Hi there

[Guest guest]

In a message dated 1/21/2002 8:01:16 PM Eastern Standard Time,

Northnr@... writes:

<< Apparently she is saying some bad words. Well, she said another one and

when the principal called her down she said I'm going to have to tell mom

about this. Didn;t you and Mrs. Tolan sit down and make a list of words you

can;t say ins chool. Krsiten said Yes but this word wasn;t on the list!! She

said What the heck. I was ready for much worse. >>

See this is how I figure it will be with Liam. Can't wait until he starts

talking more, but I'm also getting worried about what he will say when he

does. So funny. You know has a point, too, if it wasn't on the list!

Kathy, Liam's mom (3 1/2)

[Guest guest]

I haven't posted much, but have to tell you this story about Tim's antics

when he was still in grade five.

My cell phone rang, when I was on my way somewhere, and I had to pull over

because the conversation went like this:

Hello?

Val?

Yes.

This is . ( was the vp at the school.)

Hi . What's up?

Tim is going to have to spend the day in the office with me.

Silence.

Then me saying YESSSSSSSSSSSSS

says " I feel the same way Val. He's just like any other kid in

school. "

I can't remember what he did that was wrong, but he thought it was great

that he got to spend the time with Mr. .

Val in Winnipeg

[Guest guest]

> Wow! There's SO much valuable information in all of the messages!

> Thank you so much for taking the time to post everything.

>

> Yesterday I was reading about " itching. " (my hubby) gets this

> rash every so often on his upper arm or on his back. It almost

looks

> like someone scratched him as opposed to a circular rash of some

> type. It really itches him for about a day or two and then

gradually

> subsides.

>

> Anyone else here have that? What do you do for it?

>

> Thanks.....Beverly

Yes, I hv had that too--used to drive me crazy but it hs for the

most part went away. Yes, this is a very good forum for information

and it is very trustworthy. I also hv another question (i always do-

hah) Anyway, what is cholestasis. I saw somewhere that certain drugs

cause this, but what is this??? By the way--update-still going every

week for CBC's, but I get to skip next week as my wbc r not up to

3.6. Of course, I ws on a reduced dose for a month and i did take a

full dose this past week and cd not tell much difference in the way I

felt. My next pick up of peg will be my last but hv had no viral load

as of it---I am sure tht will be a nail biting dy. If I am not @ 0

what hv I accomplished??? Does that mean failure??? I guess it does

and where do u start after that. Believe me, I am tring and praying

to think positive, but u know it is in the back of my head all the

time. Enzymes are way down so I feel very good about that. They could

still be up there, but they hv come down to way normal. THANK GOD!

cher

[Guest guest]

> Wow! There's SO much valuable information in all of the messages!

> Thank you so much for taking the time to post everything.

>

> Yesterday I was reading about " itching. " (my hubby) gets this

> rash every so often on his upper arm or on his back. It almost

looks

> like someone scratched him as opposed to a circular rash of some

> type. It really itches him for about a day or two and then

gradually

> subsides.

>

> Anyone else here have that? What do you do for it?

>

> Thanks.....Beverly

Yes, I hv had that too--used to drive me crazy but it hs for the

most part went away. Yes, this is a very good forum for information

and it is very trustworthy. I also hv another question (i always do-

hah) Anyway, what is cholestasis. I saw somewhere that certain drugs

cause this, but what is this??? By the way--update-still going every

week for CBC's, but I get to skip next week as my wbc r not up to

3.6. Of course, I ws on a reduced dose for a month and i did take a

full dose this past week and cd not tell much difference in the way I

felt. My next pick up of peg will be my last but hv had no viral load

as of it---I am sure tht will be a nail biting dy. If I am not @ 0

what hv I accomplished??? Does that mean failure??? I guess it does

and where do u start after that. Believe me, I am tring and praying

to think positive, but u know it is in the back of my head all the

time. Enzymes are way down so I feel very good about that. They could

still be up there, but they hv come down to way normal. THANK GOD!

cher

[Guest guest]

Hi.About rashes.I have them too.DONT take hot showers.Keep yr skin oily.

