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  • Warning Signs

    I had a scoliosis regenerative procedure (harrington rod) done when I was 15 (2001) to correct a 40 degree & 45 degree curvature.

    Today, I'm 25, and I've experienced no complications at all up until last year, when I started feeling a large amount of pain in the lower lumbar, specifically my left side (the side of the curve). The pain was sharp and intense, and aggravated by long periods of sitting or driving. Removing stress off my spine (usually by laying down or simply standing up for a period) relieved the pain after some time. Walking for prolonged periods (particularly on uneven terrain) became incredibly painful, as well. I also discovered another symptom that was troubling -- when I reached down to pick something up and extended back upright, I could feel the vertabrae actually popping into place, as though one "feels" when someone pops your back or knuckles.

    Needless to say, I was scared, so I called my stepfather (a surgeon himself), and he prescribed an MRI (I was in a position where I could afford it). In completing the MRI, it showed early onset arthritis & signs of degenerative discs.

    From what I've read, I may be developing Flatback syndrome, and I'm wondering what to do about it and how costly (I no longer have insurance) and painful correcting it will be. I'm beginning to stoop forward more than normal, and in general, I feel "stiff" and am slow to regain uprightedness when I realize I'm stooping.

    I've read that building a stronger core & increasing cardiovascular health is paramount, so I've taken to a regimen of running, but I'm having trouble developing a stronger core given my limited mobility (except for leg lifts).

    I guess I'm looking for general advice about where to go from here.

    Thanks,
    Matt
    Last edited by mbanar; 08-30-2011, 11:14 AM. Reason: typo

  • #2
    Originally posted by mbanar View Post
    I had a scoliosis regenerative procedure (harrington rod) done when I was 15 (2001) to correct a 40 degree & 45 degree curvature.

    Today, I'm 25, and I've experienced no complications at all up until last year, when I started feeling a large amount of pain in the lower lumbar, specifically my left side (the side of the curve). The pain was sharp and intense, and aggravated by long periods of sitting or driving. Removing stress off my spine (usually by laying down or simply standing up for a period) relieved the pain after some time. Walking for prolonged periods (particularly on uneven terrain) became incredibly painful, as well. I also discovered another symptom that was troubling -- when I reached down to pick something up and extended back upright, I could feel the vertabrae actually popping into place, as though one "feels" when someone pops your back or knuckles.

    Needless to say, I was scared, so I called my stepfather (a surgeon himself), and he prescribed an MRI (I was in a position where I could afford it). In completing the MRI, it showed early onset arthritis & signs of degenerative discs.

    From what I've read, I may be developing Flatback syndrome, and I'm wondering what to do about it and how costly (I no longer have insurance) and painful correcting it will be. I'm beginning to stoop forward more than normal, and in general, I feel "stiff" and am slow to regain uprightedness when I realize I'm stooping.

    I've read that building a stronger core & increasing cardiovascular health is paramount, so I've taken to a regimen of running, but I'm having trouble developing a stronger core given my limited mobility (except for leg lifts).

    I guess I'm looking for general advice about where to go from here.

    Thanks,
    Matt
    Hi Matt...

    Unless you had your surgery outside of the U.S., it's pretty unlikely that you had a Harrington rod implanted. Sometimes, people tend to use the word "Harrington" in a generic way, similar to "Kleenix".

    Nonetheless, it sounds like you've got an issue. My strongest advice to you is to figure out a way to get health insurance. Unless you're independently wealthy, there's pretty much no way to afford this on your own. I had revision surgery this January. Including the conservative things one should do before trying surgery (injections, physical therapy, etc.), and X-rays, MRI, and CT leading up to surgery, the cost was well over $500,000. Just getting evaluated by a specialist, including full standing x-rays, will cost at least $500.

    Regards,
    Linda
    Never argue with an idiot. They always drag you down to their level, and then they beat you with experience. --Twain
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Surgery 2/10/93 A/P fusion T4-L3
    Surgery 1/20/11 A/P fusion L2-sacrum w/pelvic fixation

    Comment


    • #3
      Matt

      I agree. One of the most important things you can do is get yourself some good medical insurance. Surgeons do think this is important as they do like to get paid....

      My policy is on a group policy, It covers $4.4 million right now, my scoli surgeries were in the neighborhood of $765,000. My co-pay’s after all the smoke cleared was about $2000 total. I wouldn’t even consider a marginal policy.....the co-pays could be a problem from the get go. Actually, when you need expensive surgery, your insurance is more important than your pay.

