i  have just had my spine untetherd. is more surgery worthwhile?
463159
I think you should talk to your Dr. for the benefits.  They may be able to alleviate some of your problems you're now having, but they HAVE to explain it to you.  Dr.'s are your employees, you are going to them for their expertise in this area.  Of course it's reasonable that you have questions. \n\nGood luck with everything.
1090413
Spine Surgery(all types of surgery) is very cheap in India.There is one company that is very famous in India that arranges surgery for foreigners in India.They are called the Forerunners Healthcare.I read a lot about them in the Newspapers and about their patient stories.I have also read that they arrange financing for international patients as spinal surgery is not covered by insurance or by the stinking NHS.\n\nThey also have photos pasted of their International patients.You can checkout their website.The cost savings are incredible.As a doctor i personally believe that your spine surgery can be easily handled in India as the quality of healthcare available here is simply best in the world.The surgeons are USA/UK trained and facilities are 5 star .\n\nMy cousin got her spine surgery done there and she is more than very happy with the results.She is all praise for this forerunners healthcare company.She paid just 30% of the cost what she was quoted in USA and it was like a wonderful vacation for her. she has alsready lost 35lbs in 5 months .hope this helps
686848
My daughter just had spinal surgery for Scoliosis (March 15th) and she felt the same way.  She cried, started staying in her room, didn't want to eat.  But we kept talking her through it.  I don't know what kind you're having, but if it's the same kind, she's now happier about how she looks, as she kinda looked chubby before-- but it turned out it was her spine pushing things in directions they weren't supposed to go.  She's taller now.  She doesn't hurt as much (she had a severe curve).  She's wearing different clothes because she's proud of herself, some now.  Just remember that if it won't make you better, they wouldn't be wanting to do it.  They only do back surgery if it's warranted.  It also doesn't take as long to heal as it used to, so you will be up and around ASAP.  It's scary, but in the hands of good doctors, you'll be better than before, so look forward to it and keep your chin up.  Talk to your family and ask for a hug when you need one.  If you can't sleep, find out who you can talk to when you need some one on one in the night or maybe even ask your doctor for some meds to help, if possible.  Good luck and blessings!
820555
I have it, I had seven surgeries on my lower spine and my cervical spine. Mine is related to degenerative osteoarthritis in a severe form. It started when I was 48 yrs. old. I'm now 67 and will be in a wheel chair in a few years. It's now, the arthritis, in my hands, I'll have stiff hands from surgery by this time next year.\n\n   There is no hope or even control for my disease, only more surgery and drug control for the extreme pain, the nights are the worse.\n\n   If your young, see your doctor, they have some preventive means now for certain population groups. Maybe you can still get help. My cardiac surgeon is the best, probably the form-most in the Midwest and can't use his hands anymore. That's life, good luck and God Bless.  It took me as long to write this as it would have a long letter, that's what I mean.
1042192
It's good to didn't have any surgeries done - there is a better solution:\n\nGo for a one-time treatment called Atlasprofilax. One of the effects is, that the pressure on the discs is distributed much better - so the bulging disc may recover completely.\n\nJust - the treatment is available in California and Europe only, costing approx. 220 dollars. It's really worth travelling far.
1004953
Never saw one of these done before.  It seems once fused your ROM is going to be limited.  I suspect that it will also affect your strength as well.  I guess that's better than having a chronicly dislocated shoulder.  I personally sublux my shoulder and it hurts to the point of passing out but as with subluxations it eventually slips into place again.\n\nGood luck, I hope the surgery improves your situation.\n\nhttp://www.wheelessonline.com/ortho/arthrodesis_of_the_shoulder
1124462
There is another solution without operation: Go for a manual one-time treatment called Atlasprofilax. The effect is, that the pressure on the discs is distributed much better - so the herniated discs may recover completely.\n\nJust - the treatment is available in California and Europe only, costing approx. 220 dollars. It's really worth travelling far.
964094
I have degenerative disc disease as well. I have had 5 lumbar fusions as a result. Although each was done to repair a different disc space. I do not regret any of them. The pain that I had before the surgery was almost unbearable. The pain that extended down my leg is now gone & I can stand up straight again. This choice however should be made by your mom hon. At her age there are bound to more risks involved. On one hand I know that you want her quality of life to improve. But you should know that it can take a full year or better to recover from this type of surgery.
