2 Level ADCF, C5 and C6 My Account no stories or fabrications

I am scheduled for surgery in June for 2-level on c4-5-6 with plating. I too am a truckdriver, and am worried about being able to go back to work within 6 weeks. My surgeon tells me he has had police and fire dept personnel that returned to full time duty after 4 weeks. However, after reading many of these posts, I am very concerned about being able to return to reg duty after 6 weeks. Tomorrow am going to orthodist to be fitted for neck brace, so I know I'll be wearing one at least for part of recovery period. Gloveman, hope you are doing well and please keep updating your progress. Good luck to all-jc

I guess it would depend on the amount of nerve damage that exists. I had my C5-6-7 graft with plate done 7 wks. ago. I find that long drives of 2 hours or more can be tough unless I get out of the car every hour or so and do neck stretches. I only had neck brace on for about 2 weeks and started driving after about 3 wks. Had to drive 7 hrs. each way for a trip last week and didn't feel too badly.

I hope you discuss with your neurosurgeon and find a good PT in recovery. The myofacial massage - where they target pressure points - also really helps. Gloveman, I too hope you are doing better. Best wishes...

I think you said one thing that I noticed as a difference in recovery times... You only wore your neck brace for 2 weeks. If people have to wear theirs for a longer period of time like I had to (6weeks), then the neck muscles degenerate and there are a whole host of problems to overcome. In my case I have to overcome them with no physical therapy since my insurance is now gone and the state won't help me because I am a guy under 50yrs old whom they say can go back to work some day so I can get my own insurance. So my story is just bad because of no PT I think. I've been off work for 6 months and am still trying to get my neck to settle down.

Rob-
Reading your post I wanted to inform you that I never wore a neck brace of any sort and my muscles were (still are ) very stiff, sore and spasms most of the time.
I have tried massages and physical therapy. The massages were absolutely no help at all. If anything I think it made it worse as if it really stirred up those nerves! Pain, pain, pain!
Physical therapy helped me for a short time when they stretched my muscles. Though I still do the stretches at home nothing has been a tremendous help.
Just thought I'd let you know...I really don't think not wearing a collar helped, at least in my case.
Have a good day!

I think I was mis-understood. I did not mean that wearing no collar would be better. I said that I think people who wore the collar for a shorter period of time did not have as much muscle degeneration as people who wore it for months.
Ex: Say you have a headache; just because taking 50 asperin is bad for you does not mean taking 1 asperin is also bad for you. and not taking any would be worse sometimes than taking 1 or 2.

Sorry I was not clear.
Rob

I really want to thank everyone for this blog, I have been dealing with horrific pain from C4-C7 cervical stenosis disc herniation and I have tried every conservative therapy not to have therapy and this week the dr's told me I have no choice, I have to do it. I have decided I will I am so scared as I am very active and afraid but I guess what can be worse than the poor quality of life I'm living in the hell of pain, but none the less I'm still scared. I have to have another MRI on tuesday and my appt with the specialist to schedule my surgery is wednesday and I promised myself i'm not backing out. I have backed out 6 times but this blog had some positive things to say and I apprciate knowing what I should expect, I don't want a life of spaced out on drugs nor do I want to be shut in my room in pain I am young and have dealing with this for over 18 years. When i was in my late 20's my first mri, they told me I had the spine of an 80 year old. The pain just radiates down my left arm and shoulder and scapula area, that I often tell my kids I just want to cut my left arm off. I can't live like this any more, So i suppose 50% or more is better than than this.
I hope you guys are improving as time goes on! I wish you well

Thank you so much for all of you who have posted your surgeries and surgery concerns here for all to read. I have been reading this post since before my surgery and now am in my 7th day of post op (surgery done on May 27th) and I am so thankful to all of you who have left the information on the pains, sufferings and also accomplishments from this surgery. I to had an Anterior Cervical Discectomy (C5-6-7) with plating. I was absolutley terrified to have to have this done and did not want to even think about it, so I opted for the epidural steroid injections first! After the 2nd injection, I was told no need for the 3rd one (they run these in series of 3) due to they have not really done a thing to help so surgery was my only hope. I am a female in my early 40's and had no idea why this was happening to me! I am pretty healthy and in good shape (well, at least I think I am) so I didn't know why surgery was my only hope! I have to say, the severe, extreme pain shooting from the right side of my neck down my right arm and the continuous tingling and numbness in my right arm and hand was so bothersome and painful that I could not work. I knew that the only thing left for me to do is to have the surgery. Everything seemed so terrifying (what the procedure entailed) and the recovery afterwards. All I could do is cry! I didn't know how I was going to be able to recover from this and be the same person I was before the herniated disc happened. I have to say, those of you who are contemplating this and in the same position as I was, please have the surgery! After I woke up in recovery, I immediately noticed that the severe shooting pain going down my right arm and the tingling and numbness was all gone! I had the typical pains from surgery itself (sore muscle stiffness in back of my neck & shoulders) and the sore throat (tight muscles in my throat which causes the soreness) soft collare neckbrack up until today in which I wore 24/7 everday until now. I decided today I was just going to take if off and not wear it and it feels great! I still have some muscle soreness (in back of my neck and very little in my throat now) and the tingling and numbness comes and goes in my right hand but it is so light that I don't really even notice it that much. Nothing like it was before surgery. I am so glad to have made the decision to do this. I have my two week post op visit with my NS next week so until then, I will keep the faith that the fusion has started or at least all the hardware is in place and everything is good. I was so lucky to have had minimal complications so far and I do feel for those of you who have had to deal with the severe pain with this surgery. I will keep reading and post anything that may happen with my recovery so I hope all of you will to!
Thanks again for sharing. :-D

