Adrienne,
Hey I went to see doctor Baines for a second opinion. My Fresno doctor had told me that he would go off label and do a two level for me but eventually backed out, so instead of telling me face to face he left a message on my phone and reffered me to Oakland. Dr Baines spent an hour with me telling me that ADR's wern't that great although he had done a few. Then proceeded to try and convince me to have a two level fusion. He told me that if they were to do a two level they would be open to a lawsuit and I got the feelling that he was trying to get my doctor here out of trouble for telling me that he would do the two level. Anyway I think i'm gonna be better off going overseas to have the two level adr done. From what I gathered in Oakland the only ADR's that dr baines had done were a few during the clinacal trial that they participated in. He did mention that he had attended a Prodisc seminar so he might be approved to do the surgery using the prodisc but he said he didn't like the keel on the Prodisc, not sure if he was just trying to talk me out of it or if he really feels that way. I'm gonna have the Discover disc put in which is not approved by the FDA yet but is in trials, it is made of titanium which is one thing i was hoping for. and the surgeon that will be doing mine has done close to 150 surgeries compared to my local surgeon which has done 1 single level Prestige and Dr.baines who has done a few of a disc that he can't use yet.
The monies are a big factor and if I wasn't get help with that I don't know what I would do. I was considering doing the surgery locally if they would have done it and paid for it. But I'm glad its working out this way for me. Maybe there are other Oakland dr's with more experience and if you only need 1 level they say that they will pay for that if you fall within the FDA trial guidlines? I hope you get it all figured out and that it turns out well for you.
Fall from ladder 05 lots of pain
lots of test DDD C5,6,7
Scheduled two level Discover disc
Malaysia March 09
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