964831
After 3 years I think you deserve  a specialist's opinion. I am not ,but I think you got the level wrong...C is cervical and would be neck, arm, or upper back. You are entitled to your X-Rays and you should see a Physiatrist (not Psychiatrist) or Orthopod
671541
its better you rule out any spinal injury, ideally you may need either a CAT scan of the chest/thorax and spine, probably the thoraric vertebrae..never ruling out further requirement of a MRI scan as well, get in touch with a traumatologist/spinal surgeon asap. good luck and wishes for a speedy recovery!
458040
I am a radiologic technologist, and I do a whole lot of MRIs.  Weekly, I scan people who have already had the spinal surgery which is going to make them "all better."  Yet, here they are back at radiology having more scans because they are no better off and sometimes even worse off.  I do not see the same phenomena with neck surgery.  But, for some reason, lumbar surgery has a high rate of failure.  I also have 3 HNPs with DDD and spinal stenosis.  The only time I would consider lumbar spine surgery is if I thought only death could be worse.  I would make sure I have tried EVERYTHING else....physical therapy, exercise, water aerobics, massage, acupuncture etc.  Once you have spinal surgery, you cannot "take it back."  You are stuck with your decision.  Of course, I could be biased, because I never see the patients who have had successful surgery.  They don't come in for scans because they are "better."  But I have seen enough to know that I would really have to be bedridden and totally out of options to consider surgery.  Good luck to you!
950674
Hey, getting an MRI is appropriate...then again the doctor may have to be able to read it correctly. I did have an MRI, one doctor said that I needed surgery, another told me that I need not. So I decided to be conservative and did physiotherapy, wore a brace for sports and it took me almost a year to recover fully. Healing takes time...give it the time that it needs...and it will! God bless U.
488225
Years ago, one of the world's leading spine surgeons made this statement at a large medical conference in Las Vegas, Nevada:\n\n"Your first back surgery is your best chance, your second back surgery is your last chance."\n\nYou are done with surgery.  It hasn't solved your problem  (in fact, it may be the cause of your continuing problems).\n\nCouple of suggestions.  First, how many Chiropractic evaluations/consults have you had?  A good Chiropractor may be a very valuable resource for you.\n\nSecond, there is a wonderful book available that explains the many unappreciated causes of chronic pain and how to effectively treat the causes to relieve the pain.  If you read this book, you will understand the many ways that surgery and even pain medications can actually aggravate and cause long-term chronic pain.  \n\nThe book is written by Sherry Rogers, M.D. and is called: "Pain Free in 6 Weeks".  It is available at Amazon.com or from the publisher at 1-800-846-6687.  I highly recommend this book.\n\nBest wishes and good luck.
1036215
JS,\nI'm somewhat familiar with your situation as I'm pretty much in the same boat.  I'm 54 and have degenerative disk disease (DDD) with 11 herniated and/or bulging disks in my upper and lower back.  It sounds like you might have the same thing along with the scoliosis.  Have you had an MRI of your upper back?  It's not a big deal knowing it, since there's no cure or treatment for DDD, in fact they're not sure what causes it.  The bottom line with DDD is there's nothing they can do but treat the pain.  Injuries to the spinal cord or the nerves that attach to the spinal cord do not heal themselves nor will they "reroute" themselves as other nerves in your body sometimes can.  With spinal nerve damage, once it happens, you've got it forever.\n\nI've got a damaged nerve on the left side of the T3/T4 disk that's been causing me constant pain for over 3 years now.  I was coughing, of all things, and blew the disk out, which crushed or dented the nerve.  I've been in constant, terrible pain ever since.  Every hour, every day, it hasn't let up, not even for a second.  There's no "comfortable position," no way to ease that "ice pick in the back" pain I have.  It just "is" and it takes over every aspect of your life.  Sometimes I do something, move a certain way, and bingo, the pain shoots up near the top of the scale.  Sometimes it goes back to "normal" (around a 3 or 4 on the pain scale) after a few minutes and sometimes it stays up there around an 8 or 9 for two or three days. Sometimes I can do some particular thing without making it worse and then I do the same thing a week later and I'm back in the jackpot.  