Hi there,
I saw your article about your surgery. Hope your doing wel. I had the same surgery 2days later as you did.
I am 8 weeks postop now but still having problems with my body (I am very tired and fatigue) and some nauseaus in the morning (maybe that is from the anestetics during surgery but I am not sure) The neck is ok, I can look to the sky and to my feet, but turning to the left and right is still a little problem for my neck muscles, but that is going better slowly also.
What is a problem is that my upper arms are some sensitive and feel very sore, just if a truck hit me, specially in the morning after sleepingl. I had a one level ACDF c6/c7 and had to ware no collar at all. Can you tell me how you are doing? Perhaps a few tips?
My age is 56 and I am a man. You're some younger and a woman I believe?
Greetings, Hope to hear from you soon,

Martin :-D two

Hi to all who post here,
I have C5-6 & C6-7 that are herniated and bony overgrowth as well. I have been dealing with pain sporadically for over five years, but recently it progressed to daily for the last 5 months. I am a 39 year old female and driving myself crazy with this surgery decision. I am actually developing anxiety about it because I read so many who have said they have gotten worse. I feel so hopeless now and to think of having surgery and then being worse, I cant imagine how hopeless I would feel then and am pretty scared. I have tried 3 months of PT, traction, acupuncture and am doing the epidurals in a few weeks. Obviously if that works, I will be so grateful.

But I am wondering to the gloveman, robert and all who have done it, at what point do you decide to do the surgery. I know it is a personal decision, but I wanted to see how bad your pain was. My MRI from 2009 showed more protrusion than the one from 2006, so I know its not getting any better, which would explain my daily pain for the last five months. I just wanted to know if anyone has the same symptoms I am having and if the surgery will correct that and the doctors cant give me an answer. My pain is no longer in my neck, it is tight muscle pain between my shoulder blades and it fluctuates between that, burning up the sides of my neck, and right arm tingling/slight muscle weakness. What I am afraid of is if the surgery is right one. Can these muscle pains all be caused from my discs protruding? I dont want to have the surgery and then have more problems. Dont know if that makes sense, but just wanted to see if anyone had the same symptoms and if they had relief. Thanks so much. I pray for us all. (Sorry to those who are looking for answers that I cant help.) Maria

Hi Maria, I wish the notification message was sent so I could have answered your message months earlier. I am 10 months post op, as your message states "at what point do you decide", honestly the surgeon gives you the option when all other options are exhausted. If my surgeon would have told me the only way was surgery, then honestly he wouldn't have been my surgeon.

As far a the worst case scenerio, I am still without strength in my right arm, once nerve damage happens, it happens. Nerve specialist and others all said it would take some time. "2wks for every week that the nerve was pinched", well that would be now, and I still have the right arm that is ridiculously limited for strength and if I push the issue (ie place a 5 gallon H2O in the machine, pick up a 50# bag of salt) pain for days after the fact.

As far as my personnal decision; it wasn't hard at all. I was a truck driver for 22yrs and in order for me to do what I am good at, I knew deep down that surgery was my only option. As far a my fusion goes, not 100% sucessfull but like handgrenades, close enough. When you have a double level you are considered high risk. First level 100% fused, the second level is about 75% fused, but with the plate the fusion is moot.

I do have future surgeries, normally with a plate inserted that the upper and lower discs are put into a hardship which I can tell that is happening now. Numbness in my right hand with the right arm starting to get weaker.

My decision for surgery number 2 will be as easy as the first. My surgeon is one of the best in the business and prior to his retirement, I would love to have him take care of me one last time. The bad part, four level ADCF is gone to limit me to not much movement in my neck, and at 44yrs old, suck out loud. Seeing my daughter and I are roll coaster buffs, but that may not happen again anyway.

Maria, good luck in what ever decision you and your surgeon make. I would do it tomorrow morning (all over again). The pain I was in was so ridiculous that I could manage without the surgeon.

God Speed!!!

Hi Maria and all. Here are the facts. I had a 2 level in 1993. I was dropping things with my left arm and it would go completely dead. This isn't something "you decided to do". Any competent neurosurgeon will not do surgery unless it is absolutely necessary. What constitutes absolutely nececssary? It is progressive neurological decline. They (a competent surgeon) will always tell you the surgery is NEVER done for pain, and in fact it may make the pain worse. This is to save your life.

