Blast from the past to the present -

[cavalier]

Hello I see some folks from years ago still on here. This is Cavalier I had lost my password for some time. I had sent off a e-ml & had no reply. I just finally happened to come across in the hundreds of e-ml's buried my password. I had L4 L5 done in July or 04 with Dr B. in Straubing sitting was for quite a while still my achilles heel after the surgery for a year or more. I did VERY well other than sitting bending forwards or backwards after my surgery.

Today sitting is not as much of a problem but the rest remains due to my facets rubbing which I understand is the leftover from a long standing problem & the complications from my 1st back surgery which never took care of my failed nonexistent disc. I had a progressive spondylo by the time Dr B. got in there he gave me the dubious distinction of having the worst disc he had operated on in his 14 some yr's at the time as it was in fragments all outside where it should have been in charred pieces. Dr B confirmed what I had felt I would have been someone emergency fusion in a couple of weeks. I am forever grateful to Dr B. and always hold him in my prayers.

Since then I had a surgery to remove MMRSA a colonized staph infection, which left me run down for about a year afterwards and trying to rebuild up my immune system. We moved and 2 kids have graduated & a son had surgery for his hand last year severed a finger at work & then Hubby had to follow with him breaking a hand & his surgery & son had a revision surgery. We lost 3 of our dogs to a car accident right after moving to our new place that we choice for them. We had one who didn't get hurt & that was my dear dog who was my friend & helped me get thru my back surgery & pre op & post op. We just laid him to rest after i fought to keep him going for 2 yr's ironically to a neck demyelinating disease & I felt his spinal pain into his thoracic, it is compression & they get true nerve pain. At the end of his time with me in the last year I have compromised blood supply to 2 main ateries in my left hand i am Left handed. My GP blamed this on my recent HBP & never tested my arm - 9 mo's later & this getting worse along with other issues of migraine headache that started at the back of my neck & random dizziness and heavy feeling in the neck I went to a different doc who would take a look & she immediately saw I could no longer raise my arm past a level without increasing symptoms. MRI has me now aware of what is in the pandora's box I had hoped I could keep shut. This is also my leftover from the MVA in 94 it just now has gotten worse I was left weak in the neck from that but avoidance of certain things got me by. I have stenosis & narrowing with osteophytes Facet Arthopathy and a C8 Root Sleeve Cyst sitting on the Nerve Root. From C3 to T1 I have all of those levels involved.

I also have Thoracic Outlet Syndrome & it is hard for me to type or use my arms for long they get weak & clumbsy. Of all of the doc's I can think of & I know several over the 10 yr's as we moved to 8 states in that time so I needed to keep under a doc's care. It would have to be Dr B. of course & Dr Yue at Yale here in the States who never took a penny & was honest to tell me I needed Dr B's expertise for my back & put the time in to send my records himself & call me back direct.

I dunno if multiple Cervical Prodisc ADR is fully being paid now by BCBS yet - I have been told both yes & no but IF I can pull off getting insurance coverage as we paid out of pocket for my L4L5 Prodisc I call Natashia not quite 5 yr's ago (economy is not good right now & we now have 2 sons in college we are paying for maybe we will have to sell the house worse things in life if need be) but i can say the best money we ever spent was being so fortunate to have Dr B. as I have no doubt I would not have been as fortunate in 04 here in the USA.

Sorry this is so long - all the best - Jill AKA Cavalier in Tn.

[cavalier]

Cavalier here again - I was a bit surprised when reading some of the threads here that it is still largely felt by people that it is a no automatically without looking into it for a spondylo to be exempt from ADR surgery. At the time I had mine done in 04 I was one of 3 in the world who had ADR for this application - I assume but do not know if there have been more since. I do know Dr B. warned me I may still need Dynesis to help if ADR alone started to fail I dont want to jinx myself but for now it is standing alone. It is my neck which has gotten worse & the arms.

[Harrison]

Jill,

I am glad you posted and shared some of your incredible experiences. Is it OK if I ask you several questions?! I'll chime back in soon...I am glad you survived!

[cavalier]

Sure Rich i am open to ?'s - i do still have a hard time sitting for too long due to my facets but the ADR is doing good. I did capulize the findings in my neck - if this answers any ?'s for you - if not shoot it to me & I will answer.

Disc heights are maintainted & No gross signal intensity abnormalities. Have a MRI that shows Cervical Stenosis:

• C3/4 has narrowing of AP canal to 8 MM's slight disc protrusion bilateral facet arthophy Loss of Lordosis to the whole neck is shown & more levels involved -
• C4/5 Mild Spondylosis Moderate left facet arthopathy & left neural foraminal narrowing is mild.
• C5/6 Moderate L. posterior disc osteophyte Bilaterally with central stenosis mild narrowing of AP canal to approx. 7 MM & bilateral uncovrtebral joint hypertrophy and fect arthropathy with moderate left and mild right neural forminal narrowing.
• C6/7 Posterior Disc Ostephyte complex with mild central canal stenosis narrowing AP canal to Approx. 9 MM Mild L.neural forminal narrowing 2ndary to uncovertebral joint hypertrophy.
• C7/T1 Probably Root Sleeve Cyst associated with Right C8 Nerve Root.
• Have a abnormal Allen's test which is a Ultrasound of my Left hand in April that shows compromised blood flow to both Ulnar & Radial Arteries & a weak pulse,which confirms Thoracic Outlet Syndrome - which we dont know if this is 2ndary to the neck or a separate issue. I would guess tied to the neck, but I am not a doctor just live in this body. The hand started in 07 but came & went got better back in summer of 08 & now does not leave.

