From: bounce-scoliosis To: scoliosis-digest@ai.mit.edu Subject: scoliosis V1 #921 Reply-To: Errors-To: bounce-scoliosis Precedence: bulk scoliosis Sunday, 16 August 1998 Volume 01 : Number 921 Today's subjects for scoliosis, scoliosis-medical, scoliosis-child and scoliosis-teens: Re: Scoliosis Surgery ["Julieta Chan" ] Re: scoli help groups ["jennifer Lytle" ] DURATION OF PHYSICAL THERAPY [Cathy Lutz ] Re: Report ["Gail Walsh" ] Re: [Re: [Howdy]] [Dc2kris@aol.com] Re: Chiropractic [Marcia A Ackerman ] Re: Scoliosis Surgery [Allison150@aol.com] Re: Scoliosis Surgery [KC18555@aol.com] Re: Scoliosis Surgery ["Henry G. Herford, Jr." ] Back Pain [R.N.A.@worldnet.att.net] Re: Back Pain [Linda Racine ] Re: Back Pain [R.N.A.@worldnet.att.net] Re: DURATION OF PHYSICAL THERAPY [R.N.A.@worldnet.att.net] Re: Back Pain ["Sindy S Green" ] Re: Back Pain [CarolPerk@aol.com] Re: [Re: [Howdy]] ["Julieta Chan" ] Re: Report of Paul ["Jeanne" ] Re: Back Pain [VSlaybaugh@aol.com] Re: [Re: [Howdy]] [Dc2kris@aol.com] Re: Back Pain [Linda Racine ] ---------------------------------------------------------------------- From: "Julieta Chan" Date: Fri, 14 Aug 1998 23:10:49 PDT Subject: Re: Scoliosis Surgery Hey Rachael! Good luck on your surgery. During recovery, remember to drink lots of fluids even if you don't feel like it...it's important. Also, try to stay as mobile as you can (eg. move your arms and legs, sleep on your side) cuz you won't be able to move for a few days. Get ready to be bothered while you're sleeping cuz the nurse will come and take your temperature every once in a while. Good luck again!!! =) Julieta >Date: Fri, 14 Aug 1998 20:44:20 -0500 >To: scoliosis-teens@ai.mit.edu >Subject: Scoliosis Surgery > ... Aug. >17. I am going to be in Shriner's Hospital in Shreveport, LA. I live >about 2 hrs. from there. I will probably be staying until the Saturday >or Sunday of that same week. Well, that is all I have to say. Please >write to me soon! > > ... ______________________________________________________ Get Your Private, Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com For help on using this list (especially unsubscribing), send a message to "scoliosis-teens-request@ai.mit.edu" with one line of text: "help". ------------------------------ From: "jennifer Lytle" Date: Sat, 15 Aug 1998 00:05:00 PDT Subject: Re: scoli help groups I will find you the # and get back to you ok jennifer ______________________________________________________ Get Your Private, Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com For help on using this list (especially unsubscribing), send a message to "scoliosis-teens-request@ai.mit.edu" with one line of text: "help". ------------------------------ From: Cathy Lutz Date: Sat, 15 Aug 1998 11:40:24 -0700 Subject: DURATION OF PHYSICAL THERAPY This past week I was surprised to learn my post-operative PT will be over next week. Surgery was April 27, and twice weekly PT began in June. For me, PT has made a huge difference in the resumption of normal activities, and I'm concerned that its cessation will bring a decline in improvement and slow my recovery. I'm wondering what others have experienced post-op. How long did your PT continue and how far along were you in your recovery when it ended. Did you continue with other types of programs once PT was completed? Is this basically an insurance issue? Cathy [cwlutz@erols.com] ______ For help on using this list (especially unsubscribing), send a message to "scoliosis-medical-request@ai.mit.edu" with one line of text: "help". ------------------------------ From: "Gail Walsh" Date: Sat, 15 Aug 1998 13:07:43 -0500 Subject: Re: Report Hi Paul, I am so sorry to hear you have been having such a rough time of it! Insurance companies can be so inhumane and even cruel. I have not had to cope with your situation but when I had surgery in Boston, Blue Cross would only cover $5,000 of the cost (This was in the 70's). I once had a problem with an insurance company in settling a claim for damage on my house. I had to threaten legal action and they backed down. I realize you have a lawyer but have you considered other avenues? Humiliating them in public by say, going to the Ombudsman on CTV News or even attaining publicity about it through other avenues. What about the Human Rights Commission? Seeking help from the provincial government's branch of the Department of Finance that regulates insurance companies? You could write a letter to the Finance department complaining about the actions of the insurance company and send copies to the Finance Minister and then to critics in the other parties. Summer is a slow news month and reporters get very tired of covering summer fairs so it might be the time to do something like that. It depends on how comfortable you feel with it. Take care and I am glad you are feeling a little better! Gail ______ For help on using this list (especially unsubscribing), send a