I don't want to make light of the issue, but doesn't this all sound like the CORSETS of the late 1800's-early 1900's? Without the velcro, of course.
NOW GUYS! NO JOKES HERE! THIS IS SERIOUS STUFF! It's a middle-body equivalent of a knee imobiliser! Can anyone here really say they are comfy? Doubt it.
I mean, fabric, eyelet ties, the equivalent of 'stays', WHO CARES IF IT WORKS?

I think there are some class action suits about Fosamax and others 'hatching' -not enuf evidence in yet to create fear and discontent? [check out www.breastcancer.org to see if there are...those ladies are ON TOP OF IT ALL!]

I do recall my endo mentioning Forteo...and similar alternatives, but, I've got to wait & see if my stuffing my face w/MANY extra otc supplements mite do the job...tests to follow next week, week after results...maybe? Sigh!

I do know many cancer folks take such treatments/therapies, either during or because of chemo and rads....Seems that what can kill the goose, also does in the gander to many with many conditions/issues...compounded by other treatments or meds meant to do us GOOD but not knowing any of the peripheral 'other things' that make current things, more, well complicated?

This whole thing mite be useful or totally useless, but the Fosamax issue IS going on for those with other conditions....I'll check out what there is between epilepsy [meds], Fosamax and bone loss as well, I'm not unselfish here, I may be facing major molar removal in the future.. I for one, do NOT want my jaw disintegrating on top of other stuff? Maybe this is one of those...we'll know once we 'Get in there' moments.. I sure don't want to find out THEN?

Hugs Liza Jane, you've LOTS to cogitate on... - j

--we could get you one of those vibrating chairs Melody's Alan likes so much?

Do you know how much of an electrical voltage is recommended in these bone growth devices? I assume we're talking non-implanted device (that would be covered by insurance).

Also, what about the ultrasound bone stimulation route? Have you seen anything on this for failed fusions? (I know there's a lot more on electrostim for that category of failed bone knit.)

I've been pulling up a lot of Internet stuff along these lines:

http://www.fchp.org/NR/rdonlyres/DAE...GrowthStim.pdf

--and the stuff on Spine Health and Spine Universe (which I imagine you've seen); but I can't seem to get specific references to ultrasound and spine, other than many insurance plans will not cover it, and I haven't been able to find sites that explain why or what contraindications are involved.

cycleops---Yes, there are many suits against Merck for fosamax. When you google fosamax, the lawyers sites are prominently placed.

Glenntaj: I have an EBI stimulator, and insurance paid for it. They are apparently used to accepting insurance as payment in full, becaue they haven't bothered me particularly about the copay. I got one bill for a copay and reminded them they told me not to worry about paying for it, and I've gotten no more. I don't know much about the electric current or electricity in general, just that there were studies on it which made me optmistic. You might pubmed on bone growth stimulators AND fusion, or bone growth if you're interested.
I've never heard of ultrasound being used.

Dahlek: The corset is actually incredibly comfortable. It's huge and encasing, and if there were no velcro, very victorian. But I can see how they LIKED wearing these things---you can just let go and let the stays do the work of holding you up. I'm going to see if there's a corset shop which has something similar but prettier.


Forteo: I've been hearing more about this--just another doctor saying, Maybe you should be on Forteo, has anyone suggested it? So I have an appointment with a bone doc in June.

I should imagine such a 'corset' would do a bit more than 'keep one together' so to speak.

About Forteo...this is interesting:
http://www.ccjm.org/pdffiles/DEAL703.PDF
I'd be cautious jumping onto the bandwagon as lots of info on current known s/e's are sort of vague and for myself, my concerns are related to peripheral fractures...not to mention the cost per month.