Hi there

Wow! There's SO much valuable information in all of the messages!

Thank you so much for taking the time to post everything.

Yesterday I was reading about " itching. " (my hubby) gets this

rash every so often on his upper arm or on his back. It almost looks

like someone scratched him as opposed to a circular rash of some

type. It really itches him for about a day or two and then gradually

subsides.

Anyone else here have that? What do you do for it?

Thanks.....Beverly

[Guest guest]

Hi.About rashes.I have them too.DONT take hot showers.Keep yr skin oily.

Hi there

Wow! There's SO much valuable information in all of the messages!

Thank you so much for taking the time to post everything.

Yesterday I was reading about " itching. " (my hubby) gets this

rash every so often on his upper arm or on his back. It almost looks

like someone scratched him as opposed to a circular rash of some

type. It really itches him for about a day or two and then gradually

subsides.

Anyone else here have that? What do you do for it?

Thanks.....Beverly

[Guest guest]

Donny,

I had my first symptoms of Reiter's (ReA) 23 years ago, when I had just

turned 24, and I was a healthy, athletic, and pretty good frisbee thrower. My

first symptom was a very painful big toe on my right foot. It felt like I had

stubbed it, though I couldn't think of when. After one week of pain, I saw my

family doctor, got it x-rayed, but nothing showed up. In a few days the toe

next to it became sore, then the next one... I went back to the doc for more

x-rays and tests for gout, infections, etc. Then...the big toe on my left

foot became sore and swollen, then the one next to it... until I couldn't put

on my shoes.

My doctor finally got a diagnosis from a lab in Ohio (I live in Michigan)

where he had sent my blood. He then sent me to a Rheumatologist ,I was his

first ReA patient< was put in the hospital for a week of Penicillin i-v, and

a full-body bone scan scan " lit up like a Christmas tree " . By then both feet,

ankles, wrists, knees, shoulders were all involved, but they started each at

different times, over a six month span. totally assymetrical.

Today it is still the same . I have a swollen and painful right thumb,

left pinkie, and right ankle ,(I'm using crutches). In a month it will be all

different joints. I have been taking Methotrexate for over two years, 25 mgs

weekly, self-injected, and it has really helped me, my flare-ups are easier

now, pain-wise and especially in mobility.

It's great that you have found this website, it has been the best therapy

I have ever found. Please keep in touch, I want to hear how the Methotrexate

works for you. You have found the best treatment that is available. Take

Care, Harv 47/ ReA 23 years

[Guest guest]

You are one of the few people I have met that

presented assymetrically. I first developed my first

symptoms of RS soon after I turned 23. It all began

with ever so slight swelling in my left knee. I

figured it was no big deal, I did a lot of running and

other physical activities so I figured I had twisted

it or landed on it funny. It really wasn't that

painful at the time just a little annoying. Well as

time went on the size of my knee contiued to grow and

grow to the point where it looked as if I was hiding a

small watermelon under my knee. I saw my flight

surgeon and he thought the same thing I did, just

twisted it doing some sort of physical activity. He

took x-rays and they showed nothing. He refered me to

a physical therapist. He took one look at me and said

he wouldn't begin to touch me so he had a orthopedic

surgeon come take a look. Three days later they were

doing exploratory surgery on my knee to see what was

causing it to swell. He removed some sinovial tissue

and called it good. Two weeks later it was as big as

it was prior to surgery. At a loss, he sent me to an

internal medicine specialist. They did the same thing

to me, I was tested for Lyme disease, sexual

transmitted diseases, and just about everthing else

you could think of including the HLAB-27 gene, which

came back negative. This went on for about 10 more

months then finally the break they were looking

for...my left foot began to get sore and swell and

with a couple of weeks the right foot began to swell,

both got extremely painful making it difficult to

walk. It took symetrical swelling of my feet and toes

before they finally sent me to a rhum. He took one

look at made the RS diagnosis. He immediatly put me on

methotrexate. In a matter of months the swelling and

pain started to decrease. Within about 6 months my

feet were completely free of pain and swelling. The

knee has remained a little swollen but is by far

smaller than it once was. In the past couple of weeks

I've developed a little pain and swelling the left

foot, but for now I'm just looking at it as a little

flare up. In all I first started showing symptoms in

June of 1998 and a RS diagnosis was not made until

February 2001.

