Kyphosis surgery hey clinic

[kyphosis]

I am 42 and in Nov 2007 I had kyphosis surgery. Pre-op I was 59 degrees, post op 44 degrees, fused T-1 to L-1. My surgeon was Lloyd Hey of the Hey Clinic in Raleigh-Durham, NC.

Immediately after the surgery I knew something was not right.

1. In a standing position my head tends to look to the ground. I have to hyperextend my hips in order to not look at the ground. This takes a toll on my sacrum & has caused a burning sensation in my right foot.

2. After the surgery, I became much thicker front to back. My chest size went from a 44 to a 48. I have a c-shaped hump in my back. When I lie on a solid surface my head cannot touch the ground without hyper extension. Im like a turtle. I don't understand this.

3. I have relentless muscle spasms & itching between my shoulder blades.

I am fused in a position that I am fighting every waking hour of my day.

I have spent more time in bed since this surgery than I have in all years prior.


Dr Hey says he has done all that can be done. He thinks my problems revolve around a negative body image and that I should seek counseling.


Im just tired of fighting these rods in my back.

Im not sure what to do if anything. At the same time I cant imagine spending the rest of my life fighting these rods in order to stand up straight.

Anyone else have the same issues or recommendations?

Thanks

[joyfull]

Kyphosis, I am so sorry to hear about your results. I would definitely get another opinion from a surgeon very experienced in revisions. The way you describe your situation it sounds unbearable. Please keep posting.

[jrnyc]

i cant believe that....outrageous! that is so inappropriate to say to a patient! and i say that to you as a licensed social worker...who worked in clinical therapy!

please please consider getting another opinion! i wont tell you what i think of dr hey...just wont say it here on forum....

please dont accept his assessment of what is going on! when i was so sick with lyme disease, a whole lot of male doctors told me i was crazy...they didnt find the illness cause they didnt specifically test for it...so they called me crazy, told me i needed therapy, was a hypochondriac, etc...as soon as they did the right test, it popped up high positive, and their tune changed! now i was ill, with a specific treatable illness (or they thought it was treatable after almost 2 years undiagnosed and sicker and sicker!)

my point is that doctors are WRONG lots of the time!!! there is nothing wrong with getting another opinion...i kinda think you owe it to yourself!! and dr hey seems to have blown you off...with an easy psych diagnosis! so unfair and so wrong!!

best regards
jess

[LindaRacine]

I am 42 and in Nov 2007 I had kyphosis surgery. Pre-op I was 59 degrees, post op 44 degrees, fused T-1 to L-1. My surgeon was Lloyd Hey of the Hey Clinic in Raleigh-Durham, NC.

Immediately after the surgery I knew something was not right.

1. In a standing position my head tends to look to the ground. I have to hyperextend my hips in order to not look at the ground. This takes a toll on my sacrum & has caused a burning sensation in my right foot.

2. After the surgery, I became much thicker front to back. My chest size went from a 44 to a 48. I have a c-shaped hump in my back. When I lie on a solid surface my head cannot touch the ground without hyper extension. Im like a turtle. I don't understand this.

3. I have relentless muscle spasms & itching between my shoulder blades.

I am fused in a position that I am fighting every waking hour of my day.

I have spent more time in bed since this surgery than I have in all years prior.


Dr Hey says he has done all that can be done. He thinks my problems revolve around a negative body image and that I should seek counseling.


Im just tired of fighting these rods in my back.

Im not sure what to do if anything. At the same time I cant imagine spending the rest of my life fighting these rods in order to stand up straight.

Anyone else have the same issues or recommendations?

Thanks

Outrageous doesn't begin to describe this scenario. Is there any chance you can travel for surgery outside of North Carolina?

--Linda

[Lorraine 1966]

Oh my goodness, this is without a doubt one of the most awful posts I have read. How dare he say it is negative body image, you poor thing. Don't take any notice of him.
I am so hoping you can get somewhere for a second opinion. You should not be feeling like this truly.

Lorraine,.

[debbei]

I am so sorry for all that you are going through. I cant understand for the life of me how this surgeon could say such a thing when you can't even stand up straight. I agree with the others that it is time for another opinion. This seems like a case for the best kind of revision specialist you can find.

((Hugs)) to you.

[naptown78]

Get yourself to another Surgeon ASAP! I had this same thing happen to me after my orig surgery and my surgeon brushed me off. Just reading your post it is obvious something is wrong ( and not in your head!). Go to someone that is experienced in revisions...you should not have to live like that.

[lray]

How very sad to hear of your suffering. I agree with everyone else here, you deserve better and should obtain a second opinion. It sure sounds like his comments are the result of pure arrogance rather than compassion.

[tonibunny]

Hi, I think you should get another surgeon to assess you and measure the degree of your curvature. It sounds like it must be a lot larger than 44 degrees, because that's only four degrees larger than what is considered to be "normal" kyphosis! The range for normal kyphosis (at least in the UK) is generally considered to be 20-40 degrees. It's very possible that things are measured differently here though because surgery for a 59 degree curve is practically unheard of.

Good luck, I hope you find some help and answers.