No Surgery... Yet

[Stonewall_Boris]

Good grief. These German docs have been outsized in their egos for so many years. I am OK with big heads, but not big heads without evidence. Or with failures. Which all of them have.

Harrison,

Speaking on behave of Dr. Bierstedt, and MEETING HIM IN PERSON, he is one of the most timid persons I have ever met. In my opinion there was nothing egotistical about him at all. The only sense I could pick up on him was that he was quiet, thoughtful and would do anything in his power to make my surgery a success.
Regarding the rest of your post, I'm sorry, I misunderstand the point your trying to make.
BTW Is your broad statement regarding German docs egos limited to Germany only?

[ian]

Yeah, definitely no ego involved with Dr. Bierstedt. He's a very soft spoken man.

Originally Posted by Stonewall_Boris

Good grief. These German docs have been outsized in their egos for so many years. I am OK with big heads, but not big heads without evidence. Or with failures. Which all of them have.

Harrison,

Speaking on behave of Dr. Bierstedt, and MEETING HIM IN PERSON, he is one of the most timid persons I have ever met. In my opinion there was nothing egotistical about him at all. The only sense I could pick up on him was that he was quiet, thoughtful and would do anything in his power to make my surgery a success.
Regarding the rest of your post, I'm sorry, I misunderstand the point your trying to make.
BTW Is your broad statement regarding German docs egos limited to Germany only?

[drewrad]

My MRI from Feb. 2012.

A few different images here.




X Ray from Feb. 2014. Kind of a crappy one. Notice the thin height between discs.



MRIs from Feb. 2014, two years later, current.





I put the two years difference here, 2012 to 2014, so that you can note progression if you see any.

So, I'd like your thoughts on this.

I know there aren't any doctors on the forum(I think???) but there are some very bright people who might be able to give a great diagnosis and back up their opinion. Plus, a lot of you have horse sense. You also have this problem. Maybe not a multi-segmental like me, but back pain. And, you aren't tied to a financial conclusion which makes your opinions that much more honest and real.

My symptoms are cold feet, both left and right. Can't sit at all. I'm typing this standing up. Burning, stabbing pain in right buttock, right upper hamstring.

Occasionally had left front thigh pain, but not as much anymore.

Clavel said I had S1 foraminal stenosis and might be able to get away with a one level L5/S1 M6. I told him I didn't like the term 'might get away with' and I discussed the option of more ADRs in case, at 44 yrs. old, other problems arose later on down the road. I'd like your thoughts on his opinion. He did say that a 3 level was definitely an option he'd consider.

Anyways, kind of a sucky situation all around being multi-segmental. I almost think since there are so many levels with a problem that maybe they should just shove an iron rod up my spine and hang me from a wall all day!

Your trained eyes and opinions welcome here please.

[ian]

That's a painful looking MRI there. It looks like L3/L4 and L4/L5 are in bad shape as well. Obviously I'm no doctor, but I can't imagine not considering 3 level ADR. Hell, L2/L3 looks like it's seen better days.

[pittpete]

Looks like L2-L3 has some Spondylolisthesis going on.
Well i'm no doc, but first you'd have to confirm which of the discs are causing your pain. By your complaints i'd say L4-L5 because of the dermatome.
When i herniated my L4-L5 thats where i had the sciatica.
When i herniated L5-S1 many years later i felt it in my buttock and outside of my right foot non stop even while lying down.
Clavel says foramenal stenosis?
Both sides?
Let me ask you this...
Which is worse,the legpain or lowbackpain ?

[drewrad]

Yep, Spondylolisthesis has been noted on the L2/3 by a few docs, Zeegers included. I think you're right about getting the dermatones figured out first to make sure pain is understood more clearly. That's what Zeegers is all about, even if I feel more comfortable with Clavel. I don't want a discogram if I can help it. Carl Laurysson told me there's a procedure called EMG where they use acupunture needles and run them through a current and can tell where the pain originates that way.

For me, its just difficult to say. I look at those pics and I think Whack-A-Mole. You hit one disc and another one pops up somewhere else. You put in one ADR and a couple years later you're experiencing new pain because another already shot disc wakes up your nerves.

I'd like to take care of as much as I can in one shot. The Costco approach, from both cost and time, get ur done.

Pittpete, to your question, the pain is more right buttock, right upper hamstring, sharp and burning. Sometimes my right groin. Cold feet. Low back doesn't hurt really except for some strange mechanical stuff from time to time but no real pain pain.

[pittpete]

Dreward usually thats what a doctor will ask you or should.
I've had 2 discectomies and both times it resolved my legpain.
Legpain was unbearable both times.
Now i have more mechanical lowback pain and rarely any legpain but the right buttock is always numb and achy.
Check out chirogeeks website on dermatomes.
I was able to pinpoint my legpain the 2nd time even though my L4-L5 slightly reherniated.
I made it easier for my surgeon to tell that it was L5-S1 causing my legpain.
I will tell you from experience that we can help determine what is actually causing pain better than a doctor can.

[pittpete]

Heres my latest MRI in December of 2013 after 2 seperate discectomies

[drewrad]

Man, you've got a lot more height than me, even though we're both deflated. You've got more 'stuff' left.

And that's kind of my problem as well. They can do a micro on me, but then if you look at my L3-S1 I'm going real close to bone on bone at those levels and then what? Bone spurs and arthritis? Narrowing of the posterior spinal canal? In a way ADR would be almost preventative, as laughable as that sounds, or does it? It would be laughable to a lot of US docs for sure. "You're getting ADRS oversease for what? To prevent arthritis and bone spurs? Are you crazy?"

I dunno. Am I crazy?

[pittpete]

My L4-L5 disco was in 1996.
Im just saying i don't like the Costco approach.
We're talking about your spine here bud.