Re: 1st appt with Orthopod surgeon

[Guest guest]

I " m not sure of the argument that an ortho surgeon does bones and a neuro

does backs. Kind of a sweeping generalization considering what all can go

wrong with the back.

In a message dated 11/29/2010 12:32:07 P.M. Eastern Standard Time,

k9gang@... writes:

Never had back surgery. I'm going to a bone guy, not a neuro guy.

Fought the idiots up here long and hard to get treatment, and am finally

getting it, but have to go to another city far away...

My injury on May 29, 2009 came from a chiropractor twisting me at the

waist and then smashing down on my hip. Extreme rotation with traumatic impact.

Broke at least both L5 transverse process's. My pelvis is now higher up on

the right than the left. The broken transverse process's are laying over

the top of the sacrum limiting movement. I'm all lean-ing and twisted. Stuff

like that.

I don't believe there's nerve or spinal cord involvement. However, L5

might be messed up...I just don't know. I think they are going to do more

imaging because what I have now is pretty pathetic.

So tomorrow I drive 108 miles south to Seattle, see the bone guy, get

better imaging, and either wait around until the guy sees it, or drive back

home and wait for word. So, like I don't know what sort of specic questions to

ask...the doc is apparently quite good.

Sam

(58yr old cutey pie great granny)

>

> Sam have you ever had back surgery? An Orthepidic doctor usually

operates on bones these days and a nusrosurgeon usually operates on the back.

There are many questions to be asked before you let anyone cut your back open.

What kinds of injuries do you have? Have you been diagnosed with any

specific problem like a slipped disc or ruptured disc? Do NOT allow anyone to

put

a needle in your spine for any reason. They are very dangerous and can

cause Arachnoiditis a progressive disease that will make your life hell.

> Janice

> 1st appt with Orthopod surgeon

>

>

>

> I'm going to my first appointment with an orthopedic surgeon tomorrow

(Nov 30) at the University of Washington Med Center.

> I'm bringing my imaging.

>

> Is there anything in particular I should be asking at this

appointment? I've never been to an orthopedic surgeon before so I am clueless.

> I am both excited to get vthe basll rolling, but also scared

crap-less.

>

> Sam

> (lower back ow-ey)

------------------------------------

Links

[Guest guest]

Sam have you ever had back surgery? An Orthepidic doctor usually operates on

bones these days and a nusrosurgeon usually operates on the back. There are many

questions to be asked before you let anyone cut your back open. What kinds of

injuries do you have? Have you been diagnosed with any specific problem like a

slipped disc or ruptured disc? Do NOT allow anyone to put a needle in your spine

for any reason. They are very dangerous and can cause Arachnoiditis a

progressive disease that will make your life hell.

Janice

1st appt with Orthopod surgeon

I'm going to my first appointment with an orthopedic surgeon tomorrow (Nov 30)

at the University of Washington Med Center.

I'm bringing my imaging.

Is there anything in particular I should be asking at this appointment? I've

never been to an orthopedic surgeon before so I am clueless.

I am both excited to get vthe basll rolling, but also scared crap-less.

Sam

(lower back ow-ey)

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23:34:00

[Guest guest]

Never had back surgery. I'm going to a bone guy, not a neuro guy.

Fought the idiots up here long and hard to get treatment, and am finally getting

it, but have to go to another city far away...

My injury on May 29, 2009 came from a chiropractor twisting me at the waist and

then smashing down on my hip. Extreme rotation with traumatic impact. Broke at

least both L5 transverse process's. My pelvis is now higher up on the right than

the left. The broken transverse process's are laying over the top of the sacrum

limiting movement. I'm all lean-ing and twisted. Stuff like that.

I don't believe there's nerve or spinal cord involvement. However, L5 might be

messed up...I just don't know. I think they are going to do more imaging because

what I have now is pretty pathetic.

So tomorrow I drive 108 miles south to Seattle, see the bone guy, get better

imaging, and either wait around until the guy sees it, or drive back home and

wait for word. So, like I don't know what sort of specic questions to ask...the

doc is apparently quite good.

