[fuzzy]

I did go to AlphaKlink. Many reasons for that. Dr. Z. did a fusion on my L5/S1 even though he originally offered ADR. He did not charge me extra for the fusion, which normally goes for 3000 euros more, which he did using my own bone, again, for a very good reason. After taking double xrays he spotted a minute shift in my L5 vertabrae on flexion. He said it was not worth to risk putting ADR there but to do fusion instead so now I have 1 fusion and 1 adr, with no complications. The improvement was immediate. Ask Mark, I met him there and he saw me walking better then in 7 years, after only 1 month. This shows that they will not just do ADR no matter what. They do reject patients as well. I know of several.

I have researched this since 2000 and read a lot of the negative stuff. In US they told me don't have surgery, its bad news, its too risky, the word "guinea pig" came up. Live with it. Go home. PT, pain killers what ever. I read and read and read. Everytime I had another level 10 episode I read again. So when I finally showed up in Germany it all fell in place with everything I knew and read. Yes, I personally felt that there was more "money" behind Bertagnoli" then with Zeegers *EVEN* though the Alpha is so darn flashy that all one can think is whoah, there is a lot of money in this place. I went there 4 month before I actually had the surgery so I had time to think. But then if they did bad operations all the time there would not be there anymore with that big sign on the front. So I know I was taking a big risk when I walked in the back door and layed down on that stretcher and prayed when they stuffed the IV in that all the bad stuff I had read about would not happen to ME because it probably would and I don't like gambles, I never go to casinos and I did it anyway, even with all the concerns. I guess I hurt long enough and knew that was the only way it could get better. Mind you 10+ years of this backpain sh*t, getting worse every year.


ADR vs fusion. The STALIF fusion that Z. did to me worked fine out the door. Yes, the hip site hurt, real good. But if you need to decide weather to have fusion at L5/S1 don't rule it out. It seems like it worked just fine, just as good as the ADR above so I am somewhat glad I only have 1 ADR...