Dr. Norah Anne Foster, MD

As far as my surgery goes, I am happy and think it has helped my pain. However, I think Dr. Foster and staff need some kind of training, and the office needs to ensure that all documents match what they are telling you verbally, and all patients need to be aware of what's going on. I lost my job recently due to clerical errors from Dr. Foster's office. I explained how the situation had destroyed my mental health, and Dr. Foster very coldly told me that my primary care physician should be able to help with that, did not even try to have any explanation for the multiple documents that all have different instructions on them that caused me to lose my job. She then promptly left the room with no apologies for the clerical errors. As well, I was told in the beginning that I would have a fusion on my L5-S1, and I found out AFTER I had surgery that it was L4-L5. I thought for sure I was misremembering what I was told but I confirmed with my partner that I was told L5-S1. I keep being told… by Nancy/Natalie that I misremembered everything and I was on pain killers so I might not remember right, but my partner remembers everything the same way I do. It's making me feel like I'm being gas lit, and like I'm crazy, but I know we both did not mishear the same thing every time. I was also told by Nancy that I should not listen to the physical therapist they sent me to because his recommendations were different than what she and Natalie said, but when I asked him what he goes by, he said he goes by surgeon recommendations. Do I listen to him or not? Should I even go to him? I mean, they sent me to him but now they're saying not to listen to him. So now I'm 4 months out and I feel alone, as well as horribly confused. I don't know what will happen if I need help with my back again and it scares me that I might have to talk to Dr. Foster again for that help. The whole situation has taken my anxiety and depression and skyrocketed it. It's destroyed my whole life, when it was supposed to help make my life better, and easier. Now I can't pay my bills, I can't afford to feed myself because my child has to be fed, and I can't get a normal job because guess what, I still had a spinal fusion 4 months ago, and can't just go out and get any 'ol job right now despite all my restrictions being lifted because I'm still not 100%. Basically, the surgery went well. I guess it has worked. But until there is some further training for Dr. Foster, Natalie, and Nancy, I would stay far away from the office.

I have degenerative disc disease and dr Foster did 3 of my 5 surgeries. She was the best. She answered all of my questions and was always there for me. Her bedside manners were awesome also. Her main concern was me and how I was doing. She always had a smile on her face. Very respectful. I wish she was still in NC. I would continue to see her. She was the best out of all the spine specialists I have seen. And believe me I have seen a lot.

Send me a message and I can tell you more. I really don’t want to share my personal information on here.

This doc is bad news! Left me practically lame. I wish I had never done surgery. I’m miserable. She doesn’t care.

Terrible bedside manner. Damaged my spinal cord during surgery leaving me with partial paralysis of my lower body. She never seemed to care and basically avoided me after surgery.

I was quite disappointed to learn that I had been referred to a young orthopedic spine surgeon instead of an experienced neurosurgeon, but my husband and I made the six hour trip from East Tennessee to Durham, NC. Dr. Norah Foster was the worst doctor ever. She somehow missed the fact that I had moderate to severe spinal stenosis. I have seen nurse practitioners with more knowledge. I had surgery in Charlotte.