C5-6 anterior surgery

Since I can't seem to get anything from my medical team, I am here for personal insights and experiences.

On Augest 7th of this year I had a C5-6 discectomy. He used the Rabea Cage so there was no fusion and I didn't have to wear a collar. The pain after my surgery was unbelievable. There are no words to describe the level of pain I had and it was left untreated.

A bit of background. I just turned 33 yrs. old, I am athletic, healthy, and the pain started when I was about 26. I gained about 10-15 lbs. over the last 2 years due to inactivity.

My surgeon gave me the impression that I would feel fine in two months. But after 5 weeks I knew that was not going to happen. So it's been just about 3 months and I am still in pain. My neck and shoulders hurt almost constantly. I wake up hurting. I go to bed hurting. I get up in the middle of the night to take a pain killer. I am still taking 7.5/325 oxycodone about every 5 hours. My mood is impossibly mean. I am on the verge of exploding from frustration nearly all day. I can't look over my shoulder. My entire body aches from my ankles to the base of my skull. When I sit or lay down for longer than 20 minutes when I get up all the joints in my body hurt. Each step is painful. I have dark circles around my eyes from lack of good sleep.

My physical therapy consists of ultrasound, massage, and a couple stretches. I walk as much as I can, at least 30 min 5 days a week. I have added full body stretching into my routine. And I am doing 1-1.5 hour sessions weekly of cranioscaral therapy.

I'm sick and tired of being sick and tired.

How long has your recovery lasted? Was there a point where you suddenly felt better? Anything work to improve your mood? Anything work to improve sleep?

Also, when did the feeling return around the incision? Did you get weird and random surface pain while the feeling returned?

I am so sorry to hear that you are in such pain. I am not a doctor but I did have this fusion on October 12th 2006 on my c5 and c6. I have a plate with 2 screws and did not have to wear a collar. My relief was immediate. I woke up after surgery thankful to be alive (some anxiety around making it) and able to move my right arm freely which I had not been able to do in months. I do have some pain between my shoulder blades, and every once in a while I feel a sudden pain down my arm. I am not scheduled to see the surgeon until the 13th of November but I believe my symptoms, from reading these posts, have been relatively normal. I do sleep in a recliner, had to finally break down and get one as not having any sleep and being a recent non smoker due to this surgery was assuring me a place in the barn with the cattle. (being nice used to be such an easy thing.) I do think that given the impossible symptoms you are listing and being in this much pain is some indicator that you might want to get a second oppionion. I wish you the best of luck. Like you I am a very active 44 year old, kayak, hulahoop, fish, sculptor, the list goes on so I am ready to get some clearance to do some fun things again. - Crash