I am a 52 year old male. I don't smoke or drink. I am not overweight. I suffered a fractured vertabrae in my lower back (L5/S1) in 1998. Ended up with spondylolisthsis (vertebrae slips over another one) and had spinal fusion with 4 pedicle screws and 2 rods. They used bone from my hip to build bone around the fracture. I never felt much relief and lived in pain for 10 years. Lived on morphine for the last 5 years and had a spinal cord stimulator implanted in 2005. Finally found a spine surgeon who was willing to open me up and take a look. All other surgeons told me that the fusion was solid and instrumentation was in place based on all the films (X-Ray, MRI, CT). I was operated on in June of 2008 twice. The bone never fused, the screws were loose and my spine was at an angle. First my lower lumbar was fused from the back (Posterior Lumbar Fusion). Two weeks later, I was fused from the front (Anterior Lumbar Fusion). They removed all the instrumentation and all new (titanium) screws and rods were inserted. During the procedure my surgeon noticed that my bones didn't seem "right". He prescribed a QCT test. The results showed that I had severe osteoporosis (T-score = -3.9 and a Z-score = -2.8. I went to see an Endocrinologist and he verified the results with a DXS test. He prescribed Forteo. I will need to inject myself daily for 2 years. Currently, my medical insurance company has denied the medication and the doctor is appealing.
What can I expect? Anyone similar to me (male, 50s)? Any assistance will be greatly appreciated.
