Surgery Recommended Today

[briarrose]

Hi everyone

I just had an appointment with my orthopedic surgeon a few hours ago. He measured my x-rays and found my curve to be 47 degrees. I am obviously showing signs of progression so he recommended that I have the surgery done within the next 2 years. I've been waiting for a doctor to tell me this for about 3 years now. It's strange that the time has finally come. I'm in college full time and I'm trying to figure out if I should wait until after I graduate (Dec 2008) to have the surgery done or wait until next summer. Any suggestions? I'm going to see him in 6 months with new x-rays to see if the progression has increased. In a way I'm relieved, yet kind of scared. I have some time though before I get this done. For those of you who have had surgery, would you do it again and would you recommend it for someone else who has pain and progression?

Thanks!

[lelc2002@yahoo]

Hi Briarrose,
I had no bad pain prior to surgery. I felt more pressure of my body being compressed with lose of height & all.
I have no regrets in having the surgery at all. I am so much better off now. My curve was 95 prior to surgery. At your age, recovery should be fairly fast compared to an oldie like me....Lynne :)

fused T-11 to L-5...

[briarrose]

Hi Lynne

Thanks for your encouraging response. My curve is nothing compared to what yours was! How much height did you gain? I'm really looking forward to being a little bit taller because I'm only 5 foot 3 now. Were you nervous about the surgery? I'll be fused, most likely, from T2-L1. Did you have a thoracoplasty done? My doctor said he does them but doesn't recommend them because it can cause lung complications. I'd like to have it done, but since I have asthma, it may not be a good idea.

[Jacque's Mom]

Briarrose, I had the surgery at 27 years old (in 1981 w/harrington rod). I had suffered w/pain for so many years (can't remember my childhood w/o pain) so I was certainly happy that someone could help me. I do have pain now - as many do with this type of rod - but would do it again if I had to. I gained 3 inches in height and have a great waistline still! My curve was 62/32 and was only corrected to 45/? after surgery but it stopped the pain. I highly recommend it. Good luck! LYNN

[briarrose]

Briarrose, I had the surgery at 27 years old (in 1981 w/harrington rod). I had suffered w/pain for so many years (can't remember my childhood w/o pain) so I was certainly happy that someone could help me. I do have pain now - as many do with this type of rod - but would do it again if I had to. I gained 3 inches in height and have a great waistline still! My curve was 62/32 and was only corrected to 45/? after surgery but it stopped the pain. I highly recommend it. Good luck! LYNN

That's so cool that you gained 3 inches and that your pain went away!!! I'm hoping for both those things, but I'm guessing I'll only be 1-2 inches taller. It's nice to know that you still have a good waistline too. I'm looking forward to having an even waistline. My one side looks great, but the other, not so great.

Thanks for your encouraging words!

Shell

[abhbarry]

I hear ya Shell! I'm excited about having a real waistline too. Gotta keep our heads up and minds on the small positive things about this huge surgery (although those are not the reasons to have surgery, of course)!

Best,
Anya

[briarrose]

Hi Anya

When is your surgery?

Does anyone know if you can still ride roller coasters after surgery?

Shell

[rainbow2010]

If it is a kiddy roller coaster, its ok. Most are labeled not for people with back problems. It is like being in a car accident, your back cannot absorb the shock once you have had a fusion. You don't bend in that area and above and below the fusion will take the brunt of the force.

[abhbarry]

Hi Shell (and others),

My surgery is on June 5th - a week from Tuesday! Eeeeek. I'm keeping my schedule very busy and heading out of town for a few days. I can't believe I'm actually doing this after so many years, but it will give me a better quality of life, and hopefully let me do things I haven't been able to do.

I just can't wait for it to be all over and to be on the road towards recovery. I know it is going to be difficult though.

Best,
Anya

[briarrose]

I hope it goes well Anya! Let us all know how it goes. You must be nervous. I'm sure it will turn out fine.

Roller coasters are my absolute favorite thing. Maybe I won't get surgery after all. Haha.

[treacherous]

I hope it goes well Anya! Let us all know how it goes. You must be nervous. I'm sure it will turn out fine.

