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Clicks & Clunks are getting worse! Has it happened to you?

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  • Clicks & Clunks are getting worse! Has it happened to you?

    Hi everyone. I've never had this sensation before and am aking if the clinks and the clunks have happened to others. If so, what are they? My P.T. guessed scar tissue, but the other P.T. did not agree. If I had to describe them, it feels like bone travels over bone and then loses its balance. This started about two weeks ago and is in addition to an increasing failure to stand up straight after my 5th surgery, with 4 of them being the revision surgeries, mostly to remove broken rods and redoing the fusing process. These are not pleasant, especially in the lumbar region. I'm bending forward at the hips and am on a growing impossibility to stand up straight. I also have pains shooting to the lumbar and after going to bed or relaxing, I develop a strong ache in the lumbar.

    I'll be Xrayed on Wednesday and we'll see if those rods have done something they shouldn't have. But if you've had the clinks and clunks, I'd like to hear from you.

    Thanks, Diane
    Diane in Dallas
    Adult Ideopatic Scoliosis (37%) and Kyphosis (65%)
    Surgery #1 8/4/03 - Dr. Shelokov, Plano
    Surg #2 12/8/03 - Dr. Shelokov, Plano
    Surg #3 1/10/05 - Dr. Shelokov, Plano
    Surg #4 9/10/07 - Dr. Viere, Dallas
    Surg #5 1/28/08 - Dr. Viere, Dallas
    Surg #6 4/27/09 - Dr. Viere, Dallas

  • #2
    Diane,

    I have been told the same thing as everyone else about the noises. Scar tissue, muscle moving over hardware, the snapping hip thing. About my PT.....we had pretty much quit doing anything that put any stress on the sacrum. My last therapist would print out the exercises for me to do at home but first I had to do them all there in the office for a couple of visits. Any pulling or stressing on the sacrum or any pain......that exercise was X'ed of the list. What caught my attention to your post was actually the comment about your increasing problem with standing straight. I had the same problem after my first surgery so we had a revision a year later and improved it alot but still not all the way up. I got on the internet and found that one of the issues that Dr. LaGrone in Amarillo is known for is dealing with balance issues. I talked to my doctor about it and he gave me the go ahead to give it a try. After another 9 hour surgery last summer I am walking straight up!!!! It's been 13 months since that surgery and I haven't had any issues with the balance!!! Dr. LaGrone takes alot of different insurances, he will also do a phone consult if your send him your x-rays. He pretty much only works on people with prior fusions. I'm glad that I visited him to see if he could help me. My doctor here did my follow-up visits during the year after I met with Dr. LaGrone at 3 months. I will be going out there for a delayed 1 year visit on July 1 for him to double check everything.
    Theresa

    April 8 & 12, 2004 - Anterior/Posterior surgery 15 hours & 7 hours
    Thorasic - 79 degree down to 22
    Lumbar - 44 degree down to 18
    Fused T2 to sacrum
    June 2, 2005 - Pedicle subtraction osteotomy @L3 7 hours
    MAY 21, 2007 - Pedicle subtraction osteotomy @ L2, extended the fusion to S2 and added pelvic instrumentation 9 hours

    FUSED T2 - SACRUM 2

    Comment


    • #3
      Theresa, when you had your surgery with Dr. LeGrone, how did you get there, stay there, and get back home? How long did you have to stay there? I particularly noticed the part where you said your doctor approved. I've been thinking that my doctor, Dr. Viere, would be offended if I sought out another surgeon. Please give me your thoughts on that too. Thanks.
      Diane in Dallas
      Adult Ideopatic Scoliosis (37%) and Kyphosis (65%)
      Surgery #1 8/4/03 - Dr. Shelokov, Plano
      Surg #2 12/8/03 - Dr. Shelokov, Plano
      Surg #3 1/10/05 - Dr. Shelokov, Plano
      Surg #4 9/10/07 - Dr. Viere, Dallas
      Surg #5 1/28/08 - Dr. Viere, Dallas
      Surg #6 4/27/09 - Dr. Viere, Dallas

