Time to choose...paella or schnitzel

[ian]

Both Dr. Clavel and Dr. Bierstedt recommended ADR at L4/L5. I spoke with Dr. Clavel and liked him immediately. I haven't spoken with Dr Bierstedt yet, but his references online speak for themselves.

It seems I can't go wrong with either choice. I've been a risk taker my entire life, which is why my back is messed up in the first place. But I've never been so scared of anything as I am about back surgery. And selecting a doctor is turning out to be a brain-twisting decision.

Part of why this is such a difficult decision is that there are numerous things going on in my low back, DDD being one of them. And I'm unsure if the disc is the primary problem, or if the facet joints and stenosis are equally as responsible for my pain. But both doctors believe that replacing the disc will help. Not necessarily eliminate my pain completely, but it should make a big difference.

So at this point it's just a matter of pulling the trigger and scheduling the surgery. Damnit, this is a harder decision that I realized!

[Stonewall_Boris]

The descion making process is the most difficult thing in all of this. The next will be planning the logistics of the trip. You can't make a mistake by going with either Bierstedt or Clavel IMHO. But, yes, it is a hard, gut wrenching, stomach turning descion to make. But when you make the descion you feel relief.

[mcjagger]

Paella....I'll be happy to recommend where the best is in Barcelona :)

[2Confused]

Paella! All the food in Spain is fabulous!!

[Stonewall_Boris]

2Confused,

All food in Europe is fabulous. Europe has a strict non GMO policy. :clap:

[ian]

I spoke with Dr. Bierstedt today. He actually called me up. He dropped some serious knowledge on me and broke everything down concerning my films, my history and why he's certain my problems are discogenic related at L4/L5.

My decision just got a whole lot harder!

[bwink23]

Well Ian, you got two top surgeons to come to the same conclusion...i suppose it's a matter of picking which one you want to go with and getting it started ?

[ian]

Yep, time to get off the pot and choose. I've got an appt scheduled with a neurosurgeon at UCLA in a couple weeks to evaluate a couple other issues in my spine, so after I speak to him I'll make a decision regarding ADR.

It's funny, this feels like a life altering decision. And I've never been indecisive about anything before.

Well Ian, you got two top surgeons to come to the same conclusion...i suppose it's a matter of picking which one you want to go with and getting it started ?

[2Confused]

True!! But I prefer the Spanish diet over the German! French or Italian works too! I love to visit the markets when in Europe - the produce looks and smells like it should! Yea, no GMO's!:clap:2Confused,

All food in Europe is fabulous. Europe has a strict non GMO policy. :clap:

[Jen93312]

Hi Ian,

It is a life-altering decision, part of the reason I haven't done anything yet, that and the lack of continuity in diagnosis.

I also have sacralization in the lumbar, probably caused by an extra vertebrae. Anyway, I wont get into my history, but I would very much like to hear the "knowledge" or however you put it, that Dr. B dropped on you about the discogenic pain.

Sorry so brief but I'm laying down trying to type and I don't want this to time out!

Take care,

Jen

[ian]

I've been told in the past that I was probably experiencing pain at L5/S1, but Dr. Bierstedt said that is highly unlikely since this area is fused naturally. Even when the disc is thin, as it is in my case, since there is no movement then there should be no pain.

Because there's no movement at L5 my vertebrae above have overcompensated over the years, which has caused the disc at L4/L5 to get overworked (and is dried out). This I already knew, but I just assumed that pain was also being generated at L5/S1. A surgeon in Los Angeles said I needed to get fused at L5/S1. Dr. B basically laughed at that since I'm already fused. Even if the disc completely collapsed it wouldn't matter. He and Dr. Clavel both agreed to just leave it alone.

A sacralization basically means that your sacrum really begins at L5 and your lumbar spine begins at L4. Something like 10% of the population have some form of sacralization, but most people never even know it.

Hi Ian,

It is a life-altering decision, part of the reason I haven't done anything yet, that and the lack of continuity in diagnosis.

I also have sacralization in the lumbar, probably caused by an extra vertebrae. Anyway, I wont get into my history, but I would very much like to hear the "knowledge" or however you put it, that Dr. B dropped on you about the discogenic pain.

Sorry so brief but I'm laying down trying to type and I don't want this to time out!

Take care,

Jen