New guy considering ADR

Texas Toast · #1 10-14-2011, 10:35 PM

I'm new. I was in a major auto accident in 2002 and two others in 2009. Stopped working in 2007. I applied for Social Security and Medicare in 8/2011 and just submitted my first appeal. I should have applied earlier.

I"m in enormous pain, spend most of my time in bed and have pretty much disconnected socially. Of course, I have no insurance.

A surgeon ordered a discogram of S1/L5, L5/L4, and L4/L3, but I have not gotten it yet because: no insurance, he doesn't participate in medicare, he doesn't participate in clinical trials. He says, however, I probably need S1/L5 and L5/L4 fused and probably need some sort of surgery on my neck. My neck and midback MRIs are old (2007).

I would like to do ADR b/c I've read that the long-term success rate is better than disc fusion. Oh, yes; I'm a 39 year old man.

I've read that there are first generation ADR discs and 2nd-gen discs and that the 2nd gen discs are better because they have rubbery shock absorbers. Unfortunately, I also read that two-level clinical trials for the 2nd-gen discs are 2 to 3 years away.

I don't even have Social Security Disability and Medicare yet, but I wonder if I can tolerate the pain another 2 to 3 years. BTW, I'm aware there is a two-year wait for Medicare after going on S.S. Disability, but I'm trying to get my benefits back-dated to 2007.

SO, I HAVE 2 QUESTIONS:

1. Are people like me who need 2-level fusion -
a) waiting for the 2nd-gen discs to be offered for 2-levels in clinical trials, or
b) are they getting the 1st-gen discs at both levels, or
c) are they getting fusion at one level and ADR (1st or 2nd gen) at the other?

2. Do you have any suggestions for how to better organize and portray relevant info in my signature that attaches at the bottom of each post?

Thanks!

msrudy · #2 10-15-2011, 01:20 AM

I am so sorry you are haiving these problems. My advice is to NEVER get ADR prodisc C or L surgery. You can befriend me and or read my post and many other about that. I have been through Heck for lack of a more aggressive word. Best wishes to you. I too have applied for SS and am getting no where with that either and my pain still goes on after 15 months post opp on a one level ADR with prodisc C at c5c6 and still from doc to doc looking for relief and answers. Tired of being a pin cushion and guinea pig. My pain first started in 2007 and I'm just sooo ready for answers and relief and just want my life back and I would give up the chance for SS to be pain free again. SS is very hard to deal with and I have an attorney. Thinking about reapplying and hiring another attorney. I just need temporary SS because I still have hope they can fix me.Do lots of research that most of, you can do on here about the ADR. There is a lot of help and support on here. I just wish I would have found this site before my surgery. I would love to be able to save anyone from going through the pain that I and many others have had after ADR prodisc C and L surgeries.Good luck.
msrudy

tenniskid · #3 10-15-2011, 09:33 PM

Hello mate. I am sorry to hear about your pain and the lack of resources available to you. I just wanted to send my best wishes out to you and hope that they backdate your entitlements to 2007. That will most definitely give you more options.

While I am not in the same system as you, i can relate to the myriad of considerations you'll need to weigh up in getting the right treatment for you. I think the best thing is that it comes down to what you can afford and what is available to you now. I have been in a bedridden state for most of 2011 and I was just exceptionally lucky I found an amazing surgeon in my city. There was no way I could get on a plane or even a cab. So I got the best that was offered to me at the time. Life is about living.

Regarding the different discs available, there are certainly excellent ones available with shock absorbing qualities etc., but if your only option is to get a first gen disc if won't necessarily mean you will get a bad outcome and the same can be said for fusion surgery. One important thing I have learned is that everyone recovers differently and your diagnosis and recovery from surgery will be different from other patients. The best thing to do is to get informed on the various discs, doctors and treatments available to you. Find a surgeon whom you have absolute confidence in. It took me a long time and time spent in hospital before I found mine.

The disc for me is secondary to that. For me the main concerns i had with my disc was safety, durability and impact on surrounding structures given my particular diagnosis.

