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

[steve55]

Wow, things have only gotten worse. Just when I said Im not getting nerve pain, I now sense that I do. I have weird pain sensations I never felt before. Its such a deep, deep, deep penetrating type of pain going through my upper back, shoulders, and both arms now. The tiniest body movements give off horrible pain.WHen I get up out of bed or a chair, I get incredible excrutiating throbbing pain(pain level 9) as if my nerves are so sensitive, that each pump of blood causes pain. I personally feel that the disc must be grating into the bone or a nerve. This is a new ball game now.

Problem is, Dr Regan doesnt get back till next Monday. The Hydrocordone/ultracet/ibuprofem combo only reduces the pain by about 70% and for only 5 hours at a time. Im going to try to get in again today to the local orthopedic surgeon who gave me my x ray prescriptions. I wonder, can he give me something to stop this incredibly sensitive nerve pain? And if so, is it a good idea to wait for Dr Regan? And then who knows how long it will be till he can get me in. As bad as I am feeling, Im afraid I may have no choice but to have a local surgeon do it here. I dont know any surgeons here in Dallas who have ADR removal experience, other than TBI and Peloza who both wont see me.

[Bill1961]

From following your posts your going thru more than any one should be. I don't get the facination with names (Bertagnoli, Regan, TBI). I'm sure there great Drs., but there are many good orthopedic and neurosurgeons out there who put in and take out all types of hardware, perform reconstructive spine surgery etc...

I understand the reason why you would want an experienced ADR surgeon to put one in. But to take one out. From an experience point of view, how many of these have been taken out? Probably not many, so what experience can there be.

Maybe you should try and look at this as a piece of metal in your spine and you need help to get it out. I would think that if you have a good local Orthopedic surgeon, he has removed more hardware from patients than any surgeon has removed ADR's. Is that experience something that can help you?

Try and help yourself and your suffering. Time could make your situation worse. You've waited long enough for the German gods....

Sorry for being direct but I feel for you and what you are going thru. No one will take better care of you, than you.

[Bill1961]

Forgot to add..

While your searching for a surgeon, to me the more important question is not "can you get the disk out?" Due to the degree of subsidence, can you reconstruct my vertebra so that I will have a successful fusion and a normal curved spine?

This may or may not be the case with all the "experienced" ADR removal surgeons.

[steve55]

Excellent point Bill. Im now starting to agree. I just spoke to mark about this and he kind of said the same thing in that there just aren't that many ADR removal cases out there. It is more important that the surgeon is good at the reconstructing part.

But now my delemma. How do I go about finding a good one that is in my Humana network? The Ortho I saw today is Donald Mackenzie. He is English and about 55-60 yrs old. He knows Regan (even told me to say hi for him when and if I do see Regan). But he did make the comment that if he had a spine problem , Regan would be the guy who he'd choose. But again, if what I need is pretty straight forward, basically a fusion, then cant any descent surgeon do the job? So, perhaps you are right, perhaps I dont need a "Big name" surgeon for what I need done.

[steve55]

How does one go about finding out whether a doctor is good or not?????

[Bill1961]

Steve,

I don't have a clue and would hate to steer you wrong about good surgeons in Texas. However here is a place outside of Dallas (Tyler TX) Texas Spine and joint hospital. Spine,Neck,Back,Shoulder,Hip,Knee,Wrist, Neurosurgical and Orthopedic Surgery - Texas Spine & Joint Hospital

I would imagine a practice of their size, there must be some pretty good Dr's. They have both Orthopedic and Neurosurgeons.

A phone call and appointments to a couple of places can't hurt. If you call for the appointment and the particular surgeons date is out 3 weeks or more ask to see if you can have an appointment with his/her PA. They are usually pretty easy to get to. Then when you show up with your films and they see your situation I would bet the PA heads right to the surgeons office. If the PA is on the building so is the surgeon. Most do surgery together.

[Michelle Maree]

Sorry to have to be so blunt but in my opinion -Go back to Dr Bertagnoli.