New Here...Need Advice???

[gypsy]

Hi everyone. I was diagnosed with scoliosis when I was a teen. Wore a back brace for a long time, but it didn't help. I can't remember the degree of my curve...maybe 17 degrees? I don't remember. Anyway, here I am 15 years later starting to get some really bad back pain. I think it has progressed, so I had an xray. The doctor left me a message saying that it was "moderately severe". Does anyone know what that means? I haven't gone back to see what my degree of curve is. Any rough guesses on what it is? Here's a pic:

http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c194/gypsy_woman/back1.jpg

Also, some questions:
1) If I get surgery, would it be 100% straightened?
2) My hips are really rotated and uneven, check it out in the photo - will surgery straighten them out?
3) I read somewhere in the forum that if your vertebre are wedge-shaped, then you have structural scoliosis. Are my vertebre wedge-shaped? What does structural scoliosis mean?

Thanks for any help!!!

[LindaRacine]

Hi Gypsy...

First, I think you need to see someone who specializes in scoliosis. I suspect that the physician who ordered the x-ray is not a specialist, as your x-ray did not include your entire curve. You can find a list of specialists here:

http://www.srs.org/directory/directory.asp

Surgery does not usually reduce the curve 100%, but most people under the age of 30 get very good correction.

When you talk to a specialist be sure that s/he understands that your pelvic tilt is of concern to you. It can be addressed somewhat during surgery.

Regards,
Linda

[gypsy]

Thanks Linda, I will check that out. Do you know what that big blob is in the middle of the xray? Is that my stomach???

[LindaRacine]

Hi Gypsy...

I'm not sure what you're referring to, but if it isn't bone, then I probably wouldn't know anyway.

I just realized that the picture of the x-ray was from 1977. I think your curve was larger than you were told back then.

--Linda

[gypsy]

HAHAHA! No, 1977 is my year of birth. The x-ray was taken in October of this year.

[LindaRacine]

Ah, that makes sense.

Where do you live?

--Linda

[gypsy]

Washington DC

[cwhite]

I am 27 years old and had scoliosis detected when I was 15, my doctor at the time said the curve wasn't bad enough for surgery and since most of my growing was complete, he didn't recommend a brace for me. Now at 27, I have a lot of back pain, ranging from lower to mid back. About 1 month ago I threw my back out (trying on shoes no less) and was in terrible pain. Went to a spine specialist, took and x-ray and MRI...although the pain was related to a lower disc which was independent of my scoliosis, the x-ray showed that my curve had progressively gotten worse. Since my last X-ray about 3 years ago, my curve was in the mid 20 degree....now its just over 50degrees. I'm signed up for surgery in January, my expectation is not to get a full 100% reduction (my doctor said 50% reduction is more likely in adults) but doing this now will stop the progression and help my upper back pain, I'm still young so the recovery will be easier then if I were to wait, plus I just recently got married and want to start a family soon, I thought it would be easier to have the surgery now then once I have children.

My advice, see a specialist. Make sure that the pain you are experiencing is from your scoliosis and not a herniated disc or other problem. MRI will help detect that.

Hope that helps and wish me luck on my upcoming surgery!

[cwhite]

I found this book to be very helpful in explaining the different types of curves and different approaches to surgery, it helped me understand the jargon my doctor would tell me. Its a quick read.

Scoliosis Surgery: The Definitive Patient's Reference (2nd Edition) (Paperback)
by David K. Wolpert

[gypsy]

[QUOTE=cwhite] I'm signed up for surgery in January, my expectation is not to get a full 100% reduction (my doctor said 50% reduction is more likely in adults) QUOTE]

Congrats on your new marriage! I don't understand why it can't be reduced beyond 50% in adults...I mean, if they can reduce it, they can reduce it, right? Have you researched how lethal or dangerous the surgery is? I haven't researched that a whole lot yet, but I heard that it is a very serious surgery...isn't it? Like heart surgery.

[LindaRacine]

Hi Gypsy...

The amount of reduction depends on how stiff one's curves are. I had my surgery at age 42 and got probably about 85% correction, as my curves weren't super stiff.

--Linda

[gypsy]

Wow, that' really great Linda! There's hope yet!

[green m&m]

the big blob in the middle is your heart.

[gypsy]

the big blob in the middle is your heart.

Oh...that makes sense, but doesn't it seem kind of low? I thought the heart was higher.

[HGD24]

Gypsy,
I agree with Linda that you need to see a specialist. You need to find a doctor you trust who has had a lot of experience in this field. Everytime I saw my surgeon, I had my notebook full of questions with me and he wouldn't let me leave his office until he had answered every single one of them and was sure that I was clear on everything he had told me. He was great!

I had surgery in Feb. of this year at age 30 and was originally told that by my surgeon that according to the x-rays, he would be able to get me from 75 degrees to 40. Once in surgery, he found that my curves weren't as stiff as the x-rays had shown and he was able to get me down to 28 and 23 degrees.