Herniated disk: Lost and scared
 

Im Robert easy enough. Im 29, married with two kids under 4.
March of 2012 diagnosed with herniated disk L5-S1 to the left side.
2 injections pain free.
July 7 hurt the same disk again. I was getting better with time until the PT decided to rip me in half almost. I don't remember what the procedure was but could barley move afterward. And I have been on a downward spiral.
Spine surgeon at Indy Spine Group wants to do fusion but I have to loose +80 pounds first. I was a truck driver and obviously gained weight. I am working on loosing weight, just hard when you can barley walk a block.
I am seriously looking into ADR done by Dr. Ritter-Lang in Germany. I am getting my stuff together to send over to him to look at. My spine doc doesn't think its a good idea. In fact stated that ADR was not approved in the U.S. for Lumbar. I really just don't know which way to go. If I go ADR I will probably loose my job due to being released MMI. I don't and am not planning on going back to driving, just tired of missing my family, but my family needs health insurance. Both kids were born early one 9 weeks the other 4 weeks so they catch everything.

Lumber is approved in US for more than one level but insurance companies will only approve coverage for one level.
Read this thread for information about Dr. Ritter Lang:

http://www.adrsupport.org/forums/f58...y-april-12014/

Take the time to research and talk to doctors that perform adr surgeries before letting someone who does not perform them tell you it will not work!

Check out your surgeons!!
 

Robert, I agree with TPatti, do your homework and find out from surgeons who perform ADR, and see what they think. I can safely say that most surgeons in the U.S. who don't perform ADR themselves will not recommend going to one that does. Then for the smaller number that recommend consulting a surgeon who performs it, they will recommend staying in the United States. Unfortunately, the FDA only allows one single level of ADR in the neck and 2 levels in the Lumbar spine. However, getting insurance to cover it is another issue. I cancelled my surgery yesterday with Dr. Ritter-Lang after reading posts in here. My understanding was that he was better several years ago, but is now more interested in running Stenum Hospital like an assembly line. I'm told he does 6 to 7 surgeries a day versus others that do 2 to 3 a day. If you look at Dr. Ritter-Lang's website and read the testimonials, you would think he's the best in the world. You need to realize that 90% of patients probably get better merely by doing the fast surgery that he does. A herniated disc is removed and a new one is put in. Top that off with excellent hospital care by nurses who treat you very well (especially compared to the U.S.) and you will only hear great things about him. However, focus on the 10% of patients who did not have good experiences. I read a post where a woman had a new ADR placed on a level where she had a previous foraminotomy. In many cases, that type of surgery prevents one from being an ADR candidate (at least at that level). This woman was in constant pain afterwards, because the new M6 disc (which never should have been put in there) was causing it. She ultimately had to have it removed and get a fusion in its place. This scared me off, because I also had a foraminotomy at one of the ADR levels Dr. Ritter-Lang is recommending I have done. I saw one posting of a man who had a different type of disc than the M6 placed in him by Dr. Ritter-Lang and wasn't told about it. This wasn't discovered until months later, when the patient had an MRI after complaining of pain and the surgeon at home discovered it wasn't an M6 disc. I hear that Dr. Ritter-Lang's team is very helpful on the phone prior to surgery but very difficult to get a hold of after payment is made.

Contrastly, I've only heard good things about Dr. Pablo Clavel in Barcelona, Dr. Bierstedt in Dusseldorf, and AIMIS Spine in Cyprus. I am currently having all three of these groups evaluate my case. My symptoms are being caused by the new herniation at C6/C7. I want to be sure that ADR is the best solution before having it done. I'm currently suffering the domino effect of two prior fusions putting pressure on the adjacent healthy discs below it. ADR will stop the domino effect. However, I don't want it done at C6/C7 if it's contraindicated. Since my 2 fusions cover C3/C5, I might be able to get ADR at C5/C6, where I currently have a bulge, and then do something else at C6/C7. That's why I'm getting 3 additional opinions. Based on what I heard about Dr. Ritter-Lang, I don't trust him.

Robert,

Terribly sorry about you having to be here. :( Like NJGene and TPatti said, look into other places before going with Stenem and Dr. Ritter-Lang. There are some horror stories out there. Also, talk with others doctors. Just as every patient is different, so is every surgeon. Some are willing to take more risks with regards to weight, smoking, etc.

Feel free to drop me a PM about my ADR overseas experience.

Lumbar is approved in the U.S. for one (1) level to my limited understanding.

Do you have a reference on FDA.gov that states two (2) level is approved for lumbar?

The approved lumbar ADR/TDR devices are: Synthes PRODISC®-L and DePuy CHARITÉ™. Did something change?

MNI?

I only skimmed the other responses, but suffice to say I agree with everyone else. I wouldn't even send the SOB who put me in this position in the first place to Ritter-Lang or Stenum to be operated on. I don't hate anyone that much.

The fact that your doctor seems to believe lumbar ADR is not approved yet, you should run the other direction because this man clearly has NO clue what he is talking about. If he isn't keeping up with the FDA guidelines, what else is he not keeping up with?!?!

I want to respond more later when it is not so late and when my carpel tunnel is not so flared up I can barely type.

Welcome. You are in good hands here. This is a wonderful community or amazing people.

Maybe approved for more than level was not the best way to state - doctors have performed surgeries involving more than one level but you will have to pay out of pocket is probably better.

Thanks everybody for the responses. The surgeon I am being sent to supposedly was one of the first in the nation to do an ADR. I have had a few comments he has said that have raised red flags. Also thanks about Dr. Ritter- Lang I was starting to get the impression that he operated like an assembly line which isnt what I want.

The Bryan JUST got approved. Dr. Reynolds has done TWO two level ADR's with it on Worker's Comp patients.

What does MMI mean Robert?

Also, a great way to lose weight is to go on a juice fast. Likely your body will feel light years better on just fresh juice than it does on food. I have a $100 Jack LaLanne juicer from Bed Bath & Beyond and I LOVE IT! (They will replace it for free, FOREVER if it breaks!)

Here is a link with everything you need to know about it: Fasting

The first four days you WILL be hungry, but after that, the hunger disappears. As long as you don't chug the juice and accidentally restart the peristaltic action in your stomach, you will get no hunger pains until your body is done fasting. And believe me, you will KNOW. When your body is done you will be RAVENOUSLY hungry. My husband and I went on a 21 day juice fast and we made it 20 and a half. At about mid day on the last day we looked at each other and said, "I'm FAMISHED!" "Me too!" "Co-op!" Then we ran down to our local co-op for fresh veggies and raw food. (You do NOT want to jump straight back on hamburgers and the like, it could land you in the hospital). The first week after the fast should be raw foods, as close to their natural state as possible, and broth. Do not reintroduce meat until a week after breaking the fast. You should lose about a pound a day, AND feel GREAT!

Let me know if you want more info. I would be happy to walk you through it and support you as best I can.

Obviously, I am not a doctor, and this does not constitute medical advice. Just saying what worked for me in the past.