Tweet
Hi everyone, I recently posted a thread similar to this but some circumstances have changed since I saw a surgeon last week. I am looking for some guidance from people who have had this surgery or people who know more than I do in this area. 
First off, I am a 19 year old sophomore in college. I have had scoliosis for pretty much all of my life, and I have tried everything from bracing to yoga to chiropractic care. While these methods have helped, they have not eliminated my scoliosis. I recently visited a surgeon (the same one who suggested surgery when I was younger) to talk about possible surgery options in the future. My curve is currently at 68 degrees...the thoracic curve. My other curves are pretty much non-existent. The surgeon said he would fuse from T2 to T5 and put rods in, of course. This doesn't seem like a lot to me after reading some of the other posts. Anyway, he would only fuse the middle section of the back. Does that sound normal? I'm worried that my other small curve on the lumbar will look more pronounced if the middle is smaller...does that make sense?
Another important thing: I'm going to China for a study abroad program and will be back in June. If I have the surgery in mid-June or even July, the surgeon said I would be able to go back to college in late August with no problem, since the recovery time would be a month. That also seemed really hard to believe! He said he could get about 60% correction making my curve around 27 degrees. That's very exciting, but he also said that he could not eliminate my rib hump completely, and he doesn't do the thoracoplasty (sp?) procedure because of limited pulmonary function post surgery. My rib hump is semi-significant but I don't mind it much as it is, and I'm sure that any correction would be fine with me.
My curve hasn't progressed at all since 2005, so although surgery is highly recommended at some point in the future, he said it is not absolutely necessary that I get it done this summer. Basically, I'm torn. I was accepted to a summer program to study in Italy from June to August but after visiting with this surgeon, I'm contemplating just having the surgery this summer instead. To put it short, I would just like to get it over with, especially now when I'm young.
I'm just looking for any advice from people who have had the surgery, what you think about the surgeon's predictions, etc. Anything would be greatly appreciated since I have to make a decision semi-soon!
First off, I am a 19 year old sophomore in college. I have had scoliosis for pretty much all of my life, and I have tried everything from bracing to yoga to chiropractic care. While these methods have helped, they have not eliminated my scoliosis. I recently visited a surgeon (the same one who suggested surgery when I was younger) to talk about possible surgery options in the future. My curve is currently at 68 degrees...the thoracic curve. My other curves are pretty much non-existent. The surgeon said he would fuse from T2 to T5 and put rods in, of course. This doesn't seem like a lot to me after reading some of the other posts. Anyway, he would only fuse the middle section of the back. Does that sound normal? I'm worried that my other small curve on the lumbar will look more pronounced if the middle is smaller...does that make sense?
Another important thing: I'm going to China for a study abroad program and will be back in June. If I have the surgery in mid-June or even July, the surgeon said I would be able to go back to college in late August with no problem, since the recovery time would be a month. That also seemed really hard to believe! He said he could get about 60% correction making my curve around 27 degrees. That's very exciting, but he also said that he could not eliminate my rib hump completely, and he doesn't do the thoracoplasty (sp?) procedure because of limited pulmonary function post surgery. My rib hump is semi-significant but I don't mind it much as it is, and I'm sure that any correction would be fine with me.
My curve hasn't progressed at all since 2005, so although surgery is highly recommended at some point in the future, he said it is not absolutely necessary that I get it done this summer. Basically, I'm torn. I was accepted to a summer program to study in Italy from June to August but after visiting with this surgeon, I'm contemplating just having the surgery this summer instead. To put it short, I would just like to get it over with, especially now when I'm young.
I'm just looking for any advice from people who have had the surgery, what you think about the surgeon's predictions, etc. Anything would be greatly appreciated since I have to make a decision semi-soon!
Comment