ADRSupport Community  

Go Back   ADRSupport Community > General Discussion > International Assistance

International Assistance Any topics relating to traveling or communicating with international treatment locations are here.


Reply
 
Thread Tools
  #1  
Old 02-25-2014, 04:57 PM
henry4956's Avatar
henry4956 henry4956 is offline
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Oct 2013
Posts: 250
Default ADR Surgery booked (Zeegers Apr 16)

Well, it's in the books now. I've got my plane tickets (1st class direct 7 hr flight). I had a good conversation with Dr Zeegers this morning and I feel very confident that I have the right man for the job. The plan is a 2 level adr L4-S1 but it is possible that could change after several more tests to be done in Bonn. Dr Zeegers is intent on solving my coccyx pain as well - as he still is not sure whether or not it is related to lumbar issues.
Something about actually setting the date and buying the tickets has made me start questioning myself (Am I doing the right thing kind of thing)
Nevertheless I press on.
I want to publicly acknowledge God for being with me through all of this and also I want to thank all the people here who have supported me and helped me during my vetting process. You all know who you are.
__________________
Bad fall on A$$, Feb 2001 ice hockey
Lami L4/L5 April 2001, L5/S1 Aug 2001
Severe dislocated coccyx (same fall)
Un-diagnosed til 09. (Cannot sit)
Low back pain mild until 2011 - pull started a generator from knees.
rhizotomy Nov 2011 - zilch
Facet joint inj. 18 mo. (no impact)
Can only stand/walk for approx. 30 min
21 hrs/day in bed
L3-5 Activ-Ls (April 2014) Dr Zeegers - walk every day, swim 3 x week. Pain free, no pain meds. Extremely pleased with my decision
Reply With Quote
  #2  
Old 02-25-2014, 05:46 PM
tnt136913 tnt136913 is offline
Member
 
Join Date: Jun 2010
Posts: 44
Default

hope it all works out , know the up and down of the pain you are going threw
Reply With Quote
  #3  
Old 02-25-2014, 05:48 PM
pittpete pittpete is offline
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Jan 2008
Posts: 307
Default

Glad you made a decision Henry.
You had to be comfortable in the decision and only you.
I'm pulling for ya bud
__________________
Born 1970/1995-Hurt at work/1996-Right disc fragment L4-L5 discectomy-On/off back pain,no serious leg pain until/2007-Right herniation L5-S1,recurrent small herniation at L4-L5 with unbearable leg pain/6/08 discectomy L5-S1/leg pain relieved/occaisional mechanical pain/2012-Cymblata 60 mg,occasional aleve/2014-LB pain not debilitating but chronic,Rhizotomy relieves facet pain on right side/2015-L4-S1 facets shot/4/15 PLIF L4-S1 with facectomy
Reply With Quote
  #4  
Old 02-25-2014, 09:25 PM
jss's Avatar
jss jss is offline
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Nov 2009
Posts: 1,411
Default

Henry,

Congratulations on the felling of this next domino in the sequence of events to make you whole again! From all I've read about Dr Zeegers, making a better selection would be difficult.

A note about questioning yourself... Certainly there are no guarantees in spine surgery. All we can do is study, learn, research and then repeat those steps again and again; and then hope and pray for the best. You've done many months of careful and painstaking study about your condition, researching your options in implants and surgeons, comparing the outcomes of others with varied combinations of conditions, implants and surgeons. Then there's the uniqueness of your physical, financial, family, emotional, etc.. condition; all of which are inputs into this impossibly and irreducibly complex formula of spine surgery. From what I can tell, given all of that, you are the foremost expert on the best way for you to proceed. After all you've done, if you say it's Zeegers 5000 miles from home, then you've got my vote.

I know you're going to do great.

Good luck, Jeff
__________________
C4/5 - ACDF in 2000
C5/6 - ACDF in 2002
C3/4 & C6/7 - M6 ADR, Nov 2009, Barcelona
Conceded defeat to a manifestly disingenuous BCBS-TX in my quest for reimbursement, Jan 2011
Reply With Quote
  #5  
Old 02-25-2014, 09:39 PM
bwink23 bwink23 is offline
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Nov 2013
Posts: 263
Default

Congrats, Henry....you'll be thrilled to know you can stand on your own 2 feet again. The first 2 weeks are the roughest. But you'll be on that long road to recovery and not regret your decision i believe that. You're gonna do great.
__________________
2013 - MRI and CT scan....DDD L4-S1
left side (where my pain is) interarticularis pars fracture/defect with Spondylolithesis L5 over S1 with 2MM anterior displacement

Feb. 2014 - Hybrid lumbar fusion(l5/S1), ADR(L4/L5)...2-level cervical ADR (C5/C6, C6/C7). Dr. Pablo Clavel of Quiron Hospital in Barcelona, Spain. All M6 implants (PEEK cage and plate from Medtronic at fusion level in lumbar.) SAME DAY OPERATION for both areas of the spine.
Reply With Quote
  #6  
Old 02-26-2014, 02:34 AM
drewrad drewrad is offline
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Jan 2014
Posts: 629
Default

Coincidentally, I had a phone call with Dr. Zeegers again at 3:00PM today, midnight his time. I am still in the early stages. I enjoy the time he takes with me. Together, we went bit by bit through my images and the questions I had, and how he would perform my surgery. He trusts his hands and sounds extremely confident in them.