      So sorry about the pain. You might stop the running and maybe switch to a bike which will have less impact below your fusion. Do you have any x-rays you could post here?

      Welcome to the forum
      Ed
      49 yr old male, now 63, the new 64...
      Pre surgery curves T70,L70
      ALIF/PSA T2-Pelvis 01/29/08, 01/31/08 7" pelvic anchors BMP
      Dr Brett Menmuir St Marys Hospital Reno,Nevada

      Bending and twisting pics after full fusion
      http://www.scoliosis.org/forum/showt...on.&highlight=

      My x-rays
      http://www.scoliosis.org/forum/attac...2&d=1228779214

      http://www.scoliosis.org/forum/attac...3&d=1228779258

      Comment


      • #4
        hi Matt
        i am so sorry that you are in pain! i have herniated discs (degenerative disc disease),
        though i have not had surgery...yet...for the discs or for my scoliosis (T42, L61)...i have a few other things, too, like spinal stenosis, spinal arthritis, listhesis, hypokyphosis...

        i didn't see anything about where you live....sounds like you are not interested in
        returning to whomever did your surgery when you were 15....
        i agree with those who said to try to obtain medical insurance....even pain management
        treatments are costly....there might be some treatments that could help relieve your pain
        while you consider revision surgery....
        you asked what to do next...i think Linda and Ed answered the question....
        find insurance, then find a top SRS scoli surgeon....
        i would also recommend a pain management doctor, to see if there are any injections or
        other treatments that might help with your pain....it is hard to make important decisions when one is in pain...

        best of luck
        jess

        Comment


        • #5
          The surgeon that handled my surgery originally kind of brushed me off -- he works out of a children's hospital, and he said matter-of-factly that I was no longer a child. I don't know what proper channels to go through in order to find / see a proper spinal specialist, really. But I do agree that getting health insurance is a priority. Which leads me to this question--

          I don't know if this violates board terms & conditions (in the realm of advertisement)-- can anyone recommend a health insurance policy that would provide a very large amount of coverage? If it is against the terms & conditions, ignore that question. I don't really know anything about health insurance of any kind -- I'm a young guy and, frankly, have never had any (the first procedure was covered by state medicare).

          I don't have the raw x-rays of my surgery available right now -- I'll try and place a few phone calls tomorrow to get electronic copies of both my x-rays and MRI to post here.

          Oh, and to answer your question, I am from Arkansas (where I had the original surgery [Arkansas Children's Hospital - Dr. Blaiser]) and right now I'm working as a contractor out of Pittsburgh.

          -Matt

          Comment


          • #6
            i suggest you go to the home page of this website...click on "resources"....then find the list of orthopedic specialists...you can look them up by name or by geographic area...click on
            geographic area and type in your city and state....a list of those in your area will come up....
            then you will at least have names to start reviewing...you can also post a name of a surgeon here on
            forum and ask if anyone had surgery with that particular doctor...


            jess
            Last edited by jrnyc; 08-31-2011, 01:49 AM.

            Comment


            • #7
              Hi Matt....

              If you can't get insurance through your parent's policy, you should consider getting a job that provides health benefit. Unfortunately, individual policies usually include exclusions for pre-existing conditions. If you're part of a group (for example, an employee), they cannot exclude you for pre-existing conditions.

              Regards,
              Linda
              Never argue with an idiot. They always drag you down to their level, and then they beat you with experience. --Twain
              ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
              Surgery 2/10/93 A/P fusion T4-L3
              Surgery 1/20/11 A/P fusion L2-sacrum w/pelvic fixation

              Comment


              • #8
                Healthcare.gov

                Healthcare.gov links

                http://www.healthcare.gov/law/provis...ult/index.html

                http://www.healthcare.gov/law/provis...ing/index.html

                http://www.healthcare.gov/law/provis...out/index.html

                Ed
                49 yr old male, now 63, the new 64...
                Pre surgery curves T70,L70
                ALIF/PSA T2-Pelvis 01/29/08, 01/31/08 7" pelvic anchors BMP
                Dr Brett Menmuir St Marys Hospital Reno,Nevada

                Bending and twisting pics after full fusion
                http://www.scoliosis.org/forum/showt...on.&highlight=

                My x-rays
                http://www.scoliosis.org/forum/attac...2&d=1228779214

                http://www.scoliosis.org/forum/attac...3&d=1228779258

                Comment

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