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Old 07-13-2021, 10:33 AM
annapurna annapurna is offline
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Join Date: Dec 2004
Posts: 1,668
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First - I can't give you a guide for making a decision. How you decide to rank different risks and different types of risk is something personal to you but I can point out a few things.

I've never heard of Egoscue before your post. A 5 second glance at the webpage Google found suggested that it's a strengthening and flexibility enhancer; both of which would help offset mild problems and probably stop advancement. Neither of which would be guaranteed to stop advancement of moderate or severe conditions. One of the neurologists explained chiropractic care for torn disk to be "stomping the other side of a jelly donut to get the jelly to go back into it" and that seems to apply here.

In my experience, doctors give different solutions to the same presentation of problems because they're viewing the list of acceptable solutions based on their experience. A surgeon with 1000's of fusions and a hand-full of ADRs completed will lead towards fusion, for example. The only way around this that I've found is to ask the doctor why they recommend something, after having done enough research on my own to be able to tell BS when it's spouted at me. Basically, ADR is disfavored but not unavailable in the US. ADR is favored and can be used in situations where it's not advisable in Europe. Thus, the different answers you get.

The one firm thing that I can say is that leg weakness is definitely a bad sign. Depending on how serious it is, that may be a BAD SIGN. It does mean that the clock is ticking for finding a long-term solution if you want to achieve a full or nearly-full recovery. I don't mean to spur you to an unwise decision that gets you into surgery in weeks but it is time to make decisions and start seriously working in the direction of resolution.

Now an opinion - fusing L5-S1 or anything between L3 and T10 seems to me to be very unwise with the double level fusion in place already. L5-S1 fusion would transfer load to your SI joints and hips. Hips can be replaced but only a limited number of times before the bone damage becomes pronounced. SI joints can't be replaced and the only repair is to fuse them, which speeds damage to the hips. If it were me and, again this is just my opinion, I'd get on at least one Zoom or Zoom-like consult with some of the Europeans who're recommending ADR and ask as many questions as you can to understand their reasons for offering it.
__________________
Laura - L5S1 Charitee
C5/6 and 6/7 Prodisc C
Facet problems L4-S1
General joint hypermobility

Jim - C4/5, C5/6, L4/5 disk bulges and facet damage, L4/5 disk tears, currently using regenerative medicine to address

"There are many Annapurnas in the lives of men" Maurice Herzog
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