I have Bierstadt's consult along with Clavels and now am waiting to meet with Kaiser tomorrow. I am going to push them for ADR. We'll see.

Finally, I am waiting for Bae, Laurryson and TBI to round out the rest.

But, I did start with Zeegers. Who knows? I may finish with him as well, like you. Time will tell.
__________________
Weightlifter since 12 years old, now mid-40's and figuring out this wasn't such a good idea.

Chronic back pain started in 2010 while shrugging weights that a 40 yr. old shouldn't even try.

MRI in 2012 showing L4/L5, L5/S1 herniations and L2/L3 bulge.

L5/S1 taking on new shape, chronic sciatica, etc.

DEXA bone scan performed 5/7/14 showing mild osteopenia.

Surgery performed July 9th, 2014, Dr Clavel, hybrid three level lumbar.
Reply With Quote
  #7  
Old 02-26-2014, 10:18 AM
ian ian is offline
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Jan 2014
Posts: 155
Default

Henry, I know exactly what you mean about questioning yourself. Do your research, talk to doctors, their patients, get all the info you can, then relax knowing you did everything you can to make an informed decision.


Quote:
Originally Posted by henry4956 View Post
Well, it's in the books now. I've got my plane tickets (1st class direct 7 hr flight). I had a good conversation with Dr Zeegers this morning and I feel very confident that I have the right man for the job. The plan is a 2 level adr L4-S1 but it is possible that could change after several more tests to be done in Bonn. Dr Zeegers is intent on solving my coccyx pain as well - as he still is not sure whether or not it is related to lumbar issues.
Something about actually setting the date and buying the tickets has made me start questioning myself (Am I doing the right thing kind of thing)
Nevertheless I press on.
I want to publicly acknowledge God for being with me through all of this and also I want to thank all the people here who have supported me and helped me during my vetting process. You all know who you are.
__________________
- 20+ years of constant back pain
- Sacralization (natural fusion) at L5/S1
- DDD at L4/L5 dating back to mid twenties
- Torn ligaments in SI joint
- PRP injections at SI joint
- Tarlov cysts on sacrum
- Lumbar stenosis
- L4/L5 ADR Feb 25, 2014 with Dr. Bierstedt.
http://iansroadback.blogspot.com
Reply With Quote
  #8  
Old 02-26-2014, 05:10 PM
RWS Dave RWS Dave is offline
Member
 
Join Date: Sep 2013
Posts: 73
Default

Congrats on making a decision, Henry! You've certainly done your research, so hopefully you'll have peace of mind going in that you've done all you can to maximize the likelihood of a great outcome.
__________________
Nov 2010: herniated L4/5 led to back pain, sciatica and foot drop
Dec 2010: back pain resolved, sciatic pain and foot drop worsened
Jan 2011: micro-discectomy resolved sciatic pain and foot drop; back pain returned
July 2012: discogram reveals L4/5 and L3/4 have grade 3 annular tears and produced concordant pain
Nov 12, 2013: 2-level ADR (L3/4 and 4/5) by Dr. Bierstedt
Reply With Quote
  #9  
Old 02-26-2014, 06:36 PM
drewrad drewrad is offline
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Jan 2014
Posts: 629
Default

Henry, on that two level, are you going with the Activ L? Or another device?
__________________
Weightlifter since 12 years old, now mid-40's and figuring out this wasn't such a good idea.

Chronic back pain started in 2010 while shrugging weights that a 40 yr. old shouldn't even try.

MRI in 2012 showing L4/L5, L5/S1 herniations and L2/L3 bulge.

L5/S1 taking on new shape, chronic sciatica, etc.

DEXA bone scan performed 5/7/14 showing mild osteopenia.

Surgery performed July 9th, 2014, Dr Clavel, hybrid three level lumbar.
Reply With Quote
  #10  
Old 03-03-2014, 11:07 AM
henry4956's Avatar
henry4956 henry4956 is offline
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Oct 2013
Posts: 250
Default ActivL or M6

To be completely honest I'm not sure. He has been using the M6 but only at the L5/S1 level. I'd be lying if I said I understood his rational. So I may actually get one of each. I know that most people on this site want the m6 but I trust Dr Zeegers judgement on whatever he uses. I believe he himself is not sure yet. He doesn't finalize the 'Diagnosis' until he does his final testing in Germany. I will be having a new mri, and CT scans on lumbar & coccyx when I get there. Then the final 'Perfect Diagnosis'.

Sorry for the delayed response, I haven't been visiting the site as much anymore since I made up my mind.
__________________
Bad fall on A$$, Feb 2001 ice hockey
Lami L4/L5 April 2001, L5/S1 Aug 2001
Severe dislocated coccyx (same fall)
Un-diagnosed til 09. (Cannot sit)
Low back pain mild until 2011 - pull started a generator from knees.
rhizotomy Nov 2011 - zilch
Facet joint inj. 18 mo. (no impact)
Can only stand/walk for approx. 30 min
21 hrs/day in bed
L3-5 Activ-Ls (April 2014) Dr Zeegers - walk every day, swim 3 x week. Pain free, no pain meds. Extremely pleased with my decision
Reply With Quote
Reply

Bookmarks

Thread Tools

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off


Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
Preparing for Surgery -- Q & A with Dr. Zeegers Alastair ADR Frequently Asked Questions 0 04-23-2005 08:37 AM


All times are GMT -4. The time now is 04:57 AM.


© Copyright 2006-2023 ADRSupport.org All rights reserved.