Re: Getting nowhere fast!

[Guest guest]

Hi Debbie....

I don't understand your questions, but I can tell you that

decompression is the surgical procedure where elements of the back

part of vertebrae are removed to allow the spinal cord to decompress

so that it stops pressing on nerve roots.

Regards,

> One more thing what problems can arise from having the remained of

> the spine fused T4 and T5. I know mine our degenerating and I fear

> at some point my pain will come back. Also what does spine

> decompression mean? How serious is it and does this happen when you

> have your rods remove?

>

> Well thats about it!! I feel a little better know!

>

> Debbie

[Guest guest]

At 03:57 PM 10/14/2004 +0000, you wrote:

>I live in winnipeg,canada and thier is only one spinal specialist in

>the city. I have done everything possible to get an appointment,

>phoned them 3 times, dropped of my xrays and a personal letter. I

>emailed him(told him that I just wanted to make sure they remembered

>me). And even my sister who sees his wife(who is a doctor) told her

>about me and asked if she could help. But Know it is October and

>still nothing.

I had to wait months to see Dr. Hu in San Francisco, and 4 months to see

the Orthopedic doctors at Kaiser in Oakland, California. I guess we just

don't have enough specialists in this field. Hang in there!

> My doctor said what will you do if he says that you

>don't need surgery and you just have to live with the pain. I

>looked at him and said have you done anykind of research into what

>happens when a broken rod causes problems. He looked at me and said

>no I haven't. I suggested he might like to brush up. Because

>untill I get into the specialist this is the doctor who has to keep

>help to keep me on my long term insurance. Which I am waiting to

>hear if I have been excepted. Wait, Wait, Wait. AHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!

This is a very old fashioned doctor. Many hospitals have Chronic Pain

specialists and clinics to help you with pain, and there are also

alternative methods such as Accupressure and Accupunture to help with pain

in the meantime, but I wouldn't worry, if your rod is broken and causing

problems, they will probably remove it. Is that kind of surgery covered in

Canada?

>One more thing what problems can arise from having the remained of

>the spine fused T4 and T5. I know mine our degenerating and I fear

>at some point my pain will come back. Also what does spine

>decompression mean? How serious is it and does this happen when you

>have your rods remove?

When I had my rods and screws taken out (not the Harrington rod, the newer

kind), the place where a " fusion " didn't fuse decompressed, and moved

forward, making me lean forward, instead of straight like I had been.

There is also another procedure called decompression.

in Oakland

[Guest guest]

>

> Well things just went from bad to worse. To start my insurnace

co. just denied my claim. But luckly my work place is behind me and

is fighting along with me. My claim was denied because they had

sent me to a neurologist because my appointment for who I want to see

isn't till march/05. Long story short he said he couldn't comment on

my broken rod,but it is not causeing my neurolgical problems, and my

problems arn't neurological, maybe I should be sent to a therapist.

Which I have no problem with that because I want to get better, but

he didn't even mention that in his report. So he said I a able to

work. But my work disagrees.

Now my new family doctor is at fault also, he was more leaning

towards neurological and just mention broken rod and possible surgery

in the future. We did find his reports wishy washy, but also to fair

he didn't really know me then. But he does now so Look out.

And I also found out that the spinal specialist I want to see said i

am definately not getting into see him for 2 years. He looked again

at my xray and says my rod looks cracked not broken. But it still

hurts me on my spine whether it is cracked or broken. And yes

revision surgery is covered by manitoba medical.

My new plan of attack is: made an appointment with my Doctor Nov. 3,

and made an appointment at a sports Clinic who have many orthopedic

specialist. Writing a letter to my insurance. Making up my own

medical file. I will get an appointment with a therapist. I have no

problems with that. I can always use some one to talk to.

Well that about it, I HOPE.

