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  • Got approved for Schroth!

    Hey everybody-- I am so excited - my health insurance covered Schroth treatment today!!! I can't wait to talk with the therapist tomorrow to set up my times!!!
    34L at diagnosis; Boston Brace 1979
    Current: 50L, 28T

  • #2
    Congratulations!!!!

    I know how dedicated you are to your treatment choices - look forward to the details of your experience & wishing you all the very best!!!!

    Comment


    • #3
      Thanks.

      Thank you so much, Mamamax. You are my best cheerleader. I will certainly give updates. I am going thru the text now and it is more confusing than ever, so I am really looking forward to working with someone who knows what she's doing. I appreciate your support, and hope to have a positive report for all of us.
      34L at diagnosis; Boston Brace 1979
      Current: 50L, 28T

      Comment


      • #4
        Borrow My Schroth Book

        dailystrength

        Congratulations on getting insurance to cover it. We were not able to do so.

        Have you seen the book: Three-Dimensional Treatment For Scoliosis by Christa Lehnert-Schroth? I found it to be very helpful to better understand Schroth. We learned some Schroth exercises and it was helpful to had read the book before learning them. It gave me a pretty good idea not only what to expect but some idea of what the Schroth method was trying to do.

        It is kind of expensive to buy (around $65 at schrothmethod.com or $55 at half.com including shipping). I would be more than willing to send mine to you for a couple weeks if you wanted it.

        Send me a PM if you want me to send it to you. I assume it would cost us each less than $5 to send it back and forth.

        I have no problem covering the shipping to send it to you. I just wanted to let you know I have one (not reading it right now) and you are welcome to borrow it.

        I don't know if it is available in any libraries.

        Michael

        Comment


        • #5
          Good for you! I hope it works.
          Best Wishes!
          Be happy!
          We don't know what tomorrow brings,
          but we are alive today!

          Comment


          • #6
            Originally posted by michael1960 View Post
            dailystrength

            Have you seen the book: Three-Dimensional Treatment For Scoliosis by Christa Lehnert-Schroth? I found it to be very helpful to better understand Schroth. We learned some Schroth exercises and it was helpful to had read the book before learning them. It gave me a pretty good idea not only what to expect but some idea of what the Schroth method was trying to do.

            Michael
            Thank you, Michael. That is so kind of you to offer to send your book. I actually did buy it recently, and have been trying to go through it. Thanks for the encouragement to stick with it... it would probably give me a head's up for therapy. Her work is so impressive.

            And thanks for encouraging this treatment, Michael and Rohrer! It will still cost a bit I am thinking, plus a three hour commute, but I am looking forward to speaking with the PT about the details. I am willing do what I have to do. We were playing phone tag today so I hope to connect with her on Monday.

            I will keep you all posted as to how it works for me. I really appreciate your comments!

            Christina
            Last edited by dailystrength; 04-20-2010, 09:11 PM. Reason: to leave out names of therapists
            34L at diagnosis; Boston Brace 1979
            Current: 50L, 28T

            Comment


            • #7
              Golly wally Schroth is tres chere (very expensive!!!). Not in my insurance network (edited from "doesn't take my insurance") and I and am not sure I feel like paying for this for the entire next year, waiting for, or in the very bad event of no reimbursement.... not to mention the commute, travel expense and days taken off work. Seems sometimes like there is a monopoly on scoliosis - my condition does not exist to benefit you! Sorry, but it just feels that way sometimes. (I am mostly referring here to a person in town who is trying to steer all the scoli patients to her, and I doubt her method which is Clear-inspired). At least Ms. Schroth shared her knowledge in a book - I give her a lot of credit for that.

              I have contacted some local PTs to see if anyone is open to learning Schroth from Ms. Krista's book, as she indicates it is a textbook for PTs (no wonder I have a hard time following it). Very impressed with the PT I spoke with today who is open to learning and working with me!! Last I saw she does not take my insurance so we'll see soon enough. I am not to be deterred, there are always many avenues to try.
              Last edited by dailystrength; 04-23-2010, 08:46 AM.
              34L at diagnosis; Boston Brace 1979
              Current: 50L, 28T

              Comment


              • #8
                So why does she not take your insurance? Are the medical insurance companies over there so very different or do some pay more money for this than others?? Just wondering. Sorry daily strength as I know you were so very happy to start with.


