post anterior cervical disectomy recovery concerns

Hhp · Newbie Joined: 25 Jan 2007 Posts: 9

I also had my surgery on December 28. It's been 6 weeks today. I went back to the office on Monday (3 days ago). I'm working 4 hour days this week, 6 hour days next week, 8 hours the next, and I'll keep adding 2 hours per week. (I'm an attorney). Because I spend so much time at a desk, I am dictating more and resting on a lounge chair with my door closed as needed. I have to wait 6 more weeks before physical therapy. The doctor said that would help and to be patient. I guess he wants the bones to fuse well before I start moving too much. He did instruct me to wean myself from the collar by stopping wearing it while sleeping, then alternating wearing it and not during the day until I'm not wearing it at all. My neck gets pretty tired, so I'm wearing it right now. He said I could start the anti-inflammatories 12 weeks out (i.e. advil, etc). Apparently that will help my throat fell less full and help me not to feel the instrumentation. At this point, I am taking one darvacet and one soma twice a day. The pain is much much better than before surgery and much better than even last week. Somehow, even though each day lasts so long I can feel real progress from week to week.

Guest · Guest

[quote="msboop48"]June 5, 2006, I had anterior cervical surgery because I fell down 15 cement steps at work on may 25, 2005 and began experiencing increasing numbness in my right arm and hand, and shooting pain from the shoulder to the elbow. An MRI indicated that I had herniated the C5/6 & C6/7 discs. So, my neurosurgeon replaced the discs between the C5/6 & C6/7 with cadaver bones and screwed on a titanium strap to help fusion take place and keep all in place while healing.

I am experiencing post surgical pain and it was suggested that I maybe try a chat/support group to see if what I am experiencing is normal or something I should really be worried about. I am on some heavy drugs but I will try to get all the facts in so that someone out there can maybe respond with some helpful suggestions and encouragement for me.

I am a healthy 54 year old female who could run circles around my family members, until the fall. I was a light-weight smoker before the surgery, but I a proud to say that I quit cold turkey 1 month before the surgery and have not smoked since. Anyways, I was doing fine hours after surgery until the morphine that was given to me intervineously was switched to NorCo 10/325s apporoximately 7 hours after surgery, which made me begin to vomit every 1 to 2 hours. Needless to say, I had to stay another night in the hospital. I was vomiting stomach bile for the most part, which went on for the next 12 hours, and then I was sent home with instructions that I could shower the next day and clean my incision with alchohol. The incision looks goods - it does not hurt and there is no oozing or dicoloration. I was told to walk around the house often and avoid lifting over 5 pounds until my next post-op appointment, which is scheduled for June 23, 2006.

I find that I can't lay down or sit up without experiencing neck discomfort and extreme muscle pain between my shoulders. I feel like the muscles between my shoulder blades are on fire. They cramp to the point of experiencing charlie horses - which are just out of my reach - of course.
I rely heavily on the NorCo (yes, they prescribed the same med that made me sick in the hospital) for pain management, but it does not take care of all the pain. It could be because I cut the pills in half so I do not get sick on them again. I can swallow okay now, but for the first 2 days my throat was raw feeling and it hurt to swallow, and then for 3 days after that it felt like the food and pills would get stuck in the sternum area when I would swallow. But that is getting better now. I attributed that to the vomiting - but of course could be very wrong about that assumption.

To explain the muscle pain - imagine the Hulk repeatedly beating you between your shoulder blades causing your muscles to become totally tensed up and inflamed to the point that you experience extreme muscle spasms between the shoulder blades, just below the C5/6 & C6/7 area.

Now you know why I am freaking!! Is all this pain and the muscle spasms normal? Are they induced from all the complications I experiencd after surgery? I find that heat from a hot shower or a towel put in the dryer for a while and wrapped around my shoulders and neck really helps. Is this okay?
I was given two foam neck braces when I left the hospital. I began wearing one when I am in the shower and the other when I am up and about. I was told that i did not have to wear it when laying down, but I find that I can lay for at least 30 to 45 minutes to rest when it is on - without it I can lay for about 20 to 30 minutes and experience more discomfort so I have to use my hands to lift and roll my head around to get comfortable in a prone position. I get only about an 1 hour max of rest at any given time - I am up and prowling the house with muscle pain the rest of the time. My kids say that I remind them of a raptor looking for prey to release my pain on. Like I said, the drugs help a little, but don't take all the pain away - just enough to let me rest well.

I hope someone out there in Internet land can respond and let me know if what I am experienceing is normal, particularly after the complications I experienced, or if I should be freaking and demanding to see my neurosurgeon (I did callhim and his nurse said that I should not worry, but if it gets worse to call back. I think she thinks I am a wimp too). So, tell me - am I a wimp or is this some thing I should worry about?[/quote][quote][url][/url][/quote][b]I had surgey last week and I cannot even move my right arm....I am so upset, I can not even breath with out having pain right shoulder below neck, I had 2 bad discs in my neck, it hurts to even cry cough get up sitting hear now hurts what the hell is going on?[/b]