I guess that is the long answer for yes, my symptoms

began presenting assymetrically and it took them a

long while to make the RS diagnosis.

If there is anything I can do to help you out or

answer some nagging questions please let me know!

Law

--- donnyducsb <donnyducsb@...> wrote:

> Thank you to everyone who will read and respond to

[Guest guest]

Hi Donny Well, a very broad spectrum of symptoms can accompany Reiters'.

Actually, when I look back in retrospect, I have had one thing or another that

seem to be symptoms but I didn't know it then. The clincher for me were my

feet. The Keratoma Blenorragh(spelling) was what made it possible for the

doctor to diagnose. Otherwise, I'd probably still be sitting around wondering

what was wrong with me. With me, one side is usually worse than the other but

both are affected. My elbows seem to have some sort of psoriasis. They can get

really nasty with the tough scaly skin-and the pain! I can't lean on my elbow

but what it sends very sharp pain traveling. Usually only one does the pain

thing, but sometimes both are going with one being the lesser. I'd have to

write a book talking about my Reiters! I say " my " because everyone is different

in how it has developed in them and to the degree of pain and discomfort. So, I

would say that it sounds like Reiters', but you never know with these autoimmune

diseases. I probably wasn't much help, but I tired right now and it's been a

long day for me. I'm sure you'll get lots of replies. welcome to the group!

Peggy

donnyducsb <donnyducsb@...> wrote:

Did

everyone start off assymetric joint pain, (ie. pain in just one elbow

instead of both).

I would greatly appreciate any input, specifically

how anyone first noticed their symptoms and what they where? How RS

was diagnosed instead of RA?

Donny, we're all scared to some degree. We who have this " junk " just never

know. What will happen to us? Will we become unable to care for ourselves?

and on and on....I am steadily getting worse and I worry about who will take

care of me. A 12 year relationship was recently ended for me and I'm getting

older as we speak(56). but, we try to make the best of our situations and I

personally try to keep humor in my life. It helps tremendously.

I just really scared and in pain. The Celebrex has helped

though.

Peggy (mhksmom)

[Guest guest]

In a message dated 4/15/2003 4:58:20 PM Pacific Standard Time,

donnyducsb@... writes:

> Did

> everyone start off assymetric joint pain, (ie. pain in just one elbow

> instead of both).

Adrienne first started having pain when she was 12. Headaches, and ankle

aches and sometimes knee pain. I don't recall exactly but believe it was

assymetric. I Know the ankles... usually one or the other. Then Hips... one

side more so than the other.

And there were the headaches... So many headaches.

It took three years for a diagnosis. And my being told by a doctor or

doctor want to be that my daughter was just a complainer and I needed to not

listen to her so much. We didn't see THOSE kindn of people again.

So I suppose I am not much help in answering you question. Sorry.

But... with proper care, you stand the possibility of functioning pretty near

normal.

Adrienne has had some very rough times. This list helped us through. The

knowledge, support, information and encouragment is Wonderful.

Adrienne is doing very well right now and is living away at college, dancing

9 to 12 hours a week again, playing her bassoon, as well as taking academic

courses at the university. She is pretty much living a 'normal' college

life.

Does your doctor know you are still in pain? Adrienne has Celebrex, and has

been told to adjust the dose according to what she feels that day. Usually

it is just one pill...but some days it is two, depends sometimes on the

weather, activities, etc.

Good luck!

And Welcome!

