Announcement

Collapse
No announcement yet.

Second verse - DIFFERENT than first

Collapse
X
 
  • Filter
  • Time
  • Show
Clear All
new posts

  • Second verse - DIFFERENT than first

    So...

    I saw a well respected surgeon in August after my "regular" orthopedic doctor said it was time to seek surgical intervention for my curve. He recommended surgery, sooner v. later as to prevent worsening of my curve, a chance at a better correction, and prior to having children, since waiting would mean waiting YEARS, and I would thus have a more difficult recovery period...

    Well, I went to get a second opinion and that Dr said no way. He just recommended physical therapy, and wrote my diagnosis as degenerative disk disease and sacroilitis. He even offered cortisone shots and vicodin. (I said no to the drugs, but the shot does sound tempting... He said my hip/low back pain was common for young females (?!) and not related to my scoliosis. (The other Dr said the pain was a result of my body trying to compensate for my cuve, and fixing the curve should fix the problem, as it is inerconnected.)

    It seemed the second opinion guy wants to treat symptoms, and not underlying problem? I am confused by what the second Dr. said. He suggested that my curve could perhaps not even ever progress, even after menopause. I thought it was well documented that thoracic curves progress 1-2 degrees a year. He basically seemed shocked that I was even considering surgery, but also didn't seem to listen or read the reports I brought with me, and the letter I wrote rating my pain numbers with corresponding activities.

    How do I reconcile the two opinions? How much weight do I give the second Dr? I did feel in general much more comfortable with the first Dr. - he took close to an hour to talk with me, the second Dr saw me for about 5 minutes. I do have an appt on 10/26 for a THIRD opinion with a third Dr. so I guess, we'll see. But I am trying to figure out what to make of the conflicting and totally opposite opinions i have received thus far.

    I was seeking more information to get less frustrated, not MORE!!

    FYI:
    First Dr: Glenn Minster (St. Johns)
    Second Dr.: Lawrence Kurz (Beaumont)
    Third: Dr. Montgomery (Beaumont)
    Meg is Spinewhine
    31 years old with thoracic curve
    Wore Boston brace as teenager, but curve continued to progress.
    Surgery on 12/13/2005 with correction from over 55 degrees to under 25 degrees. (Ya baby!)

    The nitty gritty at:
    http://spinewhine.blogspot.com/

  • #2
    Good luck with Montgomery..... I came to him with a 52 degree curve (and very disfiguring for the degree of the curve due to a big torso shift to the left) with a history of recent rapid progression and pain that was getting in the way of me living a functional life, and he just wanted to refer me to a pain clinic...

    I would say go with your gut feeling. Personally, I would have gone on with seeing Herkowitz (he was my 3rd opinion) and wouldn't have had my surgery with Montgomery even if he had recommended it. It was like he wasn't even listening to what I was saying. I was living on a big mix of pain meds (Ibuprofen 800's, a couple different Muscle relaxers (one for at night, and one for during the day that didn't make me so woozy), and then adding codine to the mix when high doses of Ibuprofen weren't getting the job done) and had to give up what I'd hoped to have as my vocation one day because my balance was so awful. I was embarassed by my appearance (NO waist at ALL on my left side, and my left shoulder about 3 inches higher than the right one). He didn't want to do any sort of diagnostic tests or futher examination to figure out why my scoliosis had been progressing so severely and rapidly when I was clearly fully grown. His only answer was "pain clinic."

    Geeze I wish Herkowitz was still seeing scoli patients... GRRRRRRR
    Blair

    Dec 15th, 2003 @ age of 20
    Posterior Fusion and CD Horizon instrumentation T2-L1.
    Surgery by Dr. Herkowitz- Beaumont Hospital of Royal Oak, Michigan
    Excellent correction of 52 degree single left thoracolumbar curve. Slight curve remains in unfused lumbar region but seems stable.
    February 5, 2005- Failed Scar Revision Surgery
    September 17, 2005- 2nd Failed Scar Revision.

    Comment


    • #3
      Yes, I am also interested to hear what Montgomery says, after hearing what he told you. I can't believe that some of these Doctors are giving us their full attention when they spend five minutes with you, and don';t even listen to your complaints. I think, if I was your daughter, would you say the same thing, and treat me the same way? I feel like cattle being herded through some of these places...

      I did like Minster because he took TIME and listened and explained. Kurz was all hustle-bustle.
      Meg is Spinewhine
      31 years old with thoracic curve
      Wore Boston brace as teenager, but curve continued to progress.
      Surgery on 12/13/2005 with correction from over 55 degrees to under 25 degrees. (Ya baby!)

      The nitty gritty at:
      http://spinewhine.blogspot.com/

      Comment


      • #4
        Well, I saw Montgomery today for my final consult. To my pleasant surprise, he seemed very attentive and took time to talk to me. He also did recommend surgery - and sooner vs. later. (Which I kinda thought is what the diagnosis would be, but is just so bizarre to actually hear.) So, that is twoout three Drs. telling me that I should have surgery, and it is the two who took time to go over my issues and background, instead of the guy who spent two minutes glancing at me and issuing a "No surgery for you!"

        So... I am shooting for February to get my personal and professional ducks in a row. I don't want to be laid up during the holidays anyway.
        Meg is Spinewhine
        31 years old with thoracic curve
        Wore Boston brace as teenager, but curve continued to progress.
        Surgery on 12/13/2005 with correction from over 55 degrees to under 25 degrees. (Ya baby!)

        The nitty gritty at:
        http://spinewhine.blogspot.com/

        Comment


        • #5
          My first doctor was great, taking the time to not only look at my records, but to discuss what he found with me. I, too, had a second doctor who didn't even look at my MRI's or x-rays. He did not look at my spine, either. He spent 5 minutes with me, told me I didn't need surgery (yes, he looked shocked, too), then gave me some medicine that he said worked wonders for him and others. When I started to take the medicine, I looked it up on the net & found that people with high blood pressure (me) and people with thyroid problems (me) should not take it. I had told him that I had these problems. Anyway, my 3rd opinion was Dr. Glazer in Boston & he, too, took the time with me. My surgery is right around the corner. Good luck with your surgery...my prayers will be with you! Linda

          Comment


          • #6
            Linda, you mentioned one doctor ignoring your medical history when prescribing medication for you. Have you reported this error to the doctor/clinic or the AMA so the doctor realizes the mistake and is more careful in the future? I'm not law-suit happy, but if you hadn't looked it up on the net, what could this medicine have done, or what might happen if someone else has it happen to them and the doctor is not aware that this mistake is happening? Kris

            Comment


            • #7
              Meg- glad to hear your appointment with him went better than mine did. Maybe I just got him on a bad day or something.... Have you decided which surgeon you're going with yet?
              Blair

              Dec 15th, 2003 @ age of 20
              Posterior Fusion and CD Horizon instrumentation T2-L1.
              Surgery by Dr. Herkowitz- Beaumont Hospital of Royal Oak, Michigan
              Excellent correction of 52 degree single left thoracolumbar curve. Slight curve remains in unfused lumbar region but seems stable.
              February 5, 2005- Failed Scar Revision Surgery
              September 17, 2005- 2nd Failed Scar Revision.

              Comment

              Working...
              X