Have you heard of new "TOPS" Spine surgery?

@lisalucier thank you for that. I have issues with bending due to some loss. Sleeping is difficult when I have to turnover. I am almost to my breaking point because I don't know what can be done.

@annie1 Forteo (and generics) can help rebuild bone. I hope to find out what I can do after completing it as I do not know what is possible for me yet. I got a DEXA halfway through and it had helped. Whether it is trusted for procedures, or which ones, this I do not know yet. Thanks for your post. Much appreciated.

@skdooley1 hey thank you for responding. I don't really have a peer group than I can converse with. It's nice to get to know other and learn more on ways to help my back and not have to rely on a pill, I have avoided that for a year. Hope to hear from you again

@annie1 Have you been able to get them to call you back yet? Otherwise, emailing is probably the easier way if contacting them. It seemed to work best for me when I contacted them with questions a couple years ago.

@readinglamb Yes, I have had at least three phone calls with their consultants. However, they do not determine the cost of the surgery. All they can do is connect potential patients to doctors in their area. I had an appointment this week with a neurosurgeon in my area who actually does the TOPs procedure. I thought I was a candidate with a level 1 spondololisthesis at L4/5 and stenosis. He said I would not be a candidate due to an "area of concern" at L3/4, even though it isn't severe. He thinks if it isn't addressed, it will cause problems down the line and a future surgery. If your DXA scan is -2.0 or greater, they will not do the surgery, according to this doctor. He says the screws will not hold with poor bone density.

My first fusion during the healing process rejected 2 of the screws. When they did the followup MRI they were near the spine so within a few hours I was back in surgery to remove them, which the dr let me keep the 2 screws. It's a good show n tell for my students. Lol

@annie1 YES, 100% on my surgery. Its not an exact science tho -- you have to have a surgeon who assesses properly. I think most people who have decompression at L3, 4, 5 need fusion. Because it absorbs the most weight. My nerves were flattened. Thats how they tell what you need and whether you might have permanent damage. Also because I suffered with the compression for YEARS. They can't fix that 100%. So I knew going into it. But I would have lost use of my legs entirely. I am no coward but the neurosurgeon was a wimp and he wouldn't do the surgery. It was his fault that I have the permanent damage. But the surgeries were not all good in the earlier years so ----- I am lucky and blessed.
I probably needed more than L3 - L5 -- 8 years ago. but I was working and bending in extreme positions. Now, 8 years later I am probably looking at having surgery on the adjacent vertebrae. The adjacent vertebrae are pressing and collapsing. But that is life and we made the decision together. Dr. Zlomislec at UC Health here in San Diego. ANYONE in the Orthopedic department is top drawer and they work as a team.

I have from a fall missing chair landing on concrete titanium hardware L5-Sacral in 2/24. After fall it collapsed 14. yrs later . And he did a bone 🦴 graft. My back is ok, miss touching toes as always exercised but now C5-C6 fused causing vertigo as no CSF getting to area. (did inner ear neuro study , passed but balance@72 have 2watch). Worry about vagus nerve. ANY prognosis to get CSF back there. Will I get worse?