anyone over 30 degrees with spinecor?

[aprilshowers]

Hi everyone,

My name is April and I wanted to know if there was anyone here with a degree of 30 or over and older than 13 years old who is trying the spinecor. I am 18 and getting mine April 5th. I'd love to hear your results so far or if you are scheduled to get one. Please tell me your stories!

Thanks

[MATJESNIC]

Hi April,

Just wondering where you are going for the brace and who is doing the brace. You can read about my almost-13 year-old daughter in my signature.

[aprilshowers]

I am going to NY to see Dr. Deutchman (I'm not sure if I spelled that right). Does your daughter have the spinecor? What are here curves and how is she doing?

[aprilshowers]

Sorry, I read your signature. Is she getting improvement?

[MATJESNIC]

April,

Just wondering where you live. We live outside of Phila., Pa. Nicole is holding her own in the Spinecor. She is not getting better, but so far not really getting worse. If she can stay where she is, we will settle for that.

We originally went to Deutchman but switched to the inventors of the brace in Montreal. The brace costs less there and the appointments cost a lot less. Also, in N.Y. we were charged a lot of money for vestibular testing and were not given an option as to whether we wanted that done. Everything was presented to us as a package. If I had to do it all over again, I would have gone straight to Montreal and saved the extra few thousand dollars for my kids' college funds.

I wish you much success.

Melissa

[christine2]

April

We also go to Montreal. We saved alot of $ and my daughter is getting the BEST possible treatment there! If I were you I would try to find some posts by braceguy here on the forum.

Christine

[aprilshowers]

I live in PA as well and I am wondering how much money is actually saved. Also, is it difficult to make appointments and travel when french is the popular language there? I am also wondering if insurance will cover it since it is in another country.

[MATJESNIC]

Although it is a French speaking hospital, all the doctors speak English as well. No problem there. As far as insurance is concerned, it is considered out-of-network for us just as the chiros in New York. The only difference is that the cost of the brace is cheaper in Montreal and they don't charge as much for their appointments. Also there is no mandatory vestibular testing there. For example, when we went to see Deutchman, we had to write him a check for almost $6,000 on that day. There were more fees after that because each appt. cost a lot and of course, there was the re-test of vestibular testing. You would be surprised to learn that Montreal is only a 7 hour car ride for us. We live in Bucks County. Are your Parents involved with this? Or are you on your own here? I am only giving you some things to think about. I am not trying to tell you what to do. I wish someone would have done the same for me. I would have saved a few thousand dollars.

[aprilshowers]

Melissa,

Thank you so much for all of your help and information. My parents are helping me and are just hoping our insurance will cover it. When my mom spoke to Dr. Deutchman on the phone he told her it would be 3500 but I am now worried that it will be more once we get there. I also was wary of the vestibular testing and my mom is by no means happy about the fact she has no say about whether or not we get it. We are now looking into Montreal and plan to call tomorrow. I just hope it won't be too long before I can get the brace. If you have any other info, please keep posting. Thanks so much.

~April

To everyone,
Please keep sending your stories. I would love to hear how others are doing.

[MATJESNIC]

April,

Maybe he is doing things differently now that so many people have been complaining of the high cost of vestibular testing. Did he say how much you would have to pay him that day? I know the brace is $3,500. But you have to pay for x-rays, the appt. and if they are still doing that vestibular testing.

In Montreal, you have to pay for x-rays as well. Just get all of your facts before making a decision. I would be glad to talk to your Parents if they have any questions. I am assuming at age 18 that you are fully mature. I wonder if Dr. Rivard in Montreal has ever started bracing someone at your age. That would be a good question to ask.

[aprilshowers]

Thank you so much for the advice. You have been extremely helpful. We will call NY tomorrow to see if that is the final price. We don't want any surprises. If it is I plan to probably stick with new york. I don't know if anyone my age has had improved curves and even if there are no current success stories, I also know there have been few cases of people my age getting the brace. I want it because it is the only hope I have of correcting my curve in even a small way. I think at the very least it will improve my posture and get my muscles used to moving in the proper way. Thanks again for all of your excellent advice.

[cherylplinder]

April,
Dr. Coillard has stated to me that they are using the brace in adult patients with success. She only addressed pain relief in her statement, but I wouldn't be surprised if some correction was achieved also. I am sure it depends on the rigidity of the curve as to how much improvement you get in the curve, but to the degree that the curve is fexible, I would think there could be some improvement.
I would e-mail Dr. Rivard and Dr. Coillard to ask about their results to know for sure. They are wonderful physicians and very caring. The e-mail address is on the website at http://www.spinecorporation.com/
I know that adult patients are achieving relief from pain and increased ability to carry on their lives normally. I have talked to one adult patient personally.
Best of luck!
Cheryl

[aprilshowers]

That is certainly good news that Dr. Colliard is using it on adults. I sent xrays last week and I am currently waiting for a call. I am hoping they will say they can help me! I am anxiously waiting for the call. Cheryl, what is your daughter's story? Anyone else with spinecor?

