|
International Assistance Any topics relating to traveling or communicating with international treatment locations are here. |
|
Thread Tools |
#1
|
|||
|
|||
L5S1 Herniated disck. I am from Barcelona (Questions about Doctor PABLO CLAVEL)
Hello, my name is Emilio.
First of all, sorry about my bad english. I will try you to understand me. I am desesperate. My life is a nightmare from january 2015. In fact... i say that i died in january 2015...No...honestly no, I wish... Before of this fucking date I was a happy police man enjoying of life and his love: bodybuilding. I love this sport. From january 2015 to may 2015 I tryed to work and doing something in gym but it was impossible and a nightmare of pain. From may 2015 I can´t do nothing. I am sure I have to opt for surgery but I can´t do it until September-october (due to a work-related reason) And the best joke: the doctor who currently treats me told me last week that he don´t want to do surgery because it is a paht of no return and maybe it would be worse. What the fuck?? worse than my life?? Impossible. HE IS THINKING OF FUSION, ETC. I tryed all; physioterpy, apitherapy, ozonotherapy, medication and actually expensives and ineffective shots of orthokine (like plasma growth) I have been reading about ADR and I am sure this is a best option for me. I want to see doctor PABLO CLAVEL in barcelona, my city. Can somebody explain me his experience with him and this surgery in lumbar? Some person with a professión or sport similar to me? Please, help me, my life has lost all sense. In other words....i lost my life and I want to get my life Regards from BARCELONA (SPAIN)
__________________
Police man and bodybuilder (From Barcelona, Spain) JANUARY 2015 -MRI : Herniated disc ( posterior medial hernia) in L5S1 . Does not compress the sciatic nerve. My life is a nightmare. I can´t work or doing sport. PAIN , PAIN AND PAIN PAIN IN MY BACK, NO PAIN IN LEG |
#2
|
||||
|
||||
What are you waiting for? Just go see him! I've been living in chronic and debilitating pain for almost 10 years so, believe me when I say that I very much understand this cycle of pain and how much it destroys your life. I'm sorry you have joined this awful club but, glad you found this wonderful board.
In my opinion, Dr. Clavel is one of the top ADR neurosurgeons in the world and he implants one of the best devices in the world. On top of that, Quiron is a very good and well equipped hospital. After spending months reviewing surgery outcomes on this board, sending my package out to six highly rated surgeons in the U.S. and Europe, plus personally speaking to all the surgeons, Dr. Clavel was and is my choice. I've also spoken to and emailed with many of his patients. I hope to have Dr. Clavel do neck surgery on me this summer. What's important in making your decision is finding a surgeon you trust first and then getting the best disc. I can't remember the exact number but, Dr. Clavel has implanted over a 1000 devices so, he has more experience than most surgeons in the world and that's what you want. Placement of the device is key in having a successful outcome from your surgery. I've seen some really awful post op x-rays but, never with Dr. Clavel's work. He always places the discs perfectly. I am not a lumbar patient but, from what I've read on this board, your top choices for devices are between the M6-L or the Activ-L. Dr. Clavel uses the M6-L. You could also speak to Dr. Zeegers who implants the Activ-L in Germany. Dr. Zeegers is one of the founders in ADR going back to I believe the 1980's. You are so fortunate to have these top rated surgeons so close to you! I believe they will give you the best advice on if you are an ideal candidate for an artificial disc or if you will need to have a fusion. Getting two more opinions will help you decide. Hopefully, you will get a consensus but, I never did. It is frustrating to figure out. Surgeons who don't have the experience with ADR's always recommend fusion because it is what they know and it's what has been done for many, many years. If you want to read success stories for lumbar patients, just use the search feature to find them in the post surgery forum. You will find mostly successful outcomes for both surgeons. There is just a lot more information on Dr. Clavel here because more patients have gone to him from this board. Neither of the surgeons have a 100% success rate unfortunately and that is a risk we all take. Because of the risks, surgery should be done when no other treatment options have worked. I have read of patients that have had to reverse their surgeries later and get fusions so, that is another risk you take but, it's a risk I would take every time. I sure hope you are an ADR candidate Best of luck to you.