Sam

(58yr old cutey pie great granny)

>

> Sam have you ever had back surgery? An Orthepidic doctor usually operates on

bones these days and a nusrosurgeon usually operates on the back. There are many

questions to be asked before you let anyone cut your back open. What kinds of

injuries do you have? Have you been diagnosed with any specific problem like a

slipped disc or ruptured disc? Do NOT allow anyone to put a needle in your spine

for any reason. They are very dangerous and can cause Arachnoiditis a

progressive disease that will make your life hell.

> Janice

> 1st appt with Orthopod surgeon

>

>

>

> I'm going to my first appointment with an orthopedic surgeon tomorrow (Nov

30) at the University of Washington Med Center.

> I'm bringing my imaging.

>

> Is there anything in particular I should be asking at this appointment? I've

never been to an orthopedic surgeon before so I am clueless.

> I am both excited to get vthe basll rolling, but also scared crap-less.

>

> Sam

> (lower back ow-ey)

[Guest guest]

I have had 5 back surgeries they were all done by an orthepedic surgeon. The

first 3 were complete sucess's if I had taken his advice to stop working and be

very careful with lifting and so on the last 2 might have been prevented. Now

days it is the nuero guys most likely to be trained to do back surgeries. They

know more about the nerves in the spine. Just my opinion.

Janice

1st appt with Orthopod surgeon

>

>

>

> I'm going to my first appointment with an orthopedic surgeon tomorrow

(Nov 30) at the University of Washington Med Center.

> I'm bringing my imaging.

>

> Is there anything in particular I should be asking at this

appointment? I've never been to an orthopedic surgeon before so I am clueless.

> I am both excited to get vthe basll rolling, but also scared

crap-less.

>

> Sam

> (lower back ow-ey)

------------------------------------

[Guest guest]

I'm really clueless as far as back surgery is concerned.

I know what questions to ask thyroid docs but not what to ask the ortho doc. So,

um, do you guys know where I can find out what to ask?

I don't want to go in there 'flying blind'.

#1 I know his credentials.

#2 I know he has a good track record.

#3 ?

#4 ?

#5 ?

etc etc etc

Here is his profile:

http://www.orthop.washington.edu/faculty/lee

Sam

(4ft 11 inches tall)

> >

> > Sam have you ever had back surgery? An Orthepidic doctor usually

> operates on bones these days and a nusrosurgeon usually operates on the back.

> There are many questions to be asked before you let anyone cut your back

open.

> What kinds of injuries do you have? Have you been diagnosed with any

> specific problem like a slipped disc or ruptured disc? Do NOT allow anyone to

put

> a needle in your spine for any reason. They are very dangerous and can

> cause Arachnoiditis a progressive disease that will make your life hell.

> > Janice

> > 1st appt with Orthopod surgeon

> >

> >

> >

> > I'm going to my first appointment with an orthopedic surgeon tomorrow

> (Nov 30) at the University of Washington Med Center.

> > I'm bringing my imaging.

> >

> > Is there anything in particular I should be asking at this

> appointment? I've never been to an orthopedic surgeon before so I am

clueless.

> > I am both excited to get vthe basll rolling, but also scared

> crap-less.

> >

> > Sam

> > (lower back ow-ey)

>

>

>

>

> ------------------------------------

>

> Links

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

Sam I had a chiropractor screw up my back too. He pushed my legs up into my

chest then pulled them violently down. I screamed for 5 minutes and left in a

wheel chair where I stayed until my first surgery. I was only 23 at the time.If

L-5 is involved the spine is involved. I have talked to many people and their

first injury has been L-5 and S-1. Just be careful no matter what kind of doctor

you choose. Your case may be great for an orthepedic doctor since it sounds like

bone is involved. Keep us all posted please.

Janice

1st appt with Orthopod surgeon

>

>

>

> I'm going to my first appointment with an orthopedic surgeon tomorrow (Nov

30) at the University of Washington Med Center.

> I'm bringing my imaging.

>

> Is there anything in particular I should be asking at this appointment? I've

never been to an orthopedic surgeon before so I am clueless.

