Chronic Discomfort

[rohrer01]

Go to the SRS website to find a Chicago doctor. I know they must have some good ones there. They usually do in the bigger cities. Hope you find a better one than we currently have..

[LindaRacine]

Wow, thank you all for your advice!

LindaRacine, I actually have seen Dr. Tribus three times now over the last ten years. The first time I saw him, I liked him because he didn't recommend surgery. I don't recall being in pain back then, just went to him for a check up. However, the last two times I was there, he was an aweful doctor. Insists I need to be a swimmer, the cure all for back pain. It seemed as though he gets a thought in his mind, at its a one size fits all answer for everyone. He also told me I was border line pushing it with the doses of IB profen I was taking.

I live in Illinois now, so I'd like to find a doctor in the Chicago land area. I don't know much about pain management doctors and what they do, but I'd take any of your suggestions!

I feel pretty strongly against chiropracty, but would be open to accupuncture or this botox treatment, sounds interesting and perhaps expensive!

Thanks all!

Tiona

I'm so disappointed about this. Dr. Tribus was trained by David Bradford at UCSF, who has turned out a large percentage of the best scoliosis surgeons in North America. Either it's an incredible coincidence, or something has happened to the man.

In Chicago, check out Pernendu Gupta, Christopher DeWald, or Kim Hammerberg.

--Linda

[tiona24]

The reason I originally went to Dr. Tribus post op was because he was recommended to me by my surgeon Dr. Ogilvie out of the University of Minnesota because he retired. He had told me Dr. Tribus studied under him. Dr. Ogilvie was amazing... night and day.

[rohrer01]

The reason I originally went to Dr. Tribus post op was because he was recommended to me by my surgeon Dr. Ogilvie out of the University of Minnesota because he retired. He had told me Dr. Tribus studied under him. Dr. Ogilvie was amazing... night and day.

I saw Dr. Ogilvie's partner, Joe Perra (I believe Ogilvie treats children and Perra treats adults) when I was 29 years old. He was worse than Dr. Tribus. I was having a very bad pain episode right there in his office. I couldn't turn my head to even look at him because I was in so much pain. When I asked him what I could do about it, he said, "Take some Tylenol." I don't know what it is with me always seeing jerky scoli doctors. I'm starting to think they are all that way. Dr. Tribus, at least the first two times of seeing him believed me about the pain and said he would do surgery for it. He told me to come back if it got worse and when I did, I thought I was looking at Joe Perra! I am not a cobb angle, I am a person in pain, that no scoli doctor seem to believe or want to help!

I used to complain to my mom starting about age 12 that my spine hurt. She would say that's rediculous! And I would say, "But mom, my spine isn't in the middle of my back where it should be." She would always answer with that was impossible. Go take some aspirin. I guess this board is the only place where I can talk to people who really believe me, at least I think they do. I've never had validation and it makes me feel like a hypochondriac, which I used to get called a LOT when I had pain as a youngster. Sorry, I guess this isn't the place to talk about that, but the emotional pain is just as real as the physical pain. My husband believes me because he hears me scream in the night just trying to reposition myself (when my pain is not under control). I wake us both up.

So if your family doesn't believe you, the doctor's don't believe you, what are you supposed to do. Neurosurgeon's, General Practicioner's, Pain management doctor's, and Chiropractor's all believe me, but none of them can help me with the real problem. Just frustrated is all. Sorry if I hijacked your thread. I guess just keep searching until you get the relief you are looking for.

[dailystrength]

Just a quick reply to Rohrer, I think parents have a hard time admitting and facing that anything is wrong with their children that they can't fix, because it makes them feel helpless maybe. I had a hard time getting my mother to understand the imbalances of my spine - it took many demonstrations of the forward bend, and lots of book illustrations to show the rib effect. It is hard I think because scoliosis is complicated- not just being side to side, but causing the upper and lower trunk to rotate in opposite directions--she is finally understanding my quest of how to sit and stand best. My dad is another story; he means well but "stand up straight" is just not helpful. I think they have no idea what to say or do. Good for you for doing all you can; I find that we need to be our best helpers.