__________________
2006: epidural shots did nothing; 2 surgeons recommended 2 level fusion, I declined. 2007 - 2010 4 foraminotomy and cord decompression cervical surgeries and 2 endoscopic discectomy T7-T8 surgeries; total 6 with Dr. Jho (Pittsburgh,PA) My C6/C7 autofused around 2009. 2013 - 2015: epidurals 3 times (again did nothing) and 4 Radiofrequency ablation (or RFA) procedures. 2016 more RFAs, hit the 10 year mark of this insanity and pain, 3 level M6-C ADR with Dr. Clavel May 19, 2016 |
#3
|
|||
|
|||
I am so sorry to hear how you're suffering. I can't offer any advice about Clavel, but want to say to hang in there.
__________________
Canadian but not into hockey (even as a woman I'm a shame to the country lol). Sporadic back problems for yrs. Severe issues 2013. degenerative disc disease 2013, disc protrusion, mild stenosis. Epidural steroid injections, chiro, massage, accupuncture, too many meds to list, Naturopath, physio, occupational therapy, kinesiologist, counselling... M6 Artificial disc replacement @l5-s1 Nov 2015, in Canada June 2016 - still struggling...Physio, accupuncture, massage, counselling... |
#4
|
|||
|
|||
Quote:
Thanks a lot for your answer, cynlite. Today I've called to the hospital. I will see Dr. Clavel Friday 13 May. I am afraid because if he say "no, you are not a candidate" I will be so depressed because I need to take a chance, something for having forces to life. It's unbeliable, before january 2015 I was a strong man of 264 pounds of muscle, happy in his work (a special group of police), and know I am a man of 196 pounds who live with a constant pain than does'nt allow to do nothing. I know you understand me. I am a warrior but I have lost all my forces, I am exhausted. I WANT TO RECUPERATE MY LIFE AND LIFE STYLE. I can see you have readed a lot. It is so good. I like to take information too, but all this information is in english laguange and it is not as easy for me. But I do! I am agree with you: "surgery should be done when no other treatment options have worked". The question is: How much time we have to wait? Have you ever seen a professional sport man waiting years for a recovery? Doctors say: "problems with back need lot of time" Oh, yes, maybe...but this life is not a real life. I am afraid too with all the risks of the surgery. You say "I have read of patients that have had to reverse their surgeries later and get fusions". wow.. But what do you mean?? they have fusion after ADR?? all together? Finally, you have readed a lot of testimonials. Do you know some sport man or people with jobs like me? By the way, if you want you can send me a private message and we can change our telephone numbers. We could send us some whatsaps. When will you come to Barcelona? When will you have your surgery? Regards
__________________
Police man and bodybuilder (From Barcelona, Spain) JANUARY 2015 -MRI : Herniated disc ( posterior medial hernia) in L5S1 . Does not compress the sciatic nerve. My life is a nightmare. I can´t work or doing sport. PAIN , PAIN AND PAIN PAIN IN MY BACK, NO PAIN IN LEG |
#5
|
|||
|
|||
Quote:
How is/went your recovery? Are you ok currently? Regards
__________________
Police man and bodybuilder (From Barcelona, Spain) JANUARY 2015 -MRI : Herniated disc ( posterior medial hernia) in L5S1 . Does not compress the sciatic nerve. My life is a nightmare. I can´t work or doing sport. PAIN , PAIN AND PAIN PAIN IN MY BACK, NO PAIN IN LEG |
#6
|
||||
|
||||
Hi,
I look at your post and catch myself thinking "this is a pretty lucky guy" . You live in the city where probably the best ADR doctor works, you only have (I hope) one level, no nerve pinching, no leg pain, lost a lot of weight which is good for your spine, and you do not have to pay the significant amounts of money people from other countries have to in order to get fixed. I am very surprised you have not seen or heard of Clavel yet. If you indeed have one l5s1 level and otherwise very healthy, he can fix you in a heartbeat; fusion or ADR and you are good to go
__________________
46yo, DDD of L4-S1. Microdiscectomy L5-L4 in 2014. L4-L5-S1 M6 ADR with Dr. Clavel - June 2015. |
#7
|
||||
|
||||
Emilio, I'm so happy to hear that you have an appointment with Dr. Clavel. I have met many, many neurosurgeons in the last ten years and think he is one of the best! I know you will like him because he is a very smart and nice man.
