Went to see dr.Zeegers to Alphaklinik today - spent five hours - and the result - well - dr. Zeeger probably is good surgeon, but not so sure about diagnostics. Or maybe my case is really a puzzle. Got my flexibility measured - almost excellent, back muscle strength - quite bad - and this is despite all the exercises I was doing... After looking into my MRI and X-ray unfortunately he didn't say anything new - I can wait, can have only herniation removed, can get STALIF or STALIF at L5/S1 + ADR at L4/L5 - and it's up to me to decide. During our conversation I mentioned dr.Baumbach and dr.Zeegers was a bit surprised that I know that name, however he agreed that it would be good idea to see dr.Baumbach as well - and 10 minutes latter I was already in dr.Baumbach's office.
Now regarding dr.Baumbach I can say that his examination is really pretty good. However result was that it's not clear at all what's causing my burning pain. Herniation I have shouldn't be causing my current symptoms. Fortunately he had few more ideas - I need to get MRI of my neck - there is possibility that something is pressing on my spinal cord in that area and it could fit to my symptoms since he also found that I have some muscle strength deficit in my fingers, I also need to check if I don't have Lyme disease and also need to check if I don't have spinal cord infection by doing lumbar puncture.
After dr.Baumbach I went to see dr.Zeegers again - he called dr.Baumbach, they argued a bit about my diagnosis - didn't really agree on it and well - wished me a good luck
Cost (from my own pocket): for dr.Baumbach - 200 Euro (worth every cent), for dr.Zeegers - 300 Euro (feels a bit of waste and as payment for really nice office
).
Another interesting thing - I was looking at all ADR's at dr.Zeegers office - according to him they are made from exactly the same material as original ADR's including cores - but for me plastic of the cores (both Charite and Active L) looked really soft - I pressed on it with a nail and my nail left a mark on the core - keeps me wondering how this plastic supposed to last years ?
I also asked about Charite and he said that they are not good - bit surprising comment from the surgeon who implanted lots of them...