In this episode of Heavily Metalled, I sit down with Fort Worth neurosurgeon Dr. Gregory Smith for an important conversation about spinal hardware, metal hypersensitivity, and what happens when implanted hardware may be contributing to a patient’s symptoms. Dr. Smith has removed spinal hardware for me personally, as well as for many other patients, and he takes metal allergy testing seriously when evaluating these complex cases. We discuss LTT blood testing, the role it can play alongside a patient’s clinical history, and the often-overlooked fact that manufacturers may recommend removal of certain spinal hardware after the bone has successfully healed and the hardware is no longer needed for stabilization.
We also take a deep dive into my own case, including my history with multiple spinal surgeries, metal hypersensitivity, hardware removal, and the possibility that metal allergy could have contributed to a spinal non-union. Dr. Smith is careful to point out that proving such a connection would require scientific studies specifically designed to investigate it, but we discuss why it is a biologically plausible theory and why questions like this deserve further research rather than automatic dismissal. Our conversation highlights just how much remains unknown about the interaction between implanted metals, immune responses, bone healing, and individual patient outcomes.
Perhaps most importantly, we talk about something that should be fundamental to medicine: listening to the patient. Dr. Smith discusses the importance of developing a personal connection with patients, hearing their entire story, and considering information that may not fit neatly into a standard diagnostic box. We also tackle medical gaslighting and what happens when patients with complicated histories are dismissed instead of investigated. This episode is both a highly personal look at my own surgical journey and a broader conversation about curiosity, evidence, informed decision-making, and why patients deserve physicians who are willing to truly listen.
In This Episode you will learn:
--When spinal hardware removal may be appropriate.
--How LTT testing can identify metal hypersensitivity.
--Why listening to patients matters.
--How metal allergy may affect bone healing.
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***Many WONDERFUL, supportive special-interest communities exist for metal allergies and diet, hardware issues, medical devices, etc., online and on social media. They have many resources and often act as a collective think-tank. I owe many parts of my recovery to knowledge obtained in such groups. Search keywords to join these groups and find your tribe!***
