WOW!!! Does this mean I'm officially Bionic???
 

Hello Everyone...

My ADR procedure (single level L4/5) was done on August 15th and I was discharged 4 days later. I wasnt sure what to expect from a pain prospective, but it wasn't as bad as I imagined. I am a Disabled Veteran (my back is a service-connected injury) and my private insurance denied the procedure, BUT I was able to get the Veterans Administration FEE BASIS to pay for my private surgeon to do the procedure. VA will only pay for single level based on FDA approval and for procedures done stateside. They will pay for it to be done overseas.

So far I feel somewhat better and the pain I have seems to be more surgical pain. I was up and walking the same day as my procedure. They had Physical Therapy come down to meet with me twice a day while I was in the hospital. Since leaving the hospital I've been taking it easy and each hour standing up and walking around my house for 5-10 minutes. The surgical entry point is annoying as hell, but I am glad that they didn't go in thru my back.

I'll be two weeks post surgery tomorrow, but so far so good and I am glad that I had the procedure.

YZ2U,

Congratulations on a successful surgery and welcome to the other side! Here's to a continuing successful recovery!

Good luck, Jeff

Best wishes for you moving forward from California. I am glad you got it sorted out. I am sorry you had to go into surgery, ...

Assume you got a ProDisc. Keep on with PT as prescribed, mental attitude matters, you are tracking well I trust.

S

Yz2u
 

I am also a veteran i am 2 years into my initial claim waiting on my rating for my neck. wanted to know how you got fee basis so you can get the surgery through your private surgeon? the va is offering me to do fusion for c-5 c-6 but the dr said they don't do adr and that there is no evidence saying they are any better than adcf but he told me i will have 15% restricted range of motion with adcf. I am only 27 and would like to be as active as possible again after this ordeal and i am worried about the effects on the other levels of my neck and maybe having to have the adcf replaced after 10 years. i am assuming i can't do fee basis until im rated but i would like to know how so i can move quickly once my rating finally comes. is there a poc at the va to talk to about this or what? i have spent hours online trying to figure out how to go about this. thanks

As a tax-payer and a family member of a serviceman, I am so angered they do not take better care of you guys!

That being said, I am glad you were able to get an ADR, as all the studies I have seen say ADR is WAY better than fusion.

Gotigers, I really hope the OP has some sound advice for you.

BTW, the data out of Europe (and US clinical trials) supports ADR as the best solution. They have been doing it in Europe since 1990, so you are probably looking at more like 30 years out instead of ten. By my way of thinking, another surgery 30 years down the line for your life back is no big deal, really.

I do have a good friend who works for the VA that I could ask about this stuff, if you like. I'm not sure what he does exactly, but I'd be happy to shoot him an email if you would like.

thank you for the reply lillyth I would really appreciate you contacting your friend i could use all the help i can get.
those were the neurosurgeons words about the adr not mine, there was no budging him on that these doctors can get very narrow minded and bullheaded. very nice guy i just don't think he is really considering all the info i don't want the other levels of my spine to be compromised from the fusion and im 27 so i don't want to lose range of motion in my neck these are things that are almost as important as getting out of pain and afterwards will weigh heavily on my mental health.