Hello, my name is Amy, and I'm a new member of these forums. I have been reading for quite some time, and recently decided to join. I wanted to start off by saying thank you, as this forum has been a huge support system for me.
I have Kyphosis, which I first noticed in my early teen years. I had one appointment with a back doctor who was going to refer me to the Sick Kids Hospital here in Toronto, Ontario, but I'm not sure how communication fell by the wayside and nothing really came of it.
In recent years (I am now 20), I feel as if the curve has progressed, and my pain has definitely increased. Standing for long periods, as well as sitting for long periods often results in pain and at times numbness. As a university student, sitting in class for three hours at a time often has me shifting this way and that, trying to deal with the back pain.
The physical pain is only part of it, I will admit. My curve has definitely taken a huge toll on my self-esteem and self-confidence to the point where I feel as if I have none. I'm not comfortable with how I look, and it leads me to constantly question how much others are noticing my "deformity" (don't mean to offend anyone else with Kyphosis - it's just how I refer to myself).
I talked to my family doctor last month and had X-rays done. I also asked for a referral to Dr. Stephen Lewis, a highly recommended surgeon here in Toronto.
Long story short, I've been informed that the wait time for an initial consultation with a specialist is a year plus. That's not including the subsequent wait for surgery if I qualify for one. I should make it clear that I've been dwelling on this for years, and if given the option to have surgery, I will take it.
Another option that I've recently become aware of is having my surgery done in the United States, with a much lesser wait. This is what I need advice on. I don't think I can wait what looks like 1.5 to 2 years to have surgery here at home - this is taking my schooling and general state of mind into account. Would it be, for lack of better word, stupid to have spinal fusion surgery in the US (I live in Canada)? Obviously I would talk to the surgeon in question in detail before proceeding, and look up his/her experience beforehand. I am aware of the expense associated with doing this in the US, as OHIP will not cover this surgery. Travel expenses would also be significant. And I would be lying if I said I wasn't concerned about the post-op checkups and contingencies of whether something goes wrong. On the other hand, the US is not too far away and people have surgeries abroad all the time.
So please, provide some advice. Any and all input is welcome. Thank you all so much again.
Finally mustered up the courage to attach some pictures of my back.
ETA: Sorry that this post is all over the place; it is reflective of the confusing thoughts running through my head.
I have Kyphosis, which I first noticed in my early teen years. I had one appointment with a back doctor who was going to refer me to the Sick Kids Hospital here in Toronto, Ontario, but I'm not sure how communication fell by the wayside and nothing really came of it.
In recent years (I am now 20), I feel as if the curve has progressed, and my pain has definitely increased. Standing for long periods, as well as sitting for long periods often results in pain and at times numbness. As a university student, sitting in class for three hours at a time often has me shifting this way and that, trying to deal with the back pain.
The physical pain is only part of it, I will admit. My curve has definitely taken a huge toll on my self-esteem and self-confidence to the point where I feel as if I have none. I'm not comfortable with how I look, and it leads me to constantly question how much others are noticing my "deformity" (don't mean to offend anyone else with Kyphosis - it's just how I refer to myself).
I talked to my family doctor last month and had X-rays done. I also asked for a referral to Dr. Stephen Lewis, a highly recommended surgeon here in Toronto.
Long story short, I've been informed that the wait time for an initial consultation with a specialist is a year plus. That's not including the subsequent wait for surgery if I qualify for one. I should make it clear that I've been dwelling on this for years, and if given the option to have surgery, I will take it.
Another option that I've recently become aware of is having my surgery done in the United States, with a much lesser wait. This is what I need advice on. I don't think I can wait what looks like 1.5 to 2 years to have surgery here at home - this is taking my schooling and general state of mind into account. Would it be, for lack of better word, stupid to have spinal fusion surgery in the US (I live in Canada)? Obviously I would talk to the surgeon in question in detail before proceeding, and look up his/her experience beforehand. I am aware of the expense associated with doing this in the US, as OHIP will not cover this surgery. Travel expenses would also be significant. And I would be lying if I said I wasn't concerned about the post-op checkups and contingencies of whether something goes wrong. On the other hand, the US is not too far away and people have surgeries abroad all the time.
So please, provide some advice. Any and all input is welcome. Thank you all so much again.
Finally mustered up the courage to attach some pictures of my back.
ETA: Sorry that this post is all over the place; it is reflective of the confusing thoughts running through my head.
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