Has anyone worked with Dr. Sharon Hammond? I surmise she is under the tutelage of Dr. Sanders (retired), Dr. Annest has yet to return my call or schedule an appointment. Thinking of calling her, but the associated webpage does not say anything about TOS. Tomorrows Monday, can't hurt to call... Just wondering if anyone has heard anything good or bad. Thanks.

Here ya go!
These docs and surgeons are collaborating on a schedule TOS book release for both professional and patient's. Just a few of the better one's who know what they are doing...

http://surgery.wustl.edu/TOS_Consortium.aspx

I mean no offense...but unfortunately, I think the above statement is misguided a bit. It's not a collaboration of dr's that know what they are doing, but rather the ones with the biggest egos. I have personally met the first 2 dr's mentioned. And have formed my own opinions based on that. The surgeons I mentioned may be well known, and have done alot of surgeries, but have taken no responsibility for the failed surgeries either....nor do they acknowledge those who "things didn't work out for"...they are just left as a statistical number, that is misrepresented. IMO.
We need less cutting and more actual research into what is causing the problem in the first place and how to treat it non invasively.
Again...I mean no offense to what you had to say at all...we are all in the same boat, and want nothing but help, and relief from this torcher.

Sadly, Tossucks hit the nail the on the head. I know many patients who have had failed surgeries with many of the above mentioned Doctors. I'm sure their stories will not be featured in the book. Their stories aren't featured anywhere. They've been forgotten, both statistically and medically.

This whole topic can get touchy due to individual opinions and experiences.

But the whole surgery thing is one reason I really try to encourage all new members that haven't gone that route yet to really research and look into the pros & cons before just accepting the first suggestion of surgery by the first surgeon they see.

You can't go into these surgeries thinking it's all going to be roses and sunshine... and all will be perfect...
Maybe it does happen, and I'm sure it does, but we just don't hear about those very much here on the forums, we hear about the poor outcomes & the ongoing pain /symptoms..


My personal thoughts on the surgery topic -

Multiple opinions are needed when it comes to surgery choices

Clear imaging or other testing that shows the exact problem & I think the Dr should show it and explain it to the patient. If they don't ask them to tell & show you.

expert & advanced physical & postural evaluations & assessments are needed
If possibility that expert PT and bodywork might help - it will take more than a 4 week session or 2 - most likely many months and the more pain you are in the longer it will take.
You have to do the PT "homework" also many times a day.
If you are still working it will take even longer and PT may not be able to offset the uses & hours of your work.

If you could be misaligned due to car accidents or sports injuries or falls - consider a expert chiropractor to at least get the alignment back where it should be.
There are spinal PTs that can help if you aren't comfortable with chiropractic.
If you are hyper mobile those misalignments can return, mine do sometimes, due to quick or jarring actions, missteps or even if I get a minor spasm it can pull things out.

All surgeries can have failures, just a sad fact of life.
Even with the most skilled surgeon, things can go wrong even if they did everything right.

Our own body can betray us by making excessive scar tissue & adhesions.

I don't know if they can predict that or not.

Tos gets better or worse with surgery
Tos gets better or worse without surgery
Tos gets better or worse with modifications
TOS gets better or worse with our body, jobs, lifestyle

One thing we should all agree on is We have to manage our TOS before it manages us...

AND we have to understand TOS surgery is NOT a cure, it may or may not make things better. It is not like taking out the appendix and appendicitis goes away. TOS will always be there, it is just one way to manage.

It may or may not make things better due to the nature of how the TOS developed.

All we really want is relief and our lives back. We read, compare, research, embrace good ideas, try anything from Biofreeze to Zyprexa......

In the end we hope and pray for relief, remission, the monster to go away.