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Calling for a second 2nd opinion tomorrow

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  • Calling for a second 2nd opinion tomorrow

    Hi all, I was just sitting here before i signed in reading everyone's posts, and noticed three people having surgery this month -- stay strong Edie, Susan and Em, I'll be watching for future posts to see how you are all doing! I kind of wish I was having my surgery already, just so I can be on the road to recovery! You will all be in my thoughts.

    Anyway, I am still waiting for my surgeon's office to set the date for mine in early June, but now I am having second thoughts about which surgeon to use. I am calling the doctor that is setting up the arrangements tomorrow to find out how many spinal fusions he has done, and also to see if I can contact any of his patients. Thank you Pam and Debbe for doing all that research and links. Also, I will call Dr. Neuwirth (sp?) tomorrow to see what steps I'll have to take if I decide to have my surgery done by him, and how soon I would be able to get an appointment, I would like to stick with the early part of June, trying to schedule surgery around schedules at work (crazy I know, but my boss is wonderful and is working with me on this!)

    As Debbe told me the other day, I should only trust my back to the best, and my husband feels the same way. Has anyone changed their mind once they decided on a surgeon? I'm sure it's not unheard of! One of the reasons I decided on the doctor in Long Island was the convenience of not having to travel into Manhattan, which I know should not be a criterior in choosing a surgeon
    Dolores A
    June 4, 2009 Anterior L3 - S1
    June 8, 2009 Posterior T4 - Pelvis
    Mark Agulnick, MD FAAOS
    NY Spine & Scoliosis Center

  • #2
    I would get a second opinion. From my experience, I wish that I would have gone to another one or two. They only fused the upper curve on my daughter. A year+ post surgery, she has more pain and we are now going to seek another doctor's advice. The site here is a great place to get information as well - we didn't have that before surgery. Good luck!

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    • #3
      Did they only fuse the upper curve because your daughter had the most significant curve at the top? Does she have a lumbar curve? How long after surgery did she notice the pain?

      I only had my upper curve fused as that's where the most significant curve was. The doctor is hoping the lumbar curve will balance itself out.

      I strongly encourage a second opinion for this type of major surgery.

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      • #4
        Good for you Dolores, I am so happy to read your note! I don't know how soon you could get in, but when I saw him last May, he said his schedule was free beginning in Sept. I know that teenagers book the summer months ahead of time, so not sure how quickly you can get in.

        Let me know what happens!!
        __________________________________________
        Debbe - 50 yrs old

        Milwalkee Brace 1976 - 79
        Told by Dr. my curve would never progress

        Surgery 10/15/08 in NYC by Dr. Michael Neuwirth
        Pre-Surgury Thorasic: 66 degrees
        Pre-Surgery Lumbar: 66 degrees

        Post-Surgery Thorasic: 34 degrees
        Post-Surgery Lumbar: 22 degrees

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        • #5
          Called both my surgeon on Long Island, and Dr. Neuwirth in Manhattan today. I called Dr. Agulnick, the Dr. that is currently setting up a date in June for surgery, one of my questions to his assistant was that I would like know how many spinal fusions for scoliosis has he done, her answer was "very many". My other request was that I would like some reccomendations from these "very many", and was told I would have to wait until my surgery is scheduled!? One good thing though, I did ask her exactly the points of the fusion, it is noted in my file that he wants to fuse first anterior, L3 to S1, then a couple of days later, posterior, T4 to pelvis. Sounds like a very long fusion to me

          I made an appointment with Dr. Neuwirth's office for April 14th, this will be my 2nd opinion with him since last April. He agrees that I will need surgery also, but I am hoping that maybe his pronosis won't be such a long fusion.
          Dolores A
          June 4, 2009 Anterior L3 - S1
          June 8, 2009 Posterior T4 - Pelvis
          Mark Agulnick, MD FAAOS
          NY Spine & Scoliosis Center

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