Re: Five months post op pain update...

[Guest guest]

I thought one could not have an MRI after surgery (because of the metal in the

body). How could you have an MRI??

sunita

Five months post op pain update...

Well it's been an interesting couple of weeks. Since my pre-op pain

continues, Dr Mont told me to get an MRI , electromyogram and nerve conduction

tests for my lower back. The EMG and nerve tests were rather interesting.

First I

was tested for strength in my legs. The physiatrist (new doctor to me)told me

to sit on the edge of the table and turn my foot out/in and resist his trying

to bend it back. My left/good foot resisted but my right/resurfaced foot bent

rather easily. Proof the leg is weak.

Then he took an electric stim. thingy and would shock my foot/leg to get

the muscles to contract. That tested for nerve damage. All of this was hooked

up to a computer. He'd shock each one about 3 or 4 times, getting stonger

each time. Then the most interesting part. He put a needle into certain

muscles/nerves in my leg and spine that was hooked up to a speaker. I could

here my

muscles contract. He'd tell me to flex the muscle ( louder), then

relax(quieter).

Meanwhile he'd move the needle around trying to find the nerve. It wasn't

much fun. But a few times you could hear an uneven pulsing rather than the

even

pulses I'd heard earlier. He said that was nerve damage. So I found out that

there was definite nerve damage in the leg.

Then today I went to the hospital to pick up the results from the MRI.

It's like reading greek but it pointed out that I have spinal stenosis. It's 2

pages of amazing medical terms such as " severe right neural foraminal

stenosis at L5 with apparent compression of the exiting nerve root secondary

to large

annular disc bulge and facet hypertrophy " . How do you like that!! That's just

one paragraph. The L5 nerve is the one that causes tingling in your outer

calf and top of your foot.

So it seems I really didn't need resurfacing after all. But when you

complain of hip pain and the doctor does an xray and sees arthritis it seems

obvious it's coming from the hip joint.

Now I have an appt. with a neurologist and a spine specialist late next

month. Stenosis is corrected by surgery so I guess I'll be going under the

knife again. I just hope this time it'll stop the pain.

At this point I'd say that future hippies should get their back checked

also but being Ed (who's been amazingly supportive and educational)and myself

are the only ones that this has affected, I think your odds are pretty good.

It's rather odd though that Dr Mont still hasn't called me with the MRI

results. I had to go to the hospital and get it myself. It was faxed to him on

March 4th. I called his office on the 8th and left a message with Sandy but

he never contacted me. Even odder is the fact he was out here in San Francisco

all last week and never called me. Oh well.

I just pray to God that this will stop the pain I've had to deal with

for 9 years now. If only I'd known it was my back I could have had it done

years

ago. Such is life!!!

Tom in San Francisco

Mont C+ 10/03

ps. congrats to Diane and her successful DSE run. I used to do the local DSE

runs when Walt Stack was the president of the club and still around to tell

his dirty jokes before each run. That ended in '95 with my hip pain ,and soon

there after Walt's death.

pss. also the " slow healers " could adopt the DSE motto, " START SLOWLY, THEN

TAPER OFF " . And their mascot, the turtle in running shoes!

[Guest guest]

I thought one could not have an MRI after surgery (because of the metal in the

body). How could you have an MRI??

sunita

Five months post op pain update...

Well it's been an interesting couple of weeks. Since my pre-op pain

continues, Dr Mont told me to get an MRI , electromyogram and nerve conduction

tests for my lower back. The EMG and nerve tests were rather interesting.

First I

was tested for strength in my legs. The physiatrist (new doctor to me)told me

to sit on the edge of the table and turn my foot out/in and resist his trying

to bend it back. My left/good foot resisted but my right/resurfaced foot bent

rather easily. Proof the leg is weak.

Then he took an electric stim. thingy and would shock my foot/leg to get

the muscles to contract. That tested for nerve damage. All of this was hooked

up to a computer. He'd shock each one about 3 or 4 times, getting stonger

each time. Then the most interesting part. He put a needle into certain

muscles/nerves in my leg and spine that was hooked up to a speaker. I could

here my

muscles contract. He'd tell me to flex the muscle ( louder), then

relax(quieter).

Meanwhile he'd move the needle around trying to find the nerve. It wasn't

much fun. But a few times you could hear an uneven pulsing rather than the

even

pulses I'd heard earlier. He said that was nerve damage. So I found out that

there was definite nerve damage in the leg.

Then today I went to the hospital to pick up the results from the MRI.

It's like reading greek but it pointed out that I have spinal stenosis. It's 2

pages of amazing medical terms such as " severe right neural foraminal

stenosis at L5 with apparent compression of the exiting nerve root secondary

to large

annular disc bulge and facet hypertrophy " . How do you like that!! That's just

one paragraph. The L5 nerve is the one that causes tingling in your outer

calf and top of your foot.

So it seems I really didn't need resurfacing after all. But when you

complain of hip pain and the doctor does an xray and sees arthritis it seems

obvious it's coming from the hip joint.

Now I have an appt. with a neurologist and a spine specialist late next

month. Stenosis is corrected by surgery so I guess I'll be going under the

knife again. I just hope this time it'll stop the pain.

At this point I'd say that future hippies should get their back checked

also but being Ed (who's been amazingly supportive and educational)and myself

are the only ones that this has affected, I think your odds are pretty good.

It's rather odd though that Dr Mont still hasn't called me with the MRI

results. I had to go to the hospital and get it myself. It was faxed to him on

March 4th. I called his office on the 8th and left a message with Sandy but

he never contacted me. Even odder is the fact he was out here in San Francisco

all last week and never called me. Oh well.

I just pray to God that this will stop the pain I've had to deal with

for 9 years now. If only I'd known it was my back I could have had it done

years

ago. Such is life!!!

Tom in San Francisco

Mont C+ 10/03

ps. congrats to Diane and her successful DSE run. I used to do the local DSE

runs when Walt Stack was the president of the club and still around to tell

his dirty jokes before each run. That ended in '95 with my hip pain ,and soon

there after Walt's death.

pss. also the " slow healers " could adopt the DSE motto, " START SLOWLY, THEN

TAPER OFF " . And their mascot, the turtle in running shoes!

[Guest guest]

> I thought one could not have an MRI after surgery (because of the

metal in the body). How could you have an MRI??

> sunita

Hi Sunita!

Large implanted pieces of metal, such as a resurfacing prosthetic,

heat up a little but aren't at risk to relocate even in a strong

magnetic field. Small, recently placed vascular clips and small pieces

of metal close to the eyes are more problematic and would preclude

MRI. The part of the back most likely at fault for hip problems that

aren't actually bad hips can be readily evaluated with MRI before or

after hip surgery.

Hope this helps!

Take care,

Steve Vince

> Five months post op pain update...

>

>

> Well it's been an interesting couple of weeks. Since my

pre-op pain

> continues, Dr Mont told me to get an MRI , electromyogram and

nerve conduction

> tests for my lower back. The EMG and nerve tests were rather

interesting. First I

> was tested for strength in my legs. The physiatrist (new doctor to

me)told me

> to sit on the edge of the table and turn my foot out/in and resist

his trying

> to bend it back. My left/good foot resisted but my

right/resurfaced foot bent

> rather easily. Proof the leg is weak.

> Then he took an electric stim. thingy and would shock my

foot/leg to get

> the muscles to contract. That tested for nerve damage. All of this

was hooked

> up to a computer. He'd shock each one about 3 or 4 times, getting

stonger

> each time. Then the most interesting part. He put a needle into

certain

> muscles/nerves in my leg and spine that was hooked up to a

speaker. I could here my

> muscles contract. He'd tell me to flex the muscle ( louder), then

relax(quieter).