message to "scoliosis-medical-request@ai.mit.edu" with one line of text: "help". ------------------------------ From: Dc2kris@aol.com Date: Sat, 15 Aug 1998 12:35:46 EDT Subject: Re: [Re: [Howdy]] In a message dated 98-08-14 00:41:57 EDT, you write: << My doctor says that if people didn't have surgery, they grow up and take the risk of having lung, heart problems (cuz your spine is in the way) and trouble while carrying a baby (ie. when you grow up). So I guess surgery does help you prevent these problems. >> Julieta-- Are the risks and stuff of not getting surgery true in all cases, or only the extreme causes? Kris For help on using this list (especially unsubscribing), send a message to "scoliosis-teens-request@ai.mit.edu" with one line of text: "help". ------------------------------ From: Marcia A Ackerman Date: Sat, 15 Aug 1998 10:03:21 -0500 (EST) Subject: Re: Chiropractic Hello Everyone, Marley had her MRI yesterday we will not know the results until Monday. Waiting once again... It went okay except Marley does not have visible veins so she got poked like 4 times until they could find one even with a snake light which makes them visible they poked right through her vein and her hand bubbled up it was kind of scary and they did not get one picture because she woke up which was awful because I saw this little toe move and went up to the machine and it was like 20-30 seconds which was very long for me until they began to scoot her out, she was loopy so I'm sure she does not recall being in there. Well I asked her if she remembered and she asked why she was in there and I asked what she thought of it and she said she thought it was nice so obviously she does not remember but she was fine afterwards except off balance and uncoordinated she looked at me a while afterwards and asked Why can't I do anything? as she would fall over from a sitting position. My best to all of you. Marcy ______ For help on using this list (especially unsubscribing), send a message to "scoliosis-child-request@ai.mit.edu" with one line of text: "help". ------------------------------ From: Allison150@aol.com Date: Sat, 15 Aug 1998 17:02:09 EDT Subject: Re: Scoliosis Surgery Rachael, HI! How are you? I heard that you are having surgery and I just want to wish you luck. I had the surgery on June 25 of this year. I am home now reouping still but I am doing great. I would be glad to answer any questions that you many have. Please feel free to e-mail me at any time. Let me know how the surgery goes. Allison Allison150@aol.com For help on using this list (especially unsubscribing), send a message to "scoliosis-teens-request@ai.mit.edu" with one line of text: "help". ------------------------------ From: KC18555@aol.com Date: Sat, 15 Aug 1998 17:11:28 EDT Subject: Re: Scoliosis Surgery Rachel- It really helps if you listen to music that you like on the way to the hospital. Before my surgery i made a mix. Good luck KC For help on using this list (especially unsubscribing), send a message to "scoliosis-teens-request@ai.mit.edu" with one line of text: "help". ------------------------------ From: "Henry G. Herford, Jr." Date: Sat, 15 Aug 1998 16:49:22 -0500 Subject: Re: Scoliosis Surgery Dear Amanda M., Where do you live? I live in Delhi, a small city 37 miles from Monroe. Thanks for the good luck! My curve is lumbar and is about 42 degrees. I will have rods placed in my back. Instead of them going in from the back, they are going to go in the front. What hospital will you be going to to have surgery if you have it? I am going to Shriner's Hospital for Children. I have to be back at the hospital tomorrow at 3pm. Hope to get an e-mail before then! Do you have ICQ? If you do, let me know of your number and I will add you to our list! I gotta go! Talk to you later! Rachael H. For help on using this list (especially unsubscribing), send a message to "scoliosis-teens-request@ai.mit.edu" with one line of text: "help". ------------------------------ From: R.N.A.@worldnet.att.net Date: Sat, 15 Aug 1998 17:54:07 +0100 Subject: Back Pain I have a question that I thought someone on the list might be able to answer. I'm almost three months post op. So far my recovery has been good. However something has been happening since last week. Occasionally I have been experiencing back pain--more like a discomfort. I haven't been doing anything I'm not supposed to do but over the weeks I have become more active. More active in the sense of walking more, preparing my meals, doing some of my own laundry--but no bending, twisting or lifting. And I don't overdo during the course of the day. When my back hurts I find it better to stand, it hurts more when I sit or recline. I also noticed that this has happened when much of the numbness in the back began to disappear. Is this normal? Any suggestions for relief? Is this muscle or spine pain? I see the doctor in 10 days. ______ For help on using this list (especially unsubscribing), send a message to "scoliosis-medical-request@ai.mit.edu" with one line of text: "help". ------------------------------ From: Linda Racine Date: Sat, 15 Aug 1998 15:36:06 +0000 Subject: Re: Back Pain Lynn.... I still had signficant pain at 3 mos. post-op. Sitting is almost always the hardest thing to do for any length of time in the first year post op. I don't know for sure, but I'd bet the pain is muscle pain. Have you tried an over the counter anti-inflammatory? You should also try to spend less time in the positions that aggrevate the problem. I could not sit 2 hrs. through a movie until I was about 6-9 mos. post op. Regards, Linda ______ For help on using this list (especially unsubscribing), send a message to "scoliosis-medical-request@ai.mit.edu" with one line of text: "help". ------------------------------ From: R.N.A.@worldnet.att.net Date: Sat, 15 Aug 1998 19:50:07 +0100 Subject: Re: Back Pain Linda- Can't take any anti-inflammatory until 3 months post op--the doctor actually wants to put me on them for the shoulder pain. I really do try to alternate between standing and sitting during the day--think I'll have to stand some more! And right now I feel my muscles going into spasms. Oh well--I'll just have to cope!!! Thanks Lynne ______ For help on using this list (especially unsubscribing), send a message to "scoliosis-medical-request@ai.mit.edu" with one line of text: "help". ------------------------------ From: R.N.A.@worldnet.att.net Date: Sat, 15 Aug 1998 19:57:04 +0100 Subject: Re: DURATION OF PHYSICAL THERAPY I'm just curious--for all those who have had PT after surgery, what kind of PT is done? I want to ask my doctor at the next appointment about PT but I would like to know beforehand what the exercises and routines are. Also, a while back there was some discussion about the vertebrae above and below the fusion levels. I thought I saved some of those posts but apparently I didn't. What I want to know is---does weakness occur above and below the fused vertebrae? Did the more recent surgeries take this into consideration by extending the fusion? Thanks Lynne ______ For help on using this list (especially unsubscribing), send a message to "scoliosis-medical-request@ai.mit.edu" with one line of text: "help". ------------------------------ From: "Sindy S Green" Date: Sat, 15 Aug 1998 19:32:43 -0000 Subject: Re: Back Pain Lynne, Are you more sore on your right side or left? I have found my right side to be a real persistent pain problem I believe cuz I'm right handed....I wonder all the time about that. So I try to do more with my left hand. I'm also back to wearing my brace on my really hard working days and I've noticed a big difference. Do you have a post-op corset or brace? You can get one in the bra dept. ...and, what are over the counter anti-flammatories? Name names please....thanks. Sindy ______ For help on using this list (especially unsubscribing), send a message to "scoliosis-medical-request@ai.mit.edu" with one line of text: "help". ------------------------------ From: CarolPerk@aol.com Date: Sat, 15 Aug 1998 21:43:40 EDT Subject: Re: Back Pain Dear Lynne: I am 7 months post op. I went through all the same things at three months that you are dealing with now. These problems gradually get better. I know it helps to hear from others that they have been through a similar experience. I too cannot take anti inflammatories until the fusion is fully healed. I have vicodin to take for any significant pain, but for the most part I take extra strength Tylenol. As far as PT goes, I'm still not in PT yet. The doctor wants to wait until the fusion is more fully healed and then he will have me on a weight training program. I do go to a massage therapist which has helped keep the muscles less stiff. I hope this helps. C.P. ______ For help on using this list (especially unsubscribing), send a message to "scoliosis-medical-request@ai.mit.edu" with one line of text: "help". ------------------------------ From: "Julieta Chan" Date: Sat, 15 Aug 1998 19:33:57 PDT Subject: Re: [Re: [Howdy]] Hey Kris, I guess I should've said it better. It should have been if you are still growing a bit and don't wear a brace, then the risks will be there. However, if your case is extreme (>50 degrees) already then surgery is definitely the answer. Sorry about the misunderstanding! Julieta ______________________________________________________ Get Your Private, Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com For help on using this list (especially unsubscribing), send a message to "scoliosis-teens-request@ai.mit.edu" with one line of text: "help". ------------------------------ From: "Jeanne" Date: Sat, 15 Aug 1998 21:41:09 +0000 Subject: Re: Report of Paul Paul ... I read your post. I'm a watcher on this list and don't often contribute. >From your post, I couldn't tell if you had had a failed surgery which is causing your disability. If