Information to help me decide on surgery

[LStephens]

Hi! I'm a 25-year-old who is considering surgery to correct a mild-moderate thoracolumbar curve (46 degrees). I have surgery scheduled for June but haven't made my final decision. I plan on making my final decision based on the results of an MRI I am to have to determine the degeneration of the discs below my curve.
I was hoping to hear from someone else who had a similar curve and had surgery to correct it in adulthood. I appreciate any help, info., and advice anyone can give.
One of my biggest questions right now is how well did the surgery alleviate your pain?
Thanks for any help!!!

[amae28]

I'm in the midst of deciding on surgery (mainly for pain) too, so I'm interested in what people write here to respond to you. What kind of pain are you having? ...I've had lots of MRI's and tomarrow am getting a CT scan because my orthopaedic surgeon suspects a stress fracture at L4. I am getting bending x-rays in February to see, if I was to get surgery, how far they would have to fuse.
My pain is withstandable, more obnoxious than anything- i mean, i don't really know any different than how my back feels now, so i don't know if surgery would just make the pain worse or not.

Thanks for asking this question... people, respond!!!

Abbie

[LindaRacine]

Hi...

I'm not sure I can be of much help, but I'll try. My curves were somewhat larger (around 60 degrees each) when I had my surgery. The overwhelming reason that I chose surgery was because of my pain and loss of function. Without those elements present, I think the decision is considerably harder.

I have a totally non-scientific quiz on my website that might help you consider some of the elements involved in this huge decision:

http://www.scoliosislinks.com/ShouldYouHaveSurgery.htm

Good luck!

Regards,
Linda

[macky]

Linda I had a look at your quiz.

The time that you put into it, the excellent questions, the fairness of looking at both sides of the question, well done, This I am sure will be such a great tool to help people decide.

I am honestly stuck for words. That should be a first!!

God bless
Macky xx

[LindaRacine]

Thanks for your kind words Macky.

--Linda

[LStephens]

Linda
Thanks so much for the quiz link. I think it gave me important considerations for surgery and definitely pinpointed some of my hesitations to proceeding with surgery.
My curve isn't progressing but I have a lot of back pain and I've always been extremely self-conscience about the asthetic aspect of my scoliosis. I just don't want to focus on the wrong reasons to proceed with surgery and end up getting myself into more trouble than when I began.
Thanks for giving me some insight.
Lindsey

[LStephens]

Hi Abbie...I think you and I are in similar boats.
My pain is in the thoracolumbar area...the majority of the time it's an annoying dull pain on occasion it's worse. At night it takes me about 30 minutes to find a comfortable position to sleep in
My surgeon wants an MRI to check for degeneration of the discs below my curve to determine how much of my spine needs to be included in surgery

[amae28]

yeah i totally understand where you are coming from on the sleeping thing and finding a comfortable position. I am more and more leaning towards surgery... i think after i get my bending xrays feb. 12th and talk to my dr. about surgery i'll be more "for sure" one way or the other.
I'm interested to know what direction you decide to take and why... I am so caught up in this and my biggest fear is just making my back pain worse...
Abbie