Roller coasters are my absolute favorite thing. Maybe I won't get surgery after all. Haha.
I know same here. :[ I blame Kingda ka for worsening my curve though, ha.

anyway, your pretty much in the same situation as me. I'm 20 and I found out over the past summer that I will be needing surgery. Last august I was measured at a 50 degree curve. I'm also in college and have severe asthma (so most likely will not be having the thoro becuase the whole idea scares me, although my asthma doctor said it should not be a problem)

When I was told last summer I was also relieved, but very frightened at the same time. Even though I knew what he was going to say, it was quite surreal to hear it.

I still have not had the surgery yet because I am in school and keep post-poning the visit back to the doctor, but I think in your case, as mine, it is very important to get it done as soon as you can. I can even sense a difference in my back from last summer. And I regret not already having the surgery done already. It's better to get it out of the way as soon as you can, I think.

It's much easier to recuperate from such a major surgery at a young age like ours (and while the curve is still not too drastic) than to wait untill the curve is extremely severe.

[briarrose]

I know same here. :[ I blame Kingda ka for worsening my curve though, ha.

anyway, your pretty much in the same situation as me. I'm 20 and I found out over the past summer that I will be needing surgery. Last august I was measured at a 50 degree curve. I'm also in college and have severe asthma (so most likely will not be having the thoro becuase the whole idea scares me, although my asthma doctor said it should not be a problem)

When I was told last summer I was also relieved, but very frightened at the same time. Even though I knew what he was going to say, it was quite surreal to hear it.

I still have not had the surgery yet because I am in school and keep post-poning the visit back to the doctor, but I think in your case, as mine, it is very important to get it done as soon as you can. I can even sense a difference in my back from last summer. And I regret not already having the surgery done already. It's better to get it out of the way as soon as you can, I think.

It's much easier to recuperate from such a major surgery at a young age like ours (and while the curve is still not too drastic) than to wait untill the curve is extremely severe.

You're right about getting the surgery done sooner rather than later. I talked with my advisor at school yesterday and he thought I should get it done next May and not worry about an internship.

When do you think you'll have the surgery done? It's nice to know someone else has asthma on here. Though asthma is NEVER fun. I have moderate asthma. I usually end up on prednisone once or twice a year and I take Advair. I used to take Singulair and that worked great for me. I rarely had an asthma attack but it made me hallucinate so I had to stop.

Do you live in New Jersey? I'm from PA. I got on King Da Ka about 2 years ago. Great ride! Roller coasters have never hurt my back though. I can see not being able to ride the wooden ones after surgery but the newer ones are so smooth with little to no jarring. I'll talk to my doctor about it.

Good luck!

Shell

[treacherous]

You're right about getting the surgery done sooner rather than later. I talked with my advisor at school yesterday and he thought I should get it done next May and not worry about an internship.

When do you think you'll have the surgery done? It's nice to know someone else has asthma on here. Though asthma is NEVER fun. I have moderate asthma. I usually end up on prednisone once or twice a year and I take Advair. I used to take Singulair and that worked great for me. I rarely had an asthma attack but it made me hallucinate so I had to stop.

Do you live in New Jersey? I'm from PA. I got on King Da Ka about 2 years ago. Great ride! Roller coasters have never hurt my back though. I can see not being able to ride the wooden ones after surgery but the newer ones are so smooth with little to no jarring. I'll talk to my doctor about it.

Good luck!

Shell

Yeah, I went on king da ka last year...As well as El Toro. :D.
Either way...I really will miss roller coasters.

My asthma kind of sounds like yours, although it USED to be very bad. I take advair and am supposed to take singulair but I don't because it literally does NOTHING for me and I think it's just un-needed medicine and I don't want the side effects. I feel/breathe the same way without it.

I usually do get sick a few times a year and end up on prednisone (which softens your bones btw....probably affects progression of scoliosis) or albuteral (yay for hallucination, ha) as well.

