Hi all,
I am new to this so please excuse any lapses in my Netiquette. And if you decide that I need some lashes with wet noodles, then please do so gently as I am in a lot of pain anyway !
I should mention that I am male, and after reading through quite a number of threads on this very helpful site, I have seen very few responses/threads from males. I know that the incidence is about 7-1 females-males, so I’m not very surprised, but I do feel as if I have wandered into a ‘women-only’ group. This does not bother me at all but it seems worth commenting on.
Basically I am faced with Hamlet’s problem : To Be (operated on) or Not To Be (operated on). I am very concerned about the Quality of Life issues with going in either direction.
I am 52, and was first diagnosed with Soliosis at age 32 (curves around 18-20). I tried a variety of medical treatments over the years and when I found that nothing relieved the pain, I took the mind over matter approach (meditation is wonderful) and managed to live a very active, and relatively normal life, punctuated by painful episodes that occurred intermittently for the next 18-20 years.
Over the past 2 years or so, however, the pain has increased dramatically, and I have tried various other new Pain Mgmt techniques, mainly Ablations, and other trigger point injections. After a particularly bad episode, I went to see an Orthopedist who after looking at my current X-Rays (42 and 40) advises surgery, sooner rather than later, as he indicates that it will only continue to deteriorate. I am in continuous pain, can’t sleep much (2-3 hours at most), and generally can’t get comfortable in any position – sitting, standing or lying down. Walking results in numbness in one leg. This surgeon has a very confident attitude and feels that he can definitely ‘significantly’ reduce my pain levels by doing the corrective (A/P) surgery. A second opinion confirms that whilst surgery can definitely stop the curve, this doctor states bluntly and directly, that he cannot guarantee that I will be pain free after the surgery, and he refers to the ‘Quality of Life’ issues.
After hearing about how extensive this surgery is (one doctor told me that the surgery would age me 3 years immediately i.e. I would feel like 55 afterwards); how demanding it is of the patient both physically and physiologically (and psychologically, which was not mentioned); the long recovery period and all of the associated, not to mention all the possible complications, I am left with the decision to either go through this, with the possibility (probability ?) of being in less pain, and of course all the complications (lack of flexibility etc) that you all know and have written about, or trying to continue on as I have – in constant pain. In the American vernacular, ‘a rock and a hard place’ applies – the English would describe this as a “Hobson’s choice”.
I do need to mention that my late father-in-law, an eminent Orthopaedic surgeon for nearly 50 years, had always advised me against any back surgery. I do come from a very medically-oriented family, and have often heard about the low success rate of back surgery. So this being my background, it is not difficult to understand my aversion to this surgery. However, my pain situation is so severe and my current ‘quality’ of life is so compromised that I feel that I must go through with as much research as possible to determine the best path for me.
I have only recently started some extensive research and was very pleased to find and join this site. I would be very interested and grateful for any input that anyone has on this : similar experience, reading suggestions, or other suggestions that may be helpful. Thanks !!
Sorry for such a long post but I did want to provide a clear picture.
Neil
I am new to this so please excuse any lapses in my Netiquette. And if you decide that I need some lashes with wet noodles, then please do so gently as I am in a lot of pain anyway !
I should mention that I am male, and after reading through quite a number of threads on this very helpful site, I have seen very few responses/threads from males. I know that the incidence is about 7-1 females-males, so I’m not very surprised, but I do feel as if I have wandered into a ‘women-only’ group. This does not bother me at all but it seems worth commenting on.
Basically I am faced with Hamlet’s problem : To Be (operated on) or Not To Be (operated on). I am very concerned about the Quality of Life issues with going in either direction.
I am 52, and was first diagnosed with Soliosis at age 32 (curves around 18-20). I tried a variety of medical treatments over the years and when I found that nothing relieved the pain, I took the mind over matter approach (meditation is wonderful) and managed to live a very active, and relatively normal life, punctuated by painful episodes that occurred intermittently for the next 18-20 years.
Over the past 2 years or so, however, the pain has increased dramatically, and I have tried various other new Pain Mgmt techniques, mainly Ablations, and other trigger point injections. After a particularly bad episode, I went to see an Orthopedist who after looking at my current X-Rays (42 and 40) advises surgery, sooner rather than later, as he indicates that it will only continue to deteriorate. I am in continuous pain, can’t sleep much (2-3 hours at most), and generally can’t get comfortable in any position – sitting, standing or lying down. Walking results in numbness in one leg. This surgeon has a very confident attitude and feels that he can definitely ‘significantly’ reduce my pain levels by doing the corrective (A/P) surgery. A second opinion confirms that whilst surgery can definitely stop the curve, this doctor states bluntly and directly, that he cannot guarantee that I will be pain free after the surgery, and he refers to the ‘Quality of Life’ issues.
After hearing about how extensive this surgery is (one doctor told me that the surgery would age me 3 years immediately i.e. I would feel like 55 afterwards); how demanding it is of the patient both physically and physiologically (and psychologically, which was not mentioned); the long recovery period and all of the associated, not to mention all the possible complications, I am left with the decision to either go through this, with the possibility (probability ?) of being in less pain, and of course all the complications (lack of flexibility etc) that you all know and have written about, or trying to continue on as I have – in constant pain. In the American vernacular, ‘a rock and a hard place’ applies – the English would describe this as a “Hobson’s choice”.
I do need to mention that my late father-in-law, an eminent Orthopaedic surgeon for nearly 50 years, had always advised me against any back surgery. I do come from a very medically-oriented family, and have often heard about the low success rate of back surgery. So this being my background, it is not difficult to understand my aversion to this surgery. However, my pain situation is so severe and my current ‘quality’ of life is so compromised that I feel that I must go through with as much research as possible to determine the best path for me.
I have only recently started some extensive research and was very pleased to find and join this site. I would be very interested and grateful for any input that anyone has on this : similar experience, reading suggestions, or other suggestions that may be helpful. Thanks !!
Sorry for such a long post but I did want to provide a clear picture.
Neil
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