I was also told 6 weeks as I too was doing a job where I would be lifting heavy objects at times. The reality is, I'm afraid, it will be alot longer. Luckily I was allowed to go back to work in stages doing a few hours, then adding a few more etc. Also having someone help me if heavy items needed lifting.
I'm sure we're all different and heal at different rates and you maybe back to work quicker than I was and you maybe fine but be aware it may take a lot longer.
Good luck with the op and I hope you'll be back at work within your Doctors time frame.
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AndyM ~ Twice now I've lost my reply to you on here. grrr. I wanted to thank you for your words of encouragement, although, it sounds as if you've have a rough time too. I hope you are back to 100% soon. Please keep me informed. My update... I was trying to respond on my mobile this morning while waiting for my MRI, it said it went through but it's not here. I had my MRI and yes my bones are worse. I went over to see the ortho and now they want to back out of the surgery. They are worried they won't make me better now and want to wait until I get even worse to attempt it; just in case it doesn't take my pain away. I feel that's so they can blame it on my condition and won't have a chance of being sued. They want me to try Rhizotomy which should last from two to six months at a time. So I asked, "if we're burning my nerves that send the signals to my brain and just keep doing it if it works (every two or there months), then how will I know when I'm getting worse?" "How will we know when not just 1.5 bones are pressing against my spinal cord, but all of them are?" "Wouldn't it make more sense to do the surgery now while you have room in there and won't damage my spinal cord rather than wait til you have to dig them out from my spinal cord and possibly paralyzing me?" To most of this I did not get an answer, he just looked at me. He said if we went ahead with it, my headaches might not stop and my muscle guard might not go away and my numbness might not go away, etc etc.... To me it would be an improvement just not to have to worry about my bones eventually disabling me (which I've heard of folks this has happened to), so at least I would be safe from that. Anyway, I don't mean to ramble on, I'm just frustrated and I was mad as "hail" this morning after spending 3.5 hours in his office. I will be getting a second opinion; I feel that's my only option. As I told him, I don't want to keep masking the problem, I want to take care of it before it permanently disables me. I drove home with half my left hand numb and it's been that way every since. :) Thank you for listening! I'll keep you posted. I did look up the top 10 list of Orthos for my state and he wasn't on it, but #1 is in my city! So hopefully I can get an appointment.
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AmyTur - Im sat here at a loss as what to write. Firstly feel free to ramble on to me at anytime, no one knows what your going through unless they're going through it or something similar, so to find someone who can listen (read!) helps enormously! I think you must get a second opinion as soon as. I personally think they should do the op and a second opinion may say the same thing, fingers crossed. Try and get to see the number one Ortho in your state, again, fingers crossed you get to see him quickly. You need to get this done whilst your bones are still strong and your still strong enough for the surgery! Im a little better today, the pain has become less intense and Im not as depressed. The Doc came to see me yesterday and is trying to get me some emergency physio so as to get my muscles going again. Id love to know where abouts you are in the world (USA?), Im based in the UK. If you can think of a way of contacting me other than this please let me know, without putting our email addresses on here. Maybe facebook or something. If your happy to keep contacting this way and this is less obtrusive then thats okay. Anyway keep strong and keep me informed of how things are developing
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I had ACDF surgery 8 weeks ago on C5, 6 and 7. Didn't have a graft, but instead my surgeon used an artificial insert, and fused with titanium plates. I have had years of what I thought was whip lash pain from an old car crash over 20 tears ago, however I started to get pins and needles and numbness in my left hand and arm, which degenerated very quickly. I assumed it was a trapped nerve, however CT showed three crushed vertebrate which had not properly healed, calcification causing blocked and impinged foramen (nerve tubes) on those vertebrate, osteo arthritis, and vertebrate material loose, and calcified where it should not be, including a lump pressing against my spine in C6. This was a shock to say the least, as I have been fit and healthy except for the whiplash pain and only visited the doctor once in last 20 years. One of my good friends is the director of nursing at our state hospital, and I asked her to ask the neuro surgeons, if they needed ACDF, who would they get to do it, and they all came up with the same name. He did my surgery.
After surgery, which ended taking 4.5 hours as it was worse than MRI showed, I had to be on 8mg Ketamine pump for the pain as they could not get it under control with morphine. I was 2 days in ICU and then released into HDU on self administer ketamine pump, 4 hourly Endone and tramadol. I can tolerate a fair bit of pain, however I really struggled. I think I made it worse as I didn't press the button enough, mainly because I didn't like the feeling ketamine gave me, and so the pain got out of control. If you get the chance, press that button.
i spent a total of a week in hospital, and then was released home. Instructions were no need for stiff collar at home in safe environment, but always stiff collar for stepping out of house. No driving until after the 6 week check up. I had terrible (understatement) pain in right shoulder, and needed to be re-admitted for emergency MRI which showed that there was damage in right side nerve on C5. I was given Lyrica for pain, which is also an epilepsy drug. This was like magic, and that unbearable pain went away. I was told that if it returned at end of prescription, I would need steroid injection, however it didn't return as much more than a dull ache. Physio was really only me stretching left and right to the extent of pain, and pulling in chin for same. Days were the same, but each week I felt better, and pins and needles were gone in a couple of weeks. Had immediate satisfaction from the worse pains and waves of pines and needles, but some remained. They have now gone accept for if I tilt my head to much to the side, or sleep with my neck on a angle. Then I get pins and needles, enough to wake me up, in my index and middle fingers. NS says this does not make sense, but it is what it is. He says at this stage there would still be some inflammation, and will wait to see at the next checkup (3 months) if I still have this.