you had a failed surgery, can you mention what it was? I had a/p fusion of C6-L2 last fall. Up until that point, I was ready to throw in the towel on my career several times because of the pain. (I still have the pain since the surgery, but it is different.) And, I, too, have had nothing but frustrations dealing with the idiots on the other end of 1-800-dial-a-benefit. Right now I'm frustrated by the insurance refusing to authorize a medication called 'Singulair' for asthma treatment. We are talking pennies here about these medications. Not dollars like your disability situation. I lost some pulmonology function with my surgery. I lost a lot, actually. I had used an inhaler for several years for exercise-induced asthma although I had both the exercise-induced asthma and shortness of breath due to the scoliosis. I didn't expect that the surgery would improve my situation and it didn't. And all the muscle activity from the healing thoracotomy and posterior incisions makes my chest muscles even more sensitive to contractions in the muscles. Thus, the exercise-induced asthma is happening almost all the time. Just even moving to shift positions in a chair causes muscle tightness. This medication, Singulair, is a breakthrough medicine on exercise-induced asthma. The MD gave me samples to use and the medication really worked. I went to get the prescription filled and the insurance company said NO. The insurance authorized a different medication called Accolate and said I had to take that medication. I took it for a week and it didn't work, so now my doctor is contacting the insurance company again to defend Singulair in place of Accolate. I've given him a letter to fax to the insurance company detailing the scoliosis situation and why the Accolate isn't working. I don't know yet if the insurance will approve Singulair. The difference in price on the two medications are that Accolate is $58 a month (purchased from Walmart) and Singulair is $67 a month. Singulair is known to work on exercise-induced asthma (my situation). Accolate does not. But, the insurance company is so stupid about $$ that they can't see that the medication they are authorizing (the Accolate) is not the right medication for my diagnosis. I mention this medication thing because insurance companies seem to be run by snake attornies. The people employed by those companies are making decisions about situations where they don't have a clue about the medical problem. Here in the US we train our doctors for about 8-9 years of rigorous and intensive schooling, internships, residency and fellowships following the bachelors degree. But ... the insurance company can hire whatever they find for personnel, no regulations, no licensing, no experience and then those people have the power to override the decisions of practising medical professionals with patient contact. Its our money AND our life and we have no control over our treatment. For this I pay $100 a month towards the premium and copays for everything and the insurance is not working for me ... the customer. My insurance is not an HMO. It it the preferred provider kind where I can either use the MD designated as the primary care physician and get referrals to other specialists through the primary care physician .. or .. I can go outside of the PCP to my own specialists for a higher price. But, I do have an alternative for medical care and I had to use it for my scoliosis surgery. But, I have no other alternative for medication. I have a full time job doing computer programming. I've perservered in the job because I felt it was better to hold on to the job and benefits. I will confess that I have given up other things to treat my job as the #1 priority. I can't tolerate prolonged sitting or standing or driving or walking. This has been true for almost my entire life, for sure since I was about 16 years old and had my first job as a grocery store checker. At work I use a TENS unit with 6 leads (one wire has 2 pads and one has 4 pads) pasted on to various back muscles. That doesn't make the pain go away, but it helps a little. I also take Relafen (an anti-inflamatory that doesn't give me a tummy ache). And, I also take an anti-depressant. In the last two years, my husband has taken over the cooking and groceries. He also does the wash. He reminds me how wonderful he is by doing that! After all those years of doing those chores, plus 3 kids, I've finally reached the point where there are only two things that I do every day. I go to work every day, Monday through Friday. I do a 30 minute fitness lap swim at the YMCA every day, not real fast because I have asthma. That's it. That is a big accomplishment, actually. At work, I use a foot rest and I have the crt at the right eye level. I don't use a mouse, I use the keyboard with a pointer in the middle, like a lap top keyboard. All these things also helped. The anti-depressant has really helped