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Posted 4/25/2008 12:24 AM (GMT 0)

Good Evening All,

I've just spent the last hour or more reading about Laser back surgery at a place called the LSI, Laser Surgery Institute in Tampa, Florida. Too good to be true? As anyone else looked into this answer to all of our back pain problems (their words). I mean it sounds amazing and expensive I would imagine, the whole procedure lasts 5 days, the surgery is non-evasive and takes just over a hour to complete. Patients walk out of there the same day and stay at a local hotel. You go to the LSI over a 5 day period in which they do x-rays, MRIs ect.you see a Dr.  have your procedure, follow up visit next day, PT and then your done. I know, if it sounds too good to be true it probably isn't. I'd be interested if any body has heard of this place or this procedure and has an opinion, Gramps maybe you?

I hope you all are having a tolerable pain day/night/morning. It's been a beautifull day here on the west coast. Lots of things to smile about.

                                         Toritoo   cool

Posted 4/25/2008 12:41 AM (GMT 0)
Just what is it the laser is supposed to do? Repair disks? Fuse them? I don't know much about it but am leary of anyplace that makes it sound simple. If the procedure has any credibility, you should be able to find something about it by searching Medscape (or Medline - that's the seciton doctors use to search for articles in the medical journals). You can sign up for Medscape for free, and do a search and see if any research comes up.

Good luck!
Posted 4/25/2008 1:53 AM (GMT 0)
Hi PALady, Apparently this procedure is used for many different spinal and back problems. To name a few off the top of my head; DDD, Herniated Disc, Arthritis, bone spurs, adhesions, nerve problems, FBS (failed back syndrom), you can also have hardware removed, although that is a mildly invasive surgery. This isn't a new procedure, well not that new and they have done thousands of them a year for I think it said 10 years but don't quote me on that. The site (I don't have the web site) is called LSI, Laser Surgery Institute in Tampa. and you should look it up especially if you are independantly wealthy or have won the lottery lately because I'm sure it is expensive. Thanks for the other sites you recomended, I will look them up. Wouldn't it be great if it worked, was real and avaiable to everyone? Have a goodnight PALady and thanks again for the other sites to look into. I'm out for now,
Toritoo
Posted 4/25/2008 3:58 AM (GMT 0)
Hi Toritoo!

Regarding the Laser Spine Institute, PLEASE do more research on this place. I live in Florida and there have been numerous complaints about this facility. If you do a web search, you should be able to find people that have gone through this treatment.

I have yet to find anyone that has gone through this treatment and was happy with the results. One BIG hint, is they make you pay an advance of your procedures, which most start at $25K. They do not accept insurance.

Its sort of an assembly line, in and out! They make it sound so nice, but I personally would be extremely careful and do lots of research.

Take care,
Shortcake
Posted 4/25/2008 4:39 AM (GMT 0)
Toritoo,
Oh, how I understand the yearning to find something...the magic cure, or even something to give us significant improvement. When we're desperate we become easy marks. For starters, I couldn't afford it even if it was all it claims to be. But it never hurts to do the research. I keep hoping and praying that some new developments will give us more relief in the future, although I have a feeling for me it'll end up being in the area of newer medications. But who knows....maybe a few years down the line some kind of laser guided surgery could be used to get rid of some of our scar tissue, etc. But I wouldn't try anything that wasn't done at a major teaching hospital, and didn't have at least some clinical trials already done.

Let us know what you learn!

I had a bad pain day. Started during the night. Woke up in pain and had to start my percocet dose at 7am, which I don't normally start until afternoon (to stretch out the number of pills I have). Guess it really is time for me to look for some longer acting meds.

Pa Lady
Posted 4/25/2008 5:55 PM (GMT 0)
Hi dear Toritoo! I totally understand, as well, as PALady says also, that yearning for a END to all this pain....for something to FIX our worn-out backs once & for all...but it does sound "too good to be true" and as Shortcake says, they don't take insurance...hmmmm. Something suspect about that...

Other than the trip to FL, which would get some of us out of this dreary wet damp & foggy (blowing YOUR way, PALady, sorry) weather. I also woke up in pain during the night & took an extra one of my already-stretched-out dilaudid...did the trick, for awhile anyway, but holy cow! It hurt so much more than usual.

