[Spinal Fusion / Cervical] New with Thoracic Ruptured Discs and 4 Level ACDF

[Shebo]

Hi, I'm glad I found this forum. There is a lot of good information and people.

You can see my history. I have 3 ruptured discs in my thoracic which has put me in constant pain. The problem is I can't find any doctor that has any answers. All I have heard is "Well, you really don't want to have surgery. It's very complicated." But, I get no other options. I am definitely open to any ideas.

It is sad that there are so many people in pain. I'm glad we have found each other.

[Justin]

Hi Shebo,

Welcome to the Spine Patient Society.

You have quite the spine history. I'm sorry you need to be here, but as you've noticed, there are a ton of great Spine Patients here.

In terms of your thoracic discs that are problematic: can you describe your symptoms and any MRI findings? This will help us get a picture of what's going on in your situation.

Happy Holidays!

[KBear]

Welcome to the forum and sorry you need to be here. I'm sure there are surgeons out there who operate on thoracic levels, though I've never personally heard of someone having thoracic operated on. At one point in my journey, I thought it was possibly my thoracic spine causing pain and was told that was almost impossible and that if it was that, there was nothing to be done. Probably will have to consult with the top doctors in spine medicine to find some that can help you, since you don't have a run of the mill case.
Best of Luck,
Kathy

[Shebo]

Kathy:

The only thoracic surgery I can find is for scoliosis. Although surgery has been confirmed as what I need, nobody wants to do it. It took a month for the doctors to figure out what was wrong with me. They all told me it can't be your back. It is very rare to have a herniated disc in your thoracic causing pain and then it was confirmed. So, that's why I am looking anywhere I can for information and for the best doctors (like you said). This is a great site. That is so cool that you are pain free! I hope that someday I can say the same thing. At the moment, I rarely leave the house because of the pain. Total lifestyle change in the past year.

Thanks for your reply.

[KBear]

A month for diagnosis isn't bad, I know when your living it, it feels like it. Took me 3 years to have someone finally tell me what was wrong and what needed to be done. Prior to that, I was treated like a pysch case who was just making it up.... that or a pill seeker. It sucks being at the mercy of the medical field. I never thought that I would be pain free, so am very thankful to be here after 4.5 years of chronic pain. I went from being an active person to almost constantly house bound. Pain affects every area of your life, you have to think about every little action and how it's going to affect you. It's hard adjusting to the restrictions of pain, but there is a light at the end of the tunnel. I have seen so many on here who had impossible situations, where it really didn't seem they would ever get a fix, didn't seem possible, but now they are pain free (or very close to it) and out living life again.

I was told exactly the same thing about the thoracic spine too. There is a travel section on these forums, where many of the top doctors in the US & world are listed with their contact information. I would definitely look into that and send your films and records to several of them (even if you have no intention of using them, a second, third, fourth opinions are always nice.) I'm sure with your unique case you are going to get varied answers as far as treatment, so the more input, the better. I know Texas Back Institute has a free second opinion. I'm a 'fan' on their Facebook and have seen something about free second opinions on more than one occasion. They have a lot of top doctors, so would be worth your time. There are several in Germany I would contact too. I'm not sure on all of their fees, but I'm thinking it ranges from free to a couple of hundred dollars.

[Shebo]

It's nice to talke to someone who understands the pain. Thanks for the info on the second opinions. I have had about 8 "second opinions" but I will keep going until I get some answers. I will check the travel section out.

[Hooch]

Mark, or his handle 'mmglobal', the bloke who runs ISpine has bad thoracic discs and a t1-t2 adr. I'd sign up over there and have a talk to him as he's probably researched it thoroughly.

I imagine scolios related fusions are not interbody, so don't know how much work has been done on thoracic ddd. I knew a bloke who blew a thoracic disc, luckily for him he only had niggle. Unfortunately I'd imagine you're gonna have to go cutting edge to get help with this one.

Best of luck, let us know how it goes.

Chris.

[Shebo]

Thanks for the info. I will check this out. I'm not sure what you mean by "scolios related fusions are not interbody". I thought all fusions were interbody. Please explain, sometimes I get confused with the terminology.

[Hooch]

Well I haven't looked at it closely but I'd imagine with scoliosis your discs are ok and not degenerated, and they straighten the spine to create a more normal load pattern. So instead of cutting the disc out and fusing between the disc space with all the complications that brings, I'd imagine they'd fuse poseterolaterally, fuse along the facet joints, leaving the disc alone.

An interbody fusion is a lot more invasive than a lateral fusion.

[Cindylou]

Shebo. You are in a tough spot, but you have the right persistent spirit by already seeking 8 second opinions. Good for you. Keep at it until you get the answers you are seeking. Which thoracic discs are herniated? When I had my bicycle accident 9.5 years ago, it was my T11 and T12 that sustained compression fractures. One of them was over 25% loss of disc height. I was in drop to my knees, out of my mind pain for 3 months until a neurologist finally diagnosed my fractures from either an MRI or a Cat Scan. Been so many years I can't remember which test. But I ended up having a vertebroplasty procedure on those two levels, to stabilize the spinal fractures. Not right away, but eventually I got a little relief from that procedure. Little being the operative word, unfortunately. Much more relief was anticipated, but it never arrived. I know you said yours are herniated, so this procedure would not apply to you, but I was thinking of the commonality of it being thoracic related. I hope you find the right solution for your spine and that it will give you much needed relief. My best to you, Cindylou