                Lorraine.
                Operated on in 1966, harrington rods inserted from T4 to L3, here in Australia. Fusion of the said vertebrae as well. Problems for the last 14 years with pain.
                Something I feel deeply,"Life is like money,you can spend it anyway you wish, but can only spend it once.

                Comment


                • #9
                  I spoke with a PT friend of mine, well, my mother did, and she explained that insurance companies don't like to cover anything that is not "proven". So, how does chiropractic pass and other PT but not this... anyway, my insurance co. did give me special permission to go out of network since no one local does Schroth therapy, and they will reimburse a limited amount. I can probably do the second half next year. The difficulty was coming up with the up-front payment that the PT required, as in-network coverage only requires a nominal co-pay per visit. But, today the therapist was so kind to work with me and said she'd accept a payment plan while I await my insurance reimbursement. So that will work fine. Thank you, Lorraine! I am happy again and so excited - I will go the third week of June.

                  Yes, insurance coverage varies greatly here - from plan to plan within companies also! Another person sent me a PM to say they had Schroth covered for a $20 copay per day. That is wonderful coverage but very rare. I have heard that Schroth is covered in Europe much more readily. I am thankful this is going to work out for me. Yes, there was sticker-shock but since I have the approval, I am going to go for it!
                  34L at diagnosis; Boston Brace 1979
                  Current: 50L, 28T

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    dailystrength

                    I am not sure where you are going for the Schroth (local PT or one of the Schroth centers) but when I looked into the Wisconsin Rehab center they provided me with two prices: insurance and non-insurance.

                    The insurance price was about $260 per hour and the non-insurance price was about 35% less.

                    In several cases with some of our treatments I have paid cash up front (or maybe payment plan) to get the non-insurance rate but then later processed it myself with the insurance company.

                    We did not do the Schroth at this rehab center but I just wanted to mention the differences in insurance vs no insurance rates. Again, not sure where you have decided to go.

                    Another option to consider is that some people have found it cheaper, especially when going for a 1-2 week treatment to sometimes travel overseas due to the much lower cost of the treatment outside of the US. In some cases you can go to the same center that the PTs in the US have been trained.

                    I am not sure whether you are going for a 1-2 week type treatment (4 hours per day treatment) or whether you are going to a PT on a weekly basis.

                    Just some ideas. Good luck with it.

                    Michael

                    Comment


                    • #11
                      Thanks so much, Michael. I wrote a long letter and sent a lot of documentation- a referral from my Dr., x-rays, and the helpful material from the therapist, etc. and so they offered to pay $2000 which was wonderful. I will do only three days to start with, and hopefully get another $2K next year; we'll see. But at least I'll get a good start. And yes, I will use the payment plan to start paying but when I get reimbursed, I can pay her the rest then.

                      Thanks for that info- I will ask her what her non-insurance rates are. The center is in Rockville MD, and most of the scoliosis clinics in the vincinity refer people to her, I've found. She used to work with Luke, at Scoliosis Solutions, in Fairfax VA, so they refer Schroth patients to her. Jennifer Graham -she has her own outfit now. It's about 2 or 2.5 hours from me. Yes, it's the intensive - I will do three four hour days. If I feel I need to, I will schedule the last day of the first 4-day part. But right now that's all I have coverage for. I appreciate the idea about the non-covered price- perhaps she does that. Thanks again.
                      Last edited by dailystrength; 04-22-2010, 05:02 PM.
                      34L at diagnosis; Boston Brace 1979
                      Current: 50L, 28T

                      Comment


                      • #12
                        Well dailystrength all the very, very best and so glad to hear you so excited again. Go for it and keep us up to date when you can. Negatives can turn into positives and sometimes pretty quickly.

                        bless you
                        Lorraine.
                        Operated on in 1966, harrington rods inserted from T4 to L3, here in Australia. Fusion of the said vertebrae as well. Problems for the last 14 years with pain.
                        Something I feel deeply,"Life is like money,you can spend it anyway you wish, but can only spend it once.