> Meanwhile he'd move the needle around trying to find the nerve. It

wasn't

> much fun. But a few times you could hear an uneven pulsing rather

than the even

> pulses I'd heard earlier. He said that was nerve damage. So I

found out that

> there was definite nerve damage in the leg.

> Then today I went to the hospital to pick up the results from

the MRI.

> It's like reading greek but it pointed out that I have spinal

stenosis. It's 2

> pages of amazing medical terms such as " severe right neural

foraminal

> stenosis at L5 with apparent compression of the exiting nerve root

secondary to large

> annular disc bulge and facet hypertrophy " . How do you like that!!

That's just

> one paragraph. The L5 nerve is the one that causes tingling in

your outer

> calf and top of your foot.

> So it seems I really didn't need resurfacing after all. But

when you

> complain of hip pain and the doctor does an xray and sees

arthritis it seems

> obvious it's coming from the hip joint.

> Now I have an appt. with a neurologist and a spine specialist

late next

> month. Stenosis is corrected by surgery so I guess I'll be going

under the

> knife again. I just hope this time it'll stop the pain.

> At this point I'd say that future hippies should get their

back checked

> also but being Ed (who's been amazingly supportive and

educational)and myself

> are the only ones that this has affected, I think your odds are

pretty good.

> It's rather odd though that Dr Mont still hasn't called me

with the MRI

> results. I had to go to the hospital and get it myself. It was

faxed to him on

> March 4th. I called his office on the 8th and left a message with

Sandy but

> he never contacted me. Even odder is the fact he was out here in

San Francisco

> all last week and never called me. Oh well.

> I just pray to God that this will stop the pain I've had to

deal with

> for 9 years now. If only I'd known it was my back I could have had

it done years

> ago. Such is life!!!

>

> Tom in San Francisco

> Mont C+ 10/03

>

> ps. congrats to Diane and her successful DSE run. I used to do the

local DSE

> runs when Walt Stack was the president of the club and still

around to tell

> his dirty jokes before each run. That ended in '95 with my hip

pain ,and soon

> there after Walt's death.

>

> pss. also the " slow healers " could adopt the DSE motto, " START

SLOWLY, THEN

> TAPER OFF " . And their mascot, the turtle in running shoes!

>

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

> I thought one could not have an MRI after surgery (because of the

metal in the body). How could you have an MRI??

> sunita

Hi Sunita!

Large implanted pieces of metal, such as a resurfacing prosthetic,

heat up a little but aren't at risk to relocate even in a strong

magnetic field. Small, recently placed vascular clips and small pieces

of metal close to the eyes are more problematic and would preclude

MRI. The part of the back most likely at fault for hip problems that

aren't actually bad hips can be readily evaluated with MRI before or

after hip surgery.

Hope this helps!

Take care,

Steve Vince

> Five months post op pain update...

>

>

> Well it's been an interesting couple of weeks. Since my

pre-op pain

> continues, Dr Mont told me to get an MRI , electromyogram and

nerve conduction

> tests for my lower back. The EMG and nerve tests were rather

interesting. First I

> was tested for strength in my legs. The physiatrist (new doctor to

me)told me

> to sit on the edge of the table and turn my foot out/in and resist

his trying

> to bend it back. My left/good foot resisted but my

right/resurfaced foot bent

> rather easily. Proof the leg is weak.

> Then he took an electric stim. thingy and would shock my

foot/leg to get

> the muscles to contract. That tested for nerve damage. All of this

was hooked

> up to a computer. He'd shock each one about 3 or 4 times, getting

stonger

> each time. Then the most interesting part. He put a needle into

certain

> muscles/nerves in my leg and spine that was hooked up to a

speaker. I could here my

> muscles contract. He'd tell me to flex the muscle ( louder), then

relax(quieter).

> Meanwhile he'd move the needle around trying to find the nerve. It

wasn't

> much fun. But a few times you could hear an uneven pulsing rather

than the even

> pulses I'd heard earlier. He said that was nerve damage. So I

found out that

> there was definite nerve damage in the leg.

> Then today I went to the hospital to pick up the results from

the MRI.

> It's like reading greek but it pointed out that I have spinal

stenosis. It's 2

> pages of amazing medical terms such as " severe right neural

foraminal

> stenosis at L5 with apparent compression of the exiting nerve root

secondary to large

> annular disc bulge and facet hypertrophy " . How do you like that!!

That's just

> one paragraph. The L5 nerve is the one that causes tingling in

your outer

> calf and top of your foot.

> So it seems I really didn't need resurfacing after all. But

when you

> complain of hip pain and the doctor does an xray and sees

arthritis it seems

> obvious it's coming from the hip joint.

> Now I have an appt. with a neurologist and a spine specialist

late next

> month. Stenosis is corrected by surgery so I guess I'll be going

under the

> knife again. I just hope this time it'll stop the pain.

> At this point I'd say that future hippies should get their

back checked

> also but being Ed (who's been amazingly supportive and

educational)and myself

> are the only ones that this has affected, I think your odds are

pretty good.

> It's rather odd though that Dr Mont still hasn't called me

with the MRI

> results. I had to go to the hospital and get it myself. It was

faxed to him on

> March 4th. I called his office on the 8th and left a message with

Sandy but

> he never contacted me. Even odder is the fact he was out here in

San Francisco

> all last week and never called me. Oh well.

> I just pray to God that this will stop the pain I've had to

deal with

> for 9 years now. If only I'd known it was my back I could have had

it done years

> ago. Such is life!!!

>

> Tom in San Francisco

> Mont C+ 10/03

>

> ps. congrats to Diane and her successful DSE run. I used to do the

local DSE

> runs when Walt Stack was the president of the club and still

around to tell

> his dirty jokes before each run. That ended in '95 with my hip

pain ,and soon

> there after Walt's death.

>

> pss. also the " slow healers " could adopt the DSE motto, " START

SLOWLY, THEN

> TAPER OFF " . And their mascot, the turtle in running shoes!

>

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

> I thought one could not have an MRI after surgery (because of the

metal in the body). How could you have an MRI??

> sunita

Hi Sunita!

Large implanted pieces of metal, such as a resurfacing prosthetic,

heat up a little but aren't at risk to relocate even in a strong

magnetic field. Small, recently placed vascular clips and small pieces

of metal close to the eyes are more problematic and would preclude

MRI. The part of the back most likely at fault for hip problems that

aren't actually bad hips can be readily evaluated with MRI before or

after hip surgery.

Hope this helps!

Take care,

Steve Vince

> Five months post op pain update...

>

>

> Well it's been an interesting couple of weeks. Since my

pre-op pain

> continues, Dr Mont told me to get an MRI , electromyogram and

nerve conduction

> tests for my lower back. The EMG and nerve tests were rather

interesting. First I

> was tested for strength in my legs. The physiatrist (new doctor to

me)told me

> to sit on the edge of the table and turn my foot out/in and resist

his trying

> to bend it back. My left/good foot resisted but my

right/resurfaced foot bent

> rather easily. Proof the leg is weak.

> Then he took an electric stim. thingy and would shock my

foot/leg to get

> the muscles to contract. That tested for nerve damage. All of this

was hooked

> up to a computer. He'd shock each one about 3 or 4 times, getting

stonger

> each time. Then the most interesting part. He put a needle into

certain

> muscles/nerves in my leg and spine that was hooked up to a

speaker. I could here my

> muscles contract. He'd tell me to flex the muscle ( louder), then

relax(quieter).

> Meanwhile he'd move the needle around trying to find the nerve. It

wasn't

> much fun. But a few times you could hear an uneven pulsing rather

than the even

> pulses I'd heard earlier. He said that was nerve damage. So I

found out that

> there was definite nerve damage in the leg.