K

Adrienne's Mom

Adrienne age 19, UnDiff-Spondy , Hypo Thyroid, Fibromyalgia, etc...

[Guest guest]

Donny,

In my case, my disease started with asymmetric tendinitis, which I

understand to be very characteristic of RS. When I was a child, I first

developed asymmetric achilles tendinitis, then asymmetric elbow tendinitis,

then asymmetric hip tendinitis, then asymmetric knee tendinitis and

arthritis. As an adult, this pattern continued until last summer when I

developed symmetric ankle and knee joint inflammation (arthritis). I

thought because it was symmetric, it must be another disease like RA. I too

have negative RA factor. My doctor however believes it is still RS. I

guess it just got a lot worse. I think when I was a kid in the early years

of the disease and early adulthood, that my sed. rate was normal. Now, it

has been elevated for several years. Maybe sometimes that happens later in

the disease.

I don't know if any of this helps. Just sharing my experience of RS.

Regards,

Janet in SF

[Guest guest]

On Weds 4/16/2003, Don Pfohlman wrote: " Did

your feet ever swell on the top, also right on the top where your

feet connect to leg bone. Kind of right btwn ankle. Do you remember

a certain infection or trigger that might have caused this? "

Don, I do get swelling right there. It's due to arthritis (inflammation) in

the ankle joint itself. My physical therapist does passive range of motion

to help restore the joint motion and relieve the swelling. In my case, I've

had RS since 1973, so it doesn't seem to have been related to an infection.

But, I have the HLA-B27 genetic marker so mine is probably genetic.

Regards,

Janet in SF

[Guest guest]

In a message dated 4/16/2003 1:27:40 PM Pacific Standard Time,

donnyducsb@... writes:

> Did the xray or bone scan help in diagnosis

For Adrienne is a was a full body MRI that was ordered by her Ortho and read

as " Normal " by the HMO we were in. But The Ortho she was seeing is an

orthopedic specialist at the University of Washington and when she looked at

the MRI...she said.. this is NOT normal. It was from her that we were sent

to Rheumatology.

I will never forget the combination of relief and fear. Relief that there

WAS a reason for why Adrienne was in so much pain...and Fear of what was to

come and the unknown.

I hope your tests will be as clearly read as Adrienne's finally were.

K

[Guest guest]

Hi,

I got Reiter's/Reactive arthritis 3 years ago after a bout of food poisoning.

3 weeks after the diarrhea cleared up, I woke up with swelling and some of

the worst pain I've ever experienced in my left ankle and foot (i.e. the

bedsheet touching my foot was excruciating). 3 weeks after that, my

(writing) right wrist did the same. So I was crawling/hopping around, trying

to write with my left hand!

They (medical types) initially told me I broke my ankle. I found this hard to

believe as I had sprained it twice in volleyball and was quite sure when it

happened! X-rays were negative, then they thought I might have gout: yeah

right, a 37 year old, thin, vegetarian, non-drinking female!

Anyhow, luckily I found a savvy rheumatologist, and was tested for HLA-B27

and sed rates: positive and high. The flu-like/achy joint symptoms persist

without swelling. I also just found out I have Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, oh

joy. I am very aware that some people think I am making it all up...who

would DO that??

I have had to cut my work hours and my life has shrunk down to work, sleep

and a little free time to have fun if I am not too tired. I am discouraged

today. Other days are better.

I hope you find some answers for your own peace of mind. Having a name to

call it helps me a bit...but we're all in the same boat, regardless.

Take care,

Kristi (KJ)

[Guest guest]

In a message dated 4/16/2003 8:54:07 PM Pacific Standard Time,

TwoDogMother@... writes:

> life has shrunk down to work, sleep

> and a little free time to have fun if I am not too tired. I am discouraged

>

> today. Other days are better.

>

I recall clearly how life shrank for Adrienne. From Weight Training School,

dance, wrestling, sleep... Then... school, dance, sleep, then... dance and

sleep... we opted to homeschool... Then... theater and sleep...she had to

drop dance, but at least she was able to move on to theater.