[cherylplinder]

Rachel was diagnosed with scoliosis at about 7, but looking back at an MRI taken when she fell out of a tree at 5, the curve was there at that time. Her curves were 18T/17L for a couple of years. From January 2005 til January 2005, her curves increased to 38T/27L. I was informed that with her 0 risser, large curves, and young age(she was 10 at the time), she had a 100% chance of progressing to surgery with any brace. According the the literature, that is correct.
We tried a TLSO first. It did not correct her curves even by 1 degree, so there was no point in wearing it. I ran across the Spinecor on the web and contacted several physicians about it for Rachel, none of the physicians in the US could tell me if it would help her.I contacted Dr. Rivard and Dr. Coillard. They agreed to evaluate her in Montreal. As of January of this year her curves are 22T/20L. She has grown 3 or 4 inches this year. She has been at about 22/20 since April of 2006, after just 4 months in the brace.
I am thrilled. This brace completely relieved her pain. She was in pain constantly. She hasn't had any pain since about a month after we got her in Spinecor. She is grateful and I am too.

Dr. Rivard and Coillard are wonderful physicians. He told me the day he fitted her that he thought he would get her curve to 22 degrees. Her supine x-ray was 22 degrees that day. He was right. They are caring and compassionate.


The lady I talked to from Jackson, MS, was completely incapacitated by her scoliosis before the Spinecor brace. She was in her mid to late 50's and no longer able to walk much at all. Her pain completely debilitated her. When I talked to her she had returned to her normal activities, was pain free, and was ecstatic. She was the first person I talked to about the brace in January of 2006.
Dr. Coillard told me about her adult patients when I told her that the brace had completely relieved Rachel's pain at our visit in either August or April.


Best of luck! I hope they can help you!
HUgs!
Cheryl

[MATJESNIC]

I think it is wonderful that Rachel is beating the odds. Dr. R. and Dr. C. in Montreal were not as optimistic with Nicole. They said they didn't expect any correction. Maybe it could go down to 35 at best. They were hoping to just hold the curves. At that point she had already had her period but was still at a 0. I never asked why they said that. She was getting a ten degree correction in both curves with brace. But they didn't expect that would be the end result.

Did Rachel go through her major growth spurt yet? Did she get her period yet?

Nicole has had it for one year.

[cherylplinder]

I don't think Rachel has had her major growth spurt yet. I think she will probably be 5'5" or so.
She has not started her period yet either. She hasn't shown signs of puberty much, a little hair, maybe.


So Dr. Rivard and Dr. Coillard don't think that the 28/34 will be the final result for Nicole?
I am surprised. I thought every time I read her measurements that they meant she would acheive some long term correction. I guess I don't understand. Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm............................. .


I will ask more specific detailed questions next time and try to understand.
I wonder if Dr. Rivard only meant that Rachel would acheive a 22 in brace, not that it would be maintained after they discontinued the brace. That would be disappointing, but on the other hand, if this brace even held her to 38/27, it would still be more than anyone expected any other brace to do.

Do you know when your appointment is in May, yet?

Hugs!

[MATJESNIC]

Cheryl,

I called there and they said they will call me in April to give me some dates. We have the busiest May with dance competitions, recitals, concerts, puppy being spayed, etc. I hope we can find a date that will work.

They were very clear with us that they didn't expect much in the way of correction. I should have asked why. Like I said, she went down ten degrees in each but they never thought she could stay in that range. They want to hold her curves and believe me, they have made no promises. That is what all the orthos have in common. They have all said they have no idea whether her curves will get worse or not. One day they will know which are the evil curves that increase and which are the cooperative curves that don't. But they will not know that soon enough for Nicole. So we just wait.

My reference to evil vs. good curves was actually taken from one of the kids on SpineKids. I don't know who said it, but I thought it was adorable the way she explained it to another child.

[aprilshowers]

I just wanted to update everyone. Dr. Rivard called and told my mom my curve is in the 30s ?? if that is true, what the heck is my orthopaedic surgeon measuring? He does it on a computer. Certainly good news that is is smaller than I thought!! He told me that being structurally mature, no brace would help me. (Thank goodness we called him! Saved a lot of money) He also said there is no scientific evidence that yoga works, but it won't hurt me. He also said the most important thing I can do is never get a job where I have to stand. He said that alone will cause bad pain and by 45 I will want the surgery. Important info! My mom said he seemed like the nicest man, and he went above and beyond to look at my xrays and call my mom because he genuinely cares about his patients. We are certainly thankful.

[Celia Vogel]

I am not in the least bit surprised that Dr. Rivard phoned your mom personally - that's the kind of wonderful doctor he is.


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