First Time Here - 47 y/o contemplating Surgery - Dr. Lonner

[cathydrew]

Hi everyone, I have been reading these posts for months, I want to thank you all for your candor and personal experiences. I was diagnosed 45 degrees thoracic at age 14, brace for a bit, and now at 47 I have been advised to have the surgery top to bottom, with possible pelvic fixation (depending on an MRI of lumbar.) My curves are now 64T and 62L. I am reasonable fit and heal well (had acl reconstruction 2008 and healed VERY quickly). I am planning on the surgery mid-March 2011 so that I can go back to work in September (I am a teacher) I figured I'd include the summer for any possible additional healing time. My doctor (so far, I am going to try a couple) said some of his patients similar to me have gone back after 8-10 weeks. I was wondering if anybody knows and/or has experience with Dr. Baron Lonner and the Hospital for Joint Diseases in NYC and can give me any advice? As it gets closer I'm sure I'll have more but I just wanted to begin here. By the way, whenever I get really scared I read the thread titaniumed started about reasons WHY to fuse - SO HELPFUL!!!! So, thanks in advance for any words of wisdom.

Cathy

[JenniferG]

Welcome Cathy!

I have no personal experience of Dr. Lonner, but have read many good things about the man on this forum. Try doing a Search for Dr. Lonner and see what you come up with. I know of a couple of people on the forum who had their surgery with Dr. Lonner.

Good luck and keep in touch to let us know how you go, won't you?

[jrnyc]

hi Cathy
welcome to the forum, Cathy...there are many kind people here, with experiences and knowledge to share!

if you go to the "Search" on top of the threads, next to "New Posts", you can type in Dr Lonner, and you'll see several folks on forum have had surgery with him recently...i think he is great! he has been monitoring my curves for over 5 years now...he is suggesting i have fusion T11-pelvis done, and degenerated discs cleaned out..with minimally invasive approach that has recently become available for lumbar region...i have just been putting it off...my curves are T42 and L61 and are not changing much lately, but my discs are getting worse by the moment..also have spinal stenosis, listhesis, hypokyphosis, spinal arthritis, and a few other conditions of spine i cant remember any more! ....or am trying to forget...i have intense pain most of the time, and take oral pain meds for it...i have also consulted with several other surgeons, including one on west coast, but like Dr L. the best!

i also have a pain management doctor i see in Manhattan once a month..the botox shots i get for thoracic pain work well, but the treatments for lumbar pain havent offered me much relief...the epidural injection i got for sciatica pain worked surprisingly well, but after 2 months that relief has recently evaporated..i plan on getting another shot, since the pain is still there...the other procedures i had for lumbar pain didnt do much...nerve ablation, facet blocks, other epidural injections for other areas of back pain, sacroiliac joint injections, etc...
i had to retire in 2007 due to pain! i was a special ed teacher and then a social worker, with the NYC DOE, and a 2nd job with an alcohol and drug detox/rehab.

i wish you much luck with the surgery...if you do go to Dr Lonner for it, you would be in the best of hands!

jess

[Doodles]

Welcome, Cathy! I'm sure you'll get lots of good advice during the months leading up to surgery. I was a teacher but retired the year before my surgery in'08. I did go back and do a bit of subbing this last spring. I was reminded how wearing it is but I'm also older! Good luck to you. Janet

[LindaRacine]

Hi everyone, I have been reading these posts for months, I want to thank you all for your candor and personal experiences. I was diagnosed 45 degrees thoracic at age 14, brace for a bit, and now at 47 I have been advised to have the surgery top to bottom, with possible pelvic fixation (depending on an MRI of lumbar.) My curves are now 64T and 62L. I am reasonable fit and heal well (had acl reconstruction 2008 and healed VERY quickly). I am planning on the surgery mid-March 2011 so that I can go back to work in September (I am a teacher) I figured I'd include the summer for any possible additional healing time. My doctor (so far, I am going to try a couple) said some of his patients similar to me have gone back after 8-10 weeks. I was wondering if anybody knows and/or has experience with Dr. Baron Lonner and the Hospital for Joint Diseases in NYC and can give me any advice? As it gets closer I'm sure I'll have more but I just wanted to begin here. By the way, whenever I get really scared I read the thread titaniumed started about reasons WHY to fuse - SO HELPFUL!!!! So, thanks in advance for any words of wisdom.

Cathy

Hi Cathy...

I had surgery at age 42 with curves almost identical to yours. Because I had pretty debilitating back and leg pain for three years prior to surgery, I wasn't in great shape going in to surgery. I was fused T4-L3 in a single day A/P surgery. I had a rough recovery, but then about 8 years of almost no pain. Then, I started having degeneration below my fusion, and have had back pain ever since. I recently also started having leg pain. I'll be headed back for more surgery, probably within the next year.

I work in a spine center where we do hundreds of scoliosis surgeries every year. The patients who are fit seem to have the easiest recoveries. So, while there are a lot of reasons on both sides of the "should I have surgery" debate, I personally think it's a good idea to have surgery while one is in good shape as opposed to waiting until pain causes a significant reduction in function.

