Any SPINE doctors on here?
 

Any SPINE doctors on here?
If so, I need some advice.
Please PM me.

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1372799159.jpg

This is probably clearer on a side view, which they did take, however I only obtained the frontal view. The damage they told me about is to the L1. If you see anything else in there, they did not tell me about it.

I'm no doc, but you look like you're in a lot of pain. I say that as a carpenter. I'd have to build you straighter than that. ;)

phuuuuu ck dude that has GOT to suck. heal fast.

pm sent

I want to thank gatotom for his input on the situation.

Just as a brief history...

Airplane crash on 01 June, high vertical impact loading, compression of L1. Sentenced to 30 days in an orthosis to restrict movement.

30 days later, xrays (above) show condition has not improved.

Not that long ago I had the very same fracture. Extremely painful. You NEED to find a Doc to perform a Kyphoplasty. It's a minor invasive procedure in which they "re-inflate" the fx vertebra and you get near immediate relief.

I learned about it here on Pelican OT and it saved my virtually saved my life.

Please research this procedure and find a Doc who does it.

Mark - I had read about the Kyphoplasty.
My doc says, "nah - you'll be fine"

I know that the fact I don't have insurance would never affect a doctor's decision on treatment recommendations. Right?

Get another opinion. Having said that, I would try to find a Doc who has done more than a few. You were given orders to restrict movement, etc and had no change. I dunno what this procedure might cost but I would really suggest you try to get one done. Good that you have read up on it.

Eating pain killers til you heal on your own ain't good either. Docs submit fees to insurance companies who knock them down to almost Medicare levels. See if you can agree to pay what Medicare would pay to have it done. Doc won't lose a nickel that way. This type of negotiation is done all the time.

I picked up my imagery yesterday.
Here is an "L" view with an red arrow so that the damage is easy to spot.
Compare the indicated vertebrae to the one directly below it. lol. :rolleyes:

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1372972136.jpg

Oh yeah.... tequila and vicodin for the 4th.
How else should I celebrate?

Wow...yes, easy to spot. I had the same compression fracture but mine was due to osteoporosis. I'm really careful now and taking Vit D and Ca+ every day Mine happened as I was just leaning a bit over the bathroom sink...when it went, I almost dropped to my knees...

I feel for you bro...big time. Wish you had insurance and could have that surgery. At least look into the bargain I mentioned before...Some Docs will do that. Hell, I'd mortgage the house if I had to...but that's just me... I'm a wimp when it comes to that kind of pain...

The compression isn't too bad and it will heal. Think rib fracture. What are your pain symptoms?? How is your breathing, circulation and gastrointestinal symptoms? To my (poor) read from post #4 you have a ruptured left hemidiaphram..... or air pockets and fecal matter (meaning intestines)where your heart should be.

Read below - I was wrong, I don't want to make this unnecessarily suspenseful!

Good catch, Doc. I was too busy looking at the fx to notice that...

I'll check my other rays to see if I have a better view.
I'm hoping that it is a bad picture, and that I don't have poop in my chest cavity.

It's probably just cancer. Or lupus.

I hope you understand that the statement made of 'poo in the chest cavity' meant a part of large intestine with poo in it...not free poo floating around... After looking at the films again it is apparent that you may have a tear in the diaphragm which would allow intestine to come into the chest cavity... That's what Notmytarga was talking about...

That was one heck of a trauma you went thru ! That type of tear in the diaphragm happens upon trauma but when you see it coming, you hold your breath...that's what pops it...

Ouch. Good luck. Nothing worse than a sore back.

Nothing like diaphragm lesion visible on any x-ray here. Not enough info to formulate such a diagnosis.