Holy Scoliosis!

[livius drusus]

I knew scoliosis was a spinal curvature, but check out the crazy s-shape on this poor girl's spine. It was so extreme they had to correct it surgically instead of using a brace.

Before and after:



I can't even imagine what that must have felt like when it was developing. It must have hurt like a bitch. She gained 2 inches in height after the surgery.

[Doctor X]

That is quite typical.

--J.D.

[Anastasia Beaverhausen]

Wow.

Mine wasn't that bad, but I did have the same procedure.

[livius drusus]

Do you set off airport metal detectors?

[Crumb]

[Leesifer]

Bloody hell.

I have slight scoliosis at the very top of my spine, just below my neck. My spine is shaped a bit like a question mark. Nothing near as bad as the poor girl in liv's OP. I'm slightly lopsided as a result, but manage to cover that up by being drunk all the time, so people think I'm just listing.

[Anastasia Beaverhausen]

Originally Posted by livius drusus

Do you set off airport metal detectors?

Sometimes.

[SimoneIcough]

Hola

I had Scoliosis in 1989 and had surgery for my 76º thoracic curve, I now have 2 stainless steel rods in my spine from T5 to L1

I was not treated with a brace as my Scoliosis was caught too late, I did wear a plaster cast post surgery for 7 months and that was a nightmare!

I have not set off an airport security machine for many many years, they changed them years ago and now body metal should not set them off - shame cos that was fun! LOL

My story about Scoliosis is here if anyone is ever interested

http://www.scoliosisnutty.com/icough.php

[livius drusus]

Hiya SimoneIcough. Thank you for the first-hand experience. I'm still amazed at how severely the spine can curve before people realize what's happened. Your back must have hurt like crazy.

Welcome to FF.

[SimoneIcough]

Hola Livius Drusus

Thanks for your message, if I am honest my back hurts more now than it did when Scoliosis was detected, I was 12 years old when the surgery took place, I was in hospital for 1 month and the surgery took 7 1/2 hours, I did grow 5 inches though, that was pretty cool and weird when I stood up for the first time

I was also one of the last patients in the UK to be on the "horrid" stryker frame, a bed that was the width of an ironing board, movement was not allowed when I had my surgery so I was turned every 2 hours, the other half of stryker frame would be placed on top of me (meaning I was encased inside a metal bed), 2 nurses would call (1,2,3 - go) and then turn me onto my front.

It is not a pleasant condition to live with but we have to do our best, fortunately I am not a moaner - just have to accept what we have and be done with it I guess

[Leesifer]

Welcome to SimoneIcough

[JoeP]

Originally Posted by Leesifer

Bloody hell.

I have slight scoliosis at the very top of my spine, just below my neck. My spine is shaped a bit like a question mark. Nothing near as bad as the poor girl in liv's OP. I'm slightly lopsided as a result, but manage to cover that up by being drunk all the time, so people think I'm just listing.

And if it was treated you'd be 5'11"?

[Leesifer]

Well, maybe 5'

[JoeP]

SimoneIcough!

[Crumb]

Welcome to the , SimoneIcough!

[SimoneIcough]

Hola

Thanks for the welcome, very nice of you all

@leesifer do you know the degree of your curve at the top, have you been offered any kind of treatment



Attached is a picture of me before and after, unfortunately I don't have a larger image, we didn't have the images in 1989 of x-rays that we do now, the hospital lost ALL of my x-rays from the time of surgery which has been a bit of a pain for me now as my consultants cannot compare before and after, can you believe the hospital burnt MRIs and X-Rays as they said "we thought you were OK" - hospitals by law should keep all records for 6 years whether we are "OK" or not!

My surgery was done by Dr Jackson of Southampton General Hospital, the Harrington rod stopped being used in the USA early 80s yet the UK continued to use it for many years after - despite them knowing that the Harrington Rod causes a loss of lumbar lordosis, which is known as Flatback Syndrome, a very serious condition for many, because my rod finishes at L1 I escaped serious issues with flatback, the further down the spine the Harrington rod goes the more problems arise

Nice to meet everyone and I think I should stop talking LOL!

[Leesifer]

Hi Simone, mine was diagnosed when I was about 2 years old. I was born with a small hole in my heart, so had monthly check ups and x-rays. One of the x-rays showed the curve of my spine at the base of my neck. It is very minor apparently - I don't have any copies of the x-rays.

I had to go for 6 monthly checkups until I was 13 and then yearly checkups until I was 18 - just to make sure there was no change. Luckily, there wasn't. I also had to do small excercises and make sure I didn't sit with my head on one side all the time - which was more comfortable for me.

My right side is slightly lower than my left side and my head is slightly off centre - but it isn't really noticeable unless I point it out ( I hope! ).

Mine is nothing compared to how yours was and I'm sorry to hear your back is still giving you pain. Back pain is horrible.

[SimoneIcough]

@Leesifer thanks for your reply and hey this is not a competition over who has a worse case of Scoliosis

I assume that you had congenital Scoliosis and not Idiopathic like myself?

I am working in bed today due to the pain, at least I can do that, stops me complaining

Have you ever considered Bowen Therapy for any of your pains and for your balance and over all structure?

Scoliosis - Bowen Therapy

I had this done last year, it took 8 sessions for me to feel completely better, my pelvis seems to be the issue, it goes out of alignment very quickly, when I started my Bowen I was a whole inch shorter than what I am now, weird I know but my legs were not the same length and I noticed this when doing Yoga with a girlfriend last summer, I thought I was going crazy but she was there to witness that my legs were not the same length (we were doing a move where the feet had to be pushed up against the wall), after Bowen we comntinued the Yoga and she again saw that both my feet were now flat on the wall.

I am not usually one to go for alternative treatments but since suffering with Scoliosis for the past 18 years, every now and then I get desperate, last summer was one of those times, I had spent 3 months not sleeping (well I was getting 3 hours a night), I was introduced to Bowen by a friend and decided to give it a go, I have been amazed by the results. I haven't had Bowen since last September so my body has done well, I need to go again now though.

Might help you with your curve at the top of the spine

Nice to chat

Simone

[Leesifer]

Thanks Simon, I'll check that out.

Heh! I know it's not a competition but, really, mine is such a mild case in comparison.

I do get neck and shoulder aches and I can't do sit-ups without someone sitting on my feel or using one of those cages. My right side always tries to rise first. It looks funneh, apparently.

[Dingfod]

Maybe you've got the opposite of this superuseless superpower.

[Leesifer]

[viscousmemories]

to the , SimoneIcough.