Something that was as hard as the increased fatigue was the loss of people

Adrienne thought were her friends. The people who thought she was making it

up, said all sorts of unkind things to her. It was a very difficult time.

One that hurt a lot was a friend who had lukemia...and ADrienne stuck by her

friend through chemo and treatment and recovery... and then... when ADrienne

got sick... this girl dumped her.

Thankfully, at that same time... Adrienne found she had friends she didn't

even Know WERE her friends. One young man, who continues to be a good

friend would leave notes on the corner of a chalk board near where she sat,

at school... little notes like " hi addy " or " how's addy? " The teacher let

the notes stay on the board until Adrienne was in class and would see them.

Those little notes meant a lot.

Then there were the kids who would stop her in the hall and ask how she was

doing? Kids she hardly knew the name of, yet they knew her.

Her entire circle of friends shifted... But other kids... started calling, or

stopping by. She has such an AWESOME group of friends now!

She is such a positive person...she has even said...she isn't bitter about

this arthritis...because through this, she found who her REAL friends are.

And... for that she is grateful. Now, personally, I don't know that I could

feel that way.

I have to think it is probably harder to get the diagnosis as an adult.

Adrienne had the option to curl up for 9 months and sleep and let life keep

going without her taking part too much. But as adults we don't often have

that option.

I hope tomorrow is a better day for you Kristi. You are in my thoughts!

K

Adrienne's Mom

Adrienne age 19

[Guest guest]

Kristi (KJ) said:

> Anyhow, luckily I found a savvy rheumatologist, and was tested for HLA-B27

> and sed rates: positive and high. The flu-like/achy joint symptoms persist

> without swelling. I also just found out I have Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, oh

> joy. I am very aware that some people think I am making it all up...who

> would DO that??

FOR SURE!! That really upsets me that people just DO NOT

UNDERSTAND!!!!!!!! I know they think we are just lazy, overreactive, and

whatever else but I know that I have never felt worse in my life...My body

hates me.. My mind is so active with stuff it wants to do.. But my body

just shuts down lately.. DRIVES ME CRAZY!!!!!

I think my reiter's is getting worse again too..

I had chiro treatments done and the SI joint is worse at this point.. I

don't know if it is the treatment or just getting adjusted to new settings

or what.

The chiro showed me that I have some level 3 bone spurs in my lower back

and that the vertebra are becoming more compressed. He said i'm not fusing

yet but I'm heading that way. He said that chiropractic can not of course

cure me but it can slow up the process a little bit. I just hope I don't

'keep hurting cus it is hard enough to haul my weary body around without

having my hip feel like it is coming out of place.!!!

Liz ~~~~~~

" This is the day which the Lord hath made; Let us be GLAD and rejoice in

it! " Psalms 118:24

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

EMAIL: juliette@... **ICQ 49746198** MSN-LizKP1952@...

PERSONAL HOMEPAGE PAGE http://members.tripod.com/~LizK

ADDult HOME PAGE: http://members.tripod.com/~LizK/addult.htm

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

[Guest guest]

I have had to cut my work hours and my life has shrunk down to work, sleep

>and a little free time to have fun if I am not too tired. I am discouraged

>today. Other days are better.

kristi... don't let this disease stop you from living or get you

discoureaged or depressed.

i've had to see doctors in at least 5 different countries regarding RS but i

still keep going. my rheumatologist told me last year that the patients who

do the best with the disease are those who keep a positive outlook, despite

the circumstances. i adopted this philosophy immediately.....

take care ~ james in taiwan

_________________________________________________________________

Protect your PC - get McAfee.com VirusScan Online

http://clinic.mcafee.com/clinic/ibuy/campaign.asp?cid=3963

[Guest guest]

Hi ,

I think you and drs are right, usually I try and manage to (I think!)

maintain a positive attitude, but when I have a flare it is helpful to vent a

little, too. I appreciate being able to do that here and hear from others

who really " get it " .

