These are my X-Rays

[handy]

Files received from Scoliosis SOS clinic, file size limit prevented me from uploading it here so I tried dropbox, please tell me if it's not working

Body Image Does a four-week intensive scoliosis-specific exercise programme improve body-image in subjects with idiopathic scoliosis

Cobb Angle The effect of a four-week intensive scoliosis-specific exercise programme on Cobb angle in subjects with idiopathic scoliosis

QoL Pain Does a four-week intensive scoliosis-specific exercise programme improve quality of life and decrease patient-reported pain in subjects

Scoliosis SOS Leaflet - Combined Version

Further Information

How to get to the Scoliosis SOS London Clinic

[rohrer01]

Ahmed,
The downloads worked. I read through them. They claim in one part of the brochure that they have helped over 850 patients. Yet, in their "studies" they hand pick a very limited number of subjects. For instance on the curvature reduction page they only used 11 participants! That's a very red flag to me. In the other examples, the number of participants for a certain outcome NEVER exceeded 100. With over 850 participants they should have much higher sample numbers, like over at least 200 each. Even then, you aren't guaranteed that they weren't hand picked. Sorry I'm so skeptical. I'd say if you have insurance that would pay for this and you want to try it out, go for it. If you have to come up with the cash, it's entirely up to you. Just based on the "scientific" evidence, there isn't enough there to convince me. I'd really suggest looking more deeply into this before you commit. Just my thoughts.

[handy]

Ahmed,
Yes, the heated mattress pad works well. It's like an electric blanket only it goes on like a mattress cover. DO NOT USE AN ELECTRIC BLANKET in it's place. You WILL get burned if you do this. These are designed to be slept on and don't get as hot. I usually turn mine up before I get into bed and turn it on low once in bed. I have memory foam, too, which absorbs the heat and retains it. I cover that with an egg crate foam as well. I usually end up turning the heat off altogether after awhile. I need a very soft bed as I am thin and small framed, too. My special bed is also adjustable, so I can raise the head and feet which takes pressure off of the neck area. My husband and I have a new very soft, flat, pillow top memory foam bed that I usually sleep on. I sleep in the other bed on really bad days/nights.

The rice pack works better than the gel pack because despite its dry texture, rice retains some moisture. So when you heat it up in the microwave for about a minute or so, you will get a warm, moist heat rather than just heat. The rice seems to reabsorb moisture from the air (or maybe our bodies?). I've had mine for several years. They are easy to make, even if you don't sew. If you want to make an easy rice pack, just put some white rice in a sock and tie it shut. It's a wonderful heat source and will stay warm, at least for me, for as long as I want in on my neck. I'd imagine that you could also put it into the freezer and use it as a cold pack as well. I'm guessing that the area you live in is more like the Arizona desert in the USA (I lived there for many, many years). I don't know how much moisture available in the air will reabsorb into your rice. You have two options. Dump it out and make a new one when it doesn't give moist heat, or place the rice over some source of steam for a little bit. Both are easy options. I've never had to do either one, but live in a humid climate. The rice pack has stayed clean and hasn't picked up any foul odors over the several years that I've had it. You can put it directly on your clean neck. Don't be fooled about it's temperature. If it's warm to the touch, it's warm enough. You can get them too hot and it can burn you. My daughter actually burned the rice in hers and had to throw it out. The moist heat is penetrating. I can't say enough about it. Well I can, because I did! =)

As far as the metric vs. standard (imperial) measurements; It's just harder on individuals in certain professions to switch thinking back and forth. I'm into the sciences and my husband is a mechanic and we both run into that problem. But I guess it's like learning two languages. You get used to it. It would be easier if the world spoke one language, too. But we don't, so we have to accommodate.

That sounds lovely and I should try it, I wonder if there is a common unknown thing we share as we both are thin, small framed and have a similar curvature? Maybe a genetic thing...

I will make a rice pack also to try. About the weather it varies a lot from a place to place, but the most of my time is in very dry climate.

