Scoliosis - Introduce yourself and meet others

Let's talk about living with scoliosis.
As a community moderator of the Bones, Joints & Muscles and Spine Health groups, I've noticed several members talking about scoliosis, but those discussions were scattered throughout the community. I thought I would start this discussion to bring us all together in one place.

Get comfortable in your favorite spot, grab a beverage of your choice, and let's chat. Why not start by introducing yourself?

Interested in more discussions like this? Go to the Spine Health Support Group.

@gailfaith

@johnbishop Thanks. I started to reply to this, but once at the bottom of this "reply" space, when suddenly your and other names appear, it appears you can no longer add anything to your reply. Is there a way to avoid that.? I lost when I had written to you. It seems you can still type, but you can no longer see what you are writing.

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When I have the problems I click the three dots in the upper right corner to get to the settings. Then I click More tools... and click the Clear the browser data... link. And of course that clears all of the browser data and refreshes the screen so you would lose anything you had typed.

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Thanks again. WHen my favorite IT guy here at the retirement community comes back from vacation next week, try it with him around so if it does it again, I will try it with his knowledge as my backup. WIth my luck and computers, ....well, he's be my backup if I screw up!

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@gailfaith

@johnbishop Thanks. I started to reply to this, but once at the bottom of this "reply" space, when suddenly your and other names appear, it appears you can no longer add anything to your reply. Is there a way to avoid that.? I lost when I had written to you. It seems you can still type, but you can no longer see what you are writing.

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@gailfaith
I did the same as @johnbishop did.

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I saw a spine specialist yesterday and after X-ray I was told my upper spine curve is progressing which is causing my rib cage to move to the right that puts pressure on my heart.
At my age bracing might help somewhat. Surgery is not an option. Heart pain has occurred as recently as a few weeks ago. A heart specialist said my heart pain was a musculoskeletal issue. Therefore, I was alerted to this situation. Yet, being told by the scoliosis specialist there isn't anything medically that can be done, I began to feel numb. Strange feeling. I need to hear from you who have spine issues what would you do if you were in my situation? I could use help processing this.
Thank you

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Lauralee, Id expect the brace and some specific exercises would slow down the curving and give you that 'breathing space and time' so dont feel so bad.. Now I dont know how bad yours is but I remember many years ago when my daughters were 10 and doing ballet Id see an old lady pushing her walker down the street, she could not look forward but only down as her bend was at a good 90o+. I thought then that she would be 'kinking' off her vital organs but lo and behold about 10yrs later I saw her again, and even more bent but obviously fairly independant to a degree.
Work daily at stretching yourself back up.. mentally make those muscles do the action and keep the left as strong as the right. I am trying hard to get bend back in my lower back and rub those spurs off my thoracic spine several times a day.. We might not be able to stop it but we can sure put the brakes on and slow it down
If you like swimming and can get to a heated pool [even a spa] and just stretch those muscles without stress, may help... good luck

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@muffincat

Lauralee, Id expect the brace and some specific exercises would slow down the curving and give you that 'breathing space and time' so dont feel so bad.. Now I dont know how bad yours is but I remember many years ago when my daughters were 10 and doing ballet Id see an old lady pushing her walker down the street, she could not look forward but only down as her bend was at a good 90o+. I thought then that she would be 'kinking' off her vital organs but lo and behold about 10yrs later I saw her again, and even more bent but obviously fairly independant to a degree.
Work daily at stretching yourself back up.. mentally make those muscles do the action and keep the left as strong as the right. I am trying hard to get bend back in my lower back and rub those spurs off my thoracic spine several times a day.. We might not be able to stop it but we can sure put the brakes on and slow it down
If you like swimming and can get to a heated pool [even a spa] and just stretch those muscles without stress, may help... good luck

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Thank you

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Rather new...just saw a scoliosis heading so I know little about treatments, etc. Went from 5' 8" to 5' 4''. Now if that is not a blow to a 65 year old female who wanted to be tall as a child and was made fun of as there were no tall women in the family...Yup, I shrunk and was told we are born with this spine malady. Did not appear until around 2010. Go figure. Mayhap someone here can shed some light on this subject. Do have Osteopenia (at the upper end of the scale).

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@parus

Rather new...just saw a scoliosis heading so I know little about treatments, etc. Went from 5' 8" to 5' 4''. Now if that is not a blow to a 65 year old female who wanted to be tall as a child and was made fun of as there were no tall women in the family...Yup, I shrunk and was told we are born with this spine malady. Did not appear until around 2010. Go figure. Mayhap someone here can shed some light on this subject. Do have Osteopenia (at the upper end of the scale).

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I understand scoliosis is heriditary if it appears at birth or in early teens. I will reply again later today- busy schedule but wanted to say hello and welcome to this group

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I did not think mine to be hereditary even though I have a younger sister that was diagnosed with scoliosis in the 1st grade (1956) when they started to check and it did show up early in her life. Prior to this in the area I attended school these things were not checked-I was in the 5th grade before a new country school was built and there was indoor plumbing. Gee, only 2 grades/room and no AC either. My input-children are now spoiled and their learning is no more enhanced than when I was in elementary school because of AC and inside bathrooms. I have grandchildren that are going into the 5th grade and they cannot read and comprehend!!!!

Excuse, waaaay off topic. A broken femur when I was 20 left me w/ my right leg 1/2" shorter not to mention some of the inappropriate meds I was placed on...dismounting soapbox. I studied anatomy in college and have asked what I believe to be intelligent (w/o mentioning having studied thus) questions of MD's-do they all believe themselves to be superior?

I know I have learned many things from the Mayo Clinic Site-only for myself. There are medical professionals that are qualified-I am still searching. All I have heard so far is the box version.

Now, kicking soapbox out from under self.

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