cervical C 6-7 fusion recovery

mykelmarie · Newbie Joined: 16 Jan 2007 Posts: 1 Location: Channahon

Hi, I recently had a cervical fusion on C6-7 on January 2, 2007. I am still in alot of pain. I am also experiencing shoulder and arm pain. My doctor told me that it was normal because the nreves are trying to heal. He prescribed a steroid pack for me and it seems to be helping a litlle. I find it very difficult to sleep at all. I was beat up teaching at a local special education school on October 2005 and I have had numerous surgies. I had shoulder surgury for an impingement and I also have three herniated discs in my back from the accident. I have been in pain since June of 2004 becasue I was beat up again at another school beofre the 2005 accident. I don't think I will be returning to teaching anytime soon.
I recently had a withdrawl episode last week from all of the pain medicine at the hospital and it was horrible. Night sweats, fever. diahrea,chills, dry heaves. I am trying to wean off of my pain medicine becasue it makes me nothing but a crab and I yell at my family. I am having constant mood swings. I only take one vicodin a day now. Half in the morning and the other half in the evening. I still have alot of pain. I finally convinced my doctor to send me for PT but only manipulation, massage to help relieve some of the pain and to help restor my voice. My throat is still sore and it feels like there is a rock in ther everytime I swallow. I am always choking an anything I drink, it feels like it is going down the wrong pipe. I start pt (massage therapy) Thursday of this week so I hope it helps. I was wondering how long does it take to get your voice back. I use to sign in weddings but I don't think that is going to ever happen again. My headaches are not as bad and as frequent which is a plus. Walking and moving around does help but try not to over do it. Well if anyone wants to respond, please do.
Thanks MM[/b]

rdegneau · Newbie Joined: 05 Feb 2007 Posts: 3 Location: Wisconsin

please find my previous posting 2/5/07 hope to share experiences if I can figure out how to navigate here

badneckpete · Newbie Joined: 10 Feb 2007 Posts: 4 Location: Pasadena, CA

I was very surprised at how long it took to regain my voice. My surgery was in June 2006 - 3-level ACDF (C4-7). Following surgery, it was very painful to swallow and speak. It took a couple weeks to just carry on a conversation. The only good part was it was difficult to eat, so I shed a few pounds!! I had to eat very carefully for about 2 months. Now, I have to remind myself not to eat too fast.

From what I've read, talking with other ACDF "victims" and my experience, voice recovery varies greatly. One woman said after 4 years she recovered 90% of her voice. I would say it took 2+ months to get my voice back to where I could carry on a decent conversation. However, it took close to 4 months before I felt any strength when speaking. Before that, it was more of a strained speaking voice. Now, at about 7 months, I'm probably at about 90% of my previous voice. At times, it just seems to disappear, or get weak, and I have to clear my throat. But to me, that's just a minor inconvenience.

Unless there was nerve damage, I'm sure you can recover your singing voice. It might take a while and you'll probably need to re-strengthen the vocal chords. Have you had professional training? A good voice coach will help. But you're still in the early stages, so have patience and take your time. Good luck.

Sorry to hear about your school problems. I'd stay away, too.

Guest · Guest

i too just had surgery on my neck for an acute herniation of c5 & 6. I was in a wrestling accident and decided a week after the accident when i had no pain pills left to go to the hospital where i found out just how seriuos it was. Now a week out of surgery Im finding it extremely hard to sleep and im starting to get gnarly headaches is this norm? it seems as tho it is by readin your bit. I didnt have any issues with my voice i guess im lucky...? but i do have that rock feeling in my throat it hurts to swallow sometimes and eating is getting interesting now that the numbing stuff they used is worn off. It feels like the muscles are only workin on the side they didnt cut thru which makes sense....so my main concern is that im a 23 yr old female that is EXTREMELY active and this layin in bed stayin in the house shit is KILLIN me!!!!!!!! i hae 3 other discs that are bulging already so doc told me that ill have at least 2 more surgeries if not more in about 10 yrs. How long did yall wait before doin normal stuff again and am i ever gonna be pain free and be able to go back to my extreme sports an stuff or is all tht shot? i havent been using the pain meds they gave me cause i dont want to use them an get addicted plus they dont really do anything...? my mom says its cause the pain meds they gave me are for muscle pain and what im havin is nerve pain i guess percs an morphine dont work on that jus make me feel drunk. drunk an in pain....UGH THIS SUCKS!!!!!!!

Guest · Guest

Wow...I am actually scheduled for a C6-7 anterior discectomy with fusion next month. Besides the throat pain, lumps, loss of voice.....are there any improvements to your neck pain?? Did you have numbness/tingling in your arms? I am praying THAT goes away...the first time I felt that...I thought I was having a stroke. I have 5 minor children and I am wondering how long my recovery period will be. Ill be glad when it is OVER!!!! Sad

PStarr · Newbie Joined: 31 Mar 2007 Posts: 1

wanz · Newbie Joined: 04 Apr 2007 Posts: 1

My husband still has a considerable amount of pain following a C6-7 fusion in Sept. 2005. He cannot tolerate anti inflammatories. Two things that have assisted with the reduction of inflammation and pain: a cream that has an ingredient called capsaicin, applied 3-4 times per day: the other is LLLT which is laser light therapy. When you first begin laser therapy you have to have frequent treatments, as I recall 3 per week for 3 weeks. He is now down to 2 per month. These two supplement his pain medication but are the only things we have found to maintain any quality of life. Hope this helps someone!

Guest · Guest

I had acdf 4-9-07. The first week was rough sleeping and swallowing but I have to say I had no pain from the surgery site. Swallowing was an obstacle but I found cold soft things and liquids best. I bought a wedge for the bed because sleeping upright got old quick. Any medical supply store has them. Its worth a good nights sleep. Energy wise, I could shower and redress, thats about it for the day. 2nd week I was able to swallow comfortably without pain which this helped give me more energy because I could basically eat normally. No more pain in the arm but have aches still at base of neck posterior. I was terrified prior to surgery, but I'm glad I did it! Only thing I was not prepared for was the constipation! This was the worst part of the whole deal.(from not eating good, inactivity and pain meds) Make sure you do all you can because the meds they gave me for this did nothing! Start way before with fiber, prune juice etc., and continue through and after!

Guest · Guest

1 month after neck fusion and getting many headaches

Guest · Guest

I to had acdf c6c7 on 6/7 and am experiencing problems. I have pain in the base of my neck and across the shoulder and down my left arm with numbness in my last three fingers. The dr of course says that this is normal that the nerves are coming alive. I had to go back to the drs yesterday because the pain was so bad so now they put me on an antibiotic because I had a mild fever and also predisone, a muscle relaxer and xanax. I hate being drugged. Today I will have another MRI to see if there is something else going on. I have been in tears for days. I was told not to worry about it because some people take longer than others to heal. Also that some people experience more symptoms with the nerves afterwards than others. I'm not sure. I'm scared to death. I work physical work and am concerned that I may not be able to return to work and don't know how I will survive as I am single and have no one else to turn to. Is there anyone out there that has had a positive experience with any of this and it just took a little longer than usual to heal. I do not wan to live on drugs forever. I can not function like that. I would appreciate any replies. pdbuote="PStarr"]

cervical C 6-7 fusion recovery

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