DEAR DR. GOTT: In December of 2010 I had three discs replaced in my back. I have degenerative disc disease. Anyway, in February 2011 my neurosurgeon left his practice and moved to Florida. My problem is, about a year ago I slipped and fell down my front porch steps and after going to the ER, I found out that I had broken two of the three screws that were holding a rod in place. Well, the doctor from the ER sent me to another hospital by ambulance where they admitted me for four days to help with the pain but the doctor there said that this was not emergency surgery so I was sent home. So now I have contacted my insurance company and they gave me the name of EVERY neurosurgeon in the state of Ohio that takes my insurance. I have called all of these doctors and not a single one will see me. They say it is because I should go back to the doctor who did my surgery but he is no longer there and the doctor who took over for him says he won’t see me because he doesn’t work with hardware.
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Patient really has a screw loose
Young gal has bad disks
DEAR DR. GOTT: I’m a 23-year-old female and about one year ago I was diagnosed with moderate DDD in the cervical, thoracic and lumbar spine and spinal stenosis in the thoracic region. I have never sustained any kind of injury or had an accident of any kind. I was overweight throughout my teenage years but received bariatric surgery at 19 and all of my vitamin levels are within normal ranges. My rheumatoid levels are normal. I was diagnosed with PCOS at 17 but otherwise I am a healthy young woman. There doesn’t appear to be any reason why someone my age would have DDD. Are there any causes or additional factors that my current doctors may have overlooked? What could cause this at such a young age? I’m currently using a 50 mcg/hr Fentanyl patch and four mg of tizanidine two to three times daily for pain. I also take Lamictal and Wellbutrin for unrelated problems. Any insight would be appreciated.
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