Take care. All the best in your journey.

Harrison · #4 10-16-2011, 12:43 PM

TT, thanks for asking -- your signature is fine. Have you had the time and patience to sift & search through the topics? The basic and advanced search function work really well.

I believe the answers to all three of your questions (1a,b,c) are yes.

MSRudy raises some unfortunate points -- make sure your properly indicated for disc replacement -- there are plenty of things that can and do go wrong with ANY surgery. Please see the first topic in Arthroplasty Central on risks and complications.

Texas Toast · #5 10-17-2011, 05:43 PM

Thanks msrudy,

I'm starting to think the Prodisc is definitely not the way to go. I've been told by an attorney that I'd get SS if I keep appealing; keeping my fingers crossed. I sent you a friend request (or attempted to). It's my first one on the website, so let me know if you don't get it.

Thanks for the insight and good luck to you!

Texas Toast · #6 10-17-2011, 05:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tenniskid

Hello mate. I am sorry to hear about your pain and the lack of resources available to you. I just wanted to send my best wishes out to you and hope that they backdate your entitlements to 2007. That will most definitely give you more options.

While I am not in the same system as you, i can relate to the myriad of considerations you'll need to weigh up in getting the right treatment for you. I think the best thing is that it comes down to what you can afford and what is available to you now. I have been in a bedridden state for most of 2011 and I was just exceptionally lucky I found an amazing surgeon in my city. There was no way I could get on a plane or even a cab. So I got the best that was offered to me at the time. Life is about living.

Regarding the different discs available, there are certainly excellent ones available with shock absorbing qualities etc., but if your only option is to get a first gen disc if won't necessarily mean you will get a bad outcome and the same can be said for fusion surgery. One important thing I have learned is that everyone recovers differently and your diagnosis and recovery from surgery will be different from other patients. The best thing to do is to get informed on the various discs, doctors and treatments available to you. Find a surgeon whom you have absolute confidence in. It took me a long time and time spent in hospital before I found mine.

The disc for me is secondary to that. For me the main concerns i had with my disc was safety, durability and impact on surrounding structures given my particular diagnosis.

Take care. All the best in your journey.

Thanks for the response. Your advice about looking for a good surgeon is very helpful!

Texas Toast · #7 10-17-2011, 05:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Harrison

TT, thanks for asking -- your signature is fine. Have you had the time and patience to sift & search through the topics? The basic and advanced search function work really well.

I believe the answers to all three of your questions (1a,b,c) are yes.

MSRudy raises some unfortunate points -- make sure your properly indicated for disc replacement -- there are plenty of things that can and do go wrong with ANY surgery. Please see the first topic in Arthroplasty Central on risks and complications.

Thanks Harrison! The search function is terrific. I'll check out the particular areas you mentioned as well.

JPJH · #8 10-17-2011, 07:39 PM

I think what you doe it to gather ALL the information you can on the options available. But if you can live with the pain you do. When you finally get to that point where you simply can not live with the pain anymore. You take all the "facts" you have gathered on surgery options and, you and only you will know when that is. Then you will find a road that leads you to one option over the others. For each person on this post the road has been different and the reason they chose the path they did was a personal one and no two paths will be a like. So even though we all lean one way or the other after our own experiences you will have to make your own choice. For me when the time came where I could take the pain no longer my choice became very clear to me and it was much easier for me after that.

JPJH

Harrison · #9 10-17-2011, 08:47 PM

JP, well said. Thank you all for you different perspectives. And yes, the "facts" are hard to come by -- which is why I launched this forum seven years ago.

It's awesome that you all continue to post -- it helps many patients near and far.

laid up doc · #10 10-18-2011, 06:52 PM

jpjh and harrison are right - there is no one answer, we are ALL different. you will need to seek input from various sources, then make your own decision. even i, with every medical resource available to me, had no one "answer". i had to look at a bunch of different factors and then make the best choice for ME. what i do know, without a doubt, is that i have tried everything reasonable short of surgery, and that i have just one bad level.

good luck to you - none of this is easy.