I just want my life back

[sghansen]

Hi C,

So sorry you are here and that you suffer from the dreaded DDD. This is a great place for lots of information from folks that have already been down the road that you are currently contemplating...

I too didn't want to go overseas but no US doctor would help me, other than for fusion. It seems that US doctors are forbidden from performing ADR on a three level candidate with prior surgeries. Read my signature below for my history.

Considering ADR, I first looked at the devices available today:
Prodisc: seems to degrade the facet joints.
Charite: has had migration issues
Mavrick: too much movement
None of the above offered axial compression. All of the above seem to move too freely.
The Spinal Kinetics M6 is the only one being implanted on a regular basis that is most like a real human disc. There are others under development. The M6 has only been available since 2006, so no long term studies are out yet. There are a lot of folks on this site that have had the M6-L and M6-C implanted.

You still have lots of homework to do I’ll pray to God that you make the right decision that is the right one for you and your condition and that you too can return to a normal life.

Regarding paying for ADR surgery: I had to rob my 401K to pay for the surgery and I'll be paying for it until 2017 (5 years unless I can pay it off earlier). But it's only money, Right? At the rate my back was degrading I had no other alternative but to get this done. So I put off retirement for a few more years. Maybe I’ll be a greeter at Walmart in my twilight years, but at least I’ll have a good back!

Choosing a doctor is another challenge. You really need to do your research. Write down the Who, What, Where, How of all the doctors that offer ADR and that install the device you feel is the one that will give you the best chance at a normal life again. Interview their patients, if you can. Google them to see if you can find any useful information regarding their surgical procedures and outcomes.

All the best to you over the next several months as you consider, weigh and implement your plan to return to a life without back pain.

You may only have one chance to get this right:
I heard this quote a long time ago:
It's unwise to pay too much, but it worst to pay too little.
When you pay too much, you lose a little money -- that is all. When you pay too little, you sometimes lose everything, because the thing you bought was incapable of doing the thing it was bought to do.

With ADR, or any back surgery, you can still pay a lot and lose everything too. Be careful and all the best to you.

[CanadianDean]

Looks like you have gotten a lot of great advice. I'm a Canadian have been able to meet and review my condition and MRI results with three surgeons here. I also sent my info to a surgeon in Spain and the USA, both of these surgeons reviewed my information for free within a couple of weeks. So even though I'm suffering with DDD and require a ADR to move on ( all 5 dr agree ) I have some relief for now....Knowing/understanding my condition has given me some power back. I have surgery set for Feb. 25, 2013 however I hope to get in sooner!

All the best,

Dean

[5kidmom]

Thank you to everyone here for your input. My surgery will be under worker's comp, so it's a matter of getting them to agree to pay for what I want. Financially, things are difficult for us right now and have been for the last four years, so I cannot afford to pay anything out of pocket. I have one of the best worker's comp attorneys in California, and really like the doctor that I have....it's just a matter of getting the worker's comp thing worked out. I'm THIS CLOSE to knowing what resolution there is.....I have to see another doctor on Thursday to see what he opines. He will be the fifth.

I'm continuing my research, and I will just have to hope for the best. What's awful is that worker's comp just wears you down and keeps you in pain so that you will be willing to settle for whatever bones they throw at you.

Hopefully this doctor won't come up with something way out in left field....I'll keep you posted!

[5kidmom]

Hey all!

Well, after seeing the AME, reading tons of posts on this site, speaking with many, many people who have had various types of lumbar spine surgery, I decided to keep it simple and go with a L5S1 fusion ONLY and hope for the best.

I did not come to this decision lightly, nor did I allow worker's comp to influence my decision. All I can do at this point is hope that my decision will work for me and that the surgery goes well. I should know by tomorrow when the surgery will be; it should be in the next week or so.

Thank you for all your input - I really appreciate all of the advice!