I'm not sure when I will have my surgery though. I was told I would need surgery last august and planned to have it this past May - that way I could recooperate throughout the summer months and then return to school in the fall hopefully, but I still have not found a surgeon me/my mom agree on...so we are still searching. Do you know of any good surgeons in the NYC/PA area?

Are you getting posterior or anterior? The one surgeon I have seen leaned more toward anterior but anterior scares me since they have to deflate a lung...and I have asthma and all.

[Janet]

treacherous,


I still have not found a surgeon me/my mom agree on...so we are still searching. Do you know of any good surgeons in the NYC/PA area?

Are you getting posterior or anterior? The one surgeon I have seen leaned more toward anterior but anterior scares me since they have to deflate a lung...and I have asthma and all.

Dr. Boachie in NYC is great - there are many on this forum who have been operated on by him - do a search to see the many comments.

Anterior is done either by one open incision on the side with no lung deflation or by thoracoscopic release, which does require lung deflation. A pulmonary function test and an examination by a pulmonologist will reveal whether the lung deflation is appropriate.

[briarrose]

Yeah, I went on king da ka last year...As well as El Toro. :D.
Either way...I really will miss roller coasters.

My asthma kind of sounds like yours, although it USED to be very bad. I take advair and am supposed to take singulair but I don't because it literally does NOTHING for me and I think it's just un-needed medicine and I don't want the side effects. I feel/breathe the same way without it.

I usually do get sick a few times a year and end up on prednisone (which softens your bones btw....probably affects progression of scoliosis) or albuteral (yay for hallucination, ha) as well.

I'm not sure when I will have my surgery though. I was told I would need surgery last august and planned to have it this past May - that way I could recooperate throughout the summer months and then return to school in the fall hopefully, but I still have not found a surgeon me/my mom agree on...so we are still searching. Do you know of any good surgeons in the NYC/PA area?

Are you getting posterior or anterior? The one surgeon I have seen leaned more toward anterior but anterior scares me since they have to deflate a lung...and I have asthma and all.

I've never been on El Toro. I'll have to before I have the surgery done! I'm going to Dorney Park next week.

My asthma was horrible as a kid. I was in and out of the hospital all the time until I was 10. I've been close to going to the hospital in the past few years, but thank goodness for prednisone. It never occurred to me that the prednisone could have caused my curve to worsen. How many days are you usually on it? My doctor usually puts me on for 14 days starting at 50mg, but I'm bad and cut back the dosage and days. Too bad prednisone is bad for you. I always feel so great on it.

As Janet said, I've heard a lot of great things about Dr. Boachie. My aunt had surgery done by Dr. Albert at the Rothman Institute in Philly. She really liked him and thinks he's an excellent surgeon. I'm seeing Dr. Fras at the University of Pennsylvania. He's really nice and seems to like to talk with his patients. He said he can get me really straight, probably less than 10 degrees. Those are the only doctors I know of in the Philly/NYC area. I saw a doctor in Hershey, but that's probably too far for you.

Anterior really scares me too. I didn't ask my doctor whether it would be anterior or posterior. I'm hoping posterior. I'll have to ask him when I go back in December.

Where do you go to college? What's your major?

Shell

[Shari]

I went to an amusement / water park last summer and every ride had a sign that was posted that no back problems, certain surgeries, etc.

I paid full price to get in, but couldn't ride on anything. But I still had a great time watching. I wondered afterwards if I could have gotten a discounted rate because I was unable to ride anything?

I can't wait to go again this summer!!!

Shari

[treacherous]

I've never been on El Toro. I'll have to before I have the surgery done! I'm going to Dorney Park next week.

My asthma was horrible as a kid. I was in and out of the hospital all the time until I was 10. I've been close to going to the hospital in the past few years, but thank goodness for prednisone. It never occurred to me that the prednisone could have caused my curve to worsen. How many days are you usually on it? My doctor usually puts me on for 14 days starting at 50mg, but I'm bad and cut back the dosage and days. Too bad prednisone is bad for you. I always feel so great on it.

