New to the ADR group

[thejoker6981]

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Hello my name is Lee and I have been in the Army for almost 14 years now. I had my disc replacement surgery on the 18th of July. At first I was just having normal pains that I was told would happen but now I have been having really bad pains in my neck severe headaches and pain down my spine. It wasn't till the neurosurgeon looked at my post surgery x-rays for the third time that he realized that the disc was not set in my neck properly. I glad that I found this community. I was just wondering what every ones thoughts to this are.

[thejoker6981]

He told me one of two things could happen depending on an MRI that I will be taking Sunday. He said if its not that bad he would inject botox into my neck or if it is bad he was going to take the disc out and do a three level fusion.

[annapurna]

I'd suggest flexion/extension x-rays as well. It is possible to get an "off-centered" ADR that is really just off centered because of the way you've held your head. Deliberately moving through the range of motion forces the ADR to move and brings out a host of problems, including adjacent level concerns. Your doctor's probably right about what's happening but the flexion/extension shots are so easy to get and add a lot to your understanding.

You might also want to add what kind of ADR you got, who did it, etc. It's pretty likely that someone here has experience with your surgeon and ADR type that could help you make a decision.

[thejoker6981]

They did the flexion/extension x-rays. Everything from the replacement and down are not moving but everything above is hyper-flexing and extending. He said that it was extremely unusual and even though it is allowing almost full range in motion it is causing complications. The type of ADR was Prodisc C. and I thought It was Col Caram (Army doctor) that did my surgery but come to find out it was his apprentice.

[annapurna]

I'd agree that's unusual for all of the levels above the ADR to be hypermobile and all of the levels below to not be moving. I'd suspect something deeper than simply poor placement of the ADR. That might be true as well but I wouldn't accept a easy, off-the-cuff, analysis of this unless everything hangs together. An ADR revision is pretty serious and triple level fusion is also serious. I'd hate to get either and discover that there was a deeper, unaddressed problem.

[Harrison]

Lee, can you tell us more about your overall health? Spinal health? Diseases that may have been diagnosed or undiagnosed in childhood? Trauma like car accidents? Sports' injuries? Some of the above?

When spine patients get to the point where they/we are disabled, we tend to suffer from what many docs describe as "just-fix-me-itis." And that's why the pathology behind the DDD tends to get ignored:

http://www.adrsupport.org/forums/f44...l-causes-9218/

Patients tend to ignore this etiology, as it appears to be too challenging and not actionable. The medical establishment tends to ignore it because it is in their financial interest to have you as a patient. Healthy patients don't pay medical bills --because they don't have any -- because they don't need surgery. For example, see this multiple page topic: http://www.adrsupport.org/forums/f60...-ulcers-10655/

Let me know if you need help with this:

http://www.adrsupport.org/forums/f58...-health-11053/

[thejoker6981]

As far as my spinal health x-rays show that I have deginerative disc disease, severe arthritis in my lower back along with fluid in my joints. Iv'e been through several deployments to Iraq where I mainly did foot patrols so I could imagin that from wearing all that gear took its toll. Not to mention being hit by several IED's. Every time I went in because of back pain I was just told that I was overweight even though I meet the army requirments for height and weight. Off of duty the only injury I can remember is being bucked off of a horse and landing on my back. My current pains starting from my head to toe are: Sharp pain going up both sides of my neck with on and off migrains, sharp and burning pain going all the way down my spine, Pain in both of my shoulders, pain going down the backside of my left arm and numbness up the front of my left arm. Sharp pain shooting down the backside of my legs, and numbness down my left leg all the way to my toes. By no means am I complaining about any of this pain but I just wanted to give you a general idea of what I deal with on a day to day basis. Also I just got off the phone with neurology to let them know that I did my MRI last night and was told that the soonest I could get seen for the results would be Dec 4th. On my last visit all he would give me was Tramadal and it has no effect on my pain. So now I gues i'm just in a waiting game.

[annapurna]

Why not ask for a copy of the images and radiologist's report yourself so you'll be armed with knowledge on the 4th?

[thejoker6981]

I get a copy everytime I go in. I think the main problem i'm having is the fact that i'm dealing with military doctors.

[Harrison]

Indeed! Pls get copies of all your radiology reports -- as many ones through the years as possible. They will all help you and your docs better understand your spinal health!