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


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  #21  
Old 01-22-2013, 08:55 PM
Icanraceit Icanraceit is offline
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Mfro,
I did get it and I am thankful for the message and info. It has been very tough here lately as all of this is really wearing on my lovely wife. She is of corse worried about me but I believe it is really worrying her to think of an overseas surgery gone bad. I know she is trying to e positive but there is a possibility of failure. I did respond to your post on the world wide doc search thread and I do understand not wanting to go through with it for fear it would get worse. I couldn't even begin to imagine WORSE ahhhhhh!!!!!! Any how thanks so much for taking the time to share your info with me. Real quick how are you feeling now. Also did you have leg pain pre-op or any other conditions besides low back pain. Just so you know I have no leg pain, no facet problem/pain, and no other underlying pain or problem. I have had facet blocks and a discogram and the facet blocks didn't work and the discogram showed the pain was in L5S1. I am getting tired of all of this and am sitting here typing to you with pain that has overstayed its welcome;-/. Have a very blessed week and thanks again

Matt
__________________
05 small amounts of numbness in low back
10/06 fall with severe twist and the end of painless life
07-11 PT, Chiro, PT, and more Chiro with some relief
4/11 pain came on and has settled in for good
facet blocks
7 injections
DRX 9000 traction (no help)
Fentanyl patch and 15 mg oxycodon for breakthrough
4 MRI Bulging L5S1 and DDD
3 Dr's suggest ADR
1/13 discogram 7-8/10 pain
2/28/13 ADR scheduled xxxx canceled
3/21/13 L5S1 ADR M6 with Dr. Clavel who else?:-)
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  #22  
Old 01-22-2013, 11:13 PM
JEVE19 JEVE19 is offline
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Posts: 359
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You mentioned that your wife is worried about your overseas surgery going bad.
After finding this forum and doing alot of reading, I actually felt more fear of going to a doctor here with less experience than the overseas doctor's have.
Our doctor's can still only do a one level ADR. The overseas docs have been doing multi level ADR's for years now. We just can't close that gap here in the US.
Most of us were all in your shoes at some point. The thought of going overseas for surgery seems crazy but then when you read most of our outcomes, we are all so glad we did it.
The M6 seems to have really good results at this point. I feel I dodged a bullet not getting a Prodisc put in. Only time will tell, but there are too many bad Prodisc posts to read about on Google, etc. The disc is as important as the doctor.
You'll keep seeing me say this but make sure you ask why a doctor recommends the disc/fusion/etc. Is it because it's the best for your case, or is it the best they have to offer.
Those could be two very different answers.
Once the disc is put in, it's not like a doctor can go in there an tweak it if something's wrong.
Once it's in, it's pretty much a done deal. This is where more experience comes into play.
The overseas docs we discuss on here usually have way more than the US docs do.
It is a big financial burden though and some just won't be able to have a choice in the matter. If you do have a choice, then consider ALL options.
Best thing I ever did was speak to the overseas docs on the phone.
Just think of that...when have you spoke to your back doctor here on the phone?
What about email? Geez, I had my docs home phone, cell phone, office phone, and email.
I would have never got that here in the US.
Honestly, once my surgery was over...the only thing I needed my US family doctor to do was order my x-rays for me. Dr. Boeree emailed me what he was looking for in my x-rays and I printed that and gave it to my family doctor who ordered what he had asked for.
Other than that, everything else was pretty much covered by phone and emails.
Dr. Boeree told me that I didn't really need to go to a physical therapist.
I was trying to do that but it was costing me $125 a visit.
When I told my doc that, he told me to find a gym or a trainer who had good experience with someone needing to start off slowly. Told me to try swimming, try a cross trainer, very basic pilates. Just told me to not bend backwards, don't lift heavy weights and not to do twisting motion (like sweeping a broom type of movement) for at least 6 months.
I found a gym here that had a pool. They also had trainers who worked with me and set me up with a basic plan. Been moving forward ever since.

