Permanent nerve damage

@mrmacabre
What are your symptoms? I have a throbbing feeling in my calf muscles after I walk.

Question keeps coming up to me—if a person has mild OP, and surgery is recommended, like hip replacement or spine surgery—is it better to do the surgery sooner while bones are relatively stronger ? I heard of people having surgery scheduled only to find out their bone situation is too far deteriorated for the surgery to be completed…

@johntow
Well I'm going to try to make an appointment with him. I'm tired of being told so many different things and no one can guarantee that it's going to help anything. I've been all over the country literally. I was about to settle on a surgeon that I like and that my dentist recommended who is a very knowledgeable doctor but then I had this appointment today at Mass general where I was told I need to take care of my cervical spine first because it looks dangerous. And I don't really know who to go to for that. There are many surgeons in New York City but I'm completely trust a lot of them. That's the problem how do I know who's really great? It's not from reviews cuz they all have great reviews. I think they must pay people sometimes to write those reviews. Anyway I think I'll look into your doctor. And tell me again we're Rush hospital is?

@annie1
My surgeon had a 4.8 out of 5 stars, more than 500 reviews. I don't usually absorb or dwell on the great reviews, but read the ones unhappy, for Dr Lopez, the major critique was his lack of follow-up. He assigns his physicians assistant and his nurse practitioner for most of the followups, I did have some questions pertaining to my next surgery, and that's when Dr Lopez made himself available. The surgeon makes a big difference, Try to find a trusted site reporting honest feedback, collect a handful of surgeons, and try to find a winner. Ask AI how to best select a surgeon with superior outcomes, I am a bit dubious about asking medical staff who they like, somehow their answers seem tainted.

@nycmusic
I can't speak to your question about bone density, however PROBABLY related, I was told by several doctors regarding my apprehension about getting my ACDF at C5 - C7, that I should get it while I still felt good. First time I heard that it sounded counter intuitive, the second time I heard it, it made more sense. Nerve compression, cord compression, Nerves are different than other tissues in our body, the heal but MUCH slower than the rest of the body. You don't want your nerves compressed, starved for blood supply, causing death on a cellular level, because it is possible they will not fully recover. If you have the benefit of a historical record, family history, you can look at your MRI from 10 years ago, and one from last month and see the degenerative conditions worsen over time. I have been told you can't predict your future this way, but it's certainly an indicator to pay attention to. It's called elective surgery because providing a surgeon indicates you need the surgery, it's still your choice. The advice was get it done while your nerves are not screaming out in pain. Regarding my ACDF, symptoms were mile, but persistent. My father had stenosis , sadly I never talked to him about it, so all I knew is he hat that, and was confined to crutches or wheelchair for the last 8 years of his life. Not for me. I pulled the trigger. Great surgeon, surgery was a total success. I remember watching some guy who walked with 2 nurses one on each arm, he was stiff walking, looked as if he would have fallen over if the two nurses turned him loose, And the title of the video was celebrating his walking 12 hrs after surgery. I thought "oh crap" Had 2-level fusion about 9:30 am, Well I got to my hospital room at 2pm, and before I went to sleep, I walked on my own 1/2 mile on the corridor making laps around two nurses stations. I felt like a million bucks. Convinced I know what it means to get it done while you feel good, and why that's important. Now does this logic translate to bone conditions? I would say yes. I would also research how to improve bone density, supplements, hormones, try your best to improve your condition, and then pull the trigger and get it done.