I am kind of overwhelmed right now, with just finding out I have Chronic

Fatigue, as well. As Forrest Gump said so eloquently: " Life is like a box of

chocolates - you never know what you're gonna get " . Anyhow, thanks for the

note.

You take care, too,

Kristi

[Guest guest]

In a message dated 4/17/2003 10:59:29 PM Pacific Standard Time,

TwoDogMother@... writes:

> As Forrest Gump said so eloquently: " Life is like a box of

> chocolates - you never know what you're gonna get " .

That is a favorite saying around this house! Often quoted by our ten year

old!

K

Adrienne's Mom

[Guest guest]

K,

Thanks SO much for your thoughtful letter. I am also struggling with

'friends' and certain family members who have not even acknowledged that I am

sick and in pain much of the time. Some coworkers who I have really been

supportive of, have not said a word, and even act resentful and weird towards

me. It must be so hard to be an adolescent and deal with all that. She (A)

is going to be a very strong woman! It (having an rather uncommon illness) is

really showing what the people in my life are made of and I think my

friendships will be shifting , too, as Adrienne's did.

So for me, it is the loss not only of activities and vitality, but also some

key people in my life...can be quite lonely. I am watching a hummingbird

gobble up the sugar water I mixed for him right outside my window...and

enjoying the flowers and greenery of spring - that helps me feel joyful about

life...so I am trying to focus on the little things that make my heart

lighter. I plan to make a list this weekend!

Thanks again for your kind words - they really touched me and made me feel

heard and understood.

-Kristi

[Guest guest]

Hi Kev,

The best example of the test is the sample test at the PTCB web site. It's

identical in structure to the actual exam. If I'm not mistaken, when you finish

the practice test they also break down the number of correct/incorrect answers

into the three individual sections. Good luck.

Lynch-Brunozzi, CPhT

*******************************************

hi there

hi there every body,,

I am new here and taking my first test on comin July 26.

Please help me out about test??? What kind test will be

or any one does a old test etc.

I already study PTCB site test. ay more help..

thanks for reading..

kev

[Guest guest]

Welcome a!

As to your question--personally, if I wasn't in severe pain and my quality of

life was still intact, I would wait on surgery and would do almost anything

to keep my back in good shape (i.e., PT, exercise, massage, etc.).

My rods have come unhooked and press on nerves when I sit back in just the

right position. They have created flatback so now I lean forward and find it

difficult to walk, sit, lie down--just about everything has irritated my spine.

I have had 4 fusions and one AFDC (which never did fuse) and am dragging my

feet on having the revision done. I am in extreme pain most of the time, my

quality of life is down the tubes, I am on SSI and had to quit my job and STILL,

the decision to go ahead and have the surgery is elusive. I think we all

have to reach our own threshold of how much we will put up with before we

ultimately opt for surgery.

I have had several surgeries in which there was noone to help but I did have

a visiting nurse come everyday to give me a bath, plump the pillows, and run a

vacuum once in a while. I had that service for about 2 weeks, but I am

really independent and hate people waiting on me, so I pushed myself to do

things.

I cooked up a storm before the surgery and made TV dinners to heat in the

micro. And I was lucky enough to have a grocery store that delivered. The city

taxi service carted me back and forth to the doctor's office and if I needed

something at the store, the drivers would go get it for me.

From everything I read from members of this group, the revision surgery is

harder than the original surgery and of course, being many moons older makes

recovery longer and harder (although, even that is an individual thing).

I don't know that any of this will help you--consider it my $.02 worth.

Kris in Idaho

[Guest guest]

Hi a, I'm sort of new too-I've been reading since Sept., just

haven't jumped in with my story yet.

I, too, have a broken rod in the middle of my back. It's never caused

any pain or tenderness and doctors have always said my fusion was

solid--until now. It's still hard to see on xrays, but two revision

specialists have said there is pseudarthroses, " a failure to fuse " .

