haven't posted in so long I could be considered 'new'

[BlueSkyAndAwesomeSunshine]

Hello everyone, I read your stories and feel your pain and understand your anguish. If it was within my power, I would surely restore all of you and give you a healthy spine from top to bottom.

I sent my paperwork over to Stenum back in the summer of 2010 and they recommended a 3-level cervical replacement. I never did go over and get it done. In fact, I've had no surgery.

I deteriorate with every passing year and am getting concerned that in a couple of years I'm just not going to be able to hold my life together because the amount of weight I can lift only decreases.

My understanding is that currently in the U.S. only 1-level cervical disc replacement is approved. Is that still correct? What doctors in the U.S. are know to be absolutely fantastic about cervical implants? And would probably be the first to do more than 1 level?

Ideally, I would like to wait for all my surgeries that I'm going to need until more options are available here in the U.S. I simply cannot go jetting off to Europe every time I have a complication and of course, I get scared reading about some of the bad stories about Stenum. Although I suppose every doctor in the world is going to have at least 1 bad story....

How about insurance? Are there any amazing insurance companies in the U.S. that cover 1-level ADR? Right now, I have BCBS but I'm thinking right now would be a good time to switch to something that offers ADR. As things go downhill, I'd like to be better prepared insurance wise with a company that covers ADR because I surely don't want a fusion.

All of my cervical area is bad and my understanding is that if I have a 3-level fusion I can expect to put pressure on the (already bad) other discs and I suppose over time I would end up with my entire neck fused.

To make my life even more interesting, I also have lumbar issues mostly at L5S1, but no doctor has ever brought the subject of surgery up. I just get to live with the pain. Ain't life just grand?!

Any information regarding U.S. Doctors and insurance would be most helpful.

Thank you.

[Harrison]

Long time, no talk! Here's your post from a while back:

http://www.adrsupport.org/forums/f58...estions-10905/

I can merge the topic if the continuity helps us all. We are here for you; I'll rejoin this topic later.

I hope we can help you in your next steps.