Consult today and NERVOUS

[nanfromsactown]

Today is my consult, the first of a few in the US probably. I am super nervous, although I don't know why, I'm not going to ask this surgeon to do surgery! I'm on a fact finding mission and trying to get my claim settled so I can move on.

In reading the boards yesterday, came across the thread about how many surgeries some docs had done. Is anyone compiling a list? I was disappointed to hear that a doc at TBI had only done 123. I'm wondering if Bitan or Regan or Yue can beat that number? The number of surgeries means a lot to me as a patient. Which is why I'd like to go with Zeegers.

Thanks for all your good thoughts today!

[Harrison]

Nan, your comment about "123" made me chuckle a little bit. When I had lumbar ADR in 2004, I was Dr. Banco's 14th patient (glad I wasn't the lucky 13th!). Yes, of course, some minimal number ensures technical prowess and minimizes mistakes, but I don't believe a doc needs to perform 10 million to be proficient. As well, some of this "numbers bias" is based on the marketing mantra of spine brokers - so be careful how you employ this before making decisions. This is just my belief as an experienced patient, medical analyst and non-profit founder. Keep doing your homework and you'll get there!

BTW, Dr. Banco performed "10 million" other spine surgeries before starting the Charite' trials in 2000. That was good enough for me -- after I spoke with a few of his first ADR patients!

[nanfromsactown]

Well the consult went well. And just for facts sake, found out Dr. Hu has done 40+. Whats so funny (not laughable, just odd) is that she's been doing them since the trials!

Dr. Hu is extremely knowledgable. She made me very comfortable and spent a lot of time answering questions, in fact she anticipated most of them. Reason she hasn't done more? It's all about insurance. She's done single and multi level. She uses Pro-disc and had to disclose that she is paid by the manufacturer to teach. That's fine with me.

She wants me to have a DEXA scan and then if thats ok, a new discogram as mine is 10 years old. Basically if insurance will pay for 2 levels then that's what I'd get. She said that I have several pain generators. We know my facets are pain generators, and in the past the discs have also been pain generators.

Its interesting that i started this journey 10 years ago to find out what was wrong with me and try to get it fixed, which led to the IDET. Now I'm starting again, find out what's generating pain, and go from there.

I just need to wait for them to get the scan authorized by workers comp and then the discogram. I don't think they'll have any issue doing so because they want my case settled and need all this to do so.

[nanfromsactown]

Had my DEXA scan this week, just awaiting the results. The report from UCSF definitely states that if my DEXA is ok, I'm a candidate for disc replacement (obviously I still have to have that darn discogram!)

One more step forward completed.

[Harrison]

Nan, glad you are making progress! Hey, did you already read the multi-page topic on osteoporosis and DEXA scans? I included some DEXA reports in there too. It's a very meaty topic here.

I look forward to hearing about your results. Hopefully, all is well. Hey, if you remember, can you ask Dr. Hu about DEXA scans of L5-S1? My understanding is that this part of the body may be challenging for the imaging & processing software to analyze accurately -- though I am not sure. Hence my question.

Maybe when Tim gets back from his vacation he can chime in on this issue.

[nanfromsactown]

I will try to remember to ask her, but can't promise to remember. My memory has been quite bad of late!

No results yet.