      Comment


      • #4
        Diane,

        We drove from Houston to Amarillo. It is a 9 hr car drive. From Dallas it would only be 4 1/2 hours. We drove back the day they let me go. Coming home we did it in 2 days. We stayed in Ft. Worth for the night. I layed on the floor of the van on an air mattress until it got a leak!!! The second day we used the egg crate that we had bought the night before for the hotel bed. While in Amarillo we stayed at the Residence Inn for about 10 days. We saw Dr. LaGrone I think on Friday for my pre-op and the surgery was on Monday. My husband and son loved it out there. They had taken their mountain bikes to ride in Palo Dura Canyon. I asked my doctor what else he could do for me because I was still not straight. I asked him if he would mind sending out my x-rays to LaGrone for a consult and then if he recommended surgery would he do it. He said he wouldn't mind but if Dr. LaGrone had a special skill in balancing people I should probably let him do it and he would be happy to do my follow ups for me. We were going to fly out on Southwest, actually now that I think about it, I did fly out there because my husband and son had left a few days earlier. I did come back in the van though, probably should have come back by plane though.
        Theresa

        April 8 & 12, 2004 - Anterior/Posterior surgery 15 hours & 7 hours
        Thorasic - 79 degree down to 22
        Lumbar - 44 degree down to 18
        Fused T2 to sacrum
        June 2, 2005 - Pedicle subtraction osteotomy @L3 7 hours
        MAY 21, 2007 - Pedicle subtraction osteotomy @ L2, extended the fusion to S2 and added pelvic instrumentation 9 hours

        FUSED T2 - SACRUM 2

        Comment


        • #5
          Hi Diane,
          Any Doctor that would be offended because you are seeking a second opinion, isn't worth staying with, in my opinion. Only a very arrogant Dr. would be offended. You definitely should get a second opinion. Take care and let us know what you decide to do. Sally
          Diagnosed with severe lumbar scoliosis at age 65.
          Posterior Fusion L2-S1 on 12/4/2007. age 67
          Anterior Fusion L3-L4,L4-L5,L5-S1 on 12/19/2007
          Additional bone removed to decompress right side of L3-L4 & L4-L5 on 4/19/2010
          New England Baptist Hospital, Boston, MA
          Dr. Frank F. Rands735.photobucket.com/albums/ww360/butterflyfive/

          "In God We Trust" Happy moments, praise God. Difficult moments, seek God. Quiet moments, worship God. Painful moments, trust God. Every moment, thank God.

          Comment


          • #6
            Thanks Theresa and Sally,

            Thank you for answering my questions. I will have the Xray later on today (Tues 6/25) and will know as Paul Harvey says "the rest of the story". If it is not broken rods, I cannot imagine what else it could be. It does hurt most of the time right in the lumbar area, not severely, but enough to take a real pain pill maybe twice a day, sometimes three times. I noticed last night that at that time of the day, when walking, I feel like an enormous weight has been tied onto my front pulling and pulling me forward along with an incredible amount of pressure in my lower and upper back pulling downwards. I read in someone's post that their doctor said it takes a year or so before a rod will break and I'm 5 months out. Sally, you have me beat as to when you were diagnosed. I was 60 when the word "scoliosis" was first used and didn't find a doctor until I was 61. So you and a few others our age know what is going on in our heads, which may be quite different than our sweet 30 and 40 year olds who have another lifetime ahead. Bless your hearts, every one of you!! I keep thinking, "...and these are my Golden Years"???
            Diane in Dallas
            Adult Ideopatic Scoliosis (37%) and Kyphosis (65%)
            Surgery #1 8/4/03 - Dr. Shelokov, Plano
            Surg #2 12/8/03 - Dr. Shelokov, Plano
            Surg #3 1/10/05 - Dr. Shelokov, Plano
            Surg #4 9/10/07 - Dr. Viere, Dallas
            Surg #5 1/28/08 - Dr. Viere, Dallas
            Surg #6 4/27/09 - Dr. Viere, Dallas

            Comment


            • #7
              Clicks and Clunks

              I've had this problem with each surgery and they get worse with each one. There is so much scar tissue and extra bony growth, I wouldn't be surprised if it were something to do with that. With all the surgeries we have been through, it's no surprise that we would make all these noises. Our bodies can only withstand so much and then to not stand straight doesn't help either. I'm sure it wears on your joints after awhile.

