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Search: Posts Made By: CharlesinCharge
Forum: New Member Introductions 08-10-2010, 10:39 AM
Replies: 14
Views: 30,567
Posted By CharlesinCharge
Have you considered a discogram?

Tyler,

Everyone is correct in that a discectomy or foraminotomy will correct radiating arm pain (which comes from the nerves being pinched) but probably will not correct neck pain if that is...
Forum: Insurance Hell 07-06-2010, 10:30 AM
Replies: 16
Views: 13,074
Posted By CharlesinCharge
Approved for XLIF fusion by BCBS of California

I had the XLIF fusion in 9/08 and it was approved by BCBS of California, and I do not recall any instability of my spine ever being mentioned. I had "standard" Degenerative Disc Disease (at L3-L4),...
Forum: Insurance Hell 07-02-2010, 10:59 AM
Replies: 5
Views: 5,765
Posted By CharlesinCharge
Have you considered going overseas?

I am not sure if you are willing to go overseas to have the surgery done, but I know you can go to India or Spain and get a single level cervical ADR done for less than $20,000 (and that includes...
Forum: New Member Introductions 06-29-2010, 10:52 AM
Replies: 7
Views: 10,360
Posted By CharlesinCharge
Doctors in the U.S. definitely make more money!

Richard,

I am not sure exactly how much doctors in Germany earn, but I GUARANTEE it is less than in the U.S. I have read surveys and U.S. doctors are the highest paid in the world, bar none. ...
Forum: New Member Introductions 06-29-2010, 10:29 AM
Replies: 7
Views: 10,360
Posted By CharlesinCharge
Socialized medicine is also part of the cost reduction

I agree that with the U.S. being a sue happy country that drives up the cost of medical procedures. However, the countries where one can get ADR for a much lower price (Sweden, Germany, Spain, etc.)...
Forum: New Member Introductions 06-28-2010, 10:11 AM
Replies: 15
Views: 21,722
Posted By CharlesinCharge
MRI's don't work with the Maverick disc

I was speaking only of the Maverick disc when I said an MRI would not give a good image, as it is made of 100% steel metal alloy (no titanium). I had one done, and it was very blurry and completely...
Forum: New Member Introductions 06-25-2010, 11:42 PM
Replies: 15
Views: 21,722
Posted By CharlesinCharge
Flare up of SI Joints

I am really not sure what flared up my SI joints. I did take a hard fall on my butt a couple of months earlier when I was walking my dog in the rain and I slipped, so that may have done it. But, my...
Forum: New Member Introductions 06-25-2010, 10:31 AM
Replies: 15
Views: 21,722
Posted By CharlesinCharge
Try facet injections, then a discogram

I agree that ruling out the facet joints is a good idea, but your level of pain still sounds to me like it could be discogenic (sadly I have a lot of experience with it!). I would have facet...
Forum: New Member Introductions 06-24-2010, 11:07 AM
Replies: 15
Views: 21,722
Posted By CharlesinCharge
MRI will not work well with Maverick discs

I have two Maverick discs in my lumbar spine, and you will not get a clear MRI image with them in there---I tried. You could do a CT scan to get a look at your facet joints (with or without...
Forum: New Member Introductions 06-03-2010, 05:27 PM
Replies: 11
Views: 18,049
Posted By CharlesinCharge
This is why so many of us have gone overseas

MsLizzy,

Now you know why so many of us have ended up going overseas to have ADR surgery. Yes, they have been doing it in Europe longer than here, but there are still some great surgeons in the...
Forum: New Member Introductions 05-27-2010, 01:40 PM
Replies: 11
Views: 18,049
Posted By CharlesinCharge
Discogram in Bay Area

I live in the Bay Area, and there are numerous places you can get a discogram from a good doctor/spine specialist. I absolutely agree that the next step for you is a discogram, because you would not...
Forum: Insurance Hell 05-17-2010, 12:14 PM
Replies: 2
Views: 4,842
Posted By CharlesinCharge
Rejecting coverage is not a matter of cost (so they say)

BCBS (who also rejected covering my ADR surgery and MANY others as well) does not refuse to cover ADR surgery because of the cost---it could cost less than fusion and they will still refuse to cover...
Forum: New Member Introductions 03-10-2010, 02:24 PM
Replies: 19
Views: 36,889
Posted By CharlesinCharge
Alpha Klinik is not the only game in town.