Hang in there! At least we all have each other to talk to! And I too, as PALady says, hope someone thinks of something soon to help us spineys increase the quality of our lives that actually WORKS....long-term and predictable would be a nice bonus, too, huh!

Keep us posted Tori! You can be our "look-out"!

~Lake
Posted 4/26/2008 6:54 AM (GMT 0)

Sorry I have not posted since my "Amazing" encounter with the LSI web site the other day but to be honest I feel so very....not stupid but something quite similar to it. Magic Beans bought here! Thank you PALady, Shortcake and Lakeside of course you were right. I did spend a good part of the last 24 hours lost in the "Wonderland" of medical web sites. It was sobering to say the least. Hats off to all who of you that spend your time reading and researching your individual illnesses and others on the web.

 

I'm sorry but I am so mad, disappointed, disallusioned and filled with anger, pain and sadness that I want to sit on the curb and eat worms. Pity Party, party of one. I'm so tired of this life however I am not suicidal but I keep thinking of all the platitudes I'm sure we've all heard. God does not give you anything you can't handle and God must have his reasons for each and every persons pains and sorrows. Than I think about myself and the fact that I did die - twice each time being revived by Dr.s. the 2nd time I was in a coma for 4 days and woke up with pnemonia which turned into Osteomylitis that led me here. Here being a good live interrupted. A young Artist just getting things going. A mother of a beautifull daughter who had to go and live with her Uncle and Aunt 6 hours away for over a year at the age of 11. It's so not fair and I hate it so much.

 

Once again thankyou all for helping me to see the light or the way I feel right now the fact that there is no light at the end of the tunnel. I'm tired I'm in pain and I'm crying so I'm also out of here for now. Talk to you later.

 

                                             Toritoo        mad

Posted 4/26/2008 6:11 PM (GMT 0)
Toritoo,
Is there room on that curb for me? I'll gladly join you in a good cry, pity party, hug, and anything else we can dream up

Don't be hard on yourself about wanting to find those magic beans because we ALL get hooked on that thought and who could blame us? Because maybe one day there will be a magic bean and someone on the board will have stumbled onto it and that's how we'll learn about it! Every new treatment starts out looking like that, doesn't it? So we all need to keep looking for ourselves and eachother. At the same time, we can keep eachother from maybe making irreversible mistakes.

I'm so sorry your life has been so brutally interrupted, but I'm hoping you will find ways to express your artistic talens once again. Maybe from a deeper place inside - although no one would wish that on you. And your story about your daughter reminded me how when I was about her age I had to go live with my aunt for several months while my mother was at the mayo clinic. I had forgotten all about that. I was called home from school one day and there was my mom wrapped up in blankets and everyone somber and I didn't know what it was all about, but I got that it was serious (to a child, scary) and for months I could only talk to her by phone. And my father went to stay with her for most of the time. She had some botched surgery locally and nearly died. But I survived that with the loving care of family. I hope your daughter will soon be returned to you (or is she alread?), but it sounds like she is in loving hands. I know that doesn't ease your emotional pain (which is on top of your physical pain), but just know we are here to listen to pity parties (I may have one real soon) and magic bean stories anytime.

Hugs,
PaLady
Posted 4/26/2008 6:27 PM (GMT 0)
Thanks PALady for your kind words and hugs. I just wanted to let you know that my daughter is now 22 and out on her own but losing even a year of your only childs life is hard on everyone involved. She and my Man and of course all of you do understand my limitations and help me by working with me and accepting me and my life for what it is.
It's way too hot for a pity party today out here in California and you could fry eggs on the curb so I guess I will keep on keeping on. After all what other choice do we have? Have a good day if possible and like I said thanks again.
Toritoo
Posted 4/26/2008 8:09 PM (GMT 0)
Toritoo - The one thing I want to ask you is this...

If statistically one of xxxx people have to suffer the way you do, wouldn't you rather it be you than your daughter? Or her future children? If anything you've shown your daughter the strength inside of you, and that in itself is a powerful thing. I know hearing that God won't give you more than you can handle, doesn't always help. Just think of how much pain your daughter would suffer without you here.

Things always end up easier for me to bare when I think of all the people I love and care about that I would hate to see suffer, and knowing that I am carrying the pain so that hopefully they never have to endure it.

