Surgery Soon

[Jimbo]

Well I went to see my surgeon Dr Angus Gray today and had new x-rays. My spine has progressed from 38L to 45L w/ 30 compensatory thoracic

The good news is he will operate on me very soon. I have to go get bending xrays and an updated MRI. The surgeon said he will either do a 4 level lumbar fusion which will bring the curves into the 20 degree range, but he also said if I wanted a better cosmetic correction he will extend it up into the thoracic with a thoracoplasty included.

Not sure what I will do, but my thoughts are I should go all the way and just get it all fixed and get the cosmetic improvemets too.

I am just so so pleased that this guy is going to help me, it is like being given a second shot at life. I just really hope it works, to be pain free would be so brilliant.

I have been thinking about this surgery for years now, and now that I finally have been offered it it really is a bit of a shock. My surgeon is very confident I will obtain a great correction. I just really want to get this done and start recovery now, this condition has really messed my life up

[loves to skate]

Hi Jimbo,
I am so glad you have found a surgeon that you are comfortable with. I think you are very smart to get this done while you are still young. You will get a better correction and heal a lot faster than if you wait too long. In the meantime, keep your body as fit as possible and stay strong mentally as well. You will get through this. You will have a lot of people on this Forum pulling for you. My best to you.
Sally

[Jimbo]

Thankyou Sally, that was very kind

[JenniferG]

Hi Jimbo. I'm so glad you're going to get your surgery before too long. You sound very much ready for it and you have the back up of lots of knowledge and experience here. As Sally says, get as fit as you can, within the bounds of your pain, eat healthily and you'll do great.

[debbei]

Good for you Jimbo. I know that you've been in pain for quite some time. Be sure to let us know when you have a date.

[titaniumed]

Jimbo

That's great news.

How fast are you progressing? 38 to 45 in how much time?

Ed

[Jimbo]

Jimbo

That's great news.

How fast are you progressing? 38 to 45 in how much time?

Ed

I can't believe it, that was in two years. It really is quite confronting when you are going through increasing curvature. I am just so glad that I live in a time when something can be done about it.

Anyone else who reads this, just a question. How long did you wait untill surgery after being tild that you needed it ?

How are you doin Ed?

[Pooka1]

38 to 45 is almost within the margin of error. My 21 year old son, over the course of 4 years of almost or complete skeletal maturity, was measured (in order) with a right thoracic curve of: 47, 57, 52, 59, 55 (and we were told that the 47 to 57 was due to using different vetebrae for the measurement - the 52 (two years ago) is the only one measured by a scoliosis specialist.)

We're considering those measurements stable, although they span a wide range.

Good call. Exactly so as far as can be discerned.

Low fifties. Pam here had a ~50* curve that was stable for at least two decades.

There is always hope.

[titaniumed]

Yes, progressing curves can be an issue.They are difficult to project and predict. The good news is that you will be dealing with this at a much younger age than I and your recovery will happen much faster.

Some of us have waited quite some time for our surgeries. I waited 34 years and progressed to 70 degrees on 2 curves. I really had to get used to major pain episodes through the years, and I did it without drugs. My curves basically remained stable at approx 50 degrees for quite a few years.

My pain days are now over. I can lift heavy objects, sleep on the floor, sit at booths in restaurants etc. At 20 months post, my back muscles are finally settling in. I do experience some fatigue, but that's improving as time passes. Results from surgery take quite some time, you will have to expect this.

I'm doing well. Things would be better if Japanese twins knocked on my door today, or a busload of nymphomaniac cheerleaders showed up. I don't think these things are part of standard surgery recovery protocol and wasn't mentioned in any of the books I've read, but that's ok.

Ed

[Doodles]

Jimbo--
Glad you found a surgeon you feel comfortable with. I was beginning to realize the last few years that I wouldn't have much of a choice but just hadn't taken the time to find a real reputable surgeon for "older" folks until I retired in June '08. I was getting so much worse. I went with my second- opinion doctor but had to wait 6 monthsto get on schedule. My degrees kept climbing. I was 88 at a July appt. and 98 just before surgery we found out recently & lumbar was 65 or 68. I would have loved to have gone sooner I think but I felt most comfortable with this doctor. Good luck with all of the decisions. I know I'm certainly much better for finally making the decision & hope you will feel the same! Janet

[JenniferG]

Ed, it's great that none of your surgeries has removed your sense of humour!

