Guest guest Posted March 29, 2006 Report Share Posted March 29, 2006 Thanks Cam, I'll take another welbutrin and chill out. I appreciate your concern and your take on Mina's articles. Your right though she is right on the money with the scoliosis overcompensation syndrome. Fits my personality to a T. I have discussed, post op pain with Glazer and like Rand, he described that some heal better than others and that there were a lot of factors, health, diet and exercise also life styles. I am trying very hard not to make myself " frantic " but on the other hand I want to be well informed and the less surprises the better. I will try to " chill " out. Thanks Cam. v- At 04:19 PM 3/29/2006, you wrote: Val, I think I understood from a different post that the statements you are referencing are from Minas articles? I guess when I put them up there I forgot that most of us hadn't a clue who she was. In fact, I don't know who she is...except that as I understand it, she was kind of the " grandmother of flatback " . By that I mean, I understood her to be a patient and a non-medical person who did her best to illuminate and understand this condition, and spread the word, before it was generally understood or even acknowledged in the medical/ortho community. (I happen to think she " nailed " the scoliosis overcompensation syndrome exactly...but that was my take on it.) All that is to say, I don't know what her cites are for her statements she made and would say that they should be used solely as a basis of discussion with your doctor, or for a point of starting your own research in the published, peer reviewed articles available to you. I am sure others might have a different take on the likliness of developing flatback after revision, but I think Mina was trying to say that if balance is not restored during revision, flatback can recur. Basically this is what Ca is undergoing right now. Her first revision failed to address that problem and she was fused to the sacrum and it pretty much made a bad situation worse. I believe Mina was trying to encourage readers to be sure their surgeon had the " skill set " to accomplish this task. It seems there are still plenty of surgeons who on paper look good and are willing to " give it a go " ....but if they don't get your balanced correctly...you are doomed. Not trying to scare you...I have seen Joanne with my own eyes and you haven't got worries on that account! Based on my converstations with DrRand, I don't think they really have a handle on who or why some people have post-op pain that never goes away and why that is. I am sure DrGlazer and you have discussed the possiblities? My anterior surgery was in the lumbar area only...no lung issues whatsoever. DrRand did not remove any of the old hardware so there was no need to get up in the thoracic area and he was able to reestablish lordosis in the L4-L5 with one osteotomy. I hope this sets your mind at ease....do not make yourself frantic! Take Care, Cam scoliosis veterans * flatback sufferers * revision candidates Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 30, 2006 Report Share Posted March 30, 2006 Maybe this sheds some light? I developed flatback pretty much immediately and managed to compensate for about 12 years. Then I could not stand straight for the life of me until I had the osteotomy in 1990. When my disks under the fusion started to go (about 12 years later), I started to have flatback symptoms and was again leaning forward. However, I could with some effort make myself stand straight, it just felt better to lean forward. I think Rand wrote on a report Residual Flatback. I am very straight now. Ann > > Val, > > I think I understood from a different post that the statements you > are referencing are from Minas articles? > > I guess when I put them up there I forgot that most of us hadn't a > clue who she was. In fact, I don't know who she is...except that as > I understand it, she was kind of the " grandmother of flatback " . By > that I mean, I understood her to be a patient and a non-medical > person who did her best to illuminate and understand this condition, > and spread the word, before it was generally understood or even > acknowledged in the medical/ortho community. (I happen to think > she " nailed " the scoliosis overcompensation syndrome exactly...but > that was my take on it.) > > All that is to say, I don't know what her cites are for her > statements she made and would say that they should be used solely > as a basis of discussion with your doctor, or for a point of > starting your own research in the published, peer reviewed articles > available to you. > > I am sure others might have a different take on the likliness of > developing flatback after revision, but I think Mina was trying to > say that if balance is not restored during revision, flatback can > recur. Basically this is what Ca is undergoing right now. Her > first revision failed to address that problem and she was fused to > the sacrum and it pretty much made a bad situation worse. I believe > Mina was trying to encourage readers to be sure their surgeon had > the " skill set " to accomplish this task. It seems there are still > plenty of surgeons who on paper look good and are willing to " give > it a go " ....but if they don't get your balanced correctly...you are > doomed. > > Not trying to scare you...I have seen Joanne with my own eyes and > you haven't got worries on that account! > > Based on my converstations with DrRand, I don't think they really > have a handle on who or why some people have post-op pain that never > goes away and why that is. I am sure DrGlazer and you have discussed > the possiblities? > > My anterior surgery was in the lumbar area only...no lung issues > whatsoever. DrRand did not remove any of the old hardware so there > was no need to get up in the thoracic area and he was able to > reestablish lordosis in the L4-L5 with one osteotomy. > > I hope this sets your mind at ease....do not make yourself frantic! > > Take Care, Cam > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 30, 2006 Report Share Posted March 30, 2006 Ann, Do you know where I can find that article? Thanks, At 09:08 AM 3/30/2006, you wrote: Maybe this sheds some light? I developed flatback pretty much immediately and managed to compensate for about 12 years. Then I could not stand straight for the life of me until I had the osteotomy in 1990. When my disks under the fusion started to go (about 12 years later), I started to have flatback symptoms and was again leaning forward. However, I could with some effort make myself stand straight, it just felt better to lean forward. I think Rand wrote on a report Residual Flatback. I am very straight now. Ann > > Val, > > I think I understood from a different post that the statements you > are referencing are from Minas articles? > > I guess when I put them up there I forgot that most of us hadn't a > clue who she was. In