Scoliosis - Introduce yourself and meet others

Has anyone had the Vertiflex procedure done for severe disc degeneration and spinal stenosis at four levels, accompanied by mild scoliosis, and had significant pain reduction? I'd appreciate your experience with the Vertiflex procedure. Thanks. Bill in Arizona.

Hi @arinzonabill, welcome. I think you'll appreciate connecting with members talking about Vertiflex in this related discussion:
- What's your experience with Vertiflex Superion Implant? https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/veriflex-superion-implant/

Hi, Justin (from April.). I am Marilyn. I have had cervical and thoracic MRIs last week, and will be seeing 2 spine surgeons this Monday & Tuesday for interpretations. (Second opinion together with first opinion.) Will write on results soon.

Has anyone actually come out completely straitened after a fusion with scoliosis or does everyone bend forward as well? I had L-1 - L-5
Rodded 9 years ago and now I am bending forward. I’m going to pt but still even with exercising I bend forward.

Hi @jasnat, I thought you'd might like to connect with others who have scoliosis to get their take on whether or not they still bend forward after their fusion. People such as @djs51, @klsteffes, @bhamdlr, and @lifetimepain. You will see that I moved your post to the discussion about scoliosis for that purpose.

What did your physical Therapist say about the bending? Did they think that was normal?

Thank you for doing so. I was trying to find the scoliosis site.

My physical therapist said she has seen this many times so I have a set of exercises to do. I have to keep standing up every hour that’s one of the most important steps in relieving sciatica

I am 64 and have scoliosis. I have had it since I was ten but thought it just involved two discs. I have had pretty bad arthritis throughout my spine for years, now severe, with foraminal stenosis on multiple levels.
In 2019, I slipped on water at school. While I fell all the time, this time changed everything. I had all the shots, epidurals, etc. Awful!

Finally, my doc sent me to one of the best, a well-respected neurosurgeon. The report said the right's upper lumbar scoliosis convex is compensatory lower thoracic convex to the left—lumbar scoliosis convex the right maximal at L1-L2 measures 40 degrees. I had three smashed discs; two inside the curve and one outside. He would not touch the ones inside the curve and said if he fused the one out of the curve, my back would collapse "in the near future." He said I needed a rod. The second opinion: said he can fuse the one outside the curve. I thought that they were two extreme opinions, so I went back to the first doc and asked him to send me to someone who would not be scared to disagree with him. The third surgeon, of course, said they were both right. He could fuse the one outside the curve, but he also believes I will need the rod "in the near future." The surgery to fuse L5, I think, and a laminectomy stopped the burning going down my leg. Small victory!

I consistently take pain meds and fear when/if my back will collapse. I sometimes have lousy neuropathy down my bottom and upper thighs and feet. I am unsure if my feet are from a failed bunionectomy that broke/dislocated six joints in the rest of my toes. I worked with them for two years before I retired. Now my big toe is fused, and a fantastic surgeon did her best to fix my foot. It still hurts, but nothing like it did.

I have had six shoulder surgeries ending with a Reverse on both shoulders. I won't even go through what the last one feels like now.

The arch and jaw have collapsed, among many other "unique" issues in my mouth. Every dentist and surgeon has a different solution, not to mention charging a fortune.

My head is swirling. I realize Orencia infusions are not good, so I am considering stopping them. The thought of my hands getting worse, though, makes me nauseous. Anxiety and depression make everything worse.

@tmtm4 Hello again. I had been chatting with you in your other post about dental issues. I am a Mayo spine surgery patient, and also had surgery there for a broken ankle. Anything affecting mobility is a tough recovery and has been my challenge the last couple years. Am I understanding correctly that you have had one spine surgery but also have multiple problems with damaged discs and scoliosis with RA and osteoporosis?

When I was getting second, third, etc. opinions about my spine, I was choosing surgeons at different medical facilities. Sometimes, a surgeon in the same medical center as your last doctor, doesn't want to challenge their opinion particularly if the first surgeon is a department head or in a supervisory role. They do have a degree of common ground in their opinions about your condition. I understand that you are retired and finances are a concern. Are you at this time considering surgeries for both your spine and dental issues? Either one of those would be a lot by itself. Is one of those problems more urgent than the other?

Have you asked your provider if Orencia should be discontinued? I understand it is a medication for Rheumatoid Arthritis. It would be worth asking if stopping this medication would have negative side effects for your present condition. Are you being treated for Osteoporosis?

What are your goals now with respect to your medical conditions? You had mentioned possible spine surgery that would include rods to strengthen the spine. One other factor that affects what spine procedures are possible is osteoporosis because you need to have good enough bone quality if spinal hardware needs to be attached with screws or those screws may pull out or break from pressure. Surgeons need to try to balance the spine so it can support the body weight even if that means a loss of spinal movement. It is a question of what is a better choice between a rigid spine, or the body held in a position that adversely affects function. My mom has severe osteoporosis and had a spine compression fracture because of it. She didn't qualify for a procedure with bone cement to glue the vertebrae back together because of the osteoporosis and was instead given a back brace during the healing phase. Would a back brace be an option for you?

I am sure these are difficult decisions. Is there something holding you back in the decision process? What is it that worries you the most? Do you need assistance at home for daily living? Have your doctors recommended what should take priority for treatment? What can I do to help ease your mind?

Thank you I am concerned with my teeth. I have lost all but 4 on top, (4 or 5 in the last two years,) but only two on my lower arch. So many different opinions with major financial implications. I know I need to get up and move but I don't. My body is a piece of junk that never heals right or just when I think things might be looking up, something else happens. It's too much.