Thanks, Sharon, for your reply.
I'm happy and relieved that I don't have to worry about having the "big surgery". However, I'm a bit perplexed as to how two very good doctors, both Hey and Tribus, saw at the same time that I had definitely progressed when comparing the same x-rays AND they both measured the curve at the same magnitude. Were they both wrong?
Whatever the case, I am still left with debilitating pain in the scoliotic area. So now I have to figure out how to deal with it and figure out why it's getting worse. I'm tired of popping pills. I'm going to ask again about the intrathecal pump that the one anesthesiologist recommended a few years back. If my spine is stable, that may be an option. I don't know. I was reminded today about just how limited I am from the scoliotic area while I tried to practice the piano. It became so painful I had to stop. Is it just age or something else? Sorry about my musings. I've been in pain for so long that I don't remember what it's like not to hurt. I don't want to subject myself to a surgery just to find out I'm worse off. So it's not that I'm thinking along those lines. I just don't know where to go from here.
I wish there were someone else on here like me. I asked my doctor how many curves like mine he sees. He said that he sees a very high thoracic curve, including both convex right and left, about once every year or two. Left curves are far more rare. So if he's been in practice for say 20 years (I'm guessing), he's seen probably less than 10 people like me. That's not very much experience if you look at it that way. I would like to know how many high convex left patients are in pain and what do they do about it. I'm groping for ideas on how to treat this. Even my other docs are at a loss, really. Right now I'm going to focus on getting my shoulder better. It seems the thing to do for the time being.
I'm glad I'm stable, but SO TIRED of hurting.
Just venting. I've had a rough last three years and am having another rough night.
Thanks for listening.
I'm happy and relieved that I don't have to worry about having the "big surgery". However, I'm a bit perplexed as to how two very good doctors, both Hey and Tribus, saw at the same time that I had definitely progressed when comparing the same x-rays AND they both measured the curve at the same magnitude. Were they both wrong?
Whatever the case, I am still left with debilitating pain in the scoliotic area. So now I have to figure out how to deal with it and figure out why it's getting worse. I'm tired of popping pills. I'm going to ask again about the intrathecal pump that the one anesthesiologist recommended a few years back. If my spine is stable, that may be an option. I don't know. I was reminded today about just how limited I am from the scoliotic area while I tried to practice the piano. It became so painful I had to stop. Is it just age or something else? Sorry about my musings. I've been in pain for so long that I don't remember what it's like not to hurt. I don't want to subject myself to a surgery just to find out I'm worse off. So it's not that I'm thinking along those lines. I just don't know where to go from here.
I wish there were someone else on here like me. I asked my doctor how many curves like mine he sees. He said that he sees a very high thoracic curve, including both convex right and left, about once every year or two. Left curves are far more rare. So if he's been in practice for say 20 years (I'm guessing), he's seen probably less than 10 people like me. That's not very much experience if you look at it that way. I would like to know how many high convex left patients are in pain and what do they do about it. I'm groping for ideas on how to treat this. Even my other docs are at a loss, really. Right now I'm going to focus on getting my shoulder better. It seems the thing to do for the time being.
I'm glad I'm stable, but SO TIRED of hurting.
Just venting. I've had a rough last three years and am having another rough night.
Thanks for listening.
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