Ahmed,
Ed is a great source of info. He also words everything so well. I had never planned on surgery--was told when I first discovered scoliosis--nothing need be done-that I would just have more backaches than average person. And just how many is that, I do not know.

Well ,I did have surgery{3 to be exact}but many years later. Actually 33--almost like Ed.
I say do everything you can,but keep under a watchful eye and use the time to stay healthy and strong. If it comes to surgery you will need both of those to come through this surgery as it is not a WALK IN THE PARK!
Nice to meet you,
Jackie

Hi Jackie,

Couldn't agree more about Ed, I think he's like the godfather here.

Your words match what the surgeon told me, I actually have a sever D vitamin deficiency, so he asked me to have that treated ASAP.

This is for you and Ed, whenever I need a laugh I just watch it

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oo8CrY_ZfFk

Nice to meet you too,

Ahmed,
I just read your correspondence with the PT place in the UK. It sounds to me like they are pushing quite hard to get you enrolled. This kind of sales pitch makes a person feel rushed. I do not believe them that the timing of this is as crucial as they make it sound. I'd bet they would say the same thing to me and I'm 44 years old! You are still young, if I remember correctly, in your 20's?

Of course it's up to you what you do. That's a LOT of money, especially without accommodations. So it depends upon you whether or not you want to try it. There is a person on here that has helped his daughter's scoliosis dramatically with exercise. However, this girl was diagnosed VERY young and is still growing. You are done growing. As a mature adult, I would go into this with caution, not expecting ANY curve reduction. If you end up getting curve reduction, that would be great. A good PT regiment does help some people with pain. It did for me until my curve reached over 40*. But my curve, unlike yours, is pretty much unreachable because of its location. Your apex is much lower and more of your vertebrae are involved. So I can't give an opinion as to whether or not this will help you. They did measure your curve accurately and consistent with what your doctor measured it at. I just don't like the pressure tactics in the correspondence. It sounds too much like a sales pitch. Is there any way that you can do some research on this facility and talk to some former clients?

Let us know what you decide. Best wishes either way you choose.

Ahmed,
The downloads worked. I read through them. They claim in one part of the brochure that they have helped over 850 patients. Yet, in their "studies" they hand pick a very limited number of subjects. For instance on the curvature reduction page they only used 11 participants! That's a very red flag to me. In the other examples, the number of participants for a certain outcome NEVER exceeded 100. With over 850 participants they should have much higher sample numbers, like over at least 200 each. Even then, you aren't guaranteed that they weren't hand picked. Sorry I'm so skeptical. I'd say if you have insurance that would pay for this and you want to try it out, go for it. If you have to come up with the cash, it's entirely up to you. Just based on the "scientific" evidence, there isn't enough there to convince me. I'd really suggest looking more deeply into this before you commit. Just my thoughts.

I had the same thoughts Rohrer, they seem to push this down my throat, which made me feel suspicious to say the least.

I am on my late 20's, just turned 28 last April.

I am doing my researches when I get time to do so. The upcoming Wednesday I have an appointment with the surgeon as he requested me to do some rather exhausting exercises and to check back again a few days later to see if it worked or not.

[susancook]

Hi Ed,

That's what the surgeon told me, I don't have the regular type that people have, my scoliosis it to the left and so high, he actually told me I am the first one he has seen with this height of curvature. I didn't mean I'll wait for 34 for years to have my decision but I got relieved knowing that I don't have to be hesitant at my decision.

Again that's what the surgeon said to me "I'm starting to doubt that you're a surgeon in disguise; firstly you estimated my angle correctly and then everything you said matched what the surgeon told me"; he told me that pain will be the highest factor in my decision. I asked him if it is possible if I wanted to remove the instrumentation later, he told me it's possible but I would risk having the deformity to start again, apart from a new very painful healing process until bone material fills the screws holes again.

As for the meds he prescribed Diclofenac and Pregabalin to me, I got them and will keep them for emergencies. Although he said that if I am handling the current pains on my own I won't need them probably, encouraged me to continue what I am doing to relief the pain.