> Then today I went to the hospital to pick up the results from

the MRI.

> It's like reading greek but it pointed out that I have spinal

stenosis. It's 2

> pages of amazing medical terms such as " severe right neural

foraminal

> stenosis at L5 with apparent compression of the exiting nerve root

secondary to large

> annular disc bulge and facet hypertrophy " . How do you like that!!

That's just

> one paragraph. The L5 nerve is the one that causes tingling in

your outer

> calf and top of your foot.

> So it seems I really didn't need resurfacing after all. But

when you

> complain of hip pain and the doctor does an xray and sees

arthritis it seems

> obvious it's coming from the hip joint.

> Now I have an appt. with a neurologist and a spine specialist

late next

> month. Stenosis is corrected by surgery so I guess I'll be going

under the

> knife again. I just hope this time it'll stop the pain.

> At this point I'd say that future hippies should get their

back checked

> also but being Ed (who's been amazingly supportive and

educational)and myself

> are the only ones that this has affected, I think your odds are

pretty good.

> It's rather odd though that Dr Mont still hasn't called me

with the MRI

> results. I had to go to the hospital and get it myself. It was

faxed to him on

> March 4th. I called his office on the 8th and left a message with

Sandy but

> he never contacted me. Even odder is the fact he was out here in

San Francisco

> all last week and never called me. Oh well.

> I just pray to God that this will stop the pain I've had to

deal with

> for 9 years now. If only I'd known it was my back I could have had

it done years

> ago. Such is life!!!

>

> Tom in San Francisco

> Mont C+ 10/03

>

> ps. congrats to Diane and her successful DSE run. I used to do the

local DSE

> runs when Walt Stack was the president of the club and still

around to tell

> his dirty jokes before each run. That ended in '95 with my hip

pain ,and soon

> there after Walt's death.

>

> pss. also the " slow healers " could adopt the DSE motto, " START

SLOWLY, THEN

> TAPER OFF " . And their mascot, the turtle in running shoes!

>

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

Hi Tom,

The problems described at the L5 level would be plenty enough to give

you foot and ankle weakness, but unlikely to cause hip pain. The level

for hips is usually L3. Unless your L3 level is as bad as L5, it's

more likely that your hip was a parallel problem as the " facet

hypertrophy " described is a similar degenerative process to hip OA. I

agree that you should be able to count on your doc for a straight

forward explanation.

Good luck!

Steve Vince

Bilat BHR DE Smet Jan 4, 2004

> Well it's been an interesting couple of weeks. Since my pre-op

pain

> continues, Dr Mont told me to get an MRI , electromyogram and nerve

conduction

> tests for my lower back. The EMG and nerve tests were rather

interesting. First I

> was tested for strength in my legs. The physiatrist (new doctor to

me)told me

> to sit on the edge of the table and turn my foot out/in and resist

his trying

> to bend it back. My left/good foot resisted but my right/resurfaced

foot bent

> rather easily. Proof the leg is weak.

> Then he took an electric stim. thingy and would shock my

foot/leg to get

> the muscles to contract. That tested for nerve damage. All of this

was hooked

> up to a computer. He'd shock each one about 3 or 4 times, getting

stonger

> each time. Then the most interesting part. He put a needle into certain

> muscles/nerves in my leg and spine that was hooked up to a speaker.

I could here my

> muscles contract. He'd tell me to flex the muscle ( louder), then

relax(quieter).

> Meanwhile he'd move the needle around trying to find the nerve. It

wasn't

> much fun. But a few times you could hear an uneven pulsing rather

than the even

> pulses I'd

heard earlier. He said that was nerve damage. So I found out that

> there was definite nerve damage in the leg.

> Then today I went to the hospital to pick up the results from

the MRI.

> It's like reading greek but it pointed out that I have spinal

stenosis. It's 2

> pages of amazing medical terms such as " severe right neural foraminal

> stenosis at L5 with apparent compression of the exiting nerve root

secondary to large

> annular disc bulge and facet hypertrophy " . How do you like that!!

That's just

> one paragraph. The L5 nerve is the one that causes tingling in your

outer

> calf and top of your foot.

> So it seems I really didn't need resurfacing after all. But

when you

> complain of hip pain and the doctor does an xray and sees arthritis

it seems

> obvious it's coming from the hip joint.

> Now I have an appt. with a neurologist and a spine specialist

late next

> month. Stenosis is corrected by surgery so I guess I'll be going

under the

> knife again. I just hope this time it'll stop the pain.

> At this point I'd say that future hippies should get their back

checked

> also but being Ed (who's been amazingly supportive and

educational)and myself

> are the only ones that this has affected, I think your odds are

pretty good.

> It's rather odd though that Dr Mont still hasn't called me with

the MRI

> results. I had to go to the hospital and get it myself. It was faxed

to him on

> March 4th. I called his office on the 8th and left a message with

Sandy but

> he never contacted me. Even odder is the fact he was out here in San

Francisco

> all last week and never called me. Oh well.

> I just pray to God that this will stop the pain I've had to

deal with

> for 9 years now. If only I'd known it was my back I could have had

it done years

> ago. Such is life!!!

>

> Tom in San Francisco

> Mont C+ 10/03

>

> ps. congrats to Diane and her successful DSE run. I used to do the

local DSE

> runs when Walt Stack was the president of the club and still around

to tell

> his dirty jokes before each run. That ended in '95 with my hip pain

,and soon

> there after Walt's death.

>

> pss. also the " slow healers " could adopt the DSE motto, " START

SLOWLY, THEN

> TAPER OFF " . And their mascot, the turtle in running shoes!

>

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

Hi Tom,

The problems described at the L5 level would be plenty enough to give

you foot and ankle weakness, but unlikely to cause hip pain. The level

for hips is usually L3. Unless your L3 level is as bad as L5, it's

more likely that your hip was a parallel problem as the " facet

hypertrophy " described is a similar degenerative process to hip OA. I

agree that you should be able to count on your doc for a straight

forward explanation.

Good luck!

Steve Vince

Bilat BHR DE Smet Jan 4, 2004

> Well it's been an interesting couple of weeks. Since my pre-op

pain

> continues, Dr Mont told me to get an MRI , electromyogram and nerve

conduction

> tests for my lower back. The EMG and nerve tests were rather

interesting. First I

> was tested for strength in my legs. The physiatrist (new doctor to

me)told me

> to sit on the edge of the table and turn my foot out/in and resist

his trying

> to bend it back. My left/good foot resisted but my right/resurfaced

foot bent

> rather easily. Proof the leg is weak.

> Then he took an electric stim. thingy and would shock my

foot/leg to get

> the muscles to contract. That tested for nerve damage. All of this

was hooked

> up to a computer. He'd shock each one about 3 or 4 times, getting

stonger

> each time. Then the most interesting part. He put a needle into certain

> muscles/nerves in my leg and spine that was hooked up to a speaker.

I could here my

> muscles contract. He'd tell me to flex the muscle ( louder), then

relax(quieter).

> Meanwhile he'd move the needle around trying to find the nerve. It

wasn't

> much fun. But a few times you could hear an uneven pulsing rather

than the even

> pulses I'd

heard earlier. He said that was nerve damage. So I found out that

> there was definite nerve damage in the leg.

> Then today I went to the hospital to pick up the results from

the MRI.

> It's like reading greek but it pointed out that I have spinal

stenosis. It's 2

> pages of amazing medical terms such as " severe right neural foraminal

> stenosis at L5 with apparent compression of the exiting nerve root

secondary to large

> annular disc bulge and facet hypertrophy " . How do you like that!!