a lot. I've taken it since 1994. All three of my children have been on anti-depressants, too, since I found out how well it worked for me and figured out that they would benefit, too. My children are older, with two out of the home. My husband doesn't think very much about the anti-depressant medications, and convinced my son to stop taking medication. I wish you well on your situation. It is helpful to be able to vent now and then. Jeanne ______ For help on using this list (especially unsubscribing), send a message to "scoliosis-medical-request@ai.mit.edu" with one line of text: "help". ------------------------------ From: VSlaybaugh@aol.com Date: Sun, 16 Aug 1998 00:03:36 EDT Subject: Re: Back Pain Lynne, I'm assuming your pain may be muscle related. I recently experienced some new pain that had me quite worried, too. I am almost 6 months post-op and have been doing really good in my recovery. After talking to my doctor's clinical nurse, she reassured me that it was probably just a pulled muscle that hadn't been worked for a long time. I experienced a really painful burning right in the middle of my spine, right between the shoulder blades. Every night for a week when I would roll over in bed, I would almost let out a scream because it hurt so bad. I never really felt the pain except for at night or once in a while during the day when I would move sharply a certain way. It almost felt like a muscle or something was tearing away from the middle of the spine. I was so afraid that it was a loose hook or broken fusion. What I believe might have cause the pain was that I had spent 8 1/2 hours on a Friday over at my Dad's helping to reline kitchen cabinets for my Dad and his new wife. I was careful (so I thought) in what I allowed myself to do. I took my 10 year old niece with me and she cleaned out all the lower cabinets and washed all of the cabinets down. I basically unloaded and lined the upper cabinets and then lined the lower cabinets. While lining the lower cabinets, I may have reached a little too far forward for too long of a period. I sat on the floor and leaned inside a little to do the job. I guess this must have been what caused the pain. I didn't experience any pain until the next morning when I went to roll over and get out of bed. That's when I let out a cry of pain. Each day for a week it continued to get worse and then as it started to get better I had a set back with the pain again and for lack of embarrasement at exlaining the reason for the return of the pain, let me just say that my husband had just returned home from a business trip. Finally after about 5 more days of the pain, the pain is now gone. I did have a lot of swelling on the left side of this soreness and a lot of stiffness. The swelling is still there but it is continuing to go down. I go back to my doctor in 2 weeks for my 6 months post-op check up and will see if everything is healing fine. Vicky ______ For help on using this list (especially unsubscribing), send a message to "scoliosis-medical-request@ai.mit.edu" with one line of text: "help". ------------------------------ From: Dc2kris@aol.com Date: Sun, 16 Aug 1998 00:18:28 EDT Subject: Re: [Re: [Howdy]] Julieta--- Thanks for clearing that up! I was just a little concerned when i heard that because my curve's like 26 degrees, and i'm not growing anymore...but i heard that my curve will still get progressively worse over the years. Does anyone else out there know if scoliosis and kyphosis (i think that's how you spell it...but it's the hunchback thingy) are related to each other in any way? Kris For help on using this list (especially unsubscribing), send a message to "scoliosis-teens-request@ai.mit.edu" with one line of text: "help". ------------------------------ From: Linda Racine Date: Sat, 15 Aug 1998 21:38:22 +0000 Subject: Re: Back Pain Vicky.... That's WAY more than you should be doing. Slow down! :-) Linda ______ For help on using this list (especially unsubscribing), send a message to "scoliosis-medical-request@ai.mit.edu" with one line of text: "help". ------------------------------ End of scoliosis V1 #921 ************************ You're reading a composite here: the scoliosis-digest is a daily encapsulation of messages sent to four different mailing lists: scoliosis, scoliosis-medical, scoliosis-child and scoliosis-teens. If you're responding, you can determine which list message above was posted to by looking at the message footer. To post your own email to scoliosis, send it to "scoliosis@ai.mit.edu". To post your own email to scoliosis-medical list, send it to "scoliosis-medical@ai.mit.edu". To post to scoliosis-child, send your message to "scoliosis-child@ai.mit.edu." To post your message to scoliosis-teens, send it to "scoliosis-teens@ai.mit.edu". Be sure to see the scoliosis web page at "http://www.ai.mit.edu/extra/scoliosis/scoliosis.html". 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