I discovered the break when I was about 46, I'm now 56 and have full-

fledged Flatback-I'm in the throes of deciding on revision surgery in

the next 6 months. If I hadn't developed Flatback, I would have kept

the broken rod in place and gone on with life as usual, I wouldn't

have had it removed. Even now, if I do have revision surgery, I will

keep at least the upper half of the rod in if removing it is too

complicated. Find a good scoliosis or revision surgeon and get good

Xrays. And keep tabs on it. I found that my break was barely visible

for years, then the gap between the rods widened, and moved

laterally. Probably that's when I began having problems.

I wish you the best.

Jo

-- In , " cafeaulait222000 "

<cafeaulait222000@y...> wrote:

> My name is a and I have just joined this group. Scoliosis was

discovered in me

> when I was fifteen and at that time I had a harrington rod spinal

fusion. Well, I am

> now 49 and much to my dismay, it was discovered last year that my

rod cracked

> somewhere in the middle. The doctor said that it was a little odd

for it to have

> cracked there but he did add that it is like an old car part that

just need

> maintainence. I am in no pain and am in no hurry to have another

operation on my

> back. He suggested taking it out and once he sees what is

happening inside will then

> make a determination as to whether he needs to replace it. Because

of my anxiety to

> have this done again and because I am single and no one to take

care of me this

> time, I am hoping and praying that I will be alright with it just

the way it is. If anyone

> out there has had this happen to them, please contact me and tell

me how you

> handled it?

[Guest guest]

Hi a...

Dr. Bradford at UCSF told me that rods only break if there is an

area of non-fusion. He described it as like a paperclip. When you

bend it back and forth in the same spot enough times, it will finally

break. The fact that you don't have a lot of pain in the area of the

break, seems like it might be significant. I don't know if a a one

level pseudarthrosis (non-fusion) would cause your curve to increase.

Maybe that depends on which level isn't fused.

I think that keeping an eye on it is probably a good recommendation.

Do you have x-rays from prior to the rod breaking?

Regards,

> Thanks for responding to my email. No I am not in any

> pain. All I do notice now is that my back gets a

> little achy by the end of the day and where the rod is

> cracked, I feel a slight pinch from time to time but

> that is all. My doctor is keeping an eye on it

> because he wants to make sure that my spine is not

> curving anymore. But if it was fused once a long time

> ago but maybe not in that one spot where the rod is

> broken, could it still curve more??? I don't want to

> have any kind of an operation if I can help it.

>

[Guest guest]

Hi ,

Something has been nagging at me about my own history, and I'm hoping

you can give your opinion on whether this is a worry worthy thing or

if I should cross it off my long worry list -- About a year after my

original fusion many many years ago, x-rays showed I had a

pseudarthrosis between L2 - L3. After I got rid of the plaster

monstrosities, I recall having to wear a short plastic cast/brace for

longer than they had initially estimated. But I don't think I have

any subsequent x-ray reports that say the psuedoarthrosis ever fused.

Everyone now says that my fusion is solid. Should I assume the

pseudarthrosis healed sometime after that first year?

You may recall, that besides flatback syndrome, I have several

neurological problems (syringomyelia, saddle numbness). I can't seem

to shake my probably irrational fear that somehow the Harrington Rod

hook at L2 and the psuedarthrosis are related to the neurological

problems.

My rods are still intact.

Thanks in advance for any responses I'll receive,

loriann

> Hi a...

>

> Dr. Bradford at UCSF told me that rods only break if there is

an

> area of non-fusion. He described it as like a paperclip. When you

> bend it back and forth in the same spot enough times, it will

finally

> break. The fact that you don't have a lot of pain in the area of

the

> break, seems like it might be significant. I don't know if a a one

> level pseudarthrosis (non-fusion) would cause your curve to

increase.

> Maybe that depends on which level isn't fused.

>

> I think that keeping an eye on it is probably a good

recommendation.

> Do you have x-rays from prior to the rod breaking?

>

> Regards,

>