> I am both excited to get vthe basll rolling, but also scared crap-less.

>

> Sam

> (lower back ow-ey)

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

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23:34:00

[Guest guest]

3. does he want to operate the first time he sees you.

4. Does he encourage a second opinion?

5. Did he suggest physical therapy?

6. What is the exact problem? How can it be fixed?

7. Can it be fixed?

1st appt with Orthopod surgeon

> >

> >

> >

> > I'm going to my first appointment with an orthopedic surgeon tomorrow

> (Nov 30) at the University of Washington Med Center.

> > I'm bringing my imaging.

> >

> > Is there anything in particular I should be asking at this

> appointment? I've never been to an orthopedic surgeon before so I am

clueless.

> > I am both excited to get vthe basll rolling, but also scared

> crap-less.

> >

> > Sam

> > (lower back ow-ey)

>

>

>

>

> ------------------------------------

>

>

[Guest guest]

Thanks

Sam

> > >

> > > Sam have you ever had back surgery? An Orthepidic doctor usually

> > operates on bones these days and a nusrosurgeon usually operates on the

back.

> > There are many questions to be asked before you let anyone cut your back

open.

> > What kinds of injuries do you have? Have you been diagnosed with any

> > specific problem like a slipped disc or ruptured disc? Do NOT allow anyone

to put

> > a needle in your spine for any reason. They are very dangerous and can

> > cause Arachnoiditis a progressive disease that will make your life hell.

> > > Janice

> > > 1st appt with Orthopod surgeon

> > >

> > >

> > >

> > > I'm going to my first appointment with an orthopedic surgeon tomorrow

> > (Nov 30) at the University of Washington Med Center.

> > > I'm bringing my imaging.

> > >

> > > Is there anything in particular I should be asking at this

> > appointment? I've never been to an orthopedic surgeon before so I am

clueless.

> > > I am both excited to get vthe basll rolling, but also scared

> > crap-less.

> > >

> > > Sam

> > > (lower back ow-ey)

> >

> >

> >

> >

> > ------------------------------------

> >

> >

[Guest guest]

Janice, you made me think with the epidural comment. I had 4 children, 3 natural

(not by choice !!) and got one for the last child. I was fine until then, my

daughter is now 6 and my problems have been going on for a little over 4 years.

Defintiely something to consider that that is the cause of mine.

Hell descibes it well. Today I feel like I got run over by a mack truck and it

came back for a 2nd time

[Guest guest]

Look up Dr. . She is a research doctor who also has Arachnoiditis. In

fact if you just type in the word Arachnoiditis you will find many sites telling

you that epidurals in the spine can cause this horrid disease. Arachnoiditis is

scar tissue around the nerves in the spine it becomes inflammed as it grown thus

the pain then the nerves may be severed by the scar tissue and that is called

quada equina syndrome I am in that stage now. The disease is progressive and in

time it can take your ability to walk away but this is many years down the road.

I am 60 and have been having serious back trouble along with surgeries since I

was 23 years old and I am still walking.Ask the doctor to order an MRI and if

you have Arachnoiditis it will show if the radiologist knows how to look for it

so if you have an MRI make sure you tell the technicians what your looking for

and if they know what Arachnoiditis is. It may not show up for years as it gets

worse or it could rear it's ugly head at any time. Stay in touch and let me know

how things go.

Janice

Re: 1st appt with Orthopod surgeon

Janice, you made me think with the epidural comment. I had 4 children, 3

natural (not by choice !!) and got one for the last child. I was fine until

then, my daughter is now 6 and my problems have been going on for a little over

4 years. Defintiely something to consider that that is the cause of mine.

Hell descibes it well. Today I feel like I got run over by a mack truck and it

came back for a 2nd time

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23:34:00

[Guest guest]

I think sometimes surgeons consider back surgeries a success if they do a

fusion, get the hardware in there, and the disks are aligned correctly. If it is

still going to hurt the same isn't necessarily on their radar when they consider

a successful surgery. I would ask him if the pain is truly going to get better

after the surgery or if it will remain the same from damaged nerves.

