Spinecor Brace Info Wanted

[debigolebiwski]

I have talked with a couple of the doctors who are fitting patients with the "Wonderful" Spinecor brace. They make it sound like a heavenly device. I cannot afford to get the brace now, but I hope to be able to in the future, if indeed, it is as wonderful as these doctors describe. Please, any of you who are in the brace now or have family members wearing it, I want your opinions. Please, honestly tell me how you like it or dislike it and why. I am 49 years old and spend so much of my day in excruciating pain. I have been prescribed muscle relaxers and pain meds but I can't live on those pills for the remainder of my life. Please, I ask for your honest opinions and your own experiences, if you will. Happy Valentine's Day to all of you...........

[MATJESNIC]

We are mostly Parents of children who wear the Spinecor. I think there is only one adult who wears it who posts here. So, not sure if I can help.

[debigolebiwski]

Mat....thanks

No actually, anyone here who can give me any information will be most helpful. Such as how they like it, what the doctors are like, any correction info, etc

[carolbills]

I wear the spine core brace

I am probably the person referred to. I am 60 and have been wearing the brace since June. I had (note I say had) an S curve of 65/61. I was in constant hip and neck pain and had started to get horrific back spasms that kept me bedridden for two days at a time until the muscle relaxants would finally start to work.

Check out www/scoliosissystems.com. I go to Dr. Deutchman & Dr. Lamantia every three months for a follow up visit. I just saw them yesterday. Their headquarters is in NYC but they travel to cities around the country so people can see them. They were the first doctors to treat adults with this brace so they have a lot of experience. The developers designed it for children but in their practice they were treating a lot of adults with scoliosis and believed Spinecor could help them too. I have to tell you I have had phenomenal success.

Within 2 weeks of wearing the brace I no longer had neck or hip pain. I have NEVER had another back spasm. My energy level is greatly increased because my body isn't fighting to hold itself upright. My curve is down to around 57/53

The brace is very easy to wear. It is totally dynamic so it moves with you. Stretchy straps crisscross your body according to your curve issues and snap onto a hip strap. The straps move with you so that your muscles gain strength as opposed to the hard braces that cause atrophy. It is very easily worn under your clothing. The only thing you can't do is wear sleeveless which is a small price to pay. (At my age it isn't even an issue). My friends ask if I have my brace on because they can't tell.

I have probably rambled on but it is truly the best thing that has happened to me. Dr. Deutchman and Lamantia have a wonderful warmth and lots of knowledge so they are great partners in this amazing trip I've been on.

When I sent an inquiry to scoliosissystems asking questions, Dr. Deutchman immediately sent me an e-mail suggesting I call him. He spent a half hour on the phone with me discussing my issues and answering questions about the spine core system. I am sure he would do the same for you. Check out the website and send him an e-mail.

I would be glad to answer any specific questions you have. I must urge you though not to wait if at all possible. I can tell you it spirals downhill quickly as we get older and the sooner you get it in check the better off you will be. Trying to function on the muscle relaxers has to be tough.

Hope this helps.

Carol

[debigolebiwski]

Thank you Carol

God Bless You, Carol. I thank you for writing. You are right, because over the past two years, my life has changed so drastically until it's frightening. I have been placed in this body jacket that is "supposed" to keep me from getting worse, but I can feel my body changing more since I have been wearing this. (I can actually tell how much it drops because this jacket doesn't fit right when it changes so I have to adjust the brace accordingly.) So in actuality, I don't think this jacket of hard plastic and pads is doing anything at all but making my life a living h***. The problems is that it has made my muscles weak and my body is dependent on it now. (No matter how hard I try to prevent that from happening.) You have answered questions for me and I appreciate that so much. You are so right though. Living right now on muscle relaxers is not fixing this problem. I have really bad days because I work in front of a computer all day long, sitting, typing, etc. It really puts a strain on life besides really tearing up my self-esteem! I wore a size 6 before I started wearing this brace but it takes a 16 to fit over it.

[carolbills]

Spine Core Revisited

I really hate to hear how much you are suffering in that hard brace. I too sit at my computer all day and no longer have pain. It won't cost you anything to e-mail Dr. Deutchman and then perhaps the cost of a phone call. He is quite straightforward and will tell you if he thinks he can help you. I know it isn't just me. I spoke with a woman who wanted a reference some months ago. I ran into her at the Doctors office and she couldn't stop talking about how within 2 weeks of wearing the brace she was pain free. She is in her late 50s I think. It has been 3 months that she has been braced and she is thrilled. By the way, the website says 20 hours a day of wearing the brace but that really applies to growing children. I wear my brace about 10 hours a day. I put it on when I get dressed and take it off early evening. I have gone a day here and there without wearing it and was just fine.

Keep me posted.

[MATJESNIC]

Carol,

I am truly so happy for you. My daughter wears the Spinecor and I am happy it works for adults so that maybe if Nicole can avoid surgery and she has to wear it at times when she gets older, it will help her. When you mentioned your curves, did you mean in-brace or out-of-brace?

[carolbills]

Curve Measurement

Those measurements were out of brace. It is all too amazing for me to imagine also. I know that one of my saving graces is that I have taken ballet most of my life and still do. This has kept my back somewhat flexible. I think this helps a lot. I would urge anyone with scoliosis to try ballet. My chiropractor has a number of scoliosis patients who are younger and with much smaller curves who are in worse shape. I am sure all my dance has kept me going.

[debigolebiwski]

Thanks for answering......

All of your information has helped to ease my mind greatly. I thank you. Carol I did contact Dr Deutschman. He was very nice and he was very certain that he could help me. He wanted me to meet him at the southern clinic he visits in Atlanta, GA. He said he is there every three months. He really made me feel like there was hope for a body in constant pain day and night. My problem now is that I must have 4300.00 the day of my visit. This will be what keeps me from getting the brace. My insurance is crazy. They paid for the body jacket that I am in now because it doesn't correct but it somewhat should maintain my curve (although it is not working). They will not pay for something that will correct the curve. They will pay for surgery but that is not an option because I MUST keep working. Oh, I have United Healthcare Insurance in Mississippi