That's just

> one paragraph. The L5 nerve is the one that causes tingling in your

outer

> calf and top of your foot.

> So it seems I really didn't need resurfacing after all. But

when you

> complain of hip pain and the doctor does an xray and sees arthritis

it seems

> obvious it's coming from the hip joint.

> Now I have an appt. with a neurologist and a spine specialist

late next

> month. Stenosis is corrected by surgery so I guess I'll be going

under the

> knife again. I just hope this time it'll stop the pain.

> At this point I'd say that future hippies should get their back

checked

> also but being Ed (who's been amazingly supportive and

educational)and myself

> are the only ones that this has affected, I think your odds are

pretty good.

> It's rather odd though that Dr Mont still hasn't called me with

the MRI

> results. I had to go to the hospital and get it myself. It was faxed

to him on

> March 4th. I called his office on the 8th and left a message with

Sandy but

> he never contacted me. Even odder is the fact he was out here in San

Francisco

> all last week and never called me. Oh well.

> I just pray to God that this will stop the pain I've had to

deal with

> for 9 years now. If only I'd known it was my back I could have had

it done years

> ago. Such is life!!!

>

> Tom in San Francisco

> Mont C+ 10/03

>

> ps. congrats to Diane and her successful DSE run. I used to do the

local DSE

> runs when Walt Stack was the president of the club and still around

to tell

> his dirty jokes before each run. That ended in '95 with my hip pain

,and soon

> there after Walt's death.

>

> pss. also the " slow healers " could adopt the DSE motto, " START

SLOWLY, THEN

> TAPER OFF " . And their mascot, the turtle in running shoes!

>

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

thanks Steve; I thought that the metal in the body was inhibiting the proper

functionnind of the MRI machine. I seem to recall that my family doc told me

that??

other question since we are into back problems: I have a disalignment at the

L4-L5 level, L5 being posterior to L4 to the extent of about 1.0cm plus facet

degenerative changes at L4-5 and L5 -S1 and bony overgrowth at this level too.

Of course I experience pain in my lower back and butt related to this. But could

some of my pain in my hips come from that too? You said in another email that

hip pain could be related to L3 damage. I don' twant to do another hip resurf if

it had a chance to come from my back.

I also think that the pain in the groin is pretty typical of hip joint, isn't

it?

I am feeling better but not to the point of working yet! and not even walking

fast... I still marvel at your recovery of TWO hips!

Sunita

Five months post op pain update...

>

>

> Well it's been an interesting couple of weeks. Since my

pre-op pain

> continues, Dr Mont told me to get an MRI , electromyogram and

nerve conduction

> tests for my lower back. The EMG and nerve tests were rather

interesting. First I

> was tested for strength in my legs. The physiatrist (new doctor to

me)told me

> to sit on the edge of the table and turn my foot out/in and resist

his trying

> to bend it back. My left/good foot resisted but my

right/resurfaced foot bent

> rather easily. Proof the leg is weak.

> Then he took an electric stim. thingy and would shock my

foot/leg to get

> the muscles to contract. That tested for nerve damage. All of this

was hooked

> up to a computer. He'd shock each one about 3 or 4 times, getting

stonger

> each time. Then the most interesting part. He put a needle into

certain

> muscles/nerves in my leg and spine that was hooked up to a

speaker. I could here my

> muscles contract. He'd tell me to flex the muscle ( louder), then

relax(quieter).

> Meanwhile he'd move the needle around trying to find the nerve. It

wasn't

> much fun. But a few times you could hear an uneven pulsing rather

than the even

> pulses I'd heard earlier. He said that was nerve damage. So I

found out that

> there was definite nerve damage in the leg.

> Then today I went to the hospital to pick up the results from

the MRI.

> It's like reading greek but it pointed out that I have spinal

stenosis. It's 2

> pages of amazing medical terms such as " severe right neural

foraminal

> stenosis at L5 with apparent compression of the exiting nerve root

secondary to large

> annular disc bulge and facet hypertrophy " . How do you like that!!

That's just

> one paragraph. The L5 nerve is the one that causes tingling in

your outer

> calf and top of your foot.

> So it seems I really didn't need resurfacing after all. But

when you

> complain of hip pain and the doctor does an xray and sees

arthritis it seems

> obvious it's coming from the hip joint.

> Now I have an appt. with a neurologist and a spine specialist

late next

> month. Stenosis is corrected by surgery so I guess I'll be going

under the

> knife again. I just hope this time it'll stop the pain.

> At this point I'd say that future hippies should get their

back checked

> also but being Ed (who's been amazingly supportive and

educational)and myself

> are the only ones that this has affected, I think your odds are

pretty good.

> It's rather odd though that Dr Mont still hasn't called me

with the MRI

> results. I had to go to the hospital and get it myself. It was

faxed to him on

> March 4th. I called his office on the 8th and left a message with

Sandy but

> he never contacted me. Even odder is the fact he was out here in

San Francisco

> all last week and never called me. Oh well.

> I just pray to God that this will stop the pain I've had to

deal with

> for 9 years now. If only I'd known it was my back I could have had

it done years

> ago. Such is life!!!

>

> Tom in San Francisco

> Mont C+ 10/03

>

> ps. congrats to Diane and her successful DSE run. I used to do the

local DSE

> runs when Walt Stack was the president of the club and still

around to tell

> his dirty jokes before each run. That ended in '95 with my hip

pain ,and soon

> there after Walt's death.

>

> pss. also the " slow healers " could adopt the DSE motto, " START

SLOWLY, THEN

> TAPER OFF " . And their mascot, the turtle in running shoes!

>

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

thanks Steve; I thought that the metal in the body was inhibiting the proper

functionnind of the MRI machine. I seem to recall that my family doc told me

that??

other question since we are into back problems: I have a disalignment at the

L4-L5 level, L5 being posterior to L4 to the extent of about 1.0cm plus facet

degenerative changes at L4-5 and L5 -S1 and bony overgrowth at this level too.

Of course I experience pain in my lower back and butt related to this. But could

some of my pain in my hips come from that too? You said in another email that

hip pain could be related to L3 damage. I don' twant to do another hip resurf if

it had a chance to come from my back.

I also think that the pain in the groin is pretty typical of hip joint, isn't

it?

I am feeling better but not to the point of working yet! and not even walking

fast... I still marvel at your recovery of TWO hips!

Sunita

Five months post op pain update...

>

>

> Well it's been an interesting couple of weeks. Since my

pre-op pain

> continues, Dr Mont told me to get an MRI , electromyogram and

nerve conduction

> tests for my lower back. The EMG and nerve tests were rather

interesting. First I

> was tested for strength in my legs. The physiatrist (new doctor to

me)told me

> to sit on the edge of the table and turn my foot out/in and resist

his trying

> to bend it back. My left/good foot resisted but my

right/resurfaced foot bent

> rather easily. Proof the leg is weak.

> Then he took an electric stim. thingy and would shock my

foot/leg to get

> the muscles to contract. That tested for nerve damage. All of this

was hooked

> up to a computer. He'd shock each one about 3 or 4 times, getting

stonger

> each time. Then the most interesting part. He put a needle into

certain

> muscles/nerves in my leg and spine that was hooked up to a

speaker. I could here my

> muscles contract. He'd tell me to flex the muscle ( louder), then

relax(quieter).

> Meanwhile he'd move the needle around trying to find the nerve. It

wasn't

> much fun. But a few times you could hear an uneven pulsing rather

than the even

> pulses I'd heard earlier. He said that was nerve damage. So I

found out that

> there was definite nerve damage in the leg.

> Then today I went to the hospital to pick up the results from

the MRI.