As far as frying eggs on the curb - maybe we can do brunch? You cook your's in Cali and I'll cook mine here AZ? darn it's hot!
Posted 4/27/2008 3:36 AM (GMT 0)
Thank you TDoern for your words of wisdom. I think I'm just in such a bad place right now it's hard to think in the abstract world of if not me than someone else I love. According to my family and loved ones it is painfull for them to see me like this so in a way they are in pain as well. I'm sorry like I said I'm just in a bad place right now and under my normal circumstances I am as happy a person on the outside as I can be all the time. I don't always wallow in self pity.

 

So thank you, I will try and turn my self around and get back to normal again well normal for me and I will look back at your post when I'm really down and pick myself up again and again and again if need be.

 

                                     Toritoo

                                           

 Your on for brunch, geez it is so darn hot and it is only April. I can't stand this heat but I guess I am a California girl and you take the good with the bad. Right?

 

One more thing, we do have a lot in common when it comes to our health I see we share many of the same problems health wise. So have a tolerable pain day yourself TDoern and thank you again.

Posted 4/27/2008 5:03 AM (GMT 0)
Toritoo,
I just want to tell you I love your honesty and authenticity. I think the process you - and I and many, many others on this site - are engaged in means being in a "bad place" at times is part of our "normal". Some people are ahead of me in this process. Maybe ahead of you, too, although I don't want to presume. Thankfully, there others on this site who have made some peace with their new normal, what life is rather than what we want it to be/what it should have been, and knowing they're here and have blazed a path of sorts is a comfort to me. But I even see with those who are doing well a lot of the time despite their pain, they also have down days. It's late and I'm rambling, but I think you understand what I'm trying to say.

And for you and TD - Lakeside and I will likely have snow next week - so send brunch this way and we can freeze it while you all travel east!

Pa Lady
Posted 8/12/2009 10:45 PM (GMT 0)
I had a nightmare experience with Laser Spine Institute. Dr. Craig Wolff appeared impaired to me when he operated on my spine at LSI in February 2009. He tore my spinal cord (dura) causing spinal fluid to leak into my body cavity after operating on a level not indicated in the initial examination and surgery order. Sent me to a hotel room to recover. I am in unspeakable pain now. I wondered if Craig Wolff was under the influence when he practiced on me, so on a hunch, I looked up arrest records in Hillsborough County where he practices. Sure enough, he was arrested for driving under the influence about three weeks after my surgery. RUN - don't walk away.(while you still can) http://www.hcso.tampa.fl.us/pub/default.asp?/Online/qdisp/bn=09012378
Posted 8/13/2009 8:45 PM (GMT 0)

Hi Torito,

I just wanted to tell you not to feel alone in feeling let down after finding something like LSI and thinking it might just be "THE answer" to your back pain troubles.

When my back first went truly south and I knew that I was going to be headed for surgery, I did searches on the internet, all over, into ADR's, LSI and there is another laser spine surgery place as well. Each time, I thought that I had found my own miracle cure for my back problems, even the DRX9000 was one of my "saviours" at the time that I thought would be my own answer to avoiding major back surgery......

You aren't alone in finding something and thinking that this just might be the answer, and the cost thing?? Well, who amongst us wouldn't pay if we truly felt that we could be fixed and not have to live with the daily pain?????? It's probably safe to say that most of us have found sites that promise the moon and stars and then we do a lot more looking only to find out that those promises are written on tissue paper and they get wet and dissolve right in front of our eyes.

I think that I talked my husband's ear off when I would find another one of my miracle sites.....and either he or I would find a post or an article or something that said something negative and a lot more research yielded lots of disappointments , or failed surgeries or lawsuit links....and I would cry.....

Anyway, I just wanted to let you know that you aren't alone in feeling let down......or in having hope......LSI is not the answer you or I were looking for, but I still think that there is one out there.......we just have to find it.

Sandi :-) "

Posted 8/13/2009 9:07 PM (GMT 0)
Sandi & Herb2,
Just wanted to give you a heads up this is an older thread from over a year ago. I haven't seen Toritoo post in a long time.

This way you won't be wondering why you don't get a response!

PaLady
Posted 8/14/2009 2:39 AM (GMT 0)
LOL, thanks PA Lady. I should have checked the date but didn't......
Sandi
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