I had a VNG test by the ENT doctor which Confirmed the random dizzy spells recently- Evidence of Acute Peripheral Vestibulopathy Left R/O Peripheral Neuritis. Had a EMG I assume nothing noteworthy as I was not told of any issue. Have started PT for my neck & arm but I really think and would love to be wrong, but having been thru back stenosis before...
I am only interested in conferring with a doc who is up on all latest techniques so I know he or she can pick from any tool that may serve me best, including ADR Cervical if they feel that is the best solution for me, who has some experience. I just again want to know whatever they may suggest is based on complete experience & not due to limitations with good expertise.

I have shoulder issues chest left side by the heart area I feel it is connected to all of this as it comes & goes. Arm pressure & the lack of good blood flow to my Dominant hand as well as huge headaches that med's are not controlling & some intermittent neck nerve feels like it is getting pinched off & on. I always feel as if someone is choking me on the sides of my neck & this does affect what I can eat now. Hands can get clumbsy & left foot has given out a couple of times recently after brief sitting. Cant elevate my L arm and use of either hands in extending them exacberate both the hands & the neck.

What is interesting is they call the stenosis mild but in my readings on the net, including Dr B's site - a MD had Stenosis of 9 MM's & they called it severe by his Radiologist. I have 7, 8 & 9 but I also went out & found normal canal is 15 to 20 so regardless I know I am halfish of normal. If that is mild so be it - I have one respected Spinal doc who has not seen all of the info yet, but they did offer this much on the stenosis - it is considered to be SIGNIFICANT Stenois not mild in their opinion & they felt it was inpinging on the myelin, which I dont need to tell you what that means we all know that aint grand & it explains alot.

There has been no migration of my ADR which is holding the 2 offset spinal ends together at L4 L5. It is positioned still well Although I am having some low back pain down very low below this yesterday & today i think it maybe compensating for the neck - after all we are all connected. This neck got 2 whiplashes & then the side hit in 94 that broke my pelvis & hurt my low back at L4 L5 & made my neck weak so it helped move things a bit along.

As well as there is bad necks in my Mom now passed, my Aunt & my sister who had more minor neck changes & had Thoracic Outlet Syndrome to her L. hand as well - she had the 1st rib removed but it did return when she tried to go back to her former work - she also did PT for her neck at this time. She had to go into a different line of work so to me I am not convinced the TOS is not in our case connected to the neck & use. As before distance here is a issue, as there are not presently Doc's who do much iwth Cervical ADR's here I think Foley has done the most - I dunno his count now but it was only under a handful last I checked.

I dont want to see anyone who cant pick from everything so i know their decision was not limited by what they do. I just need to know what is the best option, I have a idea, but I want "them" to tell me.

[JeffreyD]

Jill,
Nice to hear your "voice".
You were a big help to me when I went to Munich for my lumbar surgery.
Blessings,
Jeff

[cavalier]

Hey Jeff - how is the Mobi C doing for you ? I am sorry to learn you had to have more surgery - but it seems as though you got the right help. Was your problem at those levels due to stenosis or the discs or a combo? I am having alot of issues with my neck & need to get some help there now.

All the best - Jill

[JeffreyD]

Thanks for asking.....
If I didn't know that I had 2 artificial discs in my neck, I wouldn't have any clue. It just feels like my neck works like it used to when I was younger.
I'm having major problems with my legs these days, with crippling pain. Still trying to get an accurate diagnosis. The more doctors I see, the more different opinions I get. I may follow Dr. Zeegers' advice and return to Munich to see Dr. Baumbach.

God Bless,
Jeff

[JeffreyD]

Sorry Jill, I didn't answer your question. Maybe I need an artificial brain.
My cervical problems were primarily due to central cord stenosis due to osteophytes and serious lack of disc height.

Cervical ADR surgery was a day at the beach compared to lumbar ADR.

-Jeff

[cavalier]

Thanks for the info Jeff. Pretty funny Artifical brain

Your problem with the osteophyets & impnging on the cord from stenosis sounds exactly like mione I have 2 levels for sure possibly a 3rd to be determined by a discogram. Have read about the Mobi- C also semi constrained liike the Prodisc C & reports sound good about it. It is in trials in some places here in the states but only one level so far that I have seen which does not help for folks like us.

Sorry to hear about your legs - odd things can happen over time just make sure things are still aligned good & facets are not rubbing etc. Nerves are OK etc.
I have some problems in the low back today's weather makes everything hurt though but nothing like I had - but considering this back went too long & basically was a salvage. My best thing is to try to keep moving - sitting still hurts.

Question did you have any success getting your insurance to pay for your Cervical ADR's by Zeegers?

Keep us posted if you will Jeff.
God Bless - always Jill

[cavalier]

Sorry about all of the typos - hands not working too great today nor the brain - Jill