Sagittal Correction surgery

[jsewell]

I just saw a new spine surgeon yesterday. My big concern right now is my lack of ability to stand up anywhere near straight. Walking is a problem as well , I can make it a few steps feeling like i am somewhat straight and then i can;t hold it up and end up very hunched over and in a lot of discomfort.
My regular spine surgeon has not suggested anything to help this problem. Maybe he is just worried about the lumbar pain.
the new doc looked at all my imaging, including x-rays, MRi's and Ct's and suggested a surgery to correct my problem 30%. He showed me on my body what the correction would feel like. Also told this is a huge surgery witih an oseotomy at L3 and includes replacing all the hardwear from thoracic down to my pelvis. Some of it is new as i only have had hardwear to L4. My spine has kyphosis where it should have lordosis and lordosis where it should be kyphotic, this has been caused by all the fusions i have had. It would be a difficult 8 hour surgery.


Anyone ever had a surgery like this? He will be using computer assisted navigation. One question i have is should i even consider having the surgery when i propose it to my spine surgeon who has done most of my surgery. i will definitely discuss it with him in case he knows of any contraindications. I think about my posture all the time , every time i get up to walk. I cannot stand in one place without hanging on to something and walkking is always a challenge. When walking and trying my best to stand up straight, my back muscles seem to give out within a few minutes.


Any thoughts,please share.
Thanks,
judy

[Maria]

Judy,
I think it's good to get other opinions. Maybe even about this opinion. I would run it by your surgeon just to see what he says. Just because he hasn't offered it doesn't mean he may not think it worth doing or be Ok with someone else doing it. Surgeons can have limitations and some will admit it and some will not however I think at least if you talk to your surgeon about it hopefully he'll give you the best input he can with regard to why or why not he'd consider it for you even if someone else is performing the surgery.

I also wonder what adaptive equipment might you use to support your body without having surgery should your surgeon not recommend this surgery?

Will your spine continue in this pattern over time w/o any intervention?

It sounds like so much surgery to go thru and also to replace hardware that was so recently put in ... what would the consequences be of waiting a bit longer just so your body would have some time in between surgeries? Would it be worse for your spine or ??

I would try to find out as much as you're able with regard to this surgery and anyone that's had it or something similar as long as it's not an emergent situation to have surgery even though you may really want to get it done as soon as possible.

Lots to think about and research and check out so am wishing you the best with this! Maria

[mmglobal]

Judy, this is such a huge decision. I have observed a few of these big revision surgeries and they are brutal. During one of these surgeries, I said something to the surgeon about it, he looked up at me and said, "It hurts your soul."

Surgery may be your best option. I know that you have been around the block (hundreds of times) and have realistic expectations. You know the recovery will be long and incomplete. I don't know what happens if you don't do the surgery. How do you compare the risks? If you want to sit down and look at it together, I'll be happy to discuss it with you (n/c and with all the obvious, "I'm not a doctor" qualifiers.)

Take care... call anytime.

Mark

[jsewell]

Thank you Mark i will be calling you I did email the surgeon yesterday and tell him to go ahead. It makes perfect sense that this is what i am suffering from. I feel now like i am walking like a gorilla. Not kidding. Everyone i haven't seen in even a few months notices the degeneration . My son asked me what happened? My brother asked me if i broke my neck again. My mom just said so this is the way you walk now. I am very self conscious about it all. i seem to only go out to Dr appointments and rarely some type of grocery store as i can hang on to the cart. I am going to start walking with a cane again to see if it helps a tiny bit. I saw a DrRasouli at Cedars Spine Center. I got so bad i could only make it to my kitchen without being totally hunched over, now not even that far. I have also read that it is progressive.
By the way Maria is up for a visit to her , but not her traveling . I am up for anything that gets me out of the house!!!
judy

[Maria]

Come on out for a visit! I'm still packing.. been slow because I had Lola here with me and she's now very sick with a fatal cardiomyopathy. She's on Lasix and two cardiac meds. I had to have her "dad" take her back this weekend so that I can get back to packing here. My other place is ridiculous with the contractors working at a snail's pace!!!!

Anyway my posterior tibial tendonitis had flared up while Lo' was here with the many little walks I had to take her on yet thankfully the biggest prob I had with my spine was knocked out by a 60mg injection at Toradol at Urgent Care 2 weeks ago!

Judy, you made your decision~ it sounds like massive reconstruction but if it does the trick to help stabilize your spine then it will be worth the magnitude of the surgery and the recovery.

Hope to see you 2 someday soon! Maria

[jsewell]

Hi Maria and Mark, i am pretty free basically. I am getting an iron infustion on friday and i work on Tuesday late afternoon so Wed mornings are not good either, but other than that my week is pretty much my own instead of like 5 doctors appointments like last week!!
Maria i am so sorry about Lola. how old is she? What day, times are good for you?
judy

[Maria]

Hey Judy,
This coming week I have no doctor or other appts. except for Alaska's standing Mon. Weds, and Fri. a.m. appt. for fluids at the Vet's. Usually take her in between 10-11a.m. and am only there for about half hour.

So Tues and Thurs are my most free days.

Yeah I'm very sad about Lola's health. She's only 10 years old and just turned that on 6/16. She goes back to the doctor in 2 weeks.