> It's like reading greek but it pointed out that I have spinal

stenosis. It's 2

> pages of amazing medical terms such as " severe right neural

foraminal

> stenosis at L5 with apparent compression of the exiting nerve root

secondary to large

> annular disc bulge and facet hypertrophy " . How do you like that!!

That's just

> one paragraph. The L5 nerve is the one that causes tingling in

your outer

> calf and top of your foot.

> So it seems I really didn't need resurfacing after all. But

when you

> complain of hip pain and the doctor does an xray and sees

arthritis it seems

> obvious it's coming from the hip joint.

> Now I have an appt. with a neurologist and a spine specialist

late next

> month. Stenosis is corrected by surgery so I guess I'll be going

under the

> knife again. I just hope this time it'll stop the pain.

> At this point I'd say that future hippies should get their

back checked

> also but being Ed (who's been amazingly supportive and

educational)and myself

> are the only ones that this has affected, I think your odds are

pretty good.

> It's rather odd though that Dr Mont still hasn't called me

with the MRI

> results. I had to go to the hospital and get it myself. It was

faxed to him on

> March 4th. I called his office on the 8th and left a message with

Sandy but

> he never contacted me. Even odder is the fact he was out here in

San Francisco

> all last week and never called me. Oh well.

> I just pray to God that this will stop the pain I've had to

deal with

> for 9 years now. If only I'd known it was my back I could have had

it done years

> ago. Such is life!!!

>

> Tom in San Francisco

> Mont C+ 10/03

>

> ps. congrats to Diane and her successful DSE run. I used to do the

local DSE

> runs when Walt Stack was the president of the club and still

around to tell

> his dirty jokes before each run. That ended in '95 with my hip

pain ,and soon

> there after Walt's death.

>

> pss. also the " slow healers " could adopt the DSE motto, " START

SLOWLY, THEN

> TAPER OFF " . And their mascot, the turtle in running shoes!

>

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

thanks Steve; I thought that the metal in the body was inhibiting the proper

functionnind of the MRI machine. I seem to recall that my family doc told me

that??

other question since we are into back problems: I have a disalignment at the

L4-L5 level, L5 being posterior to L4 to the extent of about 1.0cm plus facet

degenerative changes at L4-5 and L5 -S1 and bony overgrowth at this level too.

Of course I experience pain in my lower back and butt related to this. But could

some of my pain in my hips come from that too? You said in another email that

hip pain could be related to L3 damage. I don' twant to do another hip resurf if

it had a chance to come from my back.

I also think that the pain in the groin is pretty typical of hip joint, isn't

it?

I am feeling better but not to the point of working yet! and not even walking

fast... I still marvel at your recovery of TWO hips!

Sunita

Five months post op pain update...

>

>

> Well it's been an interesting couple of weeks. Since my

pre-op pain

> continues, Dr Mont told me to get an MRI , electromyogram and

nerve conduction

> tests for my lower back. The EMG and nerve tests were rather

interesting. First I

> was tested for strength in my legs. The physiatrist (new doctor to

me)told me

> to sit on the edge of the table and turn my foot out/in and resist

his trying

> to bend it back. My left/good foot resisted but my

right/resurfaced foot bent

> rather easily. Proof the leg is weak.

> Then he took an electric stim. thingy and would shock my

foot/leg to get

> the muscles to contract. That tested for nerve damage. All of this

was hooked

> up to a computer. He'd shock each one about 3 or 4 times, getting

stonger

> each time. Then the most interesting part. He put a needle into

certain

> muscles/nerves in my leg and spine that was hooked up to a

speaker. I could here my

> muscles contract. He'd tell me to flex the muscle ( louder), then

relax(quieter).

> Meanwhile he'd move the needle around trying to find the nerve. It

wasn't

> much fun. But a few times you could hear an uneven pulsing rather

than the even

> pulses I'd heard earlier. He said that was nerve damage. So I

found out that

> there was definite nerve damage in the leg.

> Then today I went to the hospital to pick up the results from

the MRI.

> It's like reading greek but it pointed out that I have spinal

stenosis. It's 2

> pages of amazing medical terms such as " severe right neural

foraminal

> stenosis at L5 with apparent compression of the exiting nerve root

secondary to large

> annular disc bulge and facet hypertrophy " . How do you like that!!

That's just

> one paragraph. The L5 nerve is the one that causes tingling in

your outer

> calf and top of your foot.

> So it seems I really didn't need resurfacing after all. But

when you

> complain of hip pain and the doctor does an xray and sees

arthritis it seems

> obvious it's coming from the hip joint.

> Now I have an appt. with a neurologist and a spine specialist

late next

> month. Stenosis is corrected by surgery so I guess I'll be going

under the

> knife again. I just hope this time it'll stop the pain.

> At this point I'd say that future hippies should get their

back checked

> also but being Ed (who's been amazingly supportive and

educational)and myself

> are the only ones that this has affected, I think your odds are

pretty good.

> It's rather odd though that Dr Mont still hasn't called me

with the MRI

> results. I had to go to the hospital and get it myself. It was

faxed to him on

> March 4th. I called his office on the 8th and left a message with

Sandy but

> he never contacted me. Even odder is the fact he was out here in

San Francisco

> all last week and never called me. Oh well.

> I just pray to God that this will stop the pain I've had to

deal with

> for 9 years now. If only I'd known it was my back I could have had

it done years

> ago. Such is life!!!

>

> Tom in San Francisco

> Mont C+ 10/03

>

> ps. congrats to Diane and her successful DSE run. I used to do the

local DSE

> runs when Walt Stack was the president of the club and still

around to tell

> his dirty jokes before each run. That ended in '95 with my hip

pain ,and soon

> there after Walt's death.

>

> pss. also the " slow healers " could adopt the DSE motto, " START

SLOWLY, THEN

> TAPER OFF " . And their mascot, the turtle in running shoes!

>

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

Just had my BHR surgery 6 weeks ago. I was planning on having a MRI last week

on my shoulder (for possible rotator cuff tear). I emailed Dr. De Smet

beforehand regarding whether I can have an MRI, so soon after surgery, He said,

" Normally it should not give any problems having MRI. If it would be me, I

would wait for 2 to 3 months. "

There you have it. Probably OK, to have, but if we want to be exceedingly

cautious, ought to wait a few months after surgery. Spoke to my radiologist this

morning, at Hospital of Special Surgery. She said an Ultrasound is a good

alternative.... Although it may not show all the things that an MRI would

indicate.

K. r/BHR De Smet Feb 3rd, 04

> I thought one could not have an MRI after surgery (because of the metal in

> the body). How could you have an MRI??

> sunita

>

Five months post op pain update...

>

>

> Well it's been an interesting couple of weeks. Since my pre-op pain

> continues, Dr Mont told me to get an MRI , electromyogram and nerve

> conduction

> tests for my lower back. The EMG and nerve tests were rather interesting.

> First I

> was tested for strength in my legs. The physiatrist (new doctor to me)told

> me

> to sit on the edge of the table and turn my foot out/in and resist his

> trying

> to bend it back. My left/good foot resisted but my right/resurfaced foot

> bent

> rather easily. Proof the leg is weak.

> Then he took an electric stim. thingy and would shock my foot/leg to get

>

> the muscles to contract. That tested for nerve damage. All of this was

> hooked

> up to a computer. He'd shock each one about 3 or 4 times, getting stonger

> each time. Then the most interesting part. He put a needle into certain

> muscles/nerves in my leg and spine that was hooked up to a speaker. I could

> here my

> muscles contract. He'd tell me to flex the muscle ( louder), then

> relax(quieter).

> Meanwhile he'd move the needle around trying to find the nerve. It wasn't

> much fun. But a few times you could hear an uneven pulsing rather than the

> even

> pulses I'd heard earlier. He said that was nerve damage. So I found out

> that

> there was definite nerve damage in the leg.