I'm just trying to take away a little of that overseas fear I think we all felt before went.
Talk to these doctor's on the phone, it's such a different conversation than most of the conversation's you've had with the US docs.
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L5-S1 Lumbar M6 by Nick Boeree
10-14-2011
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  #23  
Old 01-22-2013, 11:29 PM
Icanraceit Icanraceit is offline
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Vicki,

Your story is very helpful and I believe that I am ok with the trip but I'm not so sure about my wife. I do know that if I said that this is what I was doing my wife would be on board. I don't want to just say this is it and like it so I am trying to let her do some research on her own and with some gentle nudging so that she feels like she was part of the decision because she is part of the decision! I couldn't do it without her. That's a FACT!! Again thanks for taking the time to write on my post and god bless!
__________________
05 small amounts of numbness in low back
10/06 fall with severe twist and the end of painless life
07-11 PT, Chiro, PT, and more Chiro with some relief
4/11 pain came on and has settled in for good
facet blocks
7 injections
DRX 9000 traction (no help)
Fentanyl patch and 15 mg oxycodon for breakthrough
4 MRI Bulging L5S1 and DDD
3 Dr's suggest ADR
1/13 discogram 7-8/10 pain
2/28/13 ADR scheduled xxxx canceled
3/21/13 L5S1 ADR M6 with Dr. Clavel who else?:-)
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  #24  
Old 01-22-2013, 11:31 PM
JEVE19 JEVE19 is offline
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Posts: 359
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I pray you get the same divine intervention that I had!
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L5-S1 Lumbar M6 by Nick Boeree
10-14-2011
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  #25  
Old 01-22-2013, 11:44 PM
Icanraceit Icanraceit is offline
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Posts: 94
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I believe it's on the way Vicki:-) god bless my dear and thanks for all the help!!
__________________
05 small amounts of numbness in low back
10/06 fall with severe twist and the end of painless life
07-11 PT, Chiro, PT, and more Chiro with some relief
4/11 pain came on and has settled in for good
facet blocks
7 injections
DRX 9000 traction (no help)
Fentanyl patch and 15 mg oxycodon for breakthrough
4 MRI Bulging L5S1 and DDD
3 Dr's suggest ADR
1/13 discogram 7-8/10 pain
2/28/13 ADR scheduled xxxx canceled
3/21/13 L5S1 ADR M6 with Dr. Clavel who else?:-)
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  #26  
Old 01-23-2013, 12:22 AM
Lillyth's Avatar
Lillyth Lillyth is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Harrison View Post
Lillyth, that's because the M6 has only been approved for outside the US....
Oh, I know. But if I were a spinal surgeon, I would be keeping my eye on what Europe was doing just on general principal. The idea that a doc here would NOT know about the M6 is just terrifying!
__________________
Multiple traumas to spine starting age 13.
1st American to have 6 ADR's in one surgery. C3-4 - C/7, & L5-S1 - L3-4.
Surgery w/ Dr. Clavel, 3/18/13, M6.
Before surgery: severe spinal stenosis C5/C6 (cord "flattened" per stateside doc), + for Hoffman's & Babinsky's.
At time of surgery: 5 yrs MAX before ending up in wheelchair.
Clavel found L5-S1 partially fused. Had to cut it apart to put in M6.
Please excuse brevity - SEVERE carpel tunnel.
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  #27  
Old 01-23-2013, 12:34 AM
Lillyth's Avatar
Lillyth Lillyth is offline
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Join Date: Nov 2012
Posts: 679
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Quote:
Originally Posted by 2Confused View Post
Prior to surgery I had the nasty EMG nerve test and there are nerves in my left arm that are non-responsive and there were indications that there was damage in the right arm as well.
My EMG was TERRIBLE. I have instructed all medical professionals that in the future, they need to tell patient that they are being sent to be TORTURED. That was the second worst painful thing I have ever experienced. I would prefer natural childbirth to an EMG. I was sore and bruised and had additional nerve pain for almost a week!
__________________
Multiple traumas to spine starting age 13.
1st American to have 6 ADR's in one surgery. C3-4 - C/7, & L5-S1 - L3-4.
Surgery w/ Dr. Clavel, 3/18/13, M6.
Before surgery: severe spinal stenosis C5/C6 (cord "flattened" per stateside doc), + for Hoffman's & Babinsky's.
At time of surgery: 5 yrs MAX before ending up in wheelchair.
Clavel found L5-S1 partially fused. Had to cut it apart to put in M6.
Please excuse brevity - SEVERE carpel tunnel.
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  #28  
Old 01-23-2013, 01:11 AM
Lillyth's Avatar
Lillyth Lillyth is offline
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Join Date: Nov 2012
Posts: 679
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Icanraceit View Post
Thanks for your responses pertaining to post op situations. I am going to be talking to ritterlangs office and clavels office today as well. I am hoping that I will have my doctor soon. I have to get a purple X-rays done to complete their packages and will know soon after I send them. Thanks for all you help and I will keep all posted. I am sure I will have more questions. Thanks and god bless!
What are purple X-Rays?
__________________
Multiple traumas to spine starting age 13.
1st American to have 6 ADR's in one surgery. C3-4 - C/7, & L5-S1 - L3-4.
Surgery w/ Dr. Clavel, 3/18/13, M6.
Before surgery: severe spinal stenosis C5/C6 (cord "flattened" per stateside doc), + for Hoffman's & Babinsky's.
At time of surgery: 5 yrs MAX before ending up in wheelchair.
Clavel found L5-S1 partially fused. Had to cut it apart to put in M6.
Please excuse brevity - SEVERE carpel tunnel.
Reply With Quote
  #29  
Old 01-23-2013, 01:27 AM
Lillyth's Avatar
Lillyth Lillyth is offline
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Join Date: Nov 2012
Posts: 679
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Icanraceit View Post
Vicki,