Thanks for listening Debbie

> >I live in winnipeg,canada and thier is only one spinal specialist

in

> >the city. I have done everything possible to get an appointment,

> >phoned them 3 times, dropped of my xrays and a personal letter. I

> >emailed him(told him that I just wanted to make sure they

remembered

> >me). And even my sister who sees his wife(who is a doctor) told

her

> >about me and asked if she could help. But Know it is October

and

> >still nothing.

>

> I had to wait months to see Dr. Hu in San Francisco, and 4 months

to see

> the Orthopedic doctors at Kaiser in Oakland, California. I guess

we just

> don't have enough specialists in this field. Hang in there!

>

> > My doctor said what will you do if he says that you

> >don't need surgery and you just have to live with the pain. I

> >looked at him and said have you done anykind of research into what

> >happens when a broken rod causes problems. He looked at me and

said

> >no I haven't. I suggested he might like to brush up. Because

> >untill I get into the specialist this is the doctor who has to keep

> >help to keep me on my long term insurance. Which I am waiting to

> >hear if I have been excepted. Wait, Wait, Wait. AHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!

>

>

> This is a very old fashioned doctor. Many hospitals have Chronic

Pain

> specialists and clinics to help you with pain, and there are also

> alternative methods such as Accupressure and Accupunture to help

with pain

> in the meantime, but I wouldn't worry, if your rod is broken and

causing

> problems, they will probably remove it. Is that kind of surgery

covered in

> Canada?

>

>

> >One more thing what problems can arise from having the remained of

> >the spine fused T4 and T5. I know mine our degenerating and I fear

> >at some point my pain will come back. Also what does spine

> >decompression mean? How serious is it and does this happen when

you

> >have your rods remove?

>

>

> When I had my rods and screws taken out (not the Harrington rod,

the newer

> kind), the place where a " fusion " didn't fuse decompressed, and

moved

> forward, making me lean forward, instead of straight like I had

been.

>

> There is also another procedure called decompression.

>

> in Oakland

[Guest guest]

Hi Debbie,

this is just a quick message.

Normally, I don't read these messages very often. and normally i

just try to push this sort of issue (i had harrington rod surgery

many years ago) to the back of my mind because it upsets me so much.

However, what attracts me to you and your message is that you are

from Winnipeg, MB. I was born in Wpg 30 years ago and lived there

for the first 26 or 27 years of life:).

Now I live i Ottawa.

I just wanted to wish you positive thoughts.

I will email more later. Hopefully we can confide our stories and

learn from each other,

>

>

> HI, its been awhile since I posted anything. Little reminder of

> whats happening, last May found out my rod is broken which is what

is

> causing alot of neurological issue. My family doctor thinks it

maybe

> that I have a neurological disorder but I think he is wrong.

>

> I live in winnipeg,canada and thier is only one spinal specialist

in

> the city. I have done everything possible to get an appointment,

> phoned them 3 times, dropped of my xrays and a personal letter. I

> emailed him(told him that I just wanted to make sure they

remembered

> me). And even my sister who sees his wife(who is a doctor) told

her

> about me and asked if she could help. But Know it is October

and

> still nothing.

>

> A scary thing was last time I was at my family doctor we talked

about

> what might happened when I finally got in to see Dr. Goyton

> (specialist). My doctor said what will you do if he says that you

> don't need surgery and you just have to live with the pain. I

> looked at him and said have you done anykind of research into what

> happens when a broken rod causes problems. He looked at me and

said

> no I haven't. I suggested he might like to brush up. Because

> untill I get into the specialist this is the doctor who has to

keep

> help to keep me on my long term insurance. Which I am waiting to

> hear if I have been excepted. Wait, Wait, Wait. AHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!

>

> I am fused from L1 to T3, my rod is broken up at the top inbetween

my

> shoulder blades. I even had to explain how it broke to my doctor,

> about that area didn't fuse etc. I also have been suffer lower

back

> pain for years and saw a chiropractor who helped my lower back.