> Then today I went to the hospital to pick up the results from the MRI.

> It's like reading greek but it pointed out that I have spinal stenosis.

> It's 2

> pages of amazing medical terms such as " severe right neural foraminal

> stenosis at L5 with apparent compression of the exiting nerve root

> secondary to large

> annular disc bulge and facet hypertrophy " . How do you like that!! That's

> just

> one paragraph. The L5 nerve is the one that causes tingling in your outer

> calf and top of your foot.

> So it seems I really didn't need resurfacing after all. But when you

> complain of hip pain and the doctor does an xray and sees arthritis it

> seems

> obvious it's coming from the hip joint.

> Now I have an appt. with a neurologist and a spine specialist late next

> month. Stenosis is corrected by surgery so I guess I'll be going under the

> knife again. I just hope this time it'll stop the pain.

> At this point I'd say that future hippies should get their back checked

> also but being Ed (who's been amazingly supportive and educational)and

> myself

> are the only ones that this has affected, I think your odds are pretty

> good.

> It's rather odd though that Dr Mont still hasn't called me with the MRI

> results. I had to go to the hospital and get it myself. It was faxed to him

> on

> March 4th. I called his office on the 8th and left a message with Sandy but

>

> he never contacted me. Even odder is the fact he was out here in San

> Francisco

> all last week and never called me. Oh well.

> I just pray to God that this will stop the pain I've had to deal with

> for 9 years now. If only I'd known it was my back I could have had it done

> years

> ago. Such is life!!!

>

> Tom in San Francisco

> Mont C+ 10/03

>

> ps. congrats to Diane and her successful DSE run. I used to do the local

> DSE

> runs when Walt Stack was the president of the club and still around to tell

>

> his dirty jokes before each run. That ended in '95 with my hip pain ,and

> soon

> there after Walt's death.

>

> pss. also the " slow healers " could adopt the DSE motto, " START SLOWLY, THEN

>

> TAPER OFF " . And their mascot, the turtle in running shoes!

>

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

Dear Tom,

Your e-mail was so interesting, because for me it reflected how my

preconceived idea about what is right, might cloud my listening to other

options. As you know from my other mailings, I am experiencing a lot of

the same pain as you and am now 4 months post op (as of yesterday).

Like you, I often have the pain going down the front of my leg to my

foot, and it can be particularly bad at night. I am also getting at lot

of discomfort, tightness and sometimes pain in the muscles under my

wound area, but think maybe you are not experiencing that?

Let me tell you a little about the history leading up to my op. In

2002, my GP referred me to get my hip seen to. I specifically asked for

the Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital, firstly because they are known

as a 'centre of excellence' here and secondly, because I knew they did

resurfacing. I saw Mr. Skinner, who told me that he thought most of my

pain might be coming from my spine and not from my hip and that he

thought I showed a degree of spinal stenosis at L4. He said that there

was an operation for this, but firstly he wanted to investigate further

with a MRI scan.

Well---I did not really like to hear this as I felt it complicated

things. 'Everyone' was saying hip op. As I understood it, others

advice reasoned that I clearly had osteoarthritis in my hip and lower

back, and that relieving the hip would take the pressure off the back.

I had heard scary things about back surgery, and although my memory is

that Mr. Skinner explained that an operation to relieve spinal stenosis

is not major back surgery, nonetheless I was pretty negative about this.

I duly went ahead with my MRI scan (this was scary as I'm quite

claustrophobic, but got through ok). Unfortunately, Mr. Skinner said

that the MRI did not really clarify the diagnosis and that we should

next try a local anaesthetic injection into my hip to see if the pain

was still there or not after it. If it were, that would indicate spinal

stenosis as the major difficulty. However, I was going to Australia for

5 months at that point. When I returned, I felt so good that I put off

having the injection as I wasn't feeling much pain. I did not return

for another consultation until October, 2003, when my ROM had seemed to

decrease quite quickly. The day of that clinic I happened not to be

seen by Mr. Skinner but by his colleague, Mr. Callaghan, another

consultant, who acknowledged the spinal stenosis dilemma, but on

examination felt my osteoarthritis had become worse, my ROM had

decreased and that I should go ahead with an op---either resurfacing or

THR---the decision was mine. 6 weeks later I had my op and here I am.

In the end I was operated on by Mr. Skinner.

So---is the pain I am getting spinal stenosis? Why am I still getting

so much muscle/tissue pain under the wound that seems to be increasing,

not decreasing? Having said that, my walking does seem to improve

slowly, and the limp is lessening. But the daily pain is so difficult

to live with and I did not have it to this extent pre-op.

I have not managed to see Mr. Skinner on my follow-ups through a

misunderstanding of which surgeon I was under, but will see him soon and

will welcome a good discussion about what might be happening. And, of

course, I may or may not have spinal stenosis. I do think I probably

did need the op, as I certainly did/do have osteoarthritis in my hip. I

wonder if, even with the spinal stenosis, you still needed your hip

resurfacing? One does not negate the other, I think?

I am just aware how prejudiced I was against the possibility of a spinal

stenosis diagnosis, in spite of Mr. Skinner's good communication skills

about it, and wonder what I would have done if this had been recommended

instead of the hip op.

Just thought I'd share these thoughts and dilemmas.

Eleanor

Five months post op pain update...

Well it's been an interesting couple of weeks. Since my pre-op pain

continues, Dr Mont told me to get an MRI , electromyogram and nerve

conduction

tests for my lower back. The EMG and nerve tests were rather

interesting. First I

was tested for strength in my legs. The physiatrist (new doctor to

me)told me

to sit on the edge of the table and turn my foot out/in and resist his

trying

to bend it back. My left/good foot resisted but my right/resurfaced foot

bent

rather easily. Proof the leg is weak.

Then he took an electric stim. thingy and would shock my foot/leg

to get

the muscles to contract. That tested for nerve damage. All of this was

hooked

up to a computer. He'd shock each one about 3 or 4 times, getting

stonger

each time. Then the most interesting part. He put a needle into certain

muscles/nerves in my leg and spine that was hooked up to a speaker. I

could here my

muscles contract. He'd tell me to flex the muscle ( louder), then

relax(quieter).

Meanwhile he'd move the needle around trying to find the nerve. It

wasn't

much fun. But a few times you could hear an uneven pulsing rather than

the even

pulses I'd heard earlier. He said that was nerve damage. So I found out

that

there was definite nerve damage in the leg.

Then today I went to the hospital to pick up the results from the

MRI.

It's like reading greek but it pointed out that I have spinal stenosis.

It's 2

pages of amazing medical terms such as " severe right neural foraminal

stenosis at L5 with apparent compression of the exiting nerve root

secondary to large

annular disc bulge and facet hypertrophy " . How do you like that!! That's

just

one paragraph. The L5 nerve is the one that causes tingling in your

outer

calf and top of your foot.

So it seems I really didn't need resurfacing after all. But when

you

complain of hip pain and the doctor does an xray and sees arthritis it

seems

obvious it's coming from the hip joint.

Now I have an appt. with a neurologist and a spine specialist late

next

month. Stenosis is corrected by surgery so I guess I'll be going under

the

knife again. I just hope this time it'll stop the pain.

At this point I'd say that future hippies should get their back

checked

also but being Ed (who's been amazingly supportive and educational)and

myself

are the only ones that this has affected, I think your odds are pretty

good.

It's rather odd though that Dr Mont still hasn't called me with the

MRI

results. I had to go to the hospital and get it myself. It was faxed to

him on

March 4th. I called his office on the 8th and left a message with Sandy

but

he never contacted me. Even odder is the fact he was out here in San

Francisco

all last week and never called me. Oh well.

