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

[steve55]

Thanks everyone for the well wishes. Yea, nothing to say but "what a bummer". Im not really too worried about going through with another surgery, especially since Cervicals are pretty easy to do and access compared to if it were a lumbar ordeal. Im more worried about having a fusion done. Ive heard about fusions not being so reliable and having long recovery times, and causing adjacent disc failures, and many people with fusions not getting better etc. And of course, the cost factor is HUGE too.


I have no idea why this happened , but I dont blame Dr B. Im just t hat 1 in 50 patient who has subsidence occur, but man, it sure happened pretty fast huh? As far as I know, Ive got super strong bones, Ive played high school football and C league ice hockey and throughout it all, Ive never broken a bone. I also drink 2 gallons of milk per week. I know my bones are strong, but,.....then how did this happen? Whats weird is that Dr Fenk Meyer says that the top disc is subsiding into the bone but it looks more to me as if it is dropping to one side, like as if the one keel isnt holding it in well enough. The old prodisc had 2 keels on top to keep it in place. Ahhh well, Im just speculating.

Well, Mark will be able to tell me more as he said he was meeting with Dr B personally to review the X rays. I cant wait to see what Mark says, especially since so few patients have had this happen. I did have bone density testing done prior to surgery so if bone density was an issue, wouldnt they have caught that?

Now, Im also wondering about the top disc also, I mean, it also seems to be sinking to the right, is it not?

Ill probably just go ahead and do what Dr B. suggests, but I plan to get a 2nd opinion from Dr peloza also. Maybe from Dr Ziglar too but Ziglar wants $300 to $500 for a visit and even then, the TX back Institute wasnt sure if he would even see me. I sure hope Dr B comes in with a big times discounted quote.

Well, at this point just waiting to hear from Mark so I can ask more questions.

[Katie]

Steve, when I was totally confused, another member here talked me into contacting Dr. Bitan in NYC. He is very well respected, one of the top in the country, and convinced me after a three hour consult to try hybrids, ADRs plus fusions in my neck and lumbar. (Two levels in my neck, three in my lumbar)

He explained that the fusion will take care of the very damaged section of my spinal cord that has a lot of edema, and then the ADR next to it will give protection to the adjoining discs, along with the movement needed.

I was exactly like you...very afraid of fusion, but decided to trust this man. My cervical levels are critical, so I have to trust someone, fast. No one has sent me bad reports about this doctor, and I got a wonderful feeling after meeting him in person. He mentioned doing a number of revisions, so he may well look at your MRIs when you explain things. He only charged me for the visit, not to look at the images. AND he called me back immediately, when he saw that I had a big problem. I'm waiting for an answer from my insurance this week regarding surgery.

He will at least give you an honest opinion, and is much closer than Germany at this point. But I know he is going away at the first of the month, so you should do this soon, if you are interested.

Just a thought, and wishing you the best. PM for more details if you like.

[steve55]

Yea, I have heard of him. I just might do that. Im likely to trust Dr B as he has so much experience with these things but again, doesnt hurt to see what other docs say. If at all possible, Id like to stay as I am if its not causing pain. I sure would like to hear the other docs opinion of what usually happens when letting these things stay as is.

Thanks Katie.

[Cindylou]

I'm sorry Steve. Major bummer indeed. But I also would trust Dr. B's advice and get it fixed now. Excellent that you took such notice on the x-rays. I will pray for you in the coming days as you face decision time.

God bless,

Cindylou

[runner]

Steve,

Wouldn't hurt to get a second opinion, IMHO, but I wouldn't wait too long on this. The ADR can subside more from what I have read in the past literature.
Please be careful. Just because it doesn't hurt doesn't mean it shouldn't be fixed.
I'm praying everything works out well and make them mindful in Germany about your financial situation. Unless of course you are independently wealthy.
You may be afraid of fusion but if this is what needs to be done with the subsidence, then you have to have it done.
You couldn't have predicted this complication so don't beat yourself up.
I was told before lumbar surgery I would probably get a post-operative ileus, where the bowel stops working, and I did that and then some, getting a prolonged ileus which necessitated 10 days in the hospital.
I wanted to leave but I had to stay.
I'm going to have surgery again and maybe it will happen and maybe not. That will not stop me from having a needed surgery.

I may be reaching, so cyber slap me if I am but I worry about you waiting. I don't remember anything about anyone keeping their subsidence. All I can recall is the person having to have surgery again to fix the problem.
I feel for you cause no one wants a complication.
You are strong and can do this.

[treefrog]

Originally Posted by runner

I was told before lumbar surgery I would probably get a post-operative ileus, where the bowel stops working, and I did that and then some, getting a prolonged ileus which necessitated 10 days in the hospital.
I wanted to leave but I had to stay.
I'm going to have surgery again and maybe it will happen and maybe not. That will not stop me from having a needed surgery.

Kim, how did they know you would have ileus, is there some indicator?

[steve55]

Im not sure why I didnt bring this up earlier as I didnt initialy think this could be related to the current slipped disc, but since Sunday night, I suddenly developed a excrutiating throbbing pain from my around the back of my left shoulder, the shoulder itself, and upper arm. It does not travel below my left elbow. Ive had temporary "pinched nerve" sensations in the past that always slowly got better. But this one has not seemed to have gotten better and its wednesday morning now. The excrutiating pain is so bad that I couldnt concentrate on doing anything from eating to even watching TV. It hits really hard when it starts up. I took double pain killer(ultracet) and alleve just to relieve it monday night so I could actually sleep, and again, I took alleve and another pain killer to relieve it last night. Then this morning at around 7AM I was woken up with this excrutiating pain again. I seemed to be pain free at work yesterday without pain killers as it seemed to dissipate yesterday in the day only to return when I layed down in bed again yesterday evening.

Im starting to suspect now that this could possibly be related. Im not sure what the symptoms of a slipped disc are though. This current pain is not really similar to the pain I had before pre op. I expected it to get better and go away in 2-3 days as these kinds of things normally do but now Im not so sure. Given the continued severity of it, now Im thinking it very well might be related.