Would you get second opinion?

  • Thread starter Thread starter lemonflavor
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lemonflavor

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I had a microdiscectomy over a year ago. Since then everything else in my back has gotten worse. I saw a new surgeon at a highly regarded hospital. He said my current MRI is so much worse from the one a year and a half ago he said I really need a double fusion. This is what my previous doctor's assistant pretty much said would be the next step. But I never really saw the doctor there, only the physician's assistant. My physiatrist also suspected surgery.

I don't really want to go and get yet another opinion and it seems obvious. Would you go ahead and get it? I won't take your opinions as authoritative, don't worry. I know it's a very big deal but I just don't think I need another opinion.
Jeff
 
lemonflavor,

I am in a similar situation where my surgeon left for IRAQ till Noveraber and am now seeing his PA. PA is good and I believe he runs stuff by the other surgeon still there. I am retired military, so it is a military hospital. The PA has been there 6 years and is always in OR. But, if something came up that put me on a backwarRAB track, I would definetly get an opinion from the other surgeon even though I passed him up to have the surgeon going to IRAQ do my surgery. Not that I didn't think him highly qualified, I just went with the Fellowshiped trained Orthopedic as opposed the the NueroSurgeon and knew someone who had a good outcome with the Ortho. Real minor details.

But, even with two good surgeons available, I researched them, I still went off base for a third opinion. Long story, but my opinion is always get three opinions if possible.




Good Luck,


Ken
 
It depenRAB on your past opinions and how you feel about the surgeon you are seeing. Often we get that gut feeling that a surgeon is right or wrong, good or bad, etc. In my case I knew that I needed L3 fixed. But I went to the new surgeon being open minded. When he said the same thing I knew it was right and he was the right guy to do the surgery. You can always get another opinion from another orthopedic spine surgeon and/or neurosurgeon.
 
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