Regards,
Linda

[debbei]

Hi Cathy,

welcome to the forum. I have heard good things about your surgeon too. I was in the same boat as you a few years ago trying to decide if/when to have the surgery, and I'm glad I did. I have to say though, I was 46 yrs old at the time, and I can't imagine being ready to go back to work (teaching at that) at 8 weeks. I was still on pain meds at the time and taking naps during the day! Everyone is different though, so you just have to see how you respond.

[cathydrew]

Thank you everybody for the welcome and the advice. Every day I go through every emotion possible regarding the surgery, from excitement to terror and whatever falls in between. I DO know I don't really have a choice and it's better to do while I am youngish and healthy.

debbei, I am actually giving myself almost 6 months before back to work, I PRAY it will be enough, my schedule is kind of light (6th grade math enrichment) - not like when I taught Kindergarten, THAT would be a nightmare I think.

I am going to get some more details from Dr. Lonner soon as to exactly what type of surgery he wants to do, then get a couple other opinions. My pain varies from day to day, some days having NONE, some just a total wiggly try-to-get-comfortable day. It all started in my neck - eventually I found out it was from my upper back muscles spasming and pulling my neck out of alignment - over almost two years it gradually made it's way down til only recently having discomfort in the lumbar. I skied black diamonds this past winter and plan to do it again before the surgery. I will then give it up if I have to with zero regrets, but I wanted to give you guys and idea of my activity/pain level....I am pretty lucky I think.

One MAJOR worry believe it or not is the fact that I live out on Long Island and Dr. Lonner is in Hospital for Joint Diseases in Manhattan - I have two sons who will be 14 and 17, my husband will have to take care of business at home and come to the city to be with me - an hour and a half without traffic... I'd LOVE to fall in love with a Dr. at Stony Brook so I'd be able to focus on getting better rather than what's happening at home.... UGH so many things to consider. Every day I think of another thing I won't be able to do during recovery, and some NEVER again - like shoving my face into the sink rather than using a cup for teeth brushing <LOL> and polishing my own toenails....OH WELL.....=D

[LindaRacine]

It all started in my neck - eventually I found out it was from my upper back muscles spasming and pulling my neck out of alignment - over almost two years it gradually made it's way down til only recently having discomfort in the lumbar.

Hi Cathy..

I had the same pain pattern in the 3-4 years leading up to my surgery.

One MAJOR worry believe it or not is the fact that I live out on Long Island and Dr. Lonner is in Hospital for Joint Diseases in Manhattan - I have two sons who will be 14 and 17, my husband will have to take care of business at home and come to the city to be with me - an hour and a half without traffic... I'd LOVE to fall in love with a Dr. at Stony Brook so I'd be able to focus on getting better rather than what's happening at home.

You might want to give some considering to waiting until both boys are off to college or whatever they're going to do.

Regards,
Linda

[jrnyc]

hi Cathy
i have edited this post...decided that rather than tell you anything more, i would just recommend Dr L.'s web site..seems to have been revised lately...lots of great info!

"scoliosis and spine associates"

he dropped Lenox Hill Hospital a few years ago..
best of luck in finding the right answers for yourself...
jess

[debbei]

Cathy--I sent you a Private Message.

[Debra JGL]

Hi Cathy, Welcome to the forum. I did see Dr. Lonner for a consult a few years ago. He seemed very personable and caring. I went to see him originally because I knew he performed thoracic minimally invasive surgery. Well, I wasn't a candidate for that (too old and stiff, ugh), but he took the time to perform bending xrays (that other doctors hadn't before that time) and told me I was a good candidate for selective fusion. So, I was impressed with the time he took with me and the care he showed. At the time (if I remember correctly) he was affiliated with a few hospitals, so you may want to ask him where he would perform your surgery if that would be important to you. My kids are 13 and 10 and I worry about being down for the count (for a while at least) at home after my surgery in Sept.. (My new freezer coming on Thursday - time to start cooking). But, look at it this way for you, you'll have 2 young strong boys around to help you get around. Good luck with your upcoming consults.

[ADMoul]

Hi Cathy, I will send you a private message, but just wanted to let you know that I had surgery with Dr. Lonner in Feb. and am also a teacher. I live in southcentral PA so Manhattan was 4 hours away but it was absolutely worth the time and effort to be treated in NYC. Never thought I'd wear an "I Love NY" t-shirt but I've got one now!! I am going back to work in a few weeks and probably could have gone back earlier but it was great to have this amount of time. I teach instrumental music in several bldgs. so there's a lot more physical stuff involved than being in a single classroom.

This was a life-changing experience but all for the better. Dr. Lonner is not only a brilliant physician, but a very compassionate, down-to-earth human being as well. I carefully researched my decision, had seen another Dr. in Baltimore and after my husband and I met with Dr. Lonner, we knew this was the right person. We scheduled surgery after just the first consultation. I would be glad to talk with you at some point.

[golfnut]

Hi, Cathy,
Welcome to the forum. By the time I have the surgery, I will have thought about it daily and nightly for 12 months. I am lucky that surgery was not recommended while I was still teaching kindergarten. I probably tied a dozen shoes a day & stooped to zip coats, wipe noses, etc. which would be difficult following surgery. I am planning to substitute Sept.-Dec. prior to surgery and won't go back for the remainder of the year. You'll be okay with sixth graders. I've read many good things about Dr. Lonner on this forum.