out of curiousity? I agree w/Dottye and the others about asking Dr. Theirle...The vagueness of this docs answers and 'webbing' a peek at the machine..well make me wonder if this is a 'cool sounding' BLACK HOLE.

I have in the past gone to chiro's, tho not lucky enuf to have found a chiro/neuro as you have...My reasons were muscle/tissue damage and not spinal tho.. For Alan to decide, you as well maybe, is if your conditions warrant the extra expense for what's sounding like some BIG FAT MAYBE's. AND NEVER covered by insurance!

IF Doc T says give it a whirl..I would, but cautiously. I'll see if I can find any NIH/trials on the thing...usually when those are posted...the actual equipment used is very, very vague-so's not to bias one machine over another. Why thats done with equipment and not drugs is another mystery. But, this is the way of the medical world..

Check out your area hospital's services for cancer patients tho..many offer reiki, various massages and other exercise programs...cheap. I don't think that they can legally exclude non-cancer folks..worth a shot! - Good thoughts! - j

Hi. yeah, Alan has pretty much convinced himself that he's not going back to the Chiro for the results of his "being a candidate for the DRX".

I went to the "testimonials" for the Teeter hang up thing and my god, all those people loved it. Said they hang upside down for 3 minutes before they go to bed.

I like the Tony Little recliner thing. It would replace the horrible recliner we have in the living room and it also is a heat, massage, inversion thing so you everything in one package.


we are still considering all options. and most definitely will speak to Dr. Theirl and his primary care before we make any purchases.

And as always, I love all of you.

Take care,
Love, Melody

P.S. You should have seen us this morning. Alan was on the Cross Country Ski machine and I went on the health Rider.

Only for a few minutes but it's a start.

I'm making zucchini and turbot fillet for supper. And of course, I'm making Alan his most favorite thing in the whole wide world. PATATAS. I call them patatas but they are potatoes. I take a nice baking potato, wash thoroughly, leave the skin on and slice real thin. Then I put PAM in the frying pan. I toss the sliced potatoes with garlic powder, parsley and layer them and drizzel a little EVOO (as Rachel Rae, says ) Extra Virgin olive oil...cook thorougly for 25 minutes, then put the heat up high to lightly burn them. Makes them turn out like potato chips and he goes crazy. Uses a wee bit of ketchup and he's in heaven.

I won't touch em because I'm diabetic but between my PATATAS and my massages, well, my Alan is in good hands....

P.P,.S,. I have a question.
instead of immediately buying one of the inversion table things, do you think it might be a good idea if Alan
HANGS OFF THE BED, WITH HIS HEAD ON THE FLOOR!! for maybe a minute, to see if gets dizzy or something.
I mean, isn't it the same principal. Hanging and stretching the spine. What's the difference if you lay on the bed and gently head for the floor. Wouldn't that stretch the spine. I mean, not forever, but at least it's a start to see how he does and then we could think about getting an inversion table.

Or MAYBE HE CAN STAND ON HIS HEAD. I've seen people do that. They have two cusions on either side and then they just kneel down and stand on their head. I mean, I would have to prop him up
Forget that, I can't do that. Just a thought though.........

Hi Melody, I just wanted to let you know that we have one of the inversion machines and we swear by it. My hubby has some pain in his back but not severe and when his gets to bothering him he hangs upside down for a few days and he is fixed. Also my son 13, has spondylothesis grade 2 and he hangs on it too. So far it has really helped him when he gets to hurting too bad. I don't hang because the ortho doc told me with my fusion (cervical)that it wouldn't be a good idea but I have used it to sort of recline just to stretch out my lumbar area, I wont go all the way to a free hang.

As far as standing on his head, I don't think that is a good idea because it puts alot pf pressure on your neck, the difference with a inverse hang is that there is no pressure anywhere on your spine. I have tried the hanging head over the bed pose and while it may help a little it is in no way the same as the inversion.

I saw the inversion machine at Costco and I think it was around 100.00 but I am not sure. We got ours at a yard sale for about 40 bucks. That was over 8 years ago and it is always set up in the garage as it gets used quite a bit. My chiro was able to get one for another patient as I saw it in his office one time. He doesn't sell them just was able to order one for someone, maybe he got it cheaper?? I love my chiro, he is very knowledgable and has never hurt any of us. I see him for traction on my lumbar spine and my kids see him when they need an adjustment. I would try one a see what you think because I will always have mine and when it wears out we will get another. Hope that helps...Sue

Sue: You said the following:

"he hangs upside down for a few days and he is fixed.

