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Old 01-14-2020, 07:43 PM
star7 star7 is offline
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Join Date: Jan 2020
Posts: 2
Unhappy new member suffering 10yrs after C5-6 ADR

As I continue to look for help with failed hardware, C5-6 ADR, I thought I should also share my personal experiences in hopes to help anyone else going through this. I had Lumbar fusion L4-5 (July06), lumbar surgery to remove bone spurs (Feb07), Cervical disc replacement(Medtronic Prestige Aug 09).

I've been dealing with countless symptoms since 2014 from numbness tingling pain in legs, hips, pelvic, diaphragm, ribs, shoulders, digestive issues, dysphagia, chest pressure/pain. Bloodwork, colonoscopy, endoscopy and US have ruled out a lot scarey things. So I was told its fibromyalgia and we may never know whats causing the pain,I'll just have to live with it. I declined steroids and muscle relaxers. I had to fight for a MRI of spine and after all the back n forth I found that they had diagnosed me w/ scoliosis in 2008(but never told me) more recently diagnosed w/osteophytes complex in multiple areas, kyphosis, spodylolthesis &one of the screws in cervical disc replacement is coming loose.

I've been with the same HMO since i was born (50 yrs) and now they are making it difficult to get any kind of care. I was told by the surgeon who placed hardware in neck that "its not surgical", had to file a grievance to get a 2nd opinion, months later I see Dr who says hes "very worried about me", ADR needs to removed and fused together and the level below needs to be fused and the level above needs to be monitored. He asked if I had trouble swallowing, YES i said and also makes breathing difficult at times. I asked if the spine surgeries caused the kyphosis, scoliosis and spondylolthesis, he said "yes its possible".

I thought I finally found Dr who knew what i was feeling both physically and mentally. Weeks went by without hearing from anyone so I emailed and called to see what our next step was. No reply for almost 2 months. I then get a call from nurse who says (2nd opinion)Dr says Hardware looks excellent, no surgery necessary, just monitor. My point in sharing all these difficulties is please make sure you have a TEAM that will see you through the surgery process and post surgery. Don't let them tell you that digestive issues are not connected to your spine or its all in your head. If anyone has any suggestions or referrals it would be greatly appreciated. I'm in Northern CA but will travel anywhere if I can find a surgeon who can help me.
__________________
I had Lumbar fusion L4-5 (07/06), lumbar surgery to remove bone spurs (02/07), Cervical disc replacement(Medtronic Prestige 08/09).
I found that they had diagnosed me w/ scoliosis in 2008(but never told me) more recently diagnosed w/osteophytes complex in multiple areas, kyphosis, spodylolthesis &one of the screws in cervical disc replacement is coming loose. Anyone else dealing with hardware failure and/or unexplained similiar symptoms
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