Dave,

It may be that Alpha Klinik will not do an ADR after a hemilamenectomy, but I know there was a member on this site (Terry) that had one and later had a two level ADR at Stenum. It would...
Forum: New Member Introductions 02-26-2010, 02:27 PM
Replies: 19
Views: 36,889
Posted By CharlesinCharge
Once the disc is removed there is no nerve compression

Dave,

Nerve compression has nothing to do with ADR sugery, because in ADR surgery they remove the disc and replace it with an artificial one. Once the original disc is removed, it obviously...
Forum: New Member Introductions 02-23-2010, 01:36 PM
Replies: 11
Views: 17,066
Posted By CharlesinCharge
ADR in Thailand has become a good option

Neil,

As Harrison mentioned, several people have gone over to Thailand to have ADR surgery done because the cost is very inexpensive compared to many other places (even Germany) and they have some...
Forum: The Big File 05-20-2009, 10:22 AM
Replies: 22
Views: 25,276
Posted By CharlesinCharge
Hope your plan works

I think you made the right decision not to pay them all that money, and I hope your plan with the inversion therapy works. To be honest, it all depends on how degenerated your disc is at this point....
Forum: Insurance Hell 05-19-2009, 03:12 PM
Replies: 12
Views: 14,867
Posted By CharlesinCharge
Be sure it is the TOTAL cost

Just be sure it is the TOTAL cost, not just the cost of the Neurosurgeon and the device. His office may not know exactly what the Anestheiologist will charge, plus the 3-4 nights in the hospital,...
Forum: Insurance Hell 05-19-2009, 01:38 PM
Replies: 12
Views: 14,867
Posted By CharlesinCharge
Was almost $125K for my XLIF fusion

I had the XLIF fusion last September, and while my insurance paid for it I can tell you that the grand total (and I went home that day, I did not spend a night in the hospital) was almost $125,000. ...
Forum: The Big File 05-13-2009, 12:02 PM
Replies: 22
Views: 25,276
Posted By CharlesinCharge
Buyer Beware

You can definitely give it a try and it is doubtful it will do any harm, although in the expose that I saw there were a couple of people that felt worse afterwards. I saw an expose on TV in which...
Forum: The Big File 05-12-2009, 10:34 AM
Replies: 15
Views: 15,944
Posted By CharlesinCharge
Fusion not really better at L-5/S-1

There is considerable debate about it, but from what I have read the ONLY real advantage of having fusion at L-5/S-1 is that there is only one level that could be affected by Adjacent Segment...
Forum: New Member Introductions 05-11-2009, 03:03 PM
Replies: 31
Views: 48,575
Posted By CharlesinCharge
Discectomy would not proclude ADR

Symara,

Having another discectomy would not preclude you from having ADR in the future, buts lets be honest here---they are not really working. The disc continues to degenerate and protrude, and...
Forum: The Big File 05-08-2009, 01:18 PM
Replies: 15
Views: 15,944
Posted By CharlesinCharge
Fusion lasts for a lifetime

Arabella,

Yes, a fusion will last for a lifetime. Once the bone grows over and fuses, it is just as strong as a regular bone in your body. You say you are scared of ADR because it is major...
Forum: The Big File 05-08-2009, 10:34 AM
Replies: 15
Views: 15,944
Posted By CharlesinCharge
Can't just treat Stenosis if it is a symtom of DDD

Arabella,

I agree with Annapurna, stenosis is sometimes a symptom of DDD but definitely not always. Many people on this board had DDD and thus ADR or fusion surgery, and never had any stenosis. ...
Forum: The Big File 05-07-2009, 01:28 PM
Replies: 22
Views: 25,276
Posted By CharlesinCharge
DRX-9000 - A scam

It should be noted that the company that patented and sold the DRX-9000 was sued by a number of people that paid thousands of dollars for treatment and never got better, and they had an "F" rating by...
Forum: The Big File 05-07-2009, 10:35 AM
Replies: 22
Views: 25,276
Posted By CharlesinCharge
Decompression is removing the pressure from a nerve

trkdoc is precisely correct. There are many causes of back & neck pain, but the three most common are 1) Stenosis (narrowing of the spinal canal, putting pressure on the spinal cord and surrounding...
Showing results 1 to 25 of 43

 

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