Why do I say that? I am having it again next week. In 1993 I had c4/5, c5/6. You get what is called adjacent segment disease. That is due to the fusion, the levels above and below take on addditional load because the fusion part doesn't move any longer. They wear out. 20% of paitents require additional surgery in 10 years. The average person requires this surgery 3 times in their lifetime. Those are the statistics. OK so back to saving your life.

You can develop cervical myelopathy. That is where your spinal cord is squeezed by disks, bone spurs, bones, whatever, and you get weakness in your entire body. I can't lift my feet off the floor to put pants on. I can't get on tippy toes. I cant walk on my heels. I cannot open a door knob, button my shirt, brush my teeth or hair, and guess what? I woke up one day and had this. It didn't come on gradually. It happened august 8th at 4am, when I woke up and couldn't get out of bed because my arms wouldn't support me to push me up. I couldn't sit up. I was and am terrified.

I have had all the workups and seen two surgeons. Now I'm ready to go and the goal is to halt this, and hopefully over time get it to go away.

That is why the surgery is done. If anyone says "we can get you out of pain and that is the only reason we are doing this", then get several opinions.

Good luck!

Gloveman, actually c1 and c2 are responsible for about 50-60% of your neck movement. They dont go bad like c3-7 unless you are in an accident. (they are built differently). Having said that, each fusion reduces range of motion 10%. So a 4 level reduces it by 40%. When you say you are noticing changes already in your other levels, you can't be. That takes years, ie 8-10 years. You probably just have post op swelling and are dealing with the nerve damage, not other levels going bad. Mine went bad to the point that I have to have surgery after 17 yrs. Its a long process, not months or a year or two.

There is an article somewhere online showing this range of motion thing and the 10% per level. Actually I'm told that when I have my 3rd level done I will have MORE range of motion because of the damage, my neck muscles are "splinting" my neck. Natures way of protecting the body.

I dont want to come across as a know it all, but obviously I've dealt with this a long time, seen countless surgeons, neurologists, and others.

Ok, mtsaz100, I have 8 discs that are bad [4@C4-C7][2@T1-2][2@L4-5 are gone], 2 herniated [C5-6] were taken out (fused), the one just above my fusion was alreay bulging and yes is in "pre" herniation state per a MRI on October 1st. So did yours take 17yrs, glad to hear it. Did my fall apart since this past December, doubtful. As far as your remark for 10%, not sure since my surgeon told me that my double level reduced my ROM by 25-35%. I requested the one above taken also, he told me that I would lost almost 40-50% motion and at this particular time would be unnecessary.

Your statement of how long it takes, "8-10yrs" is your opinion, frankly after beating myself in a semi truck for over 22yrs and with my surgeon with 33yrs of knowledge, I will have to believe his statement. "It could be a year and then it could be 10yrs, it depends on how you treat yourself from here on out." I recently asked him (last Monday) if he had an opinion on if or when he thought I would need another surgery and his response was "there is not set time frame, everyone's situation is different."

If you read the 1000s of situations on this and countless other pages, you would be lucky to find one like yours. So for me, I decided to type out my situation, as it is presenting itself.

But your opinions are actually needed here because your thoughts are probably similiar to someones else's that haven't had this type of surgery. Good Luck,

actually if you read the literature, the published literature in medical journals, 2.9% need re-operation on another level each year. So, in 10 years, 30% need additional surgery. I have enough problems, aside from c3-c7 without going into comparing who has more problems, but I'm just telling you the facts. Secondly, each level is 10% range of motion. C1, C2 are about 50-60% of your neck motion. That too is published medical fact, not my opinion.

That being said, if you have a 2 level fusion like I did 17 yrs ago, I lost 20% range of motion. I am having another done, so thats 30%. Thats what the literature says. Whether I believe it or you believe it doesn't matter. Thats what the research and the facts have borne out over the 50 years this procedure (ACDF) has been done.

If you go to Journal of Spine Surgery you can look through the articles, many are free and I am sure you can find one about "effects of fusion on range of motion" and things like that. This and my dr copying stuff for me is where I got my info. None of it is my opinion or experience. Doesn't mean I agree with it.

One other thing about this procedure. When I had the first one in 1993, the graft for the fusion was taken from the iliac crest. Secondly, had to wear a hard collar (miami j, aspen, philadelphia) for 3-4 months. The site of the donor bone was so incredibly painful I couldn't walk for 2 weeks. I had little to no pain in the neck, but the hip, wow. also, the collar was a hassle. So now, titanium plate, single levels, use other things besides your own bone, and the surgery is a piece of cake compared to just 10-15 yrs ago. In another 10-15, they wont even be doing this anymore, as artificial disks will be the standard. It sucks being on the tail end---too late for artifical disks, but at the same time, its exciting.