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  • Alternatives to Surgery

    well i felt like i complained too much in that last paragraph, so i nibbled it down:

    i have to have surgery and my dads freaked out about it; im wondering if there are any alternatives this late in the game (upper 50/lower 56 degrees) like excersizing for the rest of my life or that russian electrovibration meathod...if its too late for the muscles in my back to correct themselves if i really tried hard to build them...or is surgery the last option like they implied?

    p.s. Does anyone know if you can still go on roller coasters (do not ride if you have heart or back problems...)? or march, like doing slides (if anyone knows)...

    ~alison
    Last edited by allisone68; 07-07-2004, 12:56 AM.
    upper curve 50
    lower curve 56
    surgery dec 17th 2004

  • #2
    Different surgeons have different 'cut off' limits for when they decide on surgery. In Australia where we are with the surgeons that we have seen you are on the limit where they ' wait and see'. It sounds as though you maybe would have been put into a brace when you were 15. That may still be an option but I think it might have gone too far. My best advice is get a second opinion, even a third. Get both of your parents to go with you. That way your dad can ask the questions that he has. Then you can decide on what will be best for you. You still time to try other things before you have to decide. Provided you have no other problems I doubt surgery is immediate concern. Having said that my 14 year old daughter has just had a double fusion curves 68 and 63 degrees and hers were starting to 'fuse' themselves, the longer we had of left it the less correction they would have been able to achieve. They got her to 15 and 20.
    Best wishes
    Cheryl.

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    • #3
      It is Hard for your parents as well.

      My daughter had spinal fusion surgery in October 2002. She was diagnosed with scoliosis when she was 11, and she had two curves of 56 and 53 degrees. We decided to wait and find an alternative for surgery. When she went back for a check-up after 4 months, her curves had reached 74 and 76 degrees. She had no alternative, we scheduled the surgery.

      Natalie had her surgery and recovered very quickly. She was not allowed to run, jump, twist, or bend at the waist for 6 months. That was almost impossible for an 11 year old sports nut. She got through it and started playing softball for two teams in April (6 mos. after her surgery!) At that time, she was doing better than I thought was possible, but was playing with constant pain. Since her incision was from her neck to her waist, she had to start all over at building up her back muscles. The almost constant rain in PA. last spring did not help as well. Natalie experienced a lot of pain whenever it was rainy or weather changes occurred.

      Natalie is now doing everything that she did before her surgery. She has won two bowling tournaments, is still playing softball for two teams this year, and made it for an all-star softball team. We are hoping that she will make it to the Little League World Series. She is also still able to do cartwheels, splits, play tackle football, and ride anything (including rollercoasters) that she wants. She has occasional days when her back hurts, but they are very few, and the weather does not effect her as much anymore.

      I hope Natalie's success will help to ease your mind about the surgery. If you or your parents, or anyone else have any questions that I can help with or need some one to talk to about the surgery or recovery, email me at:

      nanmccune@aol.com

      Nancy McCune

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      • #4
        hi, i'm having an oporation in August and then in December i am going to disney land florida. The doc sed that i could go on all the roller coasters i wanted then! i am only having 1 fusion on the top and i think you will be able to go on roller coasters
        40-50 upper curve

        20-30 lower curve

        surgery August 10!

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