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  • Creeping toward 60 degrees...

    Hey all,

    I haven't posted in a while. Just had my visit with my ortho. Updated my signature to reflect the new measurements from today.

    From the first visit with my doctor in 2005, I think it's safe to say there is defintely some progression, even with the +/- 5 degrees discrepancy. He said he wouldn't yet consider any surgical correction until I hit 60 degrees, which is 3 degrees away. Have a feeling by my next visit in 2 years, I'll hit that number.

    Regardless of the number I'll put it off as long as possible or rather, longer than I should. I have other issues that require frequent MRIs and basically the area of the most concern is exactly where the most amount of instrumentation would need to be if I were to get fused. While new surgical metals usually are not ferrous, there are MRI machines/techs that can get around the artifact caused by the instrumentation, ect... Don't really want even small amount of artifact distorting my scans and making it difficult to tract any changes. It'd be pointless to have a nice straight spine if I end up kicking the bucket from my tumor turning malignant.

    Now that I've put that in writing it's quite concerning, but I'll cross that bridge when I'm on it.

    Hope everyone is doing well.
    30 something y.o.

    2003 - T45, L???
    2005 - T50, L31
    bunch of measurements between...

    2011 - T60, L32
    2013 - T68, L?

    Posterior Fusion Sept 2014 -- T3 - L3
    Post - op curve ~35



  • #2
    Welcome Back M & M.

    Seems like quite a few of us come back at some point.

    Good to see you,
    Hope all is as well as can be,
    Shari

    Comment


    • #3
      Good to see you back again, I was under the signature of macky when we last posted. I am also sorry you health besides your scoliosis which is bad enough, isnt the best. You certainly have quite a bit to cope with,

      Thinking of you
      Lorraine.
      Operated on in 1966, harrington rods inserted from T4 to L3, here in Australia. Fusion of the said vertebrae as well. Problems for the last 14 years with pain.
      Something I feel deeply,"Life is like money,you can spend it anyway you wish, but can only spend it once.

      Comment


      • #4
        You seem to be be moving no more than 2-3 degrees a year on average and given the precision as you point out.

        It would have been interesting to have data between 1993 and 2003 because it might go against the paradigm of being under 50* at skeletal maturity and that meaning you would never reach surgical territory.

        Pam made it to 50* and stayed there for about two decades before her surgery. It is possible your curve might stop progressing. That would be good given the other issues.

        The surgeons can help you if you need them.

        Good luck.
        Sharon, mother of identical twin girls with scoliosis

        No island of sanity.

        Question: What do you call alternative medicine that works?
        Answer: Medicine


        "We are all African."

        Comment


        • #5
          I'd love to know what my degree was when I finished growing(much to my dismay) at 15. I'd imagine 40's with the measurements known. I was 12 back when my first measurement was taken, which I don't even know if it was accurate since a chiro measured it, but it's the only thing I got..

          I could have gotten a copy of the xray I had taken in 1999 when I went to a chiro for pain management and have my ortho measure it, but never did, and no matter now really. My ortho is pretty sure that if I had gone to a scoli surgeon as a teen I'd have been fused. So for that I'm glad the all around failure of my childhood heathcare providers worked in my favor.

          In terms of my other issues, I am at a better place now then I was in 2006 when the tumor in concern was first discovered, at least for now I know it's stable and just chilling out, no growth no signal changes on scans... ect.

          It's entirely possible both fusion and tumor resection would need to be done at the same time... that'd make things all kind of interesting considering I am not letting anyone at my ortho's hospital do tumor surg. related stuff and all the cancer/tumor surgeons prob. aren't apt at spinal fusion for long term stability...
          Last edited by green m&m; 10-31-2009, 01:35 AM.
          30 something y.o.

          2003 - T45, L???
          2005 - T50, L31
          bunch of measurements between...

          2011 - T60, L32
          2013 - T68, L?

          Posterior Fusion Sept 2014 -- T3 - L3
          Post - op curve ~35


          Comment


          • #6
            M & M--
            Glad to have you back here. I wish it was for better reasons; you are facing quite a dilemma with 2 major issues. Good luck with all of this. Janet
            Janet

            61 years old--57 for surgery

            Diagnosed in 1965 at age of 13--no brace
            Thoracic Curve: 96 degrees to 35 degrees
            Lumbar Curve: 63 degrees to 5 degrees
            Surgery with Dr. Lenke in St. Louis--March 30, 2009
            T-2 to Pelvis, and hopefully all posterior procedure.

            All was posterior along with 2 cages and 6 osteotomies.

            Comment


            • #7
              Hi M&M
              i really hope things go well for you..sounds like alot to deal with!

              i need scans for a benign (we hope) tumor in left femur & pelvic scans for cysts...was told it wouldnt be a problem if/when i have fusion T11-S1 & L4-sacrum....

              my curves didnt cause too much pain for about 26 years...till i herniated discs..then all heck broke loose..also, after that, the curves progressed much faster...i am wondering if you have injured your back in such a way...or if the progression is just happening by itself...also...i was told i could have titanium or stainless steel...dont know if that makes a difference to future scans...

              wish you best of luck dealing with all these issues!

              jess

              Comment


              • #8
                hi Jess

                i don't think you'd have problems w/ scans, the areas you need scanned might be far apart enough that even with artifacts caused by surgical metals, the area being scanned won't be affected.

                For me, my tumor is right up against the apex of my curve so any spine instrumentation would be in the same area being scanned, which is the only reason i'm concerned.

                No injury but I'm guessing having two wedged vertebrae and the tumor on the convex side might be contributing to progression.
                30 something y.o.

                2003 - T45, L???
                2005 - T50, L31
                bunch of measurements between...

                2011 - T60, L32
                2013 - T68, L?

                Posterior Fusion Sept 2014 -- T3 - L3
                Post - op curve ~35


                Comment


                • #9
                  Hi again m...
                  thanks for the reply...

                  wow...so sorry to hear how much you are dealing with right now...i dont remember you saying anything about pain....i hope you are not dealing with a great deal of it....?

                  thoughts & prayers go out to you...

                  jess

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    Thankfully, not much pain, and I'm pretty much used to the whole monitoring the tumor thing now.

                    I know I'm at high-risk for it turning malignant(hopefully never!), but no good comes from dwelling on it. I did go through a grief period for a while but it's been long enough that it rarely stresses me. It would have been better if the tumor decided to grow far away from the spine, but ah well.

                    Thanks everyone for your concerns
                    30 something y.o.

                    2003 - T45, L???
                    2005 - T50, L31
                    bunch of measurements between...

                    2011 - T60, L32
                    2013 - T68, L?

                    Posterior Fusion Sept 2014 -- T3 - L3
                    Post - op curve ~35


                    Comment


                    • #11
                      Hi M & M,

                      I hope everything turns out for you.

                      You will be in my prayers. I wish I could hug you!

                      God bless you and yours,
                      Shari

                      Comment

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