As Janet said, I've heard a lot of great things about Dr. Boachie. My aunt had surgery done by Dr. Albert at the Rothman Institute in Philly. She really liked him and thinks he's an excellent surgeon. I'm seeing Dr. Fras at the University of Pennsylvania. He's really nice and seems to like to talk with his patients. He said he can get me really straight, probably less than 10 degrees. Those are the only doctors I know of in the Philly/NYC area. I saw a doctor in Hershey, but that's probably too far for you.

Anterior really scares me too. I didn't ask my doctor whether it would be anterior or posterior. I'm hoping posterior. I'll have to ask him when I go back in December.

Where do you go to college? What's your major?

Shell
wow yeah, I was pretty much in/out of the hospital untill I was around that age too.


Yes, everyone tellss me dr. boachie is good too...but he is too expensive for me currently. I don't have that kind of money to put up front unfortunately.

Philidelphia is not too far. My mom wants me to get it done at a well respected place so distance is not an issue at all. Plus, my aunt lives in philidelphia and she said she would help us look for some places. I'll look into the place you mentioned.

My major is social science, but I'm currently hating it. ha. I'm only at a county college right now, I have six more classes and then I have to transfer somewhere else. So I'm hoping I will get my surgery soon, and then be able to finish my education peacefully.

And yeah, prednisone is horrible for your bones. It softens them. I was on it for like a year straight when I was really little and my mother had to sign a release form that stated that she knew that the prednisone could soften my bones and eventually leave me with many bone diseases/osteoporosis/etc.

When I'm prescribed pred now, I usually only take the first two days doses, and then stop. It's so strong even such a small amount helps me.

[Lesly]

briarrose,

i am 25 as well and had surgery on january 3rd this year. my curve was 45 degrees and i am very happy that i got this over with. because i am still young, and kidless, and knowing that it would only get worse, i feel like i made the right decision.
i thought about this for a few years, saw a few different surgeons and i did not take the decision lightly.
i do not regret having the surgery at all.
feel free to pm me if you have any questions... i'll be more than happy to offer any advice that i can!

best of luck,
lesly

[briarrose]

wow yeah, I was pretty much in/out of the hospital untill I was around that age too.


Yes, everyone tellss me dr. boachie is good too...but he is too expensive for me currently. I don't have that kind of money to put up front unfortunately.

Philidelphia is not too far. My mom wants me to get it done at a well respected place so distance is not an issue at all. Plus, my aunt lives in philidelphia and she said she would help us look for some places. I'll look into the place you mentioned.

My major is social science, but I'm currently hating it. ha. I'm only at a county college right now, I have six more classes and then I have to transfer somewhere else. So I'm hoping I will get my surgery soon, and then be able to finish my education peacefully.

And yeah, prednisone is horrible for your bones. It softens them. I was on it for like a year straight when I was really little and my mother had to sign a release form that stated that she knew that the prednisone could soften my bones and eventually leave me with many bone diseases/osteoporosis/etc.

When I'm prescribed pred now, I usually only take the first two days doses, and then stop. It's so strong even such a small amount helps me.

Did you end up finding a doctor? I hope you can find one that you like. I went to four different doctors until I finally found one I liked and who took me seriously.

I went to a community college for awhile too. Do you think you'll change your major? I'm a double major in chemistry and biochemistry. I'll graduate in May of 2009. It was supposed to be December of 2008 but since I have to get surgery, I decided to move everything back and take fewer classes after my surgery.

That info on prednisone is scary stuff! No wonder my back keeps getting worse! Hopefully I won't have to go on it from now until my surgery, but that probably won't be the case. I usually need it in October and/or February.

[briarrose]

briarrose,

i am 25 as well and had surgery on january 3rd this year. my curve was 45 degrees and i am very happy that i got this over with. because i am still young, and kidless, and knowing that it would only get worse, i feel like i made the right decision.
i thought about this for a few years, saw a few different surgeons and i did not take the decision lightly.
i do not regret having the surgery at all.
feel free to pm me if you have any questions... i'll be more than happy to offer any advice that i can!

best of luck,
lesly

Hi Lesly

Thanks for your encouraging response. How soon were you able to go back to work? I actually do have a bunch of questions. I'll pm you.

Thanks!