I'll do some more searching to see what other options there are...If I recall correctly, there are several options-for the life of me tho, I'm drawing a blank rite now? Guess I'll have to read up more on the 'parathyroid'! - j

I have had a tibial plateau fracture with a rather 'iffy' explanation. It was a non-union for over a year, and they finally ordered one of those electric coils...supposedly it worked...I am not sure how exactly they know that as the fracture was diagnosed on MRI, and they never repeated it. (First they told me it was paid for...then they told me it wasn't...then I told the company that brought it, to take it back if it wasn't going to be paid for...it was a fortune...but then they worked it out, and it was paid for.) I think they work really well on healthy people, but I wonder if they work as well on PNers.

It still kind of hurts there, but my gait is quite off, and I am pretty reliant on orthotics, and it may be time for new ones. I have a pretty nasty case of pronation. I have been tripping and twisting my ankle a lot lately, which means something is off.

I am one of those PNers who doesn't feel their feet well, except when standing for a while and then they feel broken...like broken bones.

I have spinal problems which can not be addressed surgically, so, I don't have much choice other than some exterior support....the braces can be quite hot in the summer which is a big draw back, not to mention, not attractive, but, if it helps you do what you gotta do.

I can't take fosamax--gastroparesis...I have no option other than HRT.

Anybody remember them??? I was 18 and had my first job and my mother told me "you have to buy a Playtex Girdle". I didn't even know what it was.

But I got one. A full one with the legs down to the knees.

Imagine wearing underwear, pantyhose, and then a playtex girdle.

I do not know how I breathed, wearing all those things.

I know it took 10 lbs off of you but where do the 10 lbs go when they GO!!!

Jeez, we women really suffered to look good.

Liza Jane, if you haver to wear a corset, then buy an outfit that shows the rest of you. I mean, if you have to, you have to, but flaunt it girl, flaunt it!!!!!

lol
Mel

Hi, I don't know you but ,your amazing. You remind me of my husband. Two years ago his scaffolding broke, he went down eighteen feet. He broke his back in three places ,among other things. Of course it changed his life forever, but he just goes on. People like you encourage people like me to go on. I'm sorry to here about all of this and I will pray for you.

Just got out of the hospital just trying to find out what's going on, got to read this again..Thake care to ever needs it... Sue

Thanks for the Forteo link, dahlek. I've printed it out and will look before I leap, for sure.

I'm glad to have been there to provide Liza Jane with emotional support, because she was verbally battered. I found the doctor cold to the extreme and uncaring and unfeeling in his approach and demeanor. He controlled the brief discussion from beginning to end and was unforthcoming to the extreme. He refused to discuss pluses, minuses, pros, or cons. The conversation consisted of him opening the meeting with "When do you want to have the surgery". Beyond that, he was only willing to discuss additional presurgical testing to be done. We both had questions prepared but he refused to answer any but the most trivial of them (yes, she can take a vacation before the surgery). I really had nothing to write down except the names of the tests he mentioned.

Poor Jane having to deal with him and with the prospect of another surgery! To me, that surgeon's technical skills are meaningless given his disrespect and arrogance (as opposed to confidence). The thought of being unconscious in a room with my life and welfare in his hands would be unthinkable, but maybe Jane feels otherwise.

We all need a "wingperson" for critical appointments and hospital stays. I'll post an article about the topic, and then add a link to it to this posting.
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Well, I can't find the article. I'll continue looking for the article, but I don't think our newspaper archived it. Too bad. It was by a retired pediatrician. The problem she wrote about is that doctors often don't think through what they are doing, records are lost or not read, and hospital care is often shoddy. She advocated:

1) Asking for and keeping copies of ALL your medical records. They must be provided by law. Just by your asking, doctors will be more careful and thoughtful with you.

2) Having an advocate in the room with you for all important doctor appointments. Again, that makes it more likely that the doctor will actually think through your situation instead of taking the lazy, easy, automatic path.

3) Having a person in your hospital room with you at all times. With the shortage in nursing staff, post-surgical and medical mistakes are far more common than you'd like to believe, and problems can become critical or fatal before the overworked nurses notice a problem.