fact, I don't know who she is...except that as > I understand it, she was kind of the " grandmother of flatback " . By > that I mean, I understood her to be a patient and a non-medical > person who did her best to illuminate and understand this condition, > and spread the word, before it was generally understood or even > acknowledged in the medical/ortho community. (I happen to think > she " nailed " the scoliosis overcompensation syndrome exactly...but > that was my take on it.) > > All that is to say, I don't know what her cites are for her > statements she made and would say that they should be used solely > as a basis of discussion with your doctor, or for a point of > starting your own research in the published, peer reviewed articles > available to you. > > I am sure others might have a different take on the likliness of > developing flatback after revision, but I think Mina was trying to > say that if balance is not restored during revision, flatback can > recur. Basically this is what Ca is undergoing right now. Her > first revision failed to address that problem and she was fused to > the sacrum and it pretty much made a bad situation worse. I believe > Mina was trying to encourage readers to be sure their surgeon had > the " skill set " to accomplish this task. It seems there are still > plenty of surgeons who on paper look good and are willing to " give > it a go " ....but if they don't get your balanced correctly...you are > doomed. > > Not trying to scare you...I have seen Joanne with my own eyes and > you haven't got worries on that account! > > Based on my converstations with DrRand, I don't think they really > have a handle on who or why some people have post-op pain that never > goes away and why that is. I am sure DrGlazer and you have discussed > the possiblities? > > My anterior surgery was in the lumbar area only...no lung issues > whatsoever. DrRand did not remove any of the old hardware so there > was no need to get up in the thoracic area and he was able to > reestablish lordosis in the L4-L5 with one osteotomy. > > I hope this sets your mind at ease....do not make yourself frantic! > > Take Care, Cam > scoliosis veterans * flatback sufferers * revision candidates Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 30, 2006 Report Share Posted March 30, 2006 Gals, when I first saw Mina's articles, they still contained some information about her as a person. She had a " vintage " fusion, from the pre-Harrington days, and I believe it said she had been injured in a car accident and her fusion needed repair. At that time she received a Harrington rod, which started the whole flatback nightmare. She received one of the first revision surgeries, by Dr. Farcy, if memory serves me, and it was less than perfect, for which he actually apologised. (I found the apology tidbit once while cruising old forum archives, and could probably never dredge it up again to save my life.) So she set about to learn all she could about flatback, and had her facts checked by a revision surgeon at the time she wrote her article. As is apparent from the quality of her writing, she is a professional writer. Last I heard she had withdrawn from online contact except with a few friends, and was not in good shape. I have always wished I could contact her to thank her for her huge contribution to educating the rest of us. Anyone who reads this and knows of any corrections to be made to my statements, please jump in. Sharon PS: I just remembered that I found this site once in a search. I don't know if the wife here is the same Mina, but it does say she is an author, and she appears to be in the right age group. Maybe I will drop a note of thanks to be relayed to , if she is " our " . http://www.theminas.net/#Fredinfo [ ] Re: Val's questions > Maybe this sheds some light? I developed flatback pretty much > immediately and managed to compensate for about 12 years. Then I > could not stand straight for the life of me until I had the osteotomy > in 1990. When my disks under the fusion started to go (about 12 years > later), I started to have flatback symptoms and was again leaning > forward. However, I could with some effort make myself stand > straight, it just felt better to lean forward. I think Rand wrote on > a report Residual Flatback. I am very straight now. Ann > > >> >> Val, >> >> I think I understood from a different post that the statements you >> are referencing are from Minas articles? >> >> I guess when I put them up there I forgot that most of us hadn't a >> clue who she was. In fact, I don't know who she is...except that as >> I understand it, she was kind of the " grandmother of flatback " . By >> that I mean, I understood her to be a patient and a non-medical >> person who did her best to illuminate and understand this > condition, >> and spread the word, before it was generally understood or even >> acknowledged in the medical/ortho community. (I happen to think >> she " nailed " the scoliosis overcompensation syndrome exactly...but >> that was my take on it.) >> >> All that is to say, I don't know what her cites are for her >> statements she made and would say that they should be used solely >> as a basis of discussion with your doctor, or for a point of >> starting your own research in the published, peer reviewed articles >> available to you. >> >> I am sure others might have a different take on the likliness of >> developing flatback after revision, but I think Mina was trying to >> say that if balance is not restored during revision, flatback can >> recur. Basically this is what Ca is undergoing right now. Her >> first revision failed to address that problem and she was fused to >> the sacrum and it pretty much made a bad situation worse. I believe >> Mina was trying to encourage readers to be sure their surgeon had >> the " skill set " to accomplish this task. It seems there are still >> plenty of surgeons who on paper look good and are willing to " give >> it a go " ....but if they don't get your balanced correctly...you are >> doomed. >> >> Not trying to scare you...I have seen Joanne with my own eyes and >> you haven't got worries on that account! >> >> Based on my converstations with DrRand, I don't think they really >> have a handle on who or why some people have post-op pain that > never >> goes away and why that is. I am sure DrGlazer and you have > discussed >> the possiblities? >> >> My anterior surgery was in the lumbar area only...no lung issues >> whatsoever. DrRand did not remove any of the old hardware so there >> was no need to get up in the thoracic area and he was able to >> reestablish lordosis in the L4-L5 with one osteotomy. >> >> I hope this sets your mind at ease....do not make yourself frantic! >> >> Take Care, Cam >> > > > > > > > scoliosis veterans * flatback sufferers * revision candidates > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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