgery is awesome too. Though, I wonder if he is just darn curious to see the disc for himself and see why it may have subsided? Im told Im the first case of cervical subsidence he has had. It probably also gives TBI more experience with ADR removal perhaps? I dont know, I would imagine TBI has done quite a few of those. Dr B seems to be traveling to TBI quite alot anyways, so I guess he figured why not since he goes there so often.

Either way, it means alot to me what he is doing for me and that counts for something. NOw I just want to get a MRI, a new X ray, and get Dr Guyer's opinion as to whether I should fuse now or hold off and wait and see just a little longer. I dont know what to do, I have improved in nerve pain but developed new pain in different areas along the way. I dont know if thats good or bad. I imagine a MRI and new X ray will really make the decison far easier for the docs and myself.