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I have loose Harrington Rods?

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  • I have loose Harrington Rods?

    I am SO GLAD to have found this site!
    When I was 18 I was in a car wreck which broke my back.
    The surgery was much like that for scoliosis and required
    Harrington Rods to fuse my spine.

    When I turned 37 I started to experience muscle spasms
    pain running down my left side into the top of my leg
    from my low back.

    After several weeks of rest and mild pain meds
    my general practitioner diagnosed me with Fibromyalgia.
    No xray was taken to view the rods

    2 years later when I was shuffled off to a pain management clinic...
    and the xray was done...there were those harrington rods,
    all the way down by my hip/pelvis area AND the BOLTS
    up almost to my shoulder area.

    So the rods went south
    the bolts headed north.

    Apparantly the rods had been dislocated for some time...
    because every orthopedic doc that looked at me said
    there was a "halo" around them and that this meant
    loads of scar tissue and "stuff" had grown around them...
    making it almost impossible to take them out.

    Now...at the age of 44
    my pain level radiates at a number 7
    and I have constant pain.
    Pain when I sleep
    pain when I sit
    pain when I stand.


    I am on pain meds
    anti inflammatory
    and a muscle relaxer.

    But it seems that recently
    my shoulder area has increased
    (horrible burning and aching) pain
    and that either my pain is getting worse
    or the pain meds are losing strength.

    I wonder if anyone else here has experienced this?
    the loosening of the rods...
    and what has helped them?

    Vicki

  • #2
    Hi Vicki...

    You need to be seen by an orthopaedist who has a lot of experience treating people with prior long fusions. Where are you located?

    Regards,
    Linda
    Never argue with an idiot. They always drag you down to their level, and then they beat you with experience. --Twain
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Surgery 2/10/93 A/P fusion T4-L3
    Surgery 1/20/11 A/P fusion L2-sacrum w/pelvic fixation

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