New to the forum

[Emma Plum]

to titaniumed, post #8

Thanks for checking in, Ed. You will laugh, I kept reading your name as "titaniumed", as in the past tense of the verb "to titanium." You know, "I titaniumed my rear bumper last weekend, and think I got that rust problem solved."

I see the knee surgeon Nov. 19 for a Euflexxa injection follow-up. We'll see what he says, about which should come first. His last opinion was that if I follow the rules, I might indefinitely postpone replacement, but the spine issue may change that equation.

I seldom skied Stowe, but I spent a lot of my college days at Madonna, as we used to call it. Smuggler's Notch now, which was it's original name. No skiing now. I've taken enough chances that way!

I've had a pm from Irene--very helpful.

Thanks for you always-upbeat attitude, Aunt M.

[Emma Plum]

to "loves to skate," Post #9

Hi, Sally,

Many thanks for your long and useful post; especially the three doctors in the Boston area.I heartily agree that I want to consult with someone whose specialty involves ALL the things that are going on in my spine. I don't have a good handle on how familiar the local surgeons are with scoliosis and potentially long fusions, but I do know that of four local people I know who've had fusions, only one had it done in this area. Same reasoning for being in a hospital that does this sort of surgery all the time. (For example PT's who know they have to teach you how to put on your socks.)

Re NSAIDS, we'll see. Again, a reason to be with a team who do this all the time. With the pain meds following back surgery, I presume there is a time when you can't drive a car and take the meds. Obviously, there's a period--I don't know how long--where driving a car is out of the question. What I need to find out is, how long do you have to stay away from NSAIDS? I gather the bone-healing process goes on for 6-12 months, and I would hope--since I live alone--that I can drive before that.

I've tried Tramadol--not really enthusiastic about it. My suspicion is that if I take enough pain meds to get the relief of the NSAID Diclofenac, I would be taking to much to be safe on the road. Ah, all to be determined once I actually see a spine surgeon, and that's not even scheduled yet.

Again, Thanks, Aunt M.

[Emma Plum]

to backissues, Post #10

Many thanks, Irene. I got your pm, and today's email. Will get back to you! Aunt M.

[Emma Plum]

to susancook, posts #11 and 13

Hi Susan,

Thanks for your feedback. I'm not sure where to find your blogs. Through this forum?

I've been doing PT for years, and I think it's helped postpone, and maybe even disguise the degree of degeneration. BTW, what is "denervation?"

Re my knees, I'm in a different place than I was even two weeks ago. The Euflexxa injections seem to have kicked in, and even though I'm off NSAIDS prior to a cortisone injection tomorrow, my knees are as happy as they ever get But if I had the spine done first, I'd hate to have my knees come to a crisis when it would be difficult to deal with it.

I joke that the Dr. who first told me I'd need knee replacements died of old age in 1990. My impression is that a lot of effort is going into treatments that avoid knee replacements, especially as we early boomers are getting to "that age."

I hear your warnings about the local Spine Institute. I'm not even sure that they do surgery--they may just refer you to a surgeon. My own gut feeling is that Burlington is great for many things, but I'm not really sure they've chosen to specialize in spine surgery.

Thanks for all your feedback, and all the best as you work through this process yourself. BTW, where is Yacolt, WA? My Dad's family is from the Seattle area--just had a visit from those cousins a couple of weeks ago.

Aunt M., who thinks she has finally caught up on everyone's kind and supportive posts.

[Wish2bstraight]

Hello from Boston area

Hi,

I have been seeing Dr. Glaser. I am planning to have surgery in January. My surgery will before t7 to sacrum. I also have a fracture in L5. I don't remember who gave you the three scoliosis doctors in Boston, but I will confirm that there only three adult scoliosis doctors in Boston. Send me a PM where you are planning to move to. I'm trying to get a support group together, hopefully you will be able to join us.

[jrnyc]

hi Emma
the doctors tell me they would not do knee repair on my meniscus knee...
not sure why...i saw only one knee surgeon...
my right knee has been feeling worse...i cannot remember which knee
has what...but when i see pain doc end of November i may ask for a
new X ray of right knee...

i went to pain docs for injections and for pain meds...
as i mentioned before, the only injection that ever helped me was sacroiliac joint shots...
epidural injections did nothing for me...neither did facet blocks, nerve
ablation, trigger point shots, or any other ones i tried...
and Tens Unit...to me was a waste of my time...

i hope you find something that relieves your pain....
jess...& Sparky

[Emma Plum]

Thanks, Jess,

First, I have to know--tell me about Sparky. A pet, I presume. I never kept a pet alive long. A succession of turtles and escaping mice, and guppies who liked swimming upside-down.

I don't think x-rays tell you much about cartilage damage. I'd ask the knee doc, "Why not?" address the torn meniscus. I did twice, and the answer, twice, was YES! Gradual relief back in 1998; near immediate relief on the other knee in 2008. Mid-term recovery from the surgery takes about 24 hours to a week. I really had to lobby to get the second knee scoped, as opposed to a total replacement. The relevant damage did turn up on an MRI, not an x-ray. The MRI showed that there was a local and fixable problem. My pain level was reduced considerably, and more importantly, I was able to go back to near-daily walking.

From what you say, it's easy to mistake a spinal-related problem at Point A for a similar problem at Point B, maybe a centimeter away. I'm wondering about the SI joint, but I don't know. I'm hoping that the doc tomorrow will try to direct treatment to the right place, and will be willing to do a second shot elsewhere if tomorrow's shot doesn't work.

Aunt M.

[jrnyc]

hi Emma
good luck with the injections tomorrow...hope it helps with the pain...

thanks for the advice about knees...i do want to see another surgeon
to get another opinion....pain doc wants to do some kind of hydralaunic (splg?) acid shots in my knees...sounds scary to me...
i have had tons of needles in my spine...but shots in my knees scare me, for some reason....

yes, Sparky is my angel puppy....Maltese little boy, all ten pounds of him...
he is my best therapy, and makes me laugh everyday...
i am not good at posting photobucket...but i can send you my e mail
address if you wanted some pix to make you smile...

hope you feel better...
jess...& Sparky