Guest guest Posted August 16, 2006 Report Posted August 16, 2006 Carol, The doctor said I do NOT have flatback. And I will NOT need revision surgery. He said my fusion is solid, and he has no plans to even consider removing my broken rod or addressing the increasing pain I have in my mid-back shoulder area. And he could care less that I can barely turn my neck. He only wants a CT myelogram of the lumbar area. He said he had a " few small things " he was considering. I don't think I need a lumbar CT myelogram under those circumstances. The test could easily be $750 out of pocket for me. That is a lot of money and my husband can't afford to miss work again to take me for a test. The doctor didn't even do a neuro exam to check my partially numb leg for weakness! Kathy > > I'm not a doctor, but from what I have read about them is basically > what SB said. The doctors need to have a good look at what nerves and > nerve roots are being impinged. Even though a person's spinal canal may > be OK, that's usually not the area that causes pain. The discs that > contain the nerves (and nerve roots) are being pinched or as they > say " degenerating " and this is what causes the pain. This pain can also > be from stenosis or narrowing in the same area. Arthritis can cause the > stenosis, too. From what I've heard, usually the specialists like the > CT Mylograms rather than the MRI because the MRI image can " scatter " > when you have a long metal rod. I guess that means the image won't be > as clear as for someone without a rod (?) I will get the results of my > CT Mylogram this Friday and I think it will be very interesting. My > pain is getting worse and worse, so once I find out I will post my > results here. > > Carol V (CA) > Quote
Guest guest Posted August 16, 2006 Report Posted August 16, 2006 Kathy... I think a lot of spine docs don't do much, if anything, in terms of cervical spines, so that may be why he chose to ignore your complaints. Regards, [ ] Re: CT Mylogram/Carol > >Carol, > >The doctor said I do NOT have flatback. And I will NOT need revision >surgery. He said my fusion is solid, and he has no plans to even >consider removing my broken rod or addressing the increasing pain I >have in my mid-back shoulder area. And he could care less that I can >barely turn my neck. He only wants a CT myelogram of the lumbar >area. He said he had a " few small things " he was considering. > >I don't think I need a lumbar CT myelogram under those >circumstances. The test could easily be $750 out of pocket for me. >That is a lot of money and my husband can't afford to miss work >again to take me for a test. The doctor didn't even do a neuro exam >to check my partially numb leg for weakness! > >Kathy Quote
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