Your story is very helpful and I believe that I am ok with the trip but I'm not so sure about my wife. I do know that if I said that this is what I was doing my wife would be on board. I don't want to just say this is it and like it so I am trying to let her do some research on her own and with some gentle nudging so that she feels like she was part of the decision because she is part of the decision! I couldn't do it without her. That's a FACT!! Again thanks for taking the time to write on my post and god bless!
Just tell her what you are learning. If she is doing all you say she is doing, she doesn't have the time for research on top of all that! I just distill everything down at the end of the day for my husband. In fact, he is the one who finally said "Honey, you loved Dr. Clavel, everyone raves about him, why are you even considering another doctor?" Just share everything you are learning with her. I'm sure getting back the man she married (not to mention no longer having to do EVERYTHING - I know, my husband is doing this right now) will be worth it. Why is she not okay with the trip?
__________________
Multiple traumas to spine starting age 13.
1st American to have 6 ADR's in one surgery. C3-4 - C/7, & L5-S1 - L3-4.
Surgery w/ Dr. Clavel, 3/18/13, M6.
Before surgery: severe spinal stenosis C5/C6 (cord "flattened" per stateside doc), + for Hoffman's & Babinsky's.
At time of surgery: 5 yrs MAX before ending up in wheelchair.
Clavel found L5-S1 partially fused. Had to cut it apart to put in M6.
Please excuse brevity - SEVERE carpel tunnel.
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  #30  
Old 01-23-2013, 08:52 AM
Icanraceit Icanraceit is offline
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Join Date: Jan 2013
Posts: 94
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Lillyth View Post
Just tell her what you are learning. If she is doing all you say she is doing, she doesn't have the time for research on top of all that! I just distill everything down at the end of the day for my husband. In fact, he is the one who finally said "Honey, you loved Dr. Clavel, everyone raves about him, why are you even considering another doctor?" Just share everything you are learning with her. I'm sure getting back the man she married (not to mention no longer having to do EVERYTHING - I know, my husband is doing this right now) will be worth it. Why is she not okay with the trip?
Lil,

She is concerned that if something goes wrong the doctors here that we all think are crazy wont be able to do anything to help or we would have to pay to go back on our dollar for a repair. We can afford it once now but two trips in short succession would be impossible for us. I understand her fears but my fear of pain forever overtakes that fear for me.
__________________
05 small amounts of numbness in low back
10/06 fall with severe twist and the end of painless life
07-11 PT, Chiro, PT, and more Chiro with some relief
4/11 pain came on and has settled in for good
facet blocks
7 injections
DRX 9000 traction (no help)
Fentanyl patch and 15 mg oxycodon for breakthrough
4 MRI Bulging L5S1 and DDD
3 Dr's suggest ADR
1/13 discogram 7-8/10 pain
2/28/13 ADR scheduled xxxx canceled
3/21/13 L5S1 ADR M6 with Dr. Clavel who else?:-)
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