Thread: overwhelmed.
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Old 04-30-2015, 01:47 PM
acronymforme acronymforme is offline
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Join Date: Apr 2015
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Default overwhelmed.

I don't really have a spinal history. One day I was fine, next day I wasn't. I have no clue how it happened, but I am certain I do not want a fusion! I could be paralyzed and I will still be drug screaming into the OR for a fusion.

So, I need 3 levels - or maybe not.

I've done a bit of research and have gone to various doctors all over the US and have consulted with a few overseas.

Some Doctors (in US) who claim to perform disc replacements, run scared when they hear "more than one level", "kyphosis" or "Osteophytes" and claim it is not FDA approved for more than 1 level or with one of the aforementioned words. These are always the Neurosurgeons. They all want to do a fusion. They try to scare me and tell me I'm a walking timebomb. They are always very cautious about disc replacements and don't seem to be very well educated on the new (really old) technology. It appears the last update they read was 10 years ago. They're probably tired of reading from medical school 50 years ago.

If your only tool is a hammer, everything becomes a nail.

Doctors (in the US) who are willing to do disc replacements and don't care about the "kyphosis", "Osteophytes" or "multi-level" are typically minimally invasive surgery centers who operate their own independent/out of network surgery clinics. These are always Orthopedic doctors. These doctors are more open to new technology, and more maverick in their approach, but are also more apt to have been a part of certain medical trials or have a financial stake in the certain disc they are proposing (selling).

The problem with this is 100% cost. US surgery costs are astronomical. Also, everyone proposes the Brian disk, but I don't know if it's the best one. It also isn't approved for multiple levels.

So, I looked overseas... Where this technology has been used for oh, 30 or so years...

I found a German doctor who holds patents for certain discs, but wiring money to an offshore account is a bit scary. Plus the price kept creeping up each time I asked. He seems authentic, but again, there is monetary profit in using a specific disc he has a financial stake in. There are considerations at play such as: "responsiveness, who would I follow up with in the US, doctors won't touch another doctors work, what if something goes wrong and I'm stuck in Germany, what if something goes wrong and I can't get back to Germany, will I have legal protections?, etc.." I need to be sure that something fusing to my spinal column won't have to be ripped out in the future, or take my spine with it if it is... I decided to do more research. There is still one more doctor in Germany I'll look into before it's done.

And then I reached out the Medical Tourism companies. I haven't followed up with them yet. There "appear" to be some top notch spinal centers in India and other parts of Europe, but anyone can stick a bandage on their neck and shoot a video claiming to be "healed." Plus all the YouTube videos look like they were recorded in the 1970's.

So then I circled back to the US and spoke to more doctors. A neurosurgeon told me that there have been studies showing that these discs can actually repair themselves with the right therapy. He prescribed me a collar, physical therapy and nerve conduction study. He knows I refuse to get a fusion so he steered clear of that discussion.

I also went to another spine center. This final doctor actually spoke some sense. He said, "your main problem is stemming from only 1 level (shoulder pain and numb fingers). That's your worst spot. It's causing nerve problems. Let's just fix this level until something in your condition or insurance situation changes. You have some time and the other levels are not that serious." I also found out that the area of my cervical spine that went belly up only has a natural 7 degree flexion anyway and that I had lost that mobility loooong time ago in the 3 levels. I hadn't even noticed to be honest. I learned that rotation and up/down of the head are at levels 1 & 2 of the spine anyway.

Sounds legit. So if insurance will pay for it (I have the worst insurance on the planet! BCBS), I will do this. However, it is a Bryan disc again. If insurance won't cover it, I'm heading to Germany for one of the doctors there. India worries me. The Internet is full of people w/funky diseases and they are all living in India. Anti-Inflammatories keep me out of pain, so I can take my time to make a decision.

So the question is.. what is the best disc to use and why? Keep in mind 3 eventual levels & kyphosis.
-Bryan
-MobiC
-ProDisc C

I won't consider a prestige. I'm not a fan of metal shavings
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