I just pray to God that this will stop the pain I've had to deal

with

for 9 years now. If only I'd known it was my back I could have had it

done years

ago. Such is life!!!

Tom in San Francisco

Mont C+ 10/03

ps. congrats to Diane and her successful DSE run. I used to do the local

DSE

runs when Walt Stack was the president of the club and still around to

tell

his dirty jokes before each run. That ended in '95 with my hip pain ,and

soon

there after Walt's death.

pss. also the " slow healers " could adopt the DSE motto, " START SLOWLY,

THEN

TAPER OFF " . And their mascot, the turtle in running shoes!

[Guest guest]

Hi Sunita,

I would like to add to Steve's comment. Metal will distort the

magnetic field and cause large blurring of the picture near the

implant. That is why an MRI is not suitable for the near area of the

implant. Another technique for 3-D imaging the (X-ray based )CT scan

is still possible. However Tom was talking about an MRI for his lower

spine which is far away enough from the hip to allow an MRI.

Here is my experience:

I incurred a vertebral slide (spondololysthesis, 12 mm,similar to

yours) but at the L5-S1 level, when I was 19. Ten yrs ago I had a

second spinal-fusion procedure using steel screws and bridges in L5-

S1 area. I have pictures of a CT scan done 2 yrs later. I also have

an MRI of the hip area from 1 yr ago and it shows a blurry area near

the spinal column.

Ed

Mont RC+ Nov '03

PS. My (ever lasting) backpains never affected the hip area and in

fact I primarily had " groin " pains from the hip damage. My last

spinal surgery DID completely solve the sciatic nerve pains in the

leg which had developed in addition to my " usual back pains " .

> > I thought one could not have an MRI after surgery (because of the

> metal in the body). How could you have an MRI??

> > sunita

>

> Hi Sunita!

> Large implanted pieces of metal, such as a resurfacing prosthetic,

> heat up a little but aren't at risk to relocate even in a strong

> magnetic field. Small, recently placed vascular clips and small

pieces

> of metal close to the eyes are more problematic and would preclude

> MRI. The part of the back most likely at fault for hip problems that

> aren't actually bad hips can be readily evaluated with MRI before or

> after hip surgery.

> Hope this helps!

> Take care,

> Steve Vince

>

> > Five months post op pain update...

> >

> >

> > Well it's been an interesting couple of weeks. Since my

> pre-op pain

> > continues, Dr Mont told me to get an MRI , electromyogram and

> nerve conduction

> > tests for my lower back. The EMG and nerve tests were rather

> interesting. First I

> > was tested for strength in my legs. The physiatrist (new doctor

to

> me)told me

> > to sit on the edge of the table and turn my foot out/in and

resist

> his trying

> > to bend it back. My left/good foot resisted but my

> right/resurfaced foot bent

> > rather easily. Proof the leg is weak.

> > Then he took an electric stim. thingy and would shock my

> foot/leg to get

> > the muscles to contract. That tested for nerve damage. All of

this

> was hooked

> > up to a computer. He'd shock each one about 3 or 4 times,

getting

> stonger

> > each time. Then the most interesting part. He put a needle into

> certain

> > muscles/nerves in my leg and spine that was hooked up to a

> speaker. I could here my

> > muscles contract. He'd tell me to flex the muscle ( louder),

then

> relax(quieter).

> > Meanwhile he'd move the needle around trying to find the nerve.

It

> wasn't

> > much fun. But a few times you could hear an uneven pulsing

rather

> than the even

> > pulses I'd heard earlier. He said that was nerve damage. So I

> found out that

> > there was definite nerve damage in the leg.

> > Then today I went to the hospital to pick up the results

from

> the MRI.

> > It's like reading greek but it pointed out that I have spinal

> stenosis. It's 2

> > pages of amazing medical terms such as " severe right neural

> foraminal

> > stenosis at L5 with apparent compression of the exiting nerve

root

> secondary to large

> > annular disc bulge and facet hypertrophy " . How do you like

that!!

> That's just

> > one paragraph. The L5 nerve is the one that causes tingling in

> your outer

> > calf and top of your foot.

> > So it seems I really didn't need resurfacing after all. But

> when you

> > complain of hip pain and the doctor does an xray and sees

> arthritis it seems

> > obvious it's coming from the hip joint.

> > Now I have an appt. with a neurologist and a spine

specialist

> late next

> > month. Stenosis is corrected by surgery so I guess I'll be going

> under the

> > knife again. I just hope this time it'll stop the pain.

> > At this point I'd say that future hippies should get their

> back checked

> > also but being Ed (who's been amazingly supportive and

> educational)and myself

> > are the only ones that this has affected, I think your odds are

> pretty good.

> > It's rather odd though that Dr Mont still hasn't called me

> with the MRI

> > results. I had to go to the hospital and get it myself. It was

> faxed to him on

> > March 4th. I called his office on the 8th and left a message

with

> Sandy but

> > he never contacted me. Even odder is the fact he was out here in

> San Francisco

> > all last week and never called me. Oh well.

> > I just pray to God that this will stop the pain I've had to

> deal with

> > for 9 years now. If only I'd known it was my back I could have

had

> it done years

> > ago. Such is life!!!

> >

> > Tom in San Francisco

> > Mont C+ 10/03

> >

> > ps. congrats to Diane and her successful DSE run. I used to do

the

> local DSE

> > runs when Walt Stack was the president of the club and still

> around to tell

> > his dirty jokes before each run. That ended in '95 with my hip

> pain ,and soon

> > there after Walt's death.

> >

> > pss. also the " slow healers " could adopt the DSE motto, " START

> SLOWLY, THEN

> > TAPER OFF " . And their mascot, the turtle in running shoes!

> >

> >

> >

> >

[Guest guest]

I had a chat with a radiologist buddy of mine. He said that the problem is

with metals that are magnetic, specifically iron or steel. These can get

pulled right out of you in an MRI, with nasty results. The alloy used in

hips, chromium-cobalt-molybdenum should not be magnetic. If any of you know

different, *please* tell us!

Of course, I do set off metal detectors in airports, which gives me leave

to moon the cops there, uh, simply in the interest of national security, of

course. >

Cheers,

Jeff

rBHR Aug. 1, 2001

Mr. McMinn

>Just had my BHR surgery 6 weeks ago. I was planning on having a MRI last

week

>on my shoulder (for possible rotator cuff tear). I emailed Dr. De Smet

>beforehand regarding whether I can have an MRI, so soon after surgery, He

said,

>

> " Normally it should not give any problems having MRI. If it would be me, I

>would wait for 2 to 3 months. "

>

>There you have it. Probably OK, to have, but if we want to be exceedingly

>cautious, ought to wait a few months after surgery. Spoke to my

radiologist

>this

>morning, at Hospital of Special Surgery. She said an Ultrasound is a good

>alternative.... Although it may not show all the things that an MRI would

>indicate.

>

> K. r/BHR De Smet Feb 3rd, 04

>

>

>

>> I thought one could not have an MRI after surgery (because of the metal

in

>> the body). How could you have an MRI??

>> sunita

>>

>

>

> Five months post op pain update...

>>

>>

>> Well it's been an interesting couple of weeks. Since my pre-op pain

>> continues, Dr Mont told me to get an MRI , electromyogram and nerve

>> conduction

>> tests for my lower back. The EMG and nerve tests were rather

interesting.

>> First I

>> was tested for strength in my legs. The physiatrist (new doctor to

me)told

>> me

>> to sit on the edge of the table and turn my foot out/in and resist his

>> trying

>> to bend it back. My left/good foot resisted but my right/resurfaced

foot

>> bent

>> rather easily. Proof the leg is weak.

