Muneca
Journeyman
Reged: 12/16/01
Posts: 85
Loc: TX
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I think some of you know I ended up having to have surgery on my back at L4-L5 last November because I pretty much became bedridden because of the pain worsening. I was lucky and the surgery did help so that I am back down to 10mgs. of hydro. instead of oxycodone at a time and about once a week, a shot of demerol. Anyway, the week before sugery, I asked my nuerosurgeon point blank if there was anything else that needed to be fixed while I was under. I didn't want to be back in a year or two to only have to do surgery all over again. He said, "No". Well, I was really curious as to what my last MRI report said, so I ordered a copy of it. I new my pain was not getting any better after a certain point and I wondered why. I found out why. The MRI report says the the discs above and below were just about as bad as the one he worked on and there is nerve involvement in at least one of them. Is there a reason why he wouldn't operate on more than one level? Why wasn't he honest with me? Is he now liable for anything if I end up under the knife again in a short amount of time? Needless to say, I'm not seeing this jerk again. I can't trust him anymore and what kind of Dr. patient relationship is that? Anyway, I would appreciate any input you guys have!
AP 
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If you've got melted chocolate all over your hands, you're eating it too slowly!
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yawkaw3
Pooh-Bah
Reged: 03/22/03
Posts: 1193
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I would think that would be a good question to ask him, no? Wouldn't he be the only one who really knows for sure, as he did the actual surgery?
-yawkaw
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Greycie
Old Hand
Reged: 07/08/03
Posts: 466
Loc: Pacific NorthWest
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I would take the copy of your MRI report as well as all records pertaining to your surgery and the follow-up visits since then to another Ortho. Surgeon for a second opinion based on those records. Ask him those questions and if there is anything indicating your surgery didn't take care of the other damaged discs. Perhaps even if he didn't mention it (or perhaps you don't recall- not saying that's the case, but one never knows- I don't care what anybody says, when you're on narcotics, you are NOT yourself nor do you remember everything) he took care of the problem? You won't know until you have a copy of your post op report. And have it looked at by a Dr. That'd be my best advice  And if he says the same things you've suggested, perhaps talk to him about negligence- or better yet, a lawyer.
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"I may not agree with what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it." - Voltaire
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Muneca
Journeyman
Reged: 12/16/01
Posts: 85
Loc: TX
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Thanks guys! That's what I was going to do anyway, but sometimes you miss an option that you didn't know about. This board is so full of knowledgeable people, I thought maybe somebody might have a different opinion or insight. I was lucky enough to have my husband along side of me almost all the time, and his jaw dropped open when he saw the report also because he was there when I asked the DR. point blank, if there was anything else that might need to be corrected and he replied "No". Anywho, there is a good surgeon here where I live that I was going to use but the wait to get into see him for the first time was two months and I was in too much pain to think about waiting that long. So, now that I'm a bit more functional, I'm going to see him with records in hand and see what he says. P.S. The report said that there was something suspicious that might be a tumor at the level he did operate on and he never said anything about that either. Not even after surgery. All I got was a pathology bill.
AP
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If you've got melted chocolate all over your hands, you're eating it too slowly!
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Jeremiah
Agape GrandParent
Reged: 07/14/02
Posts: 705
Loc: U.S.A.
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If it were me, I would also get a copy of the "Operative Report". This shows step-by-step what was done and should report if he saw anything else.
Hope this helps.
J.
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I can't see me lovin nobody but you,for all my life
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LumbarSpasm
Silent Chaos
Reged: 05/07/02
Posts: 1538
Loc: USA
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Some doctors believe in conservative treatment period. They will only fix what they are sure is broken.
Some want discograms to confirm which disk levels are generating pain. An MRI may show many things, some or all of which though notable are not pain causative.
It would seem your MRI along with your current symptoms may be indicative of further pain generating disks. Without a diskogram...it is hard to know for sure. And after a fusion, the levels above and the level below the fusion may begin to degenerate... same thing happened with me.
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LumbarSpasm
Or just a pain in the butt?!
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moonbeam
Member
Reged: 05/23/03
Posts: 180
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Sometimes, even the "operative report" won't give you the details of what was seen or done. I had shoulder surgery a couple of years ago, and just as I was waking up from anesthesia, the doctor was telling me that I had an allergic reaction to morphine and to add this to my allergy list. When I got the "operation report," there was nothing mentioned at all about the allergic reaction. I still keep asking myself if it was a dream or my imagnination. This would be important information to have in writing to prove the allergy and why would they withhold this information from the operative report?
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yawkaw3
Pooh-Bah
Reged: 03/22/03
Posts: 1193
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It just seems to me anything we can say is speculation, and another doctor wouldn't have seen what the original doctor had seen from doing the actual surgery. Before jumping to conclusions, wouldn't it be better to just ask him? If he annoys you, then call him a complete jerk and leave him. But you might just get the answer that only he can really give.
-yawkaw
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