That's why I have signed up here, looking for support and I am really thankful to who ever started this site, and to you all for your time and helpful replies.

What was your angle when you were diagnosed for the first time? I have read in your profile that you had double major curves at 70 degrees, do you have any x-ray for that?

I haven't made my mind yet about the PT so no committing yet, just a plan for the center suggested by the surgeon but will search about them more before making any decision. I don't know if it's prohibited here to share other sites or not, but here is their site http://www.scoliosissos.com/

Surely will do!



Hi Susan, you are at the age of my mother so if you will allow me to call you mom too!!

I use cold and hot packs on daily basis and it helps a lot. I don't like taking meds so I try to avoid them as possible but I got the prescription from the surgeon.

Thanks for your support!

Ahmed, please say hi to your mom for me! I am sure that she is worried about you. That's what we do!

Above you said that your surgeon said, "I am the first one that he has seen with this height of curvature." It concerns me that you have a surgeon that does not have experience with your scoliosis. What choices do you have financially to see other surgeons with experience with your degree of scoliosis? Do you have health insurance? When choosing a surgeon, generally it is best to have one that has experience with your problem for many years. That experience is so important as the surgery is somewhat routine to the doctor. Then especially if something goes wrong then the doctor can deal with it better. You do not want to be the patient that your doctor learns on, unless the doctor does the surgery WITH a more experienced doctor.

I believe that you might consider medication for pain if you do not go out to see friends or do activities or cannot sleep because of pain.

Take care and I wish you the best Insha'Allah,
Susan

[rohrer01]

That sounds lovely and I should try it, I wonder if there is a common unknown thing we share as we both are thin, small framed and have a similar curvature? Maybe a genetic thing...

I will make a rice pack also to try. About the weather it varies a lot from a place to place, but the most of my time is in very dry climate.

Actually, all the people that I know personally that have scoliosis are thin, despite curve pattern. I'm tall and thin, 5'7-1/2" (1.71m) and 122# (55.34kg). Without the scoliosis I was told I would be up to two inches taller. I was 5'8-1/4" at age 15. By age 16 I was the same height I am now. I know that not EVERYONE with scoliosis is very thin, but many are. My grandmother wasn't very thin. She wasn't overweight when she was young, but was not "thin" looking as I am. So I don't know what percentage of us are thinner than average.

I hope the rice pack gives you some relief. It seems at some point ANY relief just feels so good even if the pain isn't totally gone. Even living on narcotics my pain isn't gone. It's tolerable so that I can go on with life. I started needing narcotics off and on when I turned about 30. I had one episode where I was on them continually for about 3 or 4 years. Then I was able to get off of them and use them episodically for 1 to 4 weeks at a time. This time I have been on them now for about 4 years again at varying doses from very high to low. I hate it. At the moment, if my shoulder wasn't hurt, I might be able to get off of them. I need to get it fixed. The ligament is ripped off of the top of my arm bone and my shoulder constantly dislocates, which is very painful.

I had the same thoughts Rohrer, they seem to push this down my throat, which made me feel suspicious to say the least.

I am on my late 20's, just turned 28 last April.

I am doing my researches when I get time to do so. The upcoming Wednesday I have an appointment with the surgeon as he requested me to do some rather exhausting exercises and to check back again a few days later to see if it worked or not.

You are exactly three years older than my son! He turned 25 in April.

Is there any way to get a second opinion? It seems rather odd to me that he would want to send you all the way to the UK for physical therapy. I'm not in any way pushing surgery. It just seems odd. You seem to have time either way you choose unless you have nerve involvement.

How are the exercises going? What does your doctor expect to see over a few days of exercising? That's not enough time to tell anything.

[susancook]

There are 2 doctors in Saudi Arabia listed in the directory. Are you seeing either of them? One is associated with a university hospital which may be a great choice for an opinion. I did not check his credentials, but there is a list of questions that you can ask your doctor about his skill level.

