Hello

[CGR]

Hello!

I am very thankful for this site as I am so tired of my "story" being about my lumbar and cervical pain. When I started this road years ago, there was NO support group! Thank you Richard (AKA: Harrison)! Glad to know you all feel the same. Finally others who understand

Spine pain and lifestyle modification have been the lens through which I have lived for many years like many of you. I have done so much physical therapy that I should be P.T. by now and have held off from lumbar and cervical fusions for all these years AND it's come with a high pain cost and withdrawing from living a "normal" life. I used to teach fitness classes, jog, ride horses, snow ski, etc and those days have been long gone.

The pain has now progressed to a point (both lumbar and cervical) that I cannot go on and I am now seeking the best option for both surgeries. I get so many different opinions depending on the physician. I have an orthopedic surgeon who I believe is very solid and desires to to a Pro-Disc in my cervical spine and a fusion/2 ADR in my lumbar second. Since I have already had 2 micro surgeries (failures) in my lumbar (was a different surgeon than who I am seeing now), I must choose absolutely the best option no matter where that surgeon resides.

In addition to the options in my large city, I have been referred to Dr. Bertagnoli in Germany by a few patients in the U.S. who had great results with him (their cases were also complicated as mine is) and am seeking a treatment plan from him and his team. I have not heard back yet. Should take about 2 weeks. I also don't want to travel outside the U.S. if it's not necessary and have to pay a great deal of my savings out of pocket and fight my insurance for 60% reimbursement for out of network reimbursement. I understand that if seeking an ADR or several, the surgeon is 99% the most important piece of the puzzle. It's such a confusing road and nothing is ever guaranteed. I am in medical sales so I know even a great surgeon can have a few surgeries not go as planned. The best that I can do is all my homework and make the best informed decision and move forward.

If anyone else has information to share to help me with my research, I would love it. I am all ears!

[NJ Gene]

Carolyn,

Welcome to the forum! I'm not a doctor, but have read these boards for a couple years and have to say that what your orthopedic surgeon says sounds reasonable. Of course you should get several opinions both here and abroad. In my opinion, even though you have a complicated case, you're better off staying in the U.S. if possible. You're more likely to have insurance cover your procedure (or a large % of it) and follow-up care will be easier.

Most people who go abroad do very well with the M6 disc (produced in Sunnyvale, CA but not yet approved by the FDA) which has been used in Europe with very good results. If you get opinions that the M6 is the way to go, Dr. Carl Lauryssen, based in the LA/Beverly Hills area, might be a good surgeon to consider. My understanding is that he spends part of his time in Switzerland operating with the M6. If you were to use him, you would have no worries about follow-up care in the U.S. Worst case scenario, you fly out to LA to see him. If you get the ADR by a European doctor, follow-up care in the U.S. may prove to be difficult.

Finally, as an accountant, I can tell you that to the extent your non-reimbursable medical costs (and travel costs) exceed 10% of your adjusted gross income, they are tax deductible (regardless of whether you get this done in the U.S. or abroad).

Good luck whichever way you go!!

Gene

[jss]

Carolyn,

Condolences on your condition, and welcome. It sounds like you've been through a lot of years of torment. Hopefully this year will see you getting some relief.

From the parameters you've specified, I would encourage you to look into Jack Zigler at Texas Back Institute in Plano, TX. He was on the IDE teams that got the ProDisc L and C approved and has a record of turning out a reliable stream of successful outcomes with those devices. I will leave the rest to you to research, but from the parameters you've enumerated, I would highly suggest him.

Good luck!

[Dema]

Hi Carolyn, sorry to hear about how much you have endured & hope relief is close. I also recommend Dr. Lauryssen in LA area, and wonder if you qualify for the M6 trial given you 1 level problem in cervical area, or the lumbar problem would exclude you! I was excluded due to multiple cervical levels, and Dr. Lauryssen said he would do the multiple levels in Switzerland. I have also contacted Dr. Wohns in WA, who recommended the Mobi-C (FDA approved for 2 levels), but I am leaning toward the M6, and will try to find my best option, and will share with you & everyone here.
Dema

[CGR]

Thanks so much!

[CGR]

Thanks JSS !

[CGR]

Gene much appreciated