Tired of Waiting . . .

[Ballerina]

I went to the orthopedic surgeon today and I am beyond angry with everything. January 2007 is when I began to notice that my back was soar. I got diagnosed in March with a 13 degree curvature, and in June I was diagnosed with a 28.5 degree curve. I got referred to Dr. Holmes from North Bay (DO NOT recommend him) who gave me a bone scan (saying I have arthritis) and a CAT scan (results pending) and today, he told me that I there is nothing we can do. I am tired of being in pain every single minute of every single day. I love dance and piano, but no longer have an interest in it. I also love school, and my average has gone down because I am getting depressed. I asked about maybe a bracing option or something to get rid of the pain and he said it's too expensive and all he can do is prescribe pain medication. I am so tired of this waiting and watching please someone help me. What can I do?

Justine
Ballerina

[rtremb]

Ballerina Justine:

Spinecor is a good brace for scoliosis pain. I met a mother, when we were at Ste. Justine Hospital in Montreal, whose 19 year old son almost had spinal fusion surgery because of really bad pain - he tried the Spinecor to see if it would help and today he is pain free and has not had the surgery. He was on heavy pain killers for the pain.

Maybe you should contact Dr. Rivard or Dr. Colliard in Montreal to ask if the Spinecor would help you with pain reduction and for your scoliosis.

The cost of the Spinecor brace might be covered by extended health insurance if your family has this.

I notice you say you are going to CHEO - which doctor are you seeing there?

Sorry you are in so much pain.

Ruth

[Sherie]

Hi Justine

I noticed you have a left thoracic, did the doc tell you that's not typical for AIS? It's usually right thoracic, left lumbar (looking from the back). I would ask his opinion of this and consider getting a 2nd opinion if you're not happy with him.

[Ballerina]

Thank you both for your responses.

rtremb: Thank you for telling me to contact those two doctors. I will definitely do so. I am seeing Dr. Moroz in CHEO and I am hoping that he will help me. I am definitely at a point of giving up if doctors are not willing to help.

Sherie: I knew previously to seeing this doctor that left thoracic is uncommon but he showed no concern over it. I am going for a second opinion in January.

[rtremb]

Ballerina:

I am very concerned that the doctor told you that bracing is too expensive. It puzzles me greatly why he would say this. In Ontario there is an government organization called Ontario Assistive Devices which will pay for the majority of the cost of a Boston brace. Also I recently complained to the Ontario Ombudsman because the Spinecor wasn't covered by this Ontario government program and they are now considering incuding the Spinecor in this program too. If your curves keep progressing at the rate you put in your post, you may need a brace and it wouldn't be good for you to have the impression braces are too expensive or out of your reach. Also financial assistance can be obtained through Presidents Choice (Loblaws) who have a program set up to help people with things like this but a person has to apply for assistance before receiving the brace.

Ruth (Ottawa, Ontario)

[Writer]

Ballerina,

There is no excuse for doctors waiting and watching your scoliosis get worse.

Look into the Schroth physical therapy method, which has been practiced in Germany for over 80 years. It is discussed in many threads on this board. Quite a few Schroth practitioners are listed on the home page of this NSF website (scroll down towards the bottom).

http://www.scoliosis.org

While a comprehensive Schroth treatment could last a few weeks, often pain is reduced or eliminated in days. An orthopedist looked at my X-rays and said "There's nothing we can do," but a Schroth therapist showed me two simple exercises and I became completely pain-free.

Good luck.

[cherylplinder]

Spinecor cured my daughters pain also. Rachel had constant pain from age 9 to 10. She couldn't play the piano, play outside, or do anything normal without pain.

She was pain free almost immediately with the brace and got to where she did not have to be in it to have pain relief. She is 12 now.

I hope your MRI is OK. Let us know.

[BETall]

I went to the orthopedic surgeon today and I am beyond angry with everything. January 2007 is when I began to notice that my back was soar. I got diagnosed in March with a 13 degree curvature, and in June I was diagnosed with a 28.5 degree curve. I got referred to Dr. Holmes from North Bay (DO NOT recommend him) who gave me a bone scan (saying I have arthritis) and a CAT scan (results pending) and today, he told me that I there is nothing we can do. I am tired of being in pain every single minute of every single day. I love dance and piano, but no longer have an interest in it. I also love school, and my average has gone down because I am getting depressed. I asked about maybe a bracing option or something to get rid of the pain and he said it's too expensive and all he can do is prescribe pain medication. I am so tired of this waiting and watching please someone help me. What can I do?

Justine
Ballerina

Go to: scoliosistreatment-schroth.com . The book for English speaking people is available at: schrothmethod.com

[txmarinemom]

Is it Spinecor or Schroth that cures all? ... I'm old (remind me, I forget ...)

I've yet to see proof on EITHER long term or published by "the Institute" ... and, BTW, Schroth deliberately DOGS Spinecor in published works (as in Spinecor is NOT effective) ...

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/1...RVAbstractPlus

Also funny how there aren't Schroth articles penned by anyone but Weiss or one of the Schroths.

[mpj]

New Doctor

Ballerina,

I would definitely seek a second opinion. There are lots of doctors out there. No need to settle for someone who is uninterested in looking into all the options. We use a SpineCor brace, but I bet there are other braces out there that might help too. Fortunately, my daughter has not had problems with pain yet. Seeking a second, third, or fourth opinion is definitely worth it. Who knows what you will learn. They you can feel like you are making a more informed decision. When my daughter was diagnosed with scoliosis, we saw 4 doctors before making a decision. Everyone had a different opinion. Then we just chose what made sense to us for her.

Good Luck

Sarah

[Writer]

Here's a recent report on testing the Schroth method on 50 teenaged outpatients, average 14 yrs, over a one-year period in Turkey. It was written by Turkish academic medical practitioners.

"CONCLUSION: Schroth's technique positively influenced the Cobb angle, vital capacity, strength and postural defects in outpatient adolescents."

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/1...ubmed_RVDocSum

[MaeV]

I'm a Dancer who has some hope

My name is Jennifer I have been a dancer with Scoliosis for 20 years perhaps I can help with some hope for you!!! I've been able to do everything they told me I would never do!

Jennifer the Hopeful Dancer