                        Comment


                        • #13
                          Thank you so much for the support, Lorraine. You will all be with me in spirit. I will do this for all of us, for all of us who suffer and need hope, not just for me.
                          34L at diagnosis; Boston Brace 1979
                          Current: 50L, 28T

                          Comment


                          • #14
                            Maybe Me Too

                            hello Dailystrength,

                            Been meaning to catch up with you. I think it was you who coined the phrase, "Year of the Back". Coincidentally, I had just been telling a friend who knows my history, that this was going to be the year of the back for me. I used that exact phrase.

                            My guess is that I will need surgery, but I want to know that I did whatever I could and I want to be more comfortable in the mean-time.

                            And I have been extremely diligent with my regime. Started with switching to an anti-inflammatory diet. No sugar, no white stuff. Stopped coffee, switched to green or white tea. Kind of like boiling water and weeds, but I have grown to like it. More fish and chicken, less red meat, tons of veggies and fruit. I have to say that it has helped with the "achies" which usually rule my existence by this time of year after a long winter season of working double hard. Spring stops cold for me with work, none in May, and summer/Fall are normal work hours, less intensity. LOVE this time of year.

                            I also bought "your" book- Curves, Twists, and Bends. I'm thinking you may single-handedly propel the author into the black. Like it a lot and I am slowly adding in exercises and suggestions. Since I will not be working a bazillion hours starting Sunday I'll have more time to be on it. I also liked her "Example of a health care plan". Gave me the notion that I could incorporate a rest period at work. I already have a hydraulic table by Horn, which I highly recommend to anyone who has a desk job. I keep my table moving all day. It was the one item I asked/demanded when I took the job 4+ years ago.

                            I have looked into Schroth in Wisconsin and Phoenix- does not fit into the budget but I have it in mind, as surgery isn't exactly in the budget either. I'm thinking of buying the Schroth book and taking it to my favorite PT. He is very knowledgable and open-minded- he's also a chiro that will not grind on me at all- does active release work and traction. It all helps with pain and stiffness- keeps me going and arriving at work every day. The PT center also just acquired a pilates reformer, so we will play with that. I've "spoken" with Jesscv from this forum who lives a few hours away. Hopefully, I will connect with her at some point.

                            Taking spin classes, hiking, eating chia seeds (read the book, Born to Run- not about scoliosis, but a great read), drinking tons of H2O, stretching every time I walk through a doorway. I am going straight to heaven.

                            Anyway, I know my spine has its own ideas, along with my brain and my genes, but I feel better...onward ever onward.

                            Looking forward to hearing your reports on your ventures.

                            Foofer
                            Amy
                            58 yrs old, diagnosed at 31, never braced
                            Measured T-64, L-65 in 2009
                            Measured T-57, L-56 in 2010, different doc
                            2 lumbar levels spondylolisthesis
                            Exercising to correct

                            Comment


                            • #15
                              Amy, good to see you again. I am so glad to read of the changes you have been able to accomplish, and the positive results you have gotten! Isn't that book an encouragement - I think her curves are in the 60s also, or at least one of them. And she manages to live without pain unless she skips her routine for a few days! I too eat pretty healthily- try to have lots of fruits and veggies, only whole wheat breads if I can. I need to up the water intake tho; I love decaf coffee.

                              And yes, I was the one who calls this year "The Year of the Back". It has been a lot of trial and error and I'm glad I can share my best results. I have high hopes for Schroth and wish I didn't have to wait 2 months to start. I have alleviated my pain for the most part, but want to do all I can to avoid the necessity of surgery when I am 70. I hope to know how to move, stand, sit, etc. to best discourage increases in the curvature.

                              Good for you about the gym also - your spinning is an inspiration; the Pilates too. My winter season at work is the busiest also, and I could not manage the gym. I have been diligent with the Curves book however. I may try to get back now, thanks! I also have biked and hiked and now I am learning West Coast swing dancing, but can only go about once a week. I still walk most days at lunchtime for about 20 minutes.

                              I am taking it that you are not insured-- or else you could apply for Schroth PT. Jen Graham has a letter for insurance companies, and my Dr. wrote a script for it when I asked, which is why I got covered, I think. He is the best. SRS Neurosurgeon who is conservative. Surgery is usually covered. But insurance will change in 2014 so you may have hope there.

                              Thanks for the inspiration, again. The Year of the Back is well underway.
                              Last edited by dailystrength; 04-23-2010, 04:33 PM.
                              34L at diagnosis; Boston Brace 1979
                              Current: 50L, 28T

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