It seems there's no reason or rhyme to it.  \n\nI've had 5 Epidural Steroid Injections (ESI), which unfortunately did nothing but give me diabetes, one more thing I have to deal with.  Ok, I should say that the docs think the ESI *did* work, in that it caused the disk to shrink just as it was supposed to, but unfortunately the physical damage to the nerve was already done and that's what is causing the chronic pain.  \n\nI'm taking some pretty strong pain killers, morphine and codeine (can you spell "addict"?), plus I've just started Lyrica.  I tried Neurontin a couple of years ago but it didn't help.  I'm hoping the Lyrica will help this time and maybe I can get off the morphine, which, for one thing doesn't work all that well but also it has some bad side effects.  Mine aren't as bad as some I've talked to, but they're bad enough.  Yes, I know it could be worse and while I have a great deal of sympathy for others that are worse off than me, hearing about the plight of someone else doesn't make me feel any better.\n  \nI'm also taking some stuff called Zanaflex (generic name: Tizanidine) which, while it has some side effects, really helped when I started getting extremely sharp, radiating pains that went from the damaged nerve at the T3/T4 site, down the back of my left arm and up the back of my neck.  The Zanaflex stopped the pain right away and it's one of the best meds I've ever taken when it comes to doing what it's supposed to.  I stopped taking it for a day and the pains came back, so I know it's working.  Zanaflex is a muscle relaxer and apparently the pain in my arm and neck were the result of muscle spasms generated by the nerve damage in my back.\n\nThe biggest problem I have with it is that it knocks me out cold!  I've talked to others that have had different, intolerable, side effects, so it's not going to work for everyone.  I'm supposed to take 4mg three times a day but instead I take two of them (8mg) before I go to bed.  It has a dual effect of stopping the pain plus it's a fantastic sleep aid - but you better not change your mind about sleeping after you take it!  \n\nOne of the best things about it is that it
1107052
Posterior Laminectomy Interbody Fusion ie PLIF if often done in conjunction with a ALIF.  \n\nFirst a 8 month old MRI seems a bit dated.  \n\nSecond, there are times in back surgery especially lower back where the surgeon does a 2 stage surgery.  If they feel that the laminectomy they are doing and the hardware they are putting in the back is NOT STABLE, they will fusion the other side also to give it more support.  Typically, a good back surgeon will have planned this in advance.\n\nIt sounds like you were not aware of the second surgery so either there was a miscommunication or after the first surgery, they felt ,based on xrays, that the PLIF was not stable enough.  If the PLIF was not stable and they felt that there was a good chance it would fall apart then they will do the second surgery, the ALIF, to stablize it.\n\nRemember that if they take alot of your bone out posteriorly and put hardware in it your spine may be very unstable especially if they are operating on multiple levels say L2-S1.  Think about all the weight and torque your lumbar area experience during a day. The question is will all the hardware in your back be able to withstand thw weight and torque when you are rehabing.  If not which is based on the surgeon, then you need to anchor, stablize, and fuse the anterior front part of the spine.  This will give it more support and be able to withstand the pressures placed on your back.
338294
Usually they recommend surgery at 40+ degrees.\n\nIn 2003 I had a 12 level spinal fusion for my "S" curve of 56deg thorasic (upper) and 68deg lumbar (lower) scoliosis. Like you, I also had rapidly progressing scoliosis - a stable "S" curve of 40 & 40 for years and then in less than 6 months later it was at 56 & 68.\n\nI would recommend visiting several spinal surgeons (if they specialize in scoliosis its even better) and talking to them about your back. They may or may not opt for surgery as they base the need to not just the spine, but on other things as well.\n\nIf you are in the California area I know many top scoliosis surgeons who's contact info I can give you. I also have family members that work for a spinal & neurological surgical instrumentation supply company that I can get info from as well.\n\nBest of luck!
506171
after surgery take a rest to regain your strength,follow doctors orders and you'll be as good as new, as soon as possible.anyways you said youre healthy.