Susan

[titaniumed]

That x-ray looks painful. How does the hardware feel under your skin? What would happen if you fall or trip? Will it break or bend?

I don’t feel any of my hardware at all. But some of us do.

I have fallen a few times.....tripped over a large rock and slammed down very hard, and have fallen around 3 times on skis in deep powder.

After fusion is complete, the rods don’t serve much of a purpose. People that have had their rods removed “have”had their curves return or “remodel” after a long period of time.

I think he's like the godfather here.

I don't think Marlon Brando would approve....(smiley face)

Do you still go for scuba diving after the surgery? I would love to try it but God I'm terrified of the sea, don't know why but every time I see a documentary about the seas or oceans I get a shiver of joy and fear at the same time.

Diving is all about relaxation.....and relaxation takes some training. Relaxation is also necessary with scoliosis.

I have been on night dives and have seen octopus just like in that video.....Once during the day time I was waiting for other divers to come over, and just off to the side of me, there was this octopus completely camouflaged into the reef about 2 feet to the right of me. I saw his eye move, that’s what gave him away but the rest of his body blended in perfectly. He did move when he noticed me staring at him....He thought “What is this creature with the big eye (the mask) blowing all these bubbles doing?” LOL Night diving is where its at...once you overcome your fear, you get hooked. I will miss a day dive over a night dive.

I will be diving in Panama next month.

Here is the reply I got from the clinic recommended by the surgeon for PT

I never expected a George Carlin video.....I wonder what he would have said about the “persistance” of “signing up” or getting your “place booked”, in each and every reply returned to you? Is this a train we are trying to catch? No.

I never had any doctor or surgeon do this to me.....funny how “priorities” get established with these friendly reminders right from the get go....Don’t get me wrong, there are medical emergencies, but this isn’t the case.

Ed

[SapphireTomoe]

Wish I had my xrays to share!

I had my corrective op done in 2001, when I was 12, I don't remember exactly what my degrees where for which curve (I had a double curve) but I know both were more than 50 degree curves, I literally had an "S". I wish I could tell you how to help with pain but here I am years later and I still suffer with pain, all I can say is "Hang in there!!!"

I can tell you yours are some where between 30-60, I don't know how to calculate it so sorry, I can only guess. But there are, I think don't quote me on this, sites that can help you figure out how to calculate the degree of the curve.

As far as I know, you may not need surgery, you may be able to use a brace but, a brace is very restrictive and doesn't always work. Especially if you are an adult. To be honest surgery put me in more pain than I was growing up with my sever curvature. It put large restrictions on me and as a child that was devastating. You wont be allowed to exercise or lift over a specified weight (usually like 10 pounds) for 3 months or more depending on how well your healing and how the procedure went. Sorry if its not much help, mine was sooo long ago that I don't really remember it very well. All I know is the drugs were good and I slept A LOT!


But if you are already in a lot of pain to be honest sometimes if you are the pros out weight the cons.

PS It's itchy, very itchy! Like forever! At least mine is and it hurts to itch it.

[leahdragonfly]

I had the same thoughts Rohrer, they seem to push this down my throat, which made me feel suspicious to say the least.

Hi Ahmed,

I've been following your post and I just have to say if I got that type of high-pressure pitch I would run away screaming from the SOS clinic. Their claims are so ridiculous (that they can reduce your curve at least 20 degrees in 3 weeks) and their expensive, high-pressure sales pitch strips away all credibility.

Best of luck in finding some answers about your scoliosis. I don't think they will be found in the SOS clinic.

[Pooka1]

Hi Ahmed,

Scoligold is based on Schroth which had a chance to prove it worked and failed. A capable researcher, the grandson of the founder of Schroth, was running the Schroth clinic for about 10 years. Some 30,000 patients were run through the treatment in that time and he and failed to prove the method is effective. He finally left the clinic. There is no evidence even the extreme PT will hold your curves over time and are you willing to do extreme PT the rest of your life? What if you get sick and can't do it? The decreases mentioned in the literature you posted are not necessarily believable if they did not have an orthopedic surgeon measuring them.