But

> unfortunately I believe because we didn't know the rod was broken

up

> top he probably disturbed the rod when he worked on my shoulders,

> ribs, and neck. I don't blame him he felt awful when he saw that

> the rod was broken. And an old xray of when I saw him the first

time

> four years ago, showed the brake. But of course the top of my

spine

> wasn't what we were looking at then. Live and Learn

>

> One more thing what problems can arise from having the remained of

> the spine fused T4 and T5. I know mine our degenerating and I

fear

> at some point my pain will come back. Also what does spine

> decompression mean? How serious is it and does this happen when

you

> have your rods remove?

>

> Well thats about it!! I feel a little better know!

>

> Debbie

[Guest guest]

---

Hi ,

Did you have your surgery here in wpg? I would like to hear

your story. Who was your doctor? If you would like you can email me

privately at debdepp2003@.... I am finding our fellow

canadians are hard to find in these groups. I have found this forum

and others like it very helpful and have made some good new friends.

Thanks for your positive thoughts.

Debbie

In , " raquel_love_r "

<raquel_love_r@y...> wrote:

>

> Hi Debbie,

>

>

> this is just a quick message.

> Normally, I don't read these messages very often. and normally i

> just try to push this sort of issue (i had harrington rod surgery

> many years ago) to the back of my mind because it upsets me so

much.

> However, what attracts me to you and your message is that you are

> from Winnipeg, MB. I was born in Wpg 30 years ago and lived there

> for the first 26 or 27 years of life:).

> Now I live i Ottawa.

> I just wanted to wish you positive thoughts.

> I will email more later. Hopefully we can confide our stories and

> learn from each other,

>

>

>

> >

> >

> > HI, its been awhile since I posted anything. Little reminder of

> > whats happening, last May found out my rod is broken which is

what

> is

> > causing alot of neurological issue. My family doctor thinks it

> maybe

> > that I have a neurological disorder but I think he is wrong.

> >

> > I live in winnipeg,canada and thier is only one spinal specialist

> in

> > the city. I have done everything possible to get an

appointment,

> > phoned them 3 times, dropped of my xrays and a personal letter.

I

> > emailed him(told him that I just wanted to make sure they

> remembered

> > me). And even my sister who sees his wife(who is a doctor) told

> her

> > about me and asked if she could help. But Know it is October

> and

> > still nothing.

> >

> > A scary thing was last time I was at my family doctor we talked

> about

> > what might happened when I finally got in to see Dr. Goyton

> > (specialist). My doctor said what will you do if he says that

you

> > don't need surgery and you just have to live with the pain. I

> > looked at him and said have you done anykind of research into

what

> > happens when a broken rod causes problems. He looked at me and

> said

> > no I haven't. I suggested he might like to brush up. Because

> > untill I get into the specialist this is the doctor who has to

> keep

> > help to keep me on my long term insurance. Which I am waiting to

> > hear if I have been excepted. Wait, Wait, Wait. AHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!

> >

> > I am fused from L1 to T3, my rod is broken up at the top

inbetween

> my

> > shoulder blades. I even had to explain how it broke to my

doctor,

> > about that area didn't fuse etc. I also have been suffer lower

> back

> > pain for years and saw a chiropractor who helped my lower back.

> But

> > unfortunately I believe because we didn't know the rod was broken

> up

> > top he probably disturbed the rod when he worked on my shoulders,

> > ribs, and neck. I don't blame him he felt awful when he saw

that

> > the rod was broken. And an old xray of when I saw him the first

> time

> > four years ago, showed the brake. But of course the top of my

> spine

> > wasn't what we were looking at then. Live and Learn

> >

> > One more thing what problems can arise from having the remained

of

> > the spine fused T4 and T5. I know mine our degenerating and I

> fear

> > at some point my pain will come back. Also what does spine

> > decompression mean? How serious is it and does this happen when

> you

> > have your rods remove?

> >

> > Well thats about it!! I feel a little better know!

> >

> > Debbie