Hi I am a 38yr old Firefighter doing research on ADR

[mikemcmanus57]

Hi everyone,
My name is Mike and I am a 38 yr old Firefighter with a Bum Back. I was so happy to find this site. I have learned a ton from it already. I Injured my back the first time some time in the spring of 2001. I wuond up having a microdiscectomy at L5 S1. I recovered very well and was doing everything I always did. Then in December 2004 I was working on body recovery at the site of a building explosion.. Iwas handed a very heavy piece of concrete that I was not prepared to take. neddless to say my back has not been the same since. I cant remember how many epidurals, Phyical therapy,Massage, Chiropractic anyway you get the picture. I was diagnosed with DDD at L5 S1 and possibly L4 L5 also. They want me to get fused. I am pretty shure I am going to have to retire because of my back and I am quite depressed. I am currently reachering ADR in Germany. can anyone steer me in the rite direction? Advise? Anything? I feel hopeless right now. my marriage is suffering my Kids are suffering hell my Dog is suffering. I need some direction. Thanks Mike

[annapurna]

Useful advice: 1) don't take the easy and wrong answers
2) take over control of your health care
3) do the research on your own to make sure you are happy with the result you get.

Vague, not so useful advice: 1) don't pass up US surgeons if you can get insurance coverage
2) consider German surgeons if you are self-pay as their malpractice laws tend to make their costs lower
3)Get your x-rays and MRIs together and consider sending them to the German surgeons for review and see what they have to say. Some have free/cheap review and some charge for the review. If there's a charge for the review, don't pass on it as you might get more time and more thought from that clinic.

[kevin bosse]

Hi mike
I did go to germany on nov 2nd and had 3 levels of my lumbar done I too was diagnosed with D.D.D 4yrs ago and went thru the whole gamit of drs. and P.T Discogram shots etc... make sure you have exhausted everything before you have surgery. The 3 level surgery was very painful postop for about 3 weeks and dealt with alot of pain at home I am now almost 5 months after surgery, and alot of P.T and I'm just starting to feel human again
Not everyone goes thru as much as I did, but everyone had to deal with months of recovery.
I went to Stenum Hospital in Germany ,and received the best care by the best drs and nurses.Care that you could never receive here in the states .If you want more info let me know ,i'd be glad to help
Good luck; Kevin

[Grizz]

Mike,

My life blew up in my face just before Christmas last year. I had a L4-L5 microdiscectomy June of 2005 and was kind of OK until the disk ruptured. I would never have another microdiscectomy or "decompression" done on my back. I sent my MRI to Stenum, they diagnosed them, sent me a hard quote, and offered several surgury dates. They said that obviously L4-L5 had to be done and that L5-S1 and L3-L4 were boarderline at best. I told them that my spine was in their hands and did so with total confidence. Their people are really special. Dr. Ritter Lang did the one level with a Maverick in 67 minutes with an epidural for anesthesia. It really wasn't too big a deal. I was up and walking the next day and have continued to get better each day since. It has been exactly 7 weeks since the surgury and my life has returned to near normal. The last time I saw my daughter, who goes to college in Arizona, was during Christmas break. I was on 60mg of Oxycotin a day and confined to my lazy boy in big pain all the time. She will be home next week for Spring Break and I will be able to hike,bike,cook, have a conversation, you know - all the normal stuff. I am passing on skiing because my wife would kick my --- if I did. But I think I could do a couple of runs. ADR can be a near miracle if you luck out like I did. Personally, I would not have it done in the US unless you can find a surgeon that has done at least 100 ADR's. Insurance is nice, but when I was dealing with my life I made the choice to find what I thought was the best. It cost about the same as a new pick-up. Ritter Lang has done over 1400 ADR's over the last 20 years, and DR. Zechel has similar experiance. Good luck in what ever you decide to do.

Grizz
Microdiscectomy 06-2005
ADR 01-12-2007