There is evidence PT helps with pain but not curve progression. I think you would be wasting your money for anything except pain. If this worked then there would be must less fusion in Germany and in London but that isn't the case. Schroth is still a fringe treatment in Germany and fusion goes on as ever. That is good evidence Scoligold/Schroth is a waste of time and money for the purpose of avoiding surgery. Also, I doubt they have any evidence of helping a high curve like you have. Yet they will take your money I am sure.

Ask them for a money back guarantee.

Good luck.

[LindaRacine]

Hi Ahmed...

Please note that the "study" they sent you appears not to have been published. Even if it was published, the results would be suspicious until 1) another center can reproduce the results and 2) (as Pooka mentioned), the results can be proved to be permanent. As Pooka mentioned, Schroth has been around a very long time. While they have published some short-term results, they have never published a long-term follow-up.

Unlike Susan, I would discourage you from getting on a pain medication program. While pain medication can be a life saver for severe pain events, my instinct is that taking narcotics on a regular basis drastically reduces one's surgical outcome satisfaction. I don't know if there are any studies on that phenomenon, but I work in a spine clinic where I meet dozens of new patients every week. Mostly, the people who have been taking narcotics regularly on a long-term basis seem to have much longer and harder recoveries than those who don't take narcotics. There are a lot of us who did not take narcotics prior to surgery, and know it's possible to control pain with less drastic measures. However, pain is subjective, so it's hard for anyone to know another persons pain level, and their ability to deal with that pain.

Regards,
Linda

[jackieg412]

Hi again Ahmed,
The one thing I was told about a brace{and I was willing to try at my ripe OLD age} that the curve I developed in the thorasic was too high up to be helped by a brace. I devoloped this curve after 1st surgery{because I had fractured at the level above}. When they did the high fusion--again no brace--Dr said the only one that would help was a HALO. I am glad he did not do that.
You have a pretty high curve--so would a brace help?

Yes I agree--we should call Ed the Godfather!!

[handy]

So sorry for the taking this long to reply to you folks, been working 15 hours/day for the past few days

And happy 4th of July for our American friends, although a bit late

Actually, all the people that I know personally that have scoliosis are thin, despite curve pattern. I'm tall and thin, 5'7-1/2" (1.71m) and 122# (55.34kg). Without the scoliosis I was told I would be up to two inches taller. I was 5'8-1/4" at age 15. By age 16 I was the same height I am now. I know that not EVERYONE with scoliosis is very thin, but many are. My grandmother wasn't very thin. She wasn't overweight when she was young, but was not "thin" looking as I am. So I don't know what percentage of us are thinner than average.

I hope the rice pack gives you some relief. It seems at some point ANY relief just feels so good even if the pain isn't totally gone. Even living on narcotics my pain isn't gone. It's tolerable so that I can go on with life. I started needing narcotics off and on when I turned about 30. I had one episode where I was on them continually for about 3 or 4 years. Then I was able to get off of them and use them episodically for 1 to 4 weeks at a time. This time I have been on them now for about 4 years again at varying doses from very high to low. I hate it. At the moment, if my shoulder wasn't hurt, I might be able to get off of them. I need to get it fixed. The ligament is ripped off of the top of my arm bone and my shoulder constantly dislocates, which is very painful.





You are exactly three years older than my son! He turned 25 in April.

Is there any way to get a second opinion? It seems rather odd to me that he would want to send you all the way to the UK for physical therapy. I'm not in any way pushing surgery. It just seems odd. You seem to have time either way you choose unless you have nerve involvement.

How are the exercises going? What does your doctor expect to see over a few days of exercising? That's not enough time to tell anything.

Hi Rohrer,

So your scoliosis started when you were 16? There are no relatives of me who suffered from scoliosis, I am the only one in the family

Rice pack is doing a great job, haven't slept this well since a long time!

