Hello from down under!

[stiltkins75]

Hi,

My name is Vanessa and as you can probably tell, I live in Australia. 10 years ago I broke my coccyx bone but there is also osteoarthritis that runs in the family, I'm not sure where my back problems began. For over a 10 year period I would get an ache in my lower back but after a handful of sessions with my osteopath guy, I would be pain free for another 8-12 months.

Then came January of 2012, I caught bronchitis and because I am asthmatic, I was coughing and coughing. A few days later I could barely get off the couch and ever since then I've been in chronic daily pain in my lower back. I've since had another bout of bronchitis and that ended up me in an ambulance to ED after my left leg collapsed while in the shower, my sciatic pain was unbearable and I felt like I had no strength.

In the last two years, I've tried anything and everything. Even had 14 nerves cauterized! Pain specialist said I didn't need a MRI and that he would be able to help me, fool I was! I ended up feeling like I'd been hit by a train and nerves damaged on my right buttocks that felt like I had been scolded with boiling water for months. Very bad decision there but I'm all good now.

I've since had two MRI's and a bone density scan and met with two neurosurgeons who both agree I need an ADR on my L5. I live in a regional town and would need to travel 4 hours in a car to get to the hospital where the surgery would take place. We have good private health insurance and have been advised by a few people to look at having the surgery done in either Brisbane or Sydney but I've got no clue on who to get my GP to refer me too.

I must say it's like a fresh of breath air reading all the successful ADR stories, I do realise there are unsuccessful ones too. I had been told by a few people to never get the surgery and one person even said that I would end up in a wheelchair once the disc wears out because you can't get a revision surgery!

I look forward to chatting to everyone and gaining more knowledge about this surgery

[jss]

Vanessa,

What a miserable story, but welcome.

No Australian doctors names come to mind, but if you use the search function you will find that there are a number of Aussie members; many of which will have posted their doctors names.

On the ADR wearing out... There were problems with ProDisc-L failures some years ago, but that has long been sorted out. Off the top of my head I can't think of anyone that's come to this site because of an implant failure. But your friend is right; explanting a lumbar ADR an be a life threatening surgery. So you'll want to find the right doctor and right implant for your situation and get it right the first time.

Good luck, Jeff

[Harrison]

Hi Vanessa, you can search for other Aussies by using the advanced member search:

http://www.adrsupport.org/forums/mem....php?do=search

And then you can read their posts or send them a PM.

I met this Australian doc years ago at a spine conference, he is well-regarded and has done hundreds (if not thousands) of disc replacements:

http://goldcoastspine.com.au/dr-matthew-scott-young

[stiltkins75]

Thank you for the replies.

I have pm'd one member here so far but I will def check out the links

I had heard of Dr Matthew Scott Young, I would need to fly to see him but I am more than willing to do that if he comes highly recommended.

The surgeon that I was considering is Dr Richard Emmery who operates from Townsville. He was appointed to be one of the head trainers for AO Spine Asia-Pacific. Surgeon backed for top international job — Spine Specialist Solutions He is a 4 hour drive from myself but he visits monthly so follow ups would be easy.

I've got two young kids (6 and 2) a hubby that works away and no family that lives in our town. We are looking at moving to brisbane, if we do it soon then follow up appointments with Dr Scott-Young would only be an hours drive

[Harrison]

stiltkins75, it sounds like you are working things through, that's great.

Question: the way you wrote your medical history, it seems like your bronchitis may be relevant to your back pain -- is that right?! If so, it wouldn't be the first time a patient connected the dots. In fact, there are decades of scientific case studies that detail the role microbes play in DDD. See the Big File for these studies...

[stiltkins75]

Yes it is possible that my bronchitis could have caused it. Prior to the bronchitis, I was very fit and training in the gym 6 days a week plus 15kg lighter. I've tried so many times to think back of maybe it was something I did in the gym, maybe it was my weight training but I do not remember one specific day of pain.

All I remember is getting sick and then the chronic pain started. When I had my 2nd bout of bronchitis, it worsened my L5 rupture. When I was in hospital (after my fall in the shower) I pleaded with the dr to put me on antibiotics of prednisone to help with my bronchitis but he flat out said no