              I also noticed you mentioned that you are bending over forward. I had this problem severely in the past, and it took an anterior approach as well with several osteotomies and cages, etc along with total revision of the entire spine to correct this. However, because of the bent over position for so long has put it's toll on me and now my only unfused area (cervical spine) now needs surgery as well as the lumbar again. Have you had the three-stage surgery(same day) with any of your revisions? Do you have the titanium cages? Where are you fused? Also, how long have you been dealing with this? I hope you don't mind all the questions, but I know what you are going through and how painful it is, and what other problems it created because of being bent over. I had lost 7 inches, bent over like an L for over 5 yrs (I was in my 20's at the time), along with more curving, rotation and the leaning over more to one side. I could only stand up for less than 5 minutes, and that was with one knee bent until I could no longer stand. I can totally sympathize with you. Because of all these surgeries, we also have to deal with arthritis and osteoporosis, so that doesn't help either. I started with those in my 20's as well.

              Anyways, I wish you all the best and hopefully you can find a doctor that will help ease some of your discomfort soon. If you haven't in the past, please also check with a neurosurgeon, as they know far more than these spine surgeons and aren't so quick to do a surgery merely to make a profit. Good luck to you!

              Comment


              • #8
                Thank you for writing, Shelgrl66. I'm sorry I made such a mess out of your name on a previous reply to someone. I had such good news today. Please read my new thread. I am going to start making a list of the User Name and their Real Name. I probably have seen yours but heaven knows where. Susie is the best one for knowing everyone's names. I'm so amazed at the vastness of the medical terms that are used in the forum. I know the names of so few body parts. I didn't state this in my new message, but I'll be going back to see Dr. Viere in 6 weeks. I've never had to have so many doctor appointments. I know this doctor wants me to fuse. I do too.
                Diane in Dallas
                Adult Ideopatic Scoliosis (37%) and Kyphosis (65%)
                Surgery #1 8/4/03 - Dr. Shelokov, Plano
                Surg #2 12/8/03 - Dr. Shelokov, Plano
                Surg #3 1/10/05 - Dr. Shelokov, Plano
                Surg #4 9/10/07 - Dr. Viere, Dallas
                Surg #5 1/28/08 - Dr. Viere, Dallas
                Surg #6 4/27/09 - Dr. Viere, Dallas

                Comment


                • #9
                  Diane,
                  Glad to hear you had good news! Hopefully all will work out and you will get fused soon. You are in my thoughts. Please keep us updated.

                  1981-Harrington/Luque instrumentation T9-L5 for 30 degree thoracolumbar curve.
                  1990-Revision surgery-Broken hardware/flatback deformity/pseudoarthrosis-Cotrel Dubousett instrumentation with extension into sacrum.
                  1995-Revision surgery-Severe flatback deformity/kyphosis-Moss Miami instrumentation (T5-sacrum) with titanium cages (back/front/back procedure), thoracoplasty, total reconstruction with osteotomies. (surgeon did surgery while coming down with chicken pox and developed encephalitis with brain damage, etc during 14 hr surgery)
                  2005-Car accident-spinal cord injury/myelopathy from top of rods/hooks at T5. Surgery to remove hardware, with exception of cages. Permanent damage.
                  2008-5th surgery pending for severe stenosis in cervical spine, as well as lumbar spine because of prior surgeries.

                  Comment

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