Re: Re: Appt w/ Dr. Errico tomorrow/possible fusion to sacrum

[Guest guest]

I read something in Cam's response...is there an opinion out there on another approach instead of full fusion. My last two vertebrae are kinda broke down but if I could get decompression without the whole shabang of rotating my saggital planes and mesh cages and fusion and especially a full year in recovery I would opt for that...has anyone had decompression surgery? Is it simple?Pamela

From: cammaltby@...Date: Thu, 17 Mar 2011 18:36:40 +0000Subject: [ ] Re: Appt w/ Dr. Errico tomorrow/possible fusion to sacrum

Jody,I am so glad got a chance to answer before I did. She has exactly captured my thoughts with regard to your question about what you should be asking. I put my own questions up so that people could understand the depth of questioning that I developed for my own self, and to let our members know that it is not wrong to question a doctor in depth about your condition. So understand that my questions may have actually nothing to do with what you may need to know. It was a list of questions that I developed for myself over the course of learning about my condition over the course of a year. I asked the questions with enough knowledge to ask follow up questions....because that was how I chose to prepare myself. Taking my list of questions and using them will undoubtedly muddy the waters for many...and I would not advise it.Instead....as time is short....sit down and write down the things that you do understand and are obviously worried about. For instance...you can easily ask a question relating to the other opinion you have where the surgeon is suggesting the decompression without extending the fusion. Ask what Errico sees as the pros and cons of that approach. Ask how often he has handled surgery for post Harrington patients and what the outcome has been. Ask about outcomes. Ask what limitations the fusions have brought to his patients. The main thing is to be able to walk out of the consult understanding the basic differences between how your case would be handled, and also how you assessed the capabilities of the doctor, and to some degree, the staff.Good luck. Please let us know how it goes!Take Care, Cam

[Guest guest]

Pamela,Both Edie and I went the decompression route before revision, hoping to have years before revision became necessary( decompression is only a stop gap procedure), neither of us got years, I was back having a full on revision a year later. The year following decompression wasn't a gem either, the burning hot poker pain in my hip and leg was gone, but I still had flatback, and still had tons of low back pain, and had to use a cane for stability, so I was still on various meds, and getting injections, hoping to rid myself of the pain. My recommendation is get it all over in one surgery( a full on revision) rather than two, as I have been there done that. 

Colorado SpringsOn Thu, Mar 17, 2011 at 12:51 PM, Pamela Hanley <campbetty@...> wrote:

 

I read something in Cam's response...is there an opinion out there on another approach instead of full fusion.  My last two vertebrae are kinda broke down but if I could get decompression without the whole shabang of rotating my saggital planes and mesh cages and fusion and especially a full year in recovery I would opt for that...has anyone had decompression surgery?  Is it simple?

Pamela 

From: cammaltby@...Date: Thu, 17 Mar 2011 18:36:40 +0000

Subject: [ ] Re: Appt w/ Dr. Errico tomorrow/possible fusion to sacrum

 

Jody,I am so glad got a chance to answer before I did. She has exactly captured my thoughts with regard to your question about what you should be asking. I put my own questions up so that people could understand the depth of questioning that I developed for my own self, and to let our members know that it is not wrong to question a doctor in depth about your condition. So understand that my questions may have actually nothing to do with what you may need to know. It was a list of questions that I developed for myself over the course of learning about my condition over the course of a year. I asked the questions with enough knowledge to ask follow up questions....because that was how I chose to prepare myself. Taking my list of questions and using them will undoubtedly muddy the waters for many...and I would not advise it.

Instead....as time is short....sit down and write down the things that you do understand and are obviously worried about. For instance...you can easily ask a question relating to the other opinion you have where the surgeon is suggesting the decompression without extending the fusion. Ask what Errico sees as the pros and cons of that approach. Ask how often he has handled surgery for post Harrington patients and what the outcome has been. Ask about outcomes. Ask what limitations the fusions have brought to his patients. The main thing is to be able to walk out of the consult understanding the basic differences between how your case would be handled, and also how you assessed the capabilities of the doctor, and to some degree, the staff.

Good luck. Please let us know how it goes!Take Care, Cam