Back Pain - Multiple Bulging Discs - Surgery

[jbasser]

The training VA hospitals are mostly associated with a Main Hospital and the Docs work both places.

Ours has one heck of a Medical school.

Check into it. Dont worry about the training aspect of it.You will receive better care.

J

[Pete53]

If it was me I would pay the 20% copay. Since you have 80% Insurance I am sure that they will work out payment plan if you need it.

I am sorry John I do not want someone learning on me and doing delegate surgery. I have also found that they will experiment on you without telling you. My VA is associated with the University of Texas Southwestern Medical School and I am sure that their people are top notch but if you have never cut or sewed or worked on anything but cadavers I don't want you cutting on me.

The guy who did my stent had problems and he had done it 19000 times. When something goes wrong I want the guy who has done it thousands of times over someone who has never done it.

[blackbird]

Hey OldDave,

I know how it feels to have back pain and I sympathize with you. When to have back surgery is the million dollar question. Some people say they would never have back surgery, all I can say is they just haven't hurt bad enough. If I could have, I would have tried to do my own, it hurt that bad. Some people that have had back surgery are disappointed because they're expectations are too high. They expect the surgery to give them a "new" back and that can't happen. All a surgeon can do is to try to get the pressure off the nerve that's causing the pain and if necessary stabilize the joint.

I've had 9 spine surgeries to date and probably more in the future due to my condition,(severe DDD). Each time I prayed and expected the pain to go away, and so far each time it did, but you will always know you've had back surgery! Remember, the surgeon cannot install or make your back like new. If you have a 60 year old back when you have surgery, it will still be 60 years old after the operation, but hopefully the surgeon has been able to reduce the pain.

It sound like to me that you will eventually need to have something down, but since there has been some improvement, this indicates to me that you may not be quite ready yet, but that's up to you and your doctor. And if there is the slightest chance you may need surgery, make sure you have done some investigating and pick the best neurosurgeon you can find. It's risky surgery so make sure you get the odds in your favor by getting the best "cutter" you can find. Make sure you can talk to him or her and they take the time to listen to you. (This will matter when you are laying in a hospital bed after surgery).

Sorry this is long, but as you can tell, I have been through it before. Hope this info some how helps you. I'll be praying for ya.

Blackbird

[Tony]

I had my cervical sergery done at the Madison WI VA hospital. They did a great job. After my initial neurosurgery evailuation, I had surgery two weeks later. It's all according to the VA hospital. I was recently seen by the neurosurgery department at the Birmingham Alabama VA hospital. I would NEVER have surgery there. The quality of care was completely different. Even though I live in southern Alabaman now, I will drive back to the Madison VA hospital for my neurosurgery appointments.

[Tony]

Surgery was laminoplasy and laminectomy spinal fusion of the C2-C7.

Good luck!

Tony

I had my cervical surgery done at the Madison WI VA hospital. They did a great job. After my initial neurosurgery evaluation, I had surgery two weeks later. It's all according to the VA hospital. I was recently seen by the neurosurgery department at the Birmingham Alabama VA hospital. I would NEVER have surgery there. The quality of care was completely different. Even though I live in southern Alabaman now, I will drive back to the Madison VA hospital for my neurosurgery appointments.

[john999]

Half the people in the USA have bulging discs with no symptoms. Wait before you have surgery and for heaven's sake don't let the VA do it. There is no certainty that your pain will go away after surgery. It might get worse. There is a condition known as "failed back surgery syndrome".