Jimbo, I was told in June last year that I needed the surgery and at first I booked September 16th. Then I chickened out and had to wait, for various reasons, until March 3 this year. But if I'd wanted it straight away, I don't think the wait would have been long.

[Jimbo]

hahaha ed, send one of the Japanese twins my way :P

hdugger - I totally forgot about the curve discrepancies, but either way I am still getting the op since my pain and fatigue are increasing over the years, it seems that this is most likey due to an increasing curvature.

I kinda feel like I am going to be made of spare parts. I have a new cornea and will soon have a steel spine ! I just hope there are not too many surprises (health wise) in the near future.

[hdugger]

Yes, that absolutely makes sense. If my son had pain, he'd certainly consider surgery.

hdugger - I totally forgot about the curve discrepancies, but either way I am still getting the op since my pain and fatigue are increasing over the years, it seems that this is most likey due to an increasing curvature.

[titaniumed]

Pain is the ultimate surgical catalyst.

Contemplating surgery when young is especially scary. When there isn't any pain involved, it really tugs on your mind.

Since there are no guarantees with scoliosis surgery, or any surgery, its usually a last ditch effort.
People that experience pain that have surgery, have greater odds of pain reduction after their surgeries. People that have surgery that have no pain and end up with increased pain after surgery are the ones the surgeons want to avoid if possible. This is probably why the 40-50 degree cobb minimum was established for having scoliosis surgery. If it was guaranteed, everyone with 10 degree cobbs would just go and get it done.

Everyone who is a candidate for scoli surgery needs to know about post surgical complications. I've had a few myself, but it was no surprise. Surgeons will review some of the complications, but it is IMPOSSIBLE for them to cover all of them. This is why people need to be informed, online, and reviewing these things.

Saggital imbalance is a toughie, there was a post here recently about that subject, and that person didn't know about it. Surgeons have to build the lordotic and kyphotic curves into your spine while dealing with the scoliotic curves in the coronal plane. Its actually an art that surgeons have to master, and sometimes can be off balance. The surgeons try their best, but sometimes these things happen.

It is such a difficult decision to make when your in your 20s and have 40-50 degree curves. You are a candidate for surgery, but then your curves can hold for years and pain can be controlled with various methods. Years ago, it was a little easier to make the decision with surgery being extremely dangerous, but today things have improved quite a bit. Its easier now.

After my many visits with my surgeon while making my decision, he asked me if I was online. In other words, he wanted to know, if I knew, what I was dealing with. Of course I was, just reading little tidbits here and there, It was a question that every Surgeon should ask of their scoli candidates. My first visit with Dr Menmuir was in May 2005. I made my decision October 31st 2007. That's about 29 months. I'm glad I waited, due to the release of BMP. I also have to thank my Chiropractor, Dr Martin Rutherford for his vast knowledge and guidance on the subject. We have discussed the subject of scoliosis for the last 22 years together. We also tried many different things that were helpful in pain control.

I just don't like reading about posties that weren't informed.......
Its quite a bit of material, but I think its necessary.

No Japanese triplets today. Oh well.
Ed

[Jimbo]

Thanks again ed. It is a tough decision to have surgery at any age but I must say it would be more so when you are younger. Waiting is very tempting as new technologies are on their way, but I just can't hold out for them any more. I am in the right place and the right frame of mind to go through this now, and have read very widely and believe my knowledge of the potential complications is sound, but you never really can know it all.

I have much respect for people that can hold out for years and years with pain and progression. Unfortunately I have reached my threshold. It is like being tortured, some people can take it, but others have their breaking point. I have not reached breaking point, but am getting close and that for me is enough of a reason to take a leap of faith

Having a very well respected surgeon that oozes confidence is also a big incentive. I suppose in life we all must take some heavy risks and this will be mine.

I find one of the hardest parts though is trying to explain to people what you need to get done and their reactions, often bad and very discouraging. I now only inform people who really need to know.