Guest guest Posted April 23, 2006 Report Share Posted April 23, 2006 Hi Martha I too am looking for Dr. If you are in land go back and look at the post here a gal named Beth highly recommends a surgeon there.It seems if I remember right that she travels from Pa. to see him. We live on the west coast and haven't heard of too many out here. The surgery with the wedge is the one that has been recommened to me. I am just ready to start looking a head and not at the ground I a, 90degrees forward. The frustrating part of my past surgery only 7 years ago is that he, the dr, should have known better that to fuse me to s-1. Try not to look back makes me too angry and we both know what stress does. More pain!! Keep us posted on your surgeon search I will you too. ...Lynn.marthalsiii <marthalsiii@...> wrote: Hi! I am new to this group. I am almost 47 and had Harrington Rods put in when I was 11 years old. Over the past few years, I have had trouble standing, walking, and now, even sitting, without pain. It has gotten progressively worse. I went to Dr. Gelb in land who seemed confident that he could get rid of the pain by fusing the rest of my spine more in alignment - and reducing the flat-back. I found him through a friend of a friend and the internet. I want to be sure I have throughly exhausted my options. I have read about three similar, but different types of procedures. The one which actually lengthens the spine, the extension osteotomy, had the worst outcomes, while the closing wedge osteotomy, seemed very successful and much less risky. I wondered if anyone out there has experience with different procedures and/or doctors. I know you are not supposed to recommend a doctor, but that is what I need. Just some direction.Thank you!Martha Anne (in Virginia) Blab-away for as little as 1¢/min. Make PC-to-Phone Calls using Messenger with Voice. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted April 23, 2006 Report Share Posted April 23, 2006 I am SOOO not looking forward to my 40's. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted January 3, 2007 Report Share Posted January 3, 2007 Dear Phyllis, Welcome to the group! I'm sorry that you are still falling forward despite your surgery. Have you had scoliosis most of your life, or is it recent to you. Was this surgery your first, from your message it seemed like it was. Where did you have surgery and who was your surgeon? What does he/she have to say about you being unable to get totally upright? Did he/she mention Flatback, or have you found out about it by doing research? Most of us here developed flatback years after having Harrington Rod surgery in the 60's, 70's and 80's and even some in the early 90's. I had my Harrington Rod surgery in 1973, and developed Flatback symptoms about 11 years later, and went another 15 years seeing doc after doc trying to get an explaination of why I was falling forward and had horrible hip and leg pain. When you had surgery was there any mention of going anteriorly, and doing work from that side of your spine too? Most of us here that are fused to the sacrum have had both anterior and posterior approaches, my anterior surgery included anterior lumbar fusion and Depuy carbon cages. Do you know what hardware was put into you and where? Would be interesting to find out why your doc did a posterior only approach. Sorry to ask so many questions but it might help us understand just what was done to you. Do you have you surgical notes, if you don't I suggest you ask for a copy of them. I look at mine often, especially when talking to others in the group about my surgeries. Are you confident in your doc, or are you looking to get opinions from other surgeons about whats going on with you? It's almost like you have to be an investigator to figure all this out, hunh! I have had four spinal surgeries and yes I'm still learning. This scoliosis thing is a lifetime battle, you win some battles, and loose some too. I trudge on, and I'm doing well, but always know in the back of my mind that there maybe more challenges down the road. I also stay active because I also have a daughter with scoliosis ( her's is non-surgical at this point but was braced). I'm so sorry you didn't get the desired results from your surgery, and know some of us haven't, but you are among friends here that have been through it. Look forward to hearing more from you! Colorado Springs [ ] flatback syndrome Hello, I'm a new member.I am 69 years old and live in Ann Arbor, MIThis past January 2006 I had scoliosis surgery.The diagnosis was "scoliosis with stenosis T10-S1." I had a 60 degree curve and the surgery was posterior. It included fusion from T10-S1 and a "laminectomy and foraminotomy L4-S1".The curve is significantly less and the forward bend has been reduced, but I am still not able to stand up straight even after 3 months of PT 3 times a week. I realize that this is a structural problem and believe I now have Flatback Syndrome. I would appreciate any thoughts, and ideas others may want to share.Thanks, Phyllis Ponvert Ann Arbor, MI Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted January 3, 2007 Report Share Posted January 3, 2007 Phyllis, I am sorry you are not doing better after a years time. I don't know if you have told us enough to be sure, but I sense you are frustrated with the difference between what you expected as an outcome and how your surgeon is dealing with you now? It is possible for flatback to develop directly after surgery...although I think generally that happens as a result of improper positioning on the table or poor surgical technique. I believe there are other explanations that relate to early onset of flatback....but I do not know them off hand. I also believe there are other explanations than flatback for not being able to stand upright, despite your surgery. Still, I think at this point if your surgeon is not willing to track them down and/or explain them to you to your satisfaction it might be time to get another opinion. It is all very discouraging, but here we all are. I hope we are able to answer any other questions you might have and offer you support as you figure this all out. Take Care, Cam Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted January 4, 2007 Report Share Posted January 4, 2007 Hi, Phyllis, Welcome to the group! I'm in your area (Southgate, MI), and started seeing Dr. Stanley Lee at U of M. I definitely would recommend him as a dr. He deals with many post-scoliosis surgery patients. Since you are so soon after a surgery, I would guess you are still under care of the original surgeon? I had surgery in 1989 and have only slight flatback, but do lean forward and have lots of pain in hips and legs. Deb M. > > Phyllis, > > I am sorry you are not doing better after a years time. I don't know > if you have told us enough to be sure, but I sense you are frustrated > with the difference between what you expected as an outcome and how > your surgeon is dealing with you now? > > It is possible for flatback to develop directly after > surgery...although I think generally that happens as a result of > improper positioning on the table or poor surgical technique. I > believe there are other explanations that relate to early onset of > flatback....but I do not know them off hand. > > I also believe there are other explanations than flatback for not > being able to stand upright, despite your surgery. Still, I think at > this point if your surgeon is not willing to track them down and/or > explain them to you to your satisfaction it might be time to get > another opinion. > > It is all very discouraging, but here we all are. > > I hope we are able to answer any other questions you might have and > offer you support as you figure this all out. > > Take Care, Cam > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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