[Cynlite]

These posts are copied from the thread “Two Level ADR U.S. Pay out of Pocket"
Posts dated April 15, 2015

Scoop302

You are right that going to Bierstedt has a much better rehab after. In Spain, two days after surgery, you go back to the hotel. Every day, once a day, a therapist comes to your room and will work with you for as long as she feels is necessary. One time she was there for 40 minutes, another time, it was 1 1/2 hours. That is it. You can then go out and walk around. It is highly encouraged that you do that. Four or five days after my surgery, my brother and I took a cab to Montserrat, about 1 1/2 hours outside of the city. There is a narrow dirt trail that is probably a couple of miles long that winds up to the top of the mountain. We started walking it, and we got almost to the top before we turned around because it was starting to rain. I wanted to go on, my brother said no way, he shouldn't have even let me do it at all. To answer the question of how you recover, before surgery I couldn't walk a block on a flat paved surface without pain. After, I walked a couple of miles up a steep, slippery dirt trail five days after surgery in a soft collar (I'm not completely stupid). You should have seen the looks I was getting from all the other people on the trail, especially the ones turning around and quitting. We also spent most days walking all over the city. I bet, I probably walked a hundred miles or so while I was there. That was what I did for rehab, and I am glad I did that instead of massages, rub downs etc. Too be honest, I wanted to go to Germany for other reasons, but also because of the rehab. Due to other reasons, it was decided for me to go to Spain and I am glad I did.

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1979 car accident: rear ended
1980 ACDF C4-5
4/8/11 stopped, hit again!?!
3 epidurals, PT, 2 MRI's,etc.
scheduled 3 times for C5-6, 6-7 fusion,
plus laminectomy at C3-4, and C 7, advised to do Bilateral lamino-foraminotomy C5-6, C6-7,a Percutaneous Discectomy L4 -L5
7/14 RFA on L3 to L5 (awake, local only)
C5-6,6-7 M-6 ADR with Dr. Clavel 9/17/14


JeffR

I don`t think you can think of Rehab being BETTER in Germany, it is more of a question of a different strategy or philosophy. Clavel wants you to be mobile after surgery and do physio to help get moving and stretch things out - but not to over do it. Bierstedt wants you to be much more active post surgery and get started on the physio much more aggressively. As for which is BETTER I don`t know if there have been any long-term studies on ADR outcomes based on post surgical physio intensity - I think each surgeon is going with what they perceive as working for their patients.
__________________
Lifelong history of back issues from a young age, spasms etc.
1995 - Weightlifting injury
1997 - Hip Injury
2009 - Trampoline injury (just bounced down on my butt)
2009-2011 Physiotherapy and medication, progress but no lasting pain relief
2010 - X-Ray DDD L5-S1, L4-L5, L4-L3
2010 - MRI Herniation L5-S1, Bulges L4-L5, L4-L3
2011 - Epidurals - No relief
2012 - Facet Injections - No relief
2012 - Discogram TBI - positive L3-S1

L3-S1 ADR M6-L w Clavel 11/28/2012

Stonewall Boris

The physio at Medicos was not that intensive. They did do some things I was not a custom to. The ever time I worked up a sweat was in the gym. And if it was too much I just said that. Medicos has you doing a full day but with a lot time between sessions. Between going back to my room a the Mariott and going to the lounge at Medicos I never felt pressured. It was good, in my opion, that a doctor was checking up on me, at Medicos, also my bandages were being changed there by a nurse.
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"the stone"

1969 age 10 1 week hospital stay lower back injury
1987 5 day hospital stay lower back injury
2006-2007 30 prolotherapy sessions
2008-current pain clinic
2012 December 13, 3 level lumbar ADR M6 Dr. Bierstedt Hattigen Germany