I am pretty outspoken so I would probably ask the nurse more things than the

doctor!! LOL She knows which patients have had a good outcome and which haven't

and the answer to probably ever question you have that the doctor may not want

to answer!!

Another suggestion would be to get on the State's website for the Composite

Medical Board and see if your particular surgeon has any written reprimands or

anything.

> > > >

> > > > Sam have you ever had back surgery? An Orthepidic doctor usually

> > > operates on bones these days and a nusrosurgeon usually operates on the

back.

> > > There are many questions to be asked before you let anyone cut your back

open.

> > > What kinds of injuries do you have? Have you been diagnosed with any

> > > specific problem like a slipped disc or ruptured disc? Do NOT allow

anyone to put

> > > a needle in your spine for any reason. They are very dangerous and can

> > > cause Arachnoiditis a progressive disease that will make your life hell.

> > > > Janice

> > > > 1st appt with Orthopod surgeon

> > > >

> > > >

> > > >

> > > > I'm going to my first appointment with an orthopedic surgeon tomorrow

> > > (Nov 30) at the University of Washington Med Center.

> > > > I'm bringing my imaging.

> > > >

> > > > Is there anything in particular I should be asking at this

> > > appointment? I've never been to an orthopedic surgeon before so I am

clueless.

> > > > I am both excited to get vthe basll rolling, but also scared

> > > crap-less.

> > > >

> > > > Sam

> > > > (lower back ow-ey)

> > >

> > >

> > >

> > >

> > > ------------------------------------

> > >

> > >

[Guest guest]

The best way to find out the possible outcome of a back surgery and will it take

away your pain is to ask other people who have ahd the same thing done. Not

doctors or nurses they are going to tell you what you want to hear not

necessarily the truth. With my first 3 back surgerie I had complete sucess. no

more pain at all until I did something dumb that caused me to hurt my back

again. I was young and infalliable nothing was going to stop me I had a ranch I

had 3 daughters I had a full time job 6 dys a week. But the wind finally got

knocked out of me in 1996 when I had to have a fusion then the fifth time to

remove the hardware. Never again. But each person is different so talk to those

who are living with it.

Janice

1st appt with Orthopod surgeon

> > > >

> > > >

> > > >

> > > > I'm going to my first appointment with an orthopedic surgeon tomorrow

> > > (Nov 30) at the University of Washington Med Center.

> > > > I'm bringing my imaging.

> > > >

> > > > Is there anything in particular I should be asking at this

> > > appointment? I've never been to an orthopedic surgeon before so I am

clueless.

> > > > I am both excited to get vthe basll rolling, but also scared

> > > crap-less.

> > > >

> > > > Sam

> > > > (lower back ow-ey)

> > >

> > >

> > >

> > >

> > > ------------------------------------

> > >

> > >

[Guest guest]

Janice - sorry to disagree- but most of all spine surgeries are done by

orthopedic surgeons OR Neurologists that all specialize only on spines. MOST of

any back surgery is actually bone related...very little is nerve related...If

they were to actually do surgery on your nerves it would often lead to dire

results. Good (notice the qualification there - if the surgeon is not a good

surgeon then his specialty does not matter at all!) orthopedic surgeons who

specialize in spine surgeries are often better or at least as good as any

surgeon at moving nerve fibers during surgery to relieve pressure.

I have had a cervical fusion (C4-7) and lumbar decompression (L2-S1) from a

noted orthopedic spine specialist and have had wonderful outcomes - He is

super!!

________________________________

From: Janice <faraway1@...>

spinal problems

Sent: Mon, November 29, 2010 11:30:14 AM

Subject: Re: 1st appt with Orthopod surgeon

Sam have you ever had back surgery? An Orthepidic doctor usually operates on

bones these days and a nusrosurgeon usually operates on the back. There are many

questions to be asked before you let anyone cut your back open. What kinds of

injuries do you have? Have you been diagnosed with any specific problem like a

slipped disc or ruptured disc? Do NOT allow anyone to put a needle in your spine

for any reason. They are very dangerous and can cause Arachnoiditis a

progressive disease that will make your life hell.

