a VERY Valuable Opinion has come in for my Neck issues-

[cavalier]

Hubby had been hoping for only one ADR for my neck I had tried to tell him I was not going to be that lucky. I wish I was less complicated. 2 levels maybe 3 Discogram will rule that 3rd in or out.

Dr. Fenk Mayer just sent this - Your MRI shows significant disc degeneration with secondary pathological kyphosis in c56 and c67.

C45 is only initially affected with a median bulge.

So corresponding to your progressive neck pain Dr. Bertagnoli recommends the following surgical plan:

1) Discography into c45 – to identify whether this should be included in the surgery or not. Discography is in our experience the best test in such borderline segments.
(I agree! I would NEVER do a surgery without one!)

2) ADR into c56 and c67 (or plus c45, if discography supports this).

For your arm symptoms: The resulting stenosis of nerve outlets in c56 and c67 is relevant, and it is to be expected, that a relevant share of your numbness and tingling in your fingers is secondary to this narrowing. Which will be taken care for with ADR. The additional vessel symptoms can also have an indirect origin in here – pain causes muscle spasm, muscle spasm and shortening contributes to compressing arm vessels in the thoracical outlets (TOS).

For me getting good circulation back is a must. I so value their opinion. May God continue to watch over them as so many people lives depend on their work

It is FAR less in Germany for one of the worlds best who has done over 3,500 of these - I contacted a doc I used to see a Professor who is also a Spine Specialist & I very good one. i have always valued his opinion. I will still send him my CD’s of my MRI - but this is what he said for cost - with only a few done so far due to costs

Insurance will not pay presently with the possibility of multiple levels, cost is probably 70-80k total for hospital, surgery, implants etc. I just thought I would update folks on here in case if it of interest.

I had questions back to Dr Fenk Mayer & I will be expecting to get those answered & further info in the days to come. Best - Jill
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[jchebert1979]

I am so glad you got confirmation that cervical problems can in fact be a cause of TOS. Forget about American doctors making that connection. Good for you.

[cavalier]

Hi there - while i expected Dr Fenk Mayer & Dr B to confirm the TOS is being caused by my neck - my GP & also the Vascular Surgeon I saw each separately came to this same conclusion. I appreciated the Vascular Surgeon's honesty in not putting me thru a unneeded surgery - although one quik look at this waiting room this man is not needing my business he has more than he needs. I also came to this conclusion based on my Right arm & hand now in getting worse like my left so I knew that was my confirmation.
while I know many doc's can bungle things & I have run into my share in this case I cant say they have - just the doc I was seeing who never looked into why I was having left arm shoulder & headaches for 9 mo's nor ever checked my arm to see but I went to a different GP who found it right away upon checking that something was wrong. Hang in there as hard as it is & if anyone can help you muddle thru the mess.
Someday you will get to the light at the end of the tunnel - it took me 10 yr's with my lumbar but that is because i refused a 2 level fusion. I just hope yours is quicker & that i get this underway for myself as well once more. keep in touch Jill

[jchebert1979]

Thanks Cavalier, I have no doubt that Mark will be a great help. I am just worried because I have no more money left. I have spent everything in getting this far.

[cavalier]

Oh how I wish money were not a issue ! I am in the same boat - I dunno how we are going to pull off multiple levels if we cant get any insurance help at all. I just got the estimate while lower than here in the states - it is still alot! Hard as I had a very rough nite last night & thinking this maybe continuing. Jill