gmorisse · Newbie Joined: 26 Mar 2007 Posts: 1

To all out there, i have had both the anterior and posterior fusions done on c 5/6, first op failed due to body rejecting donor bone. the answer to most all your questions about the post op pain and symtoms, are not good. i wish that i would have never had the first op to begin with. I have seen most the docs in my county for the pain, it is the same if not worse. now that my neck is locked into place, the disc above and below are starting to go, along with the bone spurs to go along with that. My doctor was not very clear about the aftermath of what happens when you lock your neck into place and pretty much set himself up with job security in doing so, for now the others need to be fused. PLEASE DO YOUR HOMEWORK BEFORE THEY CARVE YOU UP AND BUy THAT NEW B.MER with your hard earned money, you will eventually run out of places to go and most people will think you are a drug addict and it's all in your head. It's not ! I am living it now since 2001 and can't believe that some sort of help is not out there to releave the pain, but our government can waiste money on mars trips. oh well enough venting. I wish each and every one of you living in this cage, that one day we will be free and or understood that it's not all in our heads. best of luck to all. Greg from melbourne florida.

Guest · Guest

I am scheduled to have one disc that is pressing into my spinal cord removed and then bone fusion with metal (I haven't yet learned all the medical terms, but I'll know them for my next visit with the surgeon). I did have an MRI and I've seen the films. The disc, wedged between two vertebrae, is very clearing protruding into my spinal cord.

What I read here horrifies me! There is so little good news!! I'm reasonably healthy and was very active before all this pain. Most of the pain I have is near constant with shooting pain and/or very active pins and needles down my right arm). I'm not in terrible, awful pain too often, but my energy is drained by my pain and I regularly feel on edge due to its nagging presence. I sometimes wonder how it is that I haven't started grinding my teeth. Tylenol can help for a couple of hours, especially when I take 6-8 per day. Muscle relaxers can also help, but they make me a terrible space-case, a hazard out on the road and an incompetent in the classroom (I teach for a living). I did try some mild pain-killers, but they fogged up my brain even more than the muscle relaxers. Overall, in my lifetime I've had almost no experience with drugs and I've never had surgery; and, very importantly, I need clear mental faculties for my job and my sense of self.

Please write to me if you think this surgery is worth it or not. I fear that by continuing to avoid it I am simply postponing the inevitable and that if I wait I might risk further problems (including falling into worse shape and worse moods). But maybe I'm asking for even more trouble than I already have.

Thank you very much for your time and I hope that your own cervical stenosis odyssey is leading you to freedom from pain!

shadowmist · Newbie Joined: 03 Jul 2007 Posts: 1

I had c3-4, c4-5 removed and I had bone fusion back in 1987. I just wanted to tell you it does get better with time. For those experiencing nausea just ask your doctor for nausea medicine. I did and I also ate wheat crackers which helped. Just eat your crackers before you get too nauseated. Good luck to all.

mabb · Newbie Joined: 06 Jul 2007 Posts: 1

Hi,
I'm a 49 year old female with bulging discs. I've gone through therapy and pain management with only temporary relief. So my neurologist recommended surgery.
I am 16 days post-op from a anterior spinal surgical fusion c-5-6 and c-6-7. Cadaver bone was used along with titanium plates and screws. I was released 2 days post-op, with tons of meds, and some basic instructions....which I don't remember considering the narcotics I was taking. I was released wearing an Aspen cervical collar which is to be worn at all times, even when showering. This collar is a real pain to sleep in and really hot! 6 days post op I began having chills and sweating with a low grade fever. I was instructed to go to emergency room and have testing. I was diagnosed with pneumonia. More meds and more instructions. Things seem much better as far as pre-surgery pain but sleeping is the worst thing.....I don't sleep well at all. They discharged me with sleeping pills which don't help. When will sleeping be possible again? Does anyone have a time frame? This collar seems to be the biggest reason along with pain between the shoulders. Has anyone else had to wear this Aspen collar for 6 weeks or more?

Thanks,
Sleepless in WI

cidercindy · Newbie Joined: 08 Jul 2007 Posts: 1

My husband had ANTERIOR CERVICAL DISCECTOMY WITH FUSION on c5-c6 and c6-c7 6 days ago. He has deep bruising from his shoulders to his nipples. Do any of you have this?

Christine Bruno · Newbie Joined: 19 Jul 2006 Posts: 2

I had my cervical discetomy and fusion (c5-6 c6-7) 14 months ago. Just came back from seeing the surgeon for me (belated) 1 year check-up.

I'm not totally pain-free, but it's very tolerable. (I still have some neck and shoulder pain when I move my head around). I also still have occasional headaches which I believe are related. The x-ray shows the bone they took from my hip is growing fine, so that's ok. I developed some scar tissue at the incision site but it's not a huge thing.

I too had the pain switch sides during the past year. It was mostly in my right shoulder pre-op and moved to my left when the pain started returning after not wearing the collar after 6 weeks. Eventually the pain went away though, and now the pain I have is pretty much on both sides, but, like I said, it's pretty tolerable. I'm hoping it gradually lessens til it's totally gone.

Basically, I guess I'd call it all a success, but it was a pretty tough year.

jrkelly3 · Newbie Joined: 28 Jul 2007 Posts: 7 Location: Las Vegas

they made you stay on pills that you had a reaction to? that could not be helpfull to your neck throwing up like that right after surgery! I suggest you find another doctor and get your neck checked out. you may have some damage.

post anterior cervical disectomy recovery concerns

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