I will certainly look for a second opinion and maybe a third also.

Had my visit to the surgeon yesterday, he told me that the exercises are just to see if any slight change would happen so we would see if PT will work or not, he says there is a bit of improvement in my posture, this is also confirmed by other people around me.

I asked him about the clinic in UK and why he chose it specifically, he's answer was that he doesn't know any other clinics but knew this from one of his patients who mentioned it, he didn't mean it as a recommendation but saw that I am a bit reluctant about the surgery.

There are 2 doctors in Saudi Arabia listed in the directory. Are you seeing either of them? One is associated with a university hospital which may be a great choice for an opinion. I did not check his credentials, but there is a list of questions that you can ask your doctor about his skill level.

Susan

Hi Susan,

Which directory are you referring to?

Many patients in Saudi Arabia had their surgeries with him, he's excellent at it.

I don’t feel any of my hardware at all. But some of us do.

I have fallen a few times.....tripped over a large rock and slammed down very hard, and have fallen around 3 times on skis in deep powder.

After fusion is complete, the rods don’t serve much of a purpose. People that have had their rods removed “have”had their curves return or “remodel” after a long period of time.


I don't think Marlon Brando would approve....(smiley face)



Diving is all about relaxation.....and relaxation takes some training. Relaxation is also necessary with scoliosis.

I have been on night dives and have seen octopus just like in that video.....Once during the day time I was waiting for other divers to come over, and just off to the side of me, there was this octopus completely camouflaged into the reef about 2 feet to the right of me. I saw his eye move, that’s what gave him away but the rest of his body blended in perfectly. He did move when he noticed me staring at him....He thought “What is this creature with the big eye (the mask) blowing all these bubbles doing?” LOL Night diving is where its at...once you overcome your fear, you get hooked. I will miss a day dive over a night dive.

I will be diving in Panama next month.



I never expected a George Carlin video.....I wonder what he would have said about the “persistance” of “signing up” or getting your “place booked”, in each and every reply returned to you? Is this a train we are trying to catch? No.

I never had any doctor or surgeon do this to me.....funny how “priorities” get established with these friendly reminders right from the get go....Don’t get me wrong, there are medical emergencies, but this isn’t the case.

Ed

Hi Ed,

Do they remove the rods only or all the hardware, i.e. screws?

Stop tempting me to go diving

They are really persistent, I will post an email received from them a few days ago.

I had my corrective op done in 2001, when I was 12, I don't remember exactly what my degrees where for which curve (I had a double curve) but I know both were more than 50 degree curves, I literally had an "S". I wish I could tell you how to help with pain but here I am years later and I still suffer with pain, all I can say is "Hang in there!!!"

I can tell you yours are some where between 30-60, I don't know how to calculate it so sorry, I can only guess. But there are, I think don't quote me on this, sites that can help you figure out how to calculate the degree of the curve.

As far as I know, you may not need surgery, you may be able to use a brace but, a brace is very restrictive and doesn't always work. Especially if you are an adult. To be honest surgery put me in more pain than I was growing up with my sever curvature. It put large restrictions on me and as a child that was devastating. You wont be allowed to exercise or lift over a specified weight (usually like 10 pounds) for 3 months or more depending on how well your healing and how the procedure went. Sorry if its not much help, mine was sooo long ago that I don't really remember it very well. All I know is the drugs were good and I slept A LOT!


But if you are already in a lot of pain to be honest sometimes if you are the pros out weight the cons.

PS It's itchy, very itchy! Like forever! At least mine is and it hurts to itch it.

Hi Sapphire,

Sorry to hear that about your surgery outcome. Did you get that checked again?

Hi Ahmed,

I've been following your post and I just have to say if I got that type of high-pressure pitch I would run away screaming from the SOS clinic. Their claims are so ridiculous (that they can reduce your curve at least 20 degrees in 3 weeks) and their expensive, high-pressure sales pitch strips away all credibility.