So at the 6 week check, he said my pain was good, but my neck movements was not where it should be, and said it should be more if been ad been doing my stretches, which I had. I have another check up and X-ray in three months. I returned to work this week. I work in an office running a web dev company with 22 staff, so don't do much more than sit at a desk typing, or meet with staff or clients. Monday night I had ok to return to work by taking it easy. Tuesday I drove for the first time, 40 min drive to work. It was ok. By lunchtime I was sore and stiff, more so than the previous 2 weeks. I left at 6 pm, and by the time I got home, I was poorly and straight in bed. Wednesday I came in late, and left at 5 pm in 6-7 pain. Thursday I went in late, and my PA insisted I go home around at 11.30. I got home and took 2 Endone and a Valium, something I hadn't done for at least 2 weeks. Friday I didn't make it in. It's Saturday today, 12.20 in the morning. We went to friends for dinner, and we came home early as I am in pain, and cannot get comfortable. I get spasms in my neck, and pains in the right side of my vertebrate in the C6 region. My neck is always stiff. Tonight I started getting pains behind my throat, this is new to me, and unpleasant. I still feel like I have half swallowed a tablet, and by now would have expected this to the back to normal. If I have my head down, say reading a book, it makes this worse. I extend my neck to swallow.
Having this surgery wasn't really a choice for me, due to the material pressing on my spine. On the whole, I'm glad I had it done, and that the waves of pins and needles are gone. However, the side effects can be worse than you may think. I said to my wife today, I would give $10k for an hour without pain, and I wasn't joking. This is how it has worn me down. Sitting, standing laying are all ok for 10 minutes, and then become uncomfortable still. When I tilt my head back, apart from some pain, it feels like my neck at the bottom is just a lump. It feels yuck that I know it is all fused together, but I think I just have to get used to this. Three vertebrate fused, you can feel the restriction, even at those lower levels, even though I will get most of my articulation back.
I am lucky. I am a partner at my firm, and have continued to pay myself. I am also well insured, and if I need to can claim 80% of salary once I'm off for 6 weeks, but haven't needed to. In a bizarre twist of fate, my brother in the UK just cracked C1 to 3 in an accident, is self employed, has a big mortgage and no insurance. I may need to give him some financial assistance if he needs it, but that, in a twisted way, makes him lucky too. I'm sorry, really sorry that others on this forum are not as lucky. I feel shitty I can't help you. At one terrible point in my life, after my father passed, one of my colleagues said to me "it too shall pass". At the rime I didn't understand it, however as I returned to my old self I did understand it. I may not be able to help others on here, but I can only hope for you that "it too shall pass".
Those that don't have this, don't know. Those that do should support each other....
Martin
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I had a very successful C5/6 fusion and disc. If you had nerve compression at these levels, this would have been reflected in your MRI scan and you would have had the symptoms you have now. Surely no Neurosurgeon would attempt surgery of this nature without the MRI. I hope All that Medication that you take does not do serious damage to your Liver and your Stomach. I hope you are feeling better now
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I am really glad i didn't read this before I had my surgery! maybe I have been lucky but my experience so far has been very positive.
I had my surgery privately in the Alexandra BMI hospital in Cheshire with Mr Cowie who is an amazing Neuro Surgeon.
I had the procedure done last Monday evening, and was booked to spend 4 nights as an in-patient. I didn't have a great response to the anaesthetic and was in recovery for a while but by the following morniong I was able to stand and walk to the toilet. I had liquid paracetemol and morphine tablets by request but they made me sick so after 24 hours I was just taking ordinary generic paracetemols. The anti-inflamatory madfe me queasy too so I skippied that.
My throat was sore and my back ached but so much better than the nerve pain before the op. Tuesday evening I ate some pasta and Wednesday morning started physio and could negotiate stairs. I was achey and a little blue from the post anaesthetic but was allowed to come home Wednesday night- only 48 hours after my op. (I had a carbon disc not a bone graft) The incision site was tender but ok.
I am typing this from home one week later - I have walked to the shops today and been reasonably active although not driving as advised. Pain is ok managed just through paracetemol and the odd codeine. I am sleeping ok (I don't have a collar?) and hope to go back part time to work next week or the week after at worse. I am wearing anti embolism stockings which are not very trendy!!
Alos I plan on tavelling abroad in four weeks and my surgeon sees no reason why I can't.
My life is almost back to normal - I am so grateful for the surgery!!
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Hi, My name is Mandy, I am 43 years old and live in Australia. I have been reading A LOT about ACDF and other peoples experiences, since having my 2 level (5/6, 6/7) ACDF 6 months ago. I had my follow-up x-ray and check up with my orthopedic surgeon in Brisbane, just yesterday. My surgery included cages with artificial bone graft material and titanium plate and screws. I have recovered quite well and dr says I have fused already (in record time). My reason for responding to your post is, I am experiencing the same symptoms of sore neck, shoulders and back and was told, that due to the operation, all the muscles need to re-adjust and strengthen. Basically, if I don't make a lifestyle change of gym, (limited activities), exercise and diet, then I will continue to have the pain and diminish my quality of life. Massage should also help. We need to understand that the remaining vertebrae are under more stress now and our muscles need to be "retrained" if you like. It won't ever be a case of "had the surgery, initial problems fixed", but maintenance and retraining is now required because we have had this surgery. Hope I make sense. We have to do this, to help ourselves. I have a fantastic surgeon here - was doing light PT the day after my surgery and NEVER had a neck brace of any description. Did wait a few months before going back to work, mine is quite physical work. I HAD to have the surgery and I am glad that I did. But we can't be thinking, that once the surgery is done, forget about it! It will require ongoing commitment from ourselves, to get back to any sort of normalcy. Good luck EVERYONE I enjoy reading how we are all doing.
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