What is he a bat??? that he can hang upside down for a few days???


I never laughed so hard.
I am picturing Alan hanging upside down for a few days.

Thanks for all the information.

by the way, Alan, when he goes to the gym, just started on a levitation thing. Says he goes upside down.
This I have to see!!!
be well.

mel

Hi Melody, that cracked me up!!! There are times I would like to hang him up for a few days ha ha

Whats a levitiation thing? Isn't that a magicians trick? ...Sue

I asked Alan "what is this levitation thing that you hang on?" and he goes "what levitation thing". OH GOD, THIS MAN.... SOMETIMES!!!!!!

I said very slowly. "alan, you came home the other day and say you went on a levitation machine. Now what did you mean?"

He goes, "oh, that thing!!, it's a thing that you lay down on, hook your feet under and you are on a surface that you can make your legs go higher or down more and you do situps. I don't do situps on this thing, I just use it like an inversion thing, I just lay there and stretch. It feels good. (He must be at an angle or an inclination).

Takes a bit to understand this guy sometimes. He really had me going. I was all ready to buy David Copperfield Tickets.

mel

P.S. And this is important. Alan just told me he can't get the inversion table because when he laid down on the incline thing, and it was at a big incline with his head facing downward, the blood rushed to his head and when he stood up, his face was all red. I asked him "Did this make you uncomfortable, while you were on the incline thing?, and he goes "well, not really, but I didn't like it that the blood rushed to my head".

I think, honestly, if we are going to invest in something, it might be the Tony Little Recliner because, it will give him the stretcability he needs (if he ever wishes to recline all the way), the heat, the massage (and it's a good chair, and we need a chair). So I figure, when we are ready, this is the thing we'll get.

Hi Melody,
I found your story by searching the web on this DRX9000 machine and realized that all of these chiro's must go to the same training seminar on how to convince people to sign-up for this treatment. I pretty much had the same story where it all seemed like a big sales pitch, but knowing this I still fell into the trap of at least setting an appointment for the EMS evaluation. Its for this Friday, but I'm already certain that I will be a "perfect candidate"...isn't anyone willing to pay this outrageous cost considered a perfect candidate??? Anyway, I just wanted to let you know that you're not alone with this one, and I was wondering if you ever got any feedback from your doctor on the DRX. Let me know what the doc thought as I'm going to also ask my orthopedic specialist when I see him next month (gotta love waiting 6 weeks for an appointment!).

Thanks!
Diana

Will update you all after tomorrow. Alan has an appointment in NYC at 1 pm with a guy who specializes in Endoscopic Dischetomy.
Now we have no idea if Alan is a candidate for this minimally invasive procedure.

All we can do is hope.
So keep us in your prayers.
Will update.

regards,
melody

Have you brought this up on the spinal boards? I'm sure there are folks there who have probably been thru the 'process' and can give that ever so priceless first hand experience.

I can only speak for myself, but, I just webbed up the procedure and took just a peek...doesn't look too horid, tho any invasive technique is just that...invasive.

About 6 years ago I'd had arthroscopic surgery on a knee, one thought to have either tendon or capsule damage. It seems the processes are the same if it's a calcium or bone deformity or deterioration. In my case, I'd only DENTED the inside of my kneecap in a fall...they roto-rooted the dent smooth and on we go! I was walking [sort of-no races tho] that day and bandage came off in two days. Amazing what they do these days! Golly they even gave me color pics of what they'd done! Not that I had a CLUE of what I was looking at.... Overall I'd gotten four-five tiny holes in/around the knee [none more than a 1/4 in.]...they came at it from lots of different angles? and all were healed and gone in less than a week! Soo, aside from the percocet & it's joyful side effects [on for less than a week] it was a good thing to do in the long run.

BTW the knee issue never was an issue or consideration with my PN-later. But, it was a good surgical experience to have...
It's Alan's choice, I just wish he would check it all out for himself, develop his own sense of where he is [aside from PAIN], so he can decide in an INFORMED manner.

One other thing...Mel - I've a biig chest freezer - you want to send some of that meatloaf? I'll keep it for you. We got it with our house when we bought it, apparently the prior Mrs. was short and kept falling in... Go figger.

Pain free moments to you and all - j

But, we just came back from the neurosurgeon and I'm doing a new thread.
Give me your ideas, okay?

Melody