Best of luck in finding some answers about your scoliosis. I don't think they will be found in the SOS clinic.

I will not go to them without digging much deeper to see their credibility

Hi Ahmed,

Scoligold is based on Schroth which had a chance to prove it worked and failed. A capable researcher, the grandson of the founder of Schroth, was running the Schroth clinic for about 10 years. Some 30,000 patients were run through the treatment in that time and he and failed to prove the method is effective. He finally left the clinic. There is no evidence even the extreme PT will hold your curves over time and are you willing to do extreme PT the rest of your life? What if you get sick and can't do it? The decreases mentioned in the literature you posted are not necessarily believable if they did not have an orthopedic surgeon measuring them.

There is evidence PT helps with pain but not curve progression. I think you would be wasting your money for anything except pain. If this worked then there would be must less fusion in Germany and in London but that isn't the case. Schroth is still a fringe treatment in Germany and fusion goes on as ever. That is good evidence Scoligold/Schroth is a waste of time and money for the purpose of avoiding surgery. Also, I doubt they have any evidence of helping a high curve like you have. Yet they will take your money I am sure.

Ask them for a money back guarantee.

Good luck.

Hi Pooka,

I have contacted Dr. Weiss and will post his reply.

They have said they don't guarantee anything.

[handy]

Hi Ahmed...

Please note that the "study" they sent you appears not to have been published. Even if it was published, the results would be suspicious until 1) another center can reproduce the results and 2) (as Pooka mentioned), the results can be proved to be permanent. As Pooka mentioned, Schroth has been around a very long time. While they have published some short-term results, they have never published a long-term follow-up.

Unlike Susan, I would discourage you from getting on a pain medication program. While pain medication can be a life saver for severe pain events, my instinct is that taking narcotics on a regular basis drastically reduces one's surgical outcome satisfaction. I don't know if there are any studies on that phenomenon, but I work in a spine clinic where I meet dozens of new patients every week. Mostly, the people who have been taking narcotics regularly on a long-term basis seem to have much longer and harder recoveries than those who don't take narcotics. There are a lot of us who did not take narcotics prior to surgery, and know it's possible to control pain with less drastic measures. However, pain is subjective, so it's hard for anyone to know another persons pain level, and their ability to deal with that pain.

Regards,
Linda

Hi Linda,

I too had doubts about the study. Although I think we can neglect the permanent part of it, we have seen people with fusions who had to do revisions or develop secondary curvatures after the surgery.

Hi again Ahmed,
The one thing I was told about a brace{and I was willing to try at my ripe OLD age} that the curve I developed in the thorasic was too high up to be helped by a brace. I devoloped this curve after 1st surgery{because I had fractured at the level above}. When they did the high fusion--again no brace--Dr said the only one that would help was a HALO. I am glad he did not do that.
You have a pretty high curve--so would a brace help?

Yes I agree--we should call Ed the Godfather!!

Hi Jackie,

I don't know if a brace would help or not, the general idea of a brace I think is that to change the direction of a child's spine during his growth, and to prevent further increase in the curve for adult patients, that's what I think and what I understood, don't know if correct or not

[handy]

I have received a couple of emails from Scoliosis SOS, I can see a red alert light blinking in front of me now

Dear Ahmed,

I hope you are well.

I just wondered if you are still looking at coming on a course and if so when you would be in a position to pay a deposit.

I look forward to hearing from you.

Kind Regards,

Dear Ahmed,

Are you still looking at coming for treatment with ourselves?

I would appreciate it if you could get back to me as soon as possible.

Kind Regards,

==========

Also, I have contacted Dr.Weiss and this is his reply, I didn't know my angle at that time

Hello,

we have a bracing practice, only, so if you want more intensive physiotherapy you may wish to contact the Asklepios clinic in Bad Sobernheim, however you will have to pay in advance and there will be no refund in case you want to leave earlier....

But with a 50° curve you can certainly live like others and intensive PT will not drastically reduce the hump!


Mit freundlichen Grüßen / With kind regards