Janice

1st appt with Orthopod surgeon

I'm going to my first appointment with an orthopedic surgeon tomorrow (Nov 30)

at the University of Washington Med Center.

I'm bringing my imaging.

Is there anything in particular I should be asking at this appointment? I've

never been to an orthopedic surgeon before so I am clueless.

I am both excited to get vthe basll rolling, but also scared crap-less.

Sam

(lower back ow-ey)

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23:34:00

[Guest guest]

Here in Southern CA. the doctors who do spine surgery now call themselves spine

specialists as they only do surgery on the spine. I had an ortho. do my first

three surgeries then a spine specialist did the next 2. It doesn't matter the

results are the same I have Arachnoiditis.

Janice

1st appt with Orthopod surgeon

I'm going to my first appointment with an orthopedic surgeon tomorrow (Nov 30)

at the University of Washington Med Center.

I'm bringing my imaging.

Is there anything in particular I should be asking at this appointment? I've

never been to an orthopedic surgeon before so I am clueless.

I am both excited to get vthe basll rolling, but also scared crap-less.

Sam

(lower back ow-ey)

----------------------------------------------------------

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Checked by AVG - www.avg.com

Version: 9.0.872 / Virus Database: 271.1.1/3285 - Release Date: 11/27/10

23:34:00

[Guest guest]

sorry to hear that Janice - I did not mean to say anything to imply you did

anything wrong - we are all trying to find our way to being pain free! I pray

that will happen in some form for you!

I do have a question that has probably been answered in the forum, but I have

been away - Do you think the Arachnoiditis is from the surgeries or did you have

injections along the way too? If this topic has been beaten up and down here -

please reply individually to me ! Thanks mark

________________________________

From: Janice <faraway1@...>

spinal problems

Sent: Wed, December 1, 2010 10:01:29 AM

Subject: Re: 1st appt with Orthopod surgeon

Here in Southern CA. the doctors who do spine surgery now call themselves spine

specialists as they only do surgery on the spine. I had an ortho. do my first

three surgeries then a spine specialist did the next 2. It doesn't matter the

results are the same I have Arachnoiditis.

Janice

1st appt with Orthopod surgeon

I'm going to my first appointment with an orthopedic surgeon tomorrow (Nov 30)

at the University of Washington Med Center.

I'm bringing my imaging.

Is there anything in particular I should be asking at this appointment? I've

never been to an orthopedic surgeon before so I am clueless.

I am both excited to get vthe basll rolling, but also scared crap-less.

Sam

(lower back ow-ey)

----------------------------------------------------------

No virus found in this incoming message.

Checked by AVG - www.avg.com

Version: 9.0.872 / Virus Database: 271.1.1/3285 - Release Date: 11/27/10

23:34:00

[Guest guest]

Mark if you have had surgery and epidural steroid injections share the same

periods. Unless you had the steroid injections years ago then it really

matter.Don't beat yourself up for this happening to you. It happpens to so many

people. I bave birth without any thing for the pain which is what I wanted to do

but then years afterwards I get sciatica so bad I beg the doctors to cut my leg

off due to the pain. But after the pain was just to much for me I realized the

injections that the doctor wanted to do a lot more about it. Now I am 60 years

old and I can't even walk without gross pain in my legs and back I also have a

lot of issues with my body. It's all been caused by cigarettes. I am weak and

cannot stop smoking but I pray that my grand children will see what I go through

every day. I pray they never smoke. I have talked to each of them seperately so

they have my attention.

Janice

1st appt with Orthopod surgeon

I'm going to my first appointment with an orthopedic surgeon tomorrow (Nov 30)

at the University of Washington Med Center.

I'm bringing my imaging.

Is there anything in particular I should be asking at this appointment? I've

never been to an orthopedic surgeon before so I am clueless.

I am both excited to get vthe basll rolling, but also scared crap-less.

Sam

(lower back ow-ey)

----------------------------------------------------------

No virus found in this incoming message.

Checked by AVG - www.avg.com

Version: 9.0.872 / Virus Database: 271.1.1/3285 - Release Date: 11/27/10

23:34:00