I used to speak Spanish so, I understand your challenges. Reading was always easier than writing and speaking it for me. I just don't remember enough Spanish anymore to write to you in your own languange I hope to come to Barcelona this summer if Dr. Clavel will agree to do surgery on me. The sooner the better! If you have read my other posts, you will know that I've been struggling with figuring out if I am allergic to the metals in the implant. It's a long story but, the bottom line is I think I will be fine with the M6-C. It took me a very long time to figure this out! Yes, I research a lot!!! I like to make very informed decisions especially, when it comes to my body. I have read posts for other lumbar patients of Dr. Clavel that are also weightlifters and athletes. I don't want to speak for them. Here are a few names of people you might want to read about. "Drewrad" https://www.adrsupport.org/forums/sh...ad.php?t=12923 "JeffR" https://www.adrsupport.org/forums/sh...ad.php?t=11877 "Lillyth" https://www.adrsupport.org/forums/sh...ad.php?t=12041 Lillyth had a very complicated surgery by Dr. Clavel. I spoke to her last year and she's doing remarkably well. Here's a video to watch: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YO93nl0vYlw Please don't give up hope and give into your fears. Each person and body responds differently to surgery and it will be what it's going to be. I've read for some lumbar patients it can take up to a year to heal. However, I know a woman in the United States that had two Mobi-C's put in her neck and also had her lumbar fused at the same time. She also got stem cell injections before and after surgery. Seems like it took her about six months or less to heal. She's retired and has been running around like a 20 year old the last year traveling the world! Her surgeon is here in the United States. If you are still under fifty years old then your facet joints will hopefully, still be in good shape for an ADR. But even then, there is one patient who used stem cell injections to heal his facet joints so, he could get and ADR! That's pretty remarkable. I have spondylosis in my lumbar at L3/L4. Because of that Dr. Clavel recommended fusion there. I am not planning on having a lumbar fusion at this time because I want to see how I will do after I get my neck fixed. My neck has always been the problem that disabled me the most. I will talk to Dr. Clavel about my lumbar again though just to be sure. Yes, some patients have had a second lumbar surgery to remove the ADR and get a fusion. I just mentioned it because it's one of the risks. Don't focus on the cases that didn't work out. If you need surgery, then you need surgery and have to plan and hope for the best outcome. I know that I have a good chance of getting out of my neck pain with Dr. Clavel's help but, I also know that there is a chance I'll still have pain. Since this problem stole my life from me, I'll do anything to be able to live again. I know many people that have recovered quite well and I'm willing to take the chance. It sounds like your life has been stolen from you too. I'm very sorry about that There are some lumbar patients of Dr. Zeegers that have done very well. Last year, I saw a video online of a bunch of them skiing again together. I believe Dr. Zeegers is more conservative than Dr. Clavel. I paid him to look at my case too but, decided on Dr. Clavel for me. Only you can decide what you should do. After you have received all your opinions from the best surgeons you can find, some of it comes down to just having a good gut feeling about the surgeon. It helped me to decide by talking and emailing with other patients after they had recovered from their surgeries. Most often, if you send them a private message, they will respond to you. I just noticed you have problems with L5/S1. Because that bears the most weight in the spine, some surgeons and patients decide that fusion is better than ADR for this level. You might want to explore that with Dr. Clavel and other patients because I don't know anymore about it. It's just what I've read and heard from others. Colorado Babe is the woman I mentioned above who is doing all the traveling. She decided to have her L5/S1 fused instead of getting an ADR at that level. I've spoken to her many times and she's a lovely person. You might want to reach out to her. She is retired from the Air Force. https://www.adrsupport.org/forums/sh...ad.php?t=12937
__________________
2006: epidural shots did nothing; 2 surgeons recommended 2 level fusion, I declined. 2007 - 2010 4 foraminotomy and cord decompression cervical surgeries and 2 endoscopic discectomy T7-T8 surgeries; total 6 with Dr. Jho (Pittsburgh,PA) My C6/C7 autofused around 2009. 2013 - 2015: epidurals 3 times (again did nothing) and 4 Radiofrequency ablation (or RFA) procedures. 2016 more RFAs, hit the 10 year mark of this insanity and pain, 3 level M6-C ADR with Dr. Clavel May 19, 2016 |
#8
|
|||
|
|||
Dr. Clavel
You are in very good hands with Dr. Clavel. My wife is now 18 months from Surgery and she feels better now than in the last 20 years. We traveled almost 4000 miles to have him perform our surgery.