>> Then he took an electric stim. thingy and would shock my foot/leg to

get

>>

>> the muscles to contract. That tested for nerve damage. All of this was

>> hooked

>> up to a computer. He'd shock each one about 3 or 4 times, getting

stonger

>> each time. Then the most interesting part. He put a needle into certain

>> muscles/nerves in my leg and spine that was hooked up to a speaker. I

could

>> here my

>> muscles contract. He'd tell me to flex the muscle ( louder), then

>> relax(quieter).

>> Meanwhile he'd move the needle around trying to find the nerve. It

wasn't

>> much fun. But a few times you could hear an uneven pulsing rather than

the

>> even

>> pulses I'd heard earlier. He said that was nerve damage. So I found out

>> that

>> there was definite nerve damage in the leg.

>> Then today I went to the hospital to pick up the results from the

MRI.

>> It's like reading greek but it pointed out that I have spinal stenosis.

>> It's 2

>> pages of amazing medical terms such as " severe right neural foraminal

>> stenosis at L5 with apparent compression of the exiting nerve root

>> secondary to large

>> annular disc bulge and facet hypertrophy " . How do you like that!!

That's

>> just

>> one paragraph. The L5 nerve is the one that causes tingling in your

outer

>> calf and top of your foot.

>> So it seems I really didn't need resurfacing after all. But when you

>> complain of hip pain and the doctor does an xray and sees arthritis it

>> seems

>> obvious it's coming from the hip joint.

>> Now I have an appt. with a neurologist and a spine specialist late

next

>> month. Stenosis is corrected by surgery so I guess I'll be going under

the

>> knife again. I just hope this time it'll stop the pain.

>> At this point I'd say that future hippies should get their back

checked

>> also but being Ed (who's been amazingly supportive and educational)and

>> myself

>> are the only ones that this has affected, I think your odds are pretty

>> good.

>> It's rather odd though that Dr Mont still hasn't called me with the

MRI

>> results. I had to go to the hospital and get it myself. It was faxed to

him

>> on

>> March 4th. I called his office on the 8th and left a message with Sandy

but

>>

>> he never contacted me. Even odder is the fact he was out here in San

>> Francisco

>> all last week and never called me. Oh well.

>> I just pray to God that this will stop the pain I've had to deal

with

>> for 9 years now. If only I'd known it was my back I could have had it

done

>> years

>> ago. Such is life!!!

>>

>> Tom in San Francisco

>> Mont C+ 10/03

>>

>> ps. congrats to Diane and her successful DSE run. I used to do the

local

>> DSE

>> runs when Walt Stack was the president of the club and still around to

tell

>>

>> his dirty jokes before each run. That ended in '95 with my hip pain

,and

>> soon

>> there after Walt's death.

>>

>> pss. also the " slow healers " could adopt the DSE motto, " START SLOWLY,

THEN

>>

>> TAPER OFF " . And their mascot, the turtle in running shoes!

>>

>>

>>

>>

[Guest guest]

Sunita, your back and mine sound so much alike they could be related!

Everything on my right side is worse and my right leg is weaker as a

result. Scoliosis and that may have contributed to my right worse than

left hip problems, but the underlying problem was simple OA. If you

are anything like me, then you also have degenerative disease

everywhere, so it's possible that your continued hip and groin pain is

in some way back related. We're still barely into our post op

recoveries and as we regain strength I think a lot of these present

aches and pains will disappear. Do have your back evaluated before

continuing with your other side. I had a pretty good idea of what was

going on beforehand, but not everyone does, and so...As for metal and

MRI, you can't see thru the area where the metal is , but it can be

useful to examine areas even close by, such as lower back.

Take good care,

Steve

> > I thought one could not have an MRI after surgery (because of the

> metal in the body). How could you have an MRI??

> > sunita

>

> Hi Sunita!

> Large implanted pieces of metal, such as a resurfacing prosthetic,

> heat up a little but aren't at risk to relocate even in a strong

> magnetic field. Small, recently placed vascular clips and small pieces

> of metal close to the eyes are more problematic and would preclude

> MRI. The part of the back most likely at fault for hip problems that

> aren't actually bad hips can be readily evaluated with MRI before or

> after hip surgery.

> Hope this helps!

> Take care,

> Steve Vince

>

> > Five months post op pain update...

> >

> >

> > Well it's been an interesting couple of weeks. Since my

> pre-op pain

> > continues, Dr Mont told me to get an MRI , electromyogram and

> nerve conduction

> > tests for my lower back. The EMG and nerve tests were rather

> interesting. First I

> > was tested for strength in my legs. The physiatrist (new doctor to

> me)told me

> > to sit on the edge of the table and turn my foot out/in and resist

> his trying

> > to bend it back. My left/good foot resisted but my

> right/resurfaced foot bent

> > rather easily. Proof the leg is weak.

> > Then he took an electric stim. thingy and would shock my

> foot/leg to get

> > the muscles to contract. That tested for nerve damage. All of this

> was hooked

> > up to a computer. He'd shock each one about 3 or 4 times, getting

> stonger

> > each time. Then the most interesting part. He put a needle into

> certain

> > muscles/nerves in my leg and spine that was hooked up to a

> speaker. I could here my

> > muscles contract. He'd tell me to flex the muscle ( louder), then

> relax(quieter).

> > Meanwhile he'd move the needle around trying to find the nerve. It

> wasn't

> > much fun. But a few times you could hear an uneven pulsing rather

> than the even

> > pulses I'd heard earlier. He said that was nerve damage. So I

> found out that

> > there was definite nerve damage in the leg.

> > Then today I went to the hospital to pick up the results from

> the MRI.

> > It's like reading greek but it pointed out that I have spinal

> stenosis. It's 2

> > pages of amazing medical terms such as " severe right neural

> foraminal

> > stenosis at L5 with apparent compression of the exiting nerve root

> secondary to large

> > annular disc bulge and facet hypertrophy " . How do you like that!!

> That's just

> > one paragraph. The L5 nerve is the one that causes tingling in

> your outer

> > calf and top of your foot.

> > So it seems I really didn't need resurfacing after all. But

> when you

> > complain of hip pain and the doctor does an xray and sees

> arthritis it seems

> > obvious it's coming from the hip joint.

> > Now I have an appt. with a neurologist and a spine specialist

> late next

> > month. Stenosis is corrected by surgery so I guess I'll be going

> under the

> > knife again. I just hope this time it'll stop the pain.

> > At this point I'd say that future hippies should get their

> back checked

> > also but being Ed (who's been amazingly supportive and

> educational)and myself

> > are the only ones that this has affected, I think your odds are

> pretty good.

> > It's rather odd though that Dr Mont still hasn't called me

> with the MRI

> > results. I had to go to the hospital and get it myself. It was

> faxed to him on

> > March 4th. I called his office on the 8th and left a message with

> Sandy but

> > he never contacted me. Even odder is the fact he was out here in

> San Francisco

> > all last week and never called me. Oh well.

> > I just pray to God that this will stop the pain I've had to

> deal with

> > for 9 years now. If only I'd known it was my back I could have had

> it done years

> > ago. Such is life!!!

> >

> > Tom in San Francisco

> > Mont C+ 10/03

> >

> > ps. congrats to Diane and her successful DSE run. I used to do the

> local DSE

> > runs when Walt Stack was the president of the club and still

> around to tell

> > his dirty jokes before each run. That ended in '95 with my hip

> pain ,and soon

> > there after Walt's death.

> >

> > pss. also the " slow healers " could adopt the DSE motto, " START

> SLOWLY, THEN

> > TAPER OFF " . And their mascot, the turtle in running shoes!

> >

> >

> >

> >