Dr. question help

[Catherine]

Hi all,

Can anyone tell me if there is a list of good questions to ask your surgeon during the consult? I found the list of things needed to survive after surgery, but I want to make sure my fogged up brain asks all the right questions when I see Dr. Carragee.

Catherine

[Pbchoclovr]

Catherine,

I found this website, which might be helpful. You might need to copy and paste the link, if it won't let you click on it.

Specific Questions to Ask Your Spine Surgeon

Hope this helps.

Linda

[KanRunMo]

Thank you for that iinformation. It was a little hard to follow in that they had lots of infomercial information inbetween actual information. Also, they never mentioned ADR surgery in their list of surgery types. I don't know if that indicates it is old information or that the M.D. is very conservative.

[Pbchoclovr]

I'm not sure. I just did a search on questions to ask a surgeon. This was the only site that came up that had to do with spine surgery. The other options were for other types of surgery. When I looked it over (beyond the all the extraneous links) I thought it was a good place to start with general questions that could be asked of all surgeons, whether for fusion or ADR. You are right, they didn't mention ADR, although there was a link on the left hand side with an article on artificial disc replacement. and yes... there were TONS of infomercial links. This was one of the sites I used prior to my surgery as I was gathering information, in addition to this site.

[Catherine]

Thank you Linda, for finding that link! I hadn't seen that site, I had pretty much just started here thinking there might be a great list like the one with ncessary items for after surgery. I do appreciate the help and I was able to glean a few questions to add to my list.

Catherine

[Pbchoclovr]

Catherine, you are very welcome. I hope you have a very successful consult with the surgeon! Let us know how it goes.

Linda

[Gilbert P]

HI Catherin

My favorite question for a surgeon. if it was his spine, MRI, would he have the operation he or she is advising for you. I seem to never qet a real answer? Money motavited? The classic one was I would do this to my Mother> Nice Kid

Ask and continue your research

Gil

[KanRunMo]

I had one say that he recommended this surgery to his mother-in-law - Hmmm.

[Kimberly]

Catherine,

Your trip to Stanford is getting closer isn't it? When is your appointment again?

I also ask the "if it was your spine..." question. (or, "if it was your sister's or wife's spine, what would you recommend.) I had this conversation with my surgeon about the relative merits of using "infuse" (bone morphogenic protein - BMP) or cadaver bone and he said just those words..."if it was me needing this surgery, or my wife, I would DEFINITELY go with the BMP. No question." I'm paraphrasing, but it was clear what he would do and that did bring me some reassurance.

Good luck!

Kimberly

[Catherine]

My favorite question for a surgeon. if it was his spine, MRI, would he have the operation he or she is advising for you. I seem to never qet a real answer? Money motavited? The classic one was I would do this to my Mother> Nice Kid

Thanks Gil, that's a question I never thought to ask!! I'm hoping I have done enough research to have picked the best Dr and place. How are you feeling, have the steroids helped you any?

Your trip to Stanford is getting closer isn't it? When is your appointment again?

Hi Kimberly,

Yes, it's getting closer. It's on the 26th and I'm so anxious for the time to pass and get there! I feel that it's the right path and I just want to get on with it. I'm surely going to add that question to my list and see what he says. How are you feeling? Hopefully the withdrawals are better.

Catherine