Back surgery?

[pomtzu]

I just got a call: I now have an appointment on Thursday, June 5 with an orthopedic surgeon at U-M.

That's great news, Pat. I have a feeling that you'll get get a whole lot more accomplished and more definitive answers there. University teaching hospitals normally have only the best doctors and researchers on their staff. It took the Univ of MD to save my life, after a couple of local "doctors" almost killed me.

Keep us posted. On June 5th my surgery will be over and done with, and I can sit at home (hopefully not in rehab) with my laptop and recuperate and catch up on everything.

[phesina]

As Dr. Brodkey said when I asked about symptoms for increasing severity, if I start experiencing numbness or losing my balance.. both would signify that nerve function damage is starting to occur.

Well, last Tuesday there was some numbness on the top of my right foot and the leg was more sore.. this got more intense Wednesday.

Boy was I getting scared!

But Thursday the numbness had subsided somewhat, and it hasn't been nearly so bad since. I thought, well maybe whatever nerve had that gotten more pinched to cause the numbness, maybe it has somehow unpinched, something moved back to unpinch it some. In other words, maybe this is not a progressive condition that will just keep getting worse and worse.

Meanwhile, on Thursday I called U-M, said I was having increased symptoms and could my appointment possibly be moved up from 6/5? They rescheduled it, also with Dr. Patel, for 5/27 . That's somewhat better, anyway. I don't want to suddenly have to rush to schedule surgery after only having seen one surgeon.

So that's the latest. It's still more painful to get around.

Pat

[Catty1]

Pat - I hope you have a solution soon! It will be interesting to hear what Dr. Patel has to say - an orthopedic approach compared to the neurological approach. HUGS!

[pomtzu]

Sorry that you're having more issues with his whole mess, Pat. But yes - the numbness and balance impairment are all a part of it, and I have it all the time, tho some times are not as bad as others. Ive had this since the cervical fiasco, and then the lumbar issue made it worse. I'm hoping that my surgery on 5/28 will alleviate some of that, as well as eliminating the pain. What I find strange,, is that the leg pain only goes down to the knee, then the numbness kicks in with the foot. I wonder why there's no compromise between the knee and ankle??? I do have swelling in my foot and ankle as well as numbness on the top of the foot and the underside of 3 toes - the middle to the little toe - but not nearly as much on the 2 others. Is this what you're experiencing? My balance which is crappy to start with, is getting progressively worse, so I really have to be extra careful. You will probably see that the balance and especially the numbness will come and go - but it won't go away - so if this new doctor recommends the surgery, you really should give it serious thought.

Boy - maybe someone should just put both of us in a burlap sack and dump us off a high bridge. Just kidding of course...........

[phesina]

Thanks so much, Candace and Ellie.

My sister reminded me that Dr. Brodkey had said there could be "episodes" of numbness and balance impairment. I haven't had balance trouble, though I feel like I've caught myself now and then just before I might be losing balance a bit. I don't know if this is really happening or I'm just more sensitive to it maybe happening.

The pain has been going down my lower right leg too. The numbness is just on the top middle towards the front of my right foot, not under any of the toes.

So it isn't exactly the same as what you've been experiencing, Ellie, but I do notice just how similar it all is.

Thanks again, and .

[phesina]

I saw Dr. Patel, the orthopedic surgeon at U-M, last Thursday. My sister's partner Helen came with me. Dr. Patel thinks I just need to have fusion of the lowest level, L5-S1 (and not the next one or two up as Dr. Brodkey proposes) and laminectomy. He also doesn't seem to think I'd need to be in a rehab facility as long, but still it would be 12 weeks rehab, during which time I could not lift things. Helen said she and Mary Kay would help, and I know they would, but they both are very busy and there is only so much they could do.

I asked him what the different approaches would be by an ortho surgeon as opposed to a neurosurgeon. He said they do pretty much the same things at this point. They also often work together.

Marie, a good friend of Mary Kay and Helen's, has had back surgery done BY Dr. Patel. She really likes him. I am meeting her for lunch tomorrow to pick her brain.

I didn't remember to ask Dr. Patel: how much of the surgery does he actually do, or does he supervise others doing some of it. I did ask Marie, and she said she'd asked him this. He told her he does all the surgery himself, and since it is a teaching hospital he may have students there, but he demonstrates to them what he is doing, doesn't hand off any of the work. That was a relief!

I have had 4 physical therapy visits so far' 4 more are scheduled. I think it helps some, but I'm still in quite a bit of pain if I stand or walk for much times at all.

That's the latest..

[pomtzu]

So glad you posted this, Pat. I was going to send you a PM to see how you made out with the consultation. It's good that Dr Patel will do the actual surgery and that you'll know exactly who is doing what. That is the same with Dr Ludwig - UMMC is a teaching hospital and he has others there to observe and possibly assist, but I know that Dr L is the one doing the actual procedure. Makes a big difference to the patient to know just whose hands you are in.

Have you decided to go ahead with it? Keep us posted.

[phesina]

Thanks, Ellie! And I'm glad to know how well your surgery just went.

I'm probably going to go with Dr. Patel. They schedule surgery 2 months out, so that is plenty of time to learn as much as I can.

I asked him if he's done much of this kind of surgery. He said, many times. He kind of made it sound like, piece of cake!