I am very sorry that you are in pain, but you are lucky to have the opportunity to have him in your city.
__________________
- Wife has been diagnosed with Severe Spinal Stenosis Right and Left Sides, Degenerative Disk Disease at C5/6 and C6/7, Large Osteophyte Complexes at a both levels, with C6/7 on R/H Side, and C5/6 both R/H and L/H Sides. Also Reverse Lordosis. - Performed 2-Level ADR with M6-C by Dr. Clavel, Barcelona Spine Center on 10/15/14. |
#9
|
|||
|
|||
Quote:
Ooooh yes.... I AM A PRETTY LUCKY GUY.... Are you kidding me????? My last year and half is being a nightmare. Before this my life was WHITE. From january 2015 my colour is BLACK. No, my friend, I don´t know the good luck. Believe me. And I am conscious: Clavel works in Barcelona and I live here. Yes. And he is a "God" of ADR. But it is not easy. And yes, I lost weight....but I am bodybuilder.... It is not nice for me... I supose you can´t understand. But if you like to run and you can´t run, life is ****. (plus all the pain that makes my life sucks) By the other side, one of my problems is that I can´t have surgery until september-october. It is a litte dificult for me explain it in english. I hope one day I remember all this situation like a nightmare of the past. By the way: SORRY FOR MY BAD ENGLISH....I TRY YOU TO UNDERSTAND ME. hugs from BARCELOAN
__________________
Police man and bodybuilder (From Barcelona, Spain) JANUARY 2015 -MRI : Herniated disc ( posterior medial hernia) in L5S1 . Does not compress the sciatic nerve. My life is a nightmare. I can´t work or doing sport. PAIN , PAIN AND PAIN PAIN IN MY BACK, NO PAIN IN LEG |
#10
|
|||
|
|||
Quote:
wow, CYNLITE... thanks a lot for all your words and spent time. It is so so so nice... I 've readed your words with all my atention. You give me forces and hope... Honestly, I need it because I am totally depressed. You write: Since this problem stole my life from me, I'll do anything to be able to live again. I know many people that have recovered quite well and I'm willing to take the chance. It sounds like your life has been stolen from you too. TOTALLY AGREE. I FEEL IT EXACTLY, I am not living my real or own life, just a nightmare without end. Imagine me: BEFORE JANUARY 2015: a bodybuilder and police man of 120 kilograms of muscle in a special group of police. JANUARY 2015 TO NOW: A very thin man with pain doing whatever you imagine. And yes, I will try to contact with your contacts. In fact DREWRAD wrote me a message private and I am going to contact him. It is so nice to see how people don´t forget his nightmare in past and now want to help other persons. I PROMISE THAT IF I RECUPERATE MY LIFE, I WILL HELP ALL PERSON WHO LIVE THIS NIGHTMARE (with a blogg, a youtube channel, etc) I tell you with all my heart: when you come to Barcelona if you have some question, ask me. My mam always say: "Es de bien nacido ser agradecido" Something like: "It is well born to be grateful". So It would be nice salute you face to face". Althought.... my spoken english is bad!! It would be funny. thanks, I would read your post again and again to take hope and excellent information
__________________
Police man and bodybuilder (From Barcelona, Spain) JANUARY 2015 -MRI : Herniated disc ( posterior medial hernia) in L5S1 . Does not compress the sciatic nerve. My life is a nightmare. I can´t work or doing sport. PAIN , PAIN AND PAIN PAIN IN MY BACK, NO PAIN IN LEG |
Bookmarks |
Thread Tools | |
|
|
Similar Threads | ||||
Thread | Thread Starter | Forum | Replies | Last Post |
Dr Pablo Clavel | Jamie.H | New Member Introductions | 3 | 11-01-2011 01:16 PM |
Questions to Ask a Doctor | The Big File | 19 | 04-23-2006 07:37 PM |