mylogram??

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tmvincent30

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Does anyone know if the only way they can see if your fully fused is by a mylogram? I had a big problem with the first and never want to do it again.
 
Vincent from my understanding the only way to see is if you go in surgically. However, the next best thing is a CT mylegram.
 
My doctor ordered a CT scan for me, and that showed me fully fused.

I had another one not long ago with three dimensional imaging. It was so cool to look at! I felt like I could hold my spine in my hand, and my doctor's eyes were just glowing as he looked at it. He sure loves what he does, and he's so good at it! Again, it showed me fully fused.

Hope this helps,
Emily
 
hey there vincent i am 11 weeks post op and was sent for a ct and doc said he can see me fusing. im still having leg pain and im supposed to go for a mylogram on 5/21 and still not decided to go i've been through to much already am tired of all this. Can you give me some insight to your bad experiance to know really what im up against i really don't no to much bout the test but it doesnt sound pleasant you no these docs they act like these tests arn't miserable and say its no big deal but there just docs and never had to go through the tests themselves. would greatly appreciate any thing you can tell me.
 
Not any particular reason i am 7 weeks post op and i just know they will start to look at some time and i will be pushing to know if i am fully fused due to the first one never taking and i didnt find out until 6 years later when scews broke.
 
I know that is how they had to see if any of my first fusion took in any way but i was hopeing there would be something else they could do just to see this time. They may not have to do anything else sugical it would be just to check.

Its just that first one was so bad i dont ever want another one.
 
I thank all of you i was getting worried thinking i would hae to do another one but i am sooo glad to hear a ct scan will do it.

Hey spook my experience with a mylogram was miserable but i think after hearing how good of a time others had it was maybe the doctor.
I had harware in there and they nurabed me yea but it is like i could feel the whole time they were hitting the hardware or bone and dug like 20 or 30 minutes then decided " oh the hardware wont let me in we have to back out and find a new place" well duh!! So they went to the middle of my back and then it was fine.

Like i said i think mine was the dr. cause i have heard such wonderful stories of others. Good luck
 
I think the key is with the doctor as to whether you have problems. The doctor doing my myleogram has done many of them. He used to work at the University of VA and did an average of 6 a day. I guess he has had some practice.

I also was told do drink a ton of water before the mylegram - 2 gallons the day before to be exact. They say it helps push that dye out of your body.

That is interesting about the ct being enough to see the fusion. I was told because of my surgeries that it would not be enough but then again I have had 4 surgeries. Maybe it is the amount of surgeries that you have had.

A CT is much easier than a myleogram.
 
I understand how a bad experience can influence you in future testing. I feel the same way about nerve blocks. I will never ever have another one. I had a really bad experience.
 
Years ago I had a spinal tap to check for M.S. It was dreadful.
A few yrs later I did have a myelogram.The positive was that it revealed the extent of DDD,herniations,stenosis etc...
The neurosurgeon suggested a triple fusion...cervical spine.
On the down side..It was very invasive and painful.I will Never have another one.
The surgery would not stop the progression but Might offer relief from the narrowing.I decided it wasn't worth the risk.

I would think there would be other ways to determine if the fusion was successful besides another myleogram.
If I were you I would avoid it at all costs.Surely a MRI or Cat scan would be able to tell.
My heart goes out to you.rab
 
My neuro uses plain, old-fashioned X-rays (2 of them) for that. The first is in your normal position. The 2nd is the same position but bending. He compares the 2 x-rays and is able to see if there was any movement (increased gap) in that disk space.

Since a fusion utilized bone growth, an x-ray is likely the most cost effective, quickest and most painless option. They can also easily see all the hardware with xray.

I'm sure there are reasons though that they'd want to use some other method (like is there nerve involvement?) which won't show up on x-ray.
 
My doc uses x-rays, too, for a long time at each follow up appt. At only 6 weeks, the x-rays showed bone growth starting, and at each follow up appt thereafter, there was more and more bone growth showing. But he eventually wanted the CT scan because it shows bone growth more clearly. Some people actually don't show the bone growth on x-ray, but they do with CT. The CT scan showed me fully fused. It's more definitive than x-ray.

My doctor never wanted me to try to bend with the x-rays. It surprised me that your doctor did, Eva. But I'm sure he knows what he's doing. It might depend on what exactly he did and what he's already seen on previous x-rays.

Emily :wave:
 
They tried to have me bend slightly backwarRAB and they ran and got my doctor because everything starting swriling. Since then my surgeon, said no bending.
 
My dr. does about a hundred (seems like that many) x-rays every time i go. But i know sooner or later they will want to do something else to confirm it so i was just wondering, knowing they had to do the mylogram to tell at first what all fused from my first surgery. Which was nothing.
 
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