I had my fusion in the 80s and had a terrible recovery. Prior to this surgery I sang second soprano, after which, I was never able to sing again. I had post surgical pain for years, and even now continue to have pain, in my left side of my neck, shoulder and arm. In those days, they grafted a bone from my hip-. A few years ago, I chocked on food and came very close to death, absolutely no airway to breathe. I had a barium swallow and the doctor told me the fusion site was full of calcification. He said, "if I were you, I would stay on a liquid diet for the duration of your life" Well that didn't happen, and I continued to eat normally, however this moring I had one of the most horrible chocking episodes every. I thought for sure, this was the end. Thank God my husband had not left for work, and was able to do the hemlich, and pounded on my back to dislodge the food. Bottom line, I will never have another fusion as long as I live, and God only know how long that will be with this present condion. Oh, yes I still have the scar!
I am almost 5 years post op and I still have the swallowing and a few other issues I find if i don't use my vocal chords it gets better plus hot drinks helps and I have a tube sock full of rice and dried lavender in it and I heat that in the microwave for no more than 2 minutes and I wear it around my neck and it helps a lot with pain. That is all I and I have and all the x-rays and swallows , various and sundries and they don't see anything wrong either. however I have been scared a time or two because I choked so bad on something.
did they remove the plate? The plate is only to be left in till the bone fuses. You can get the name of the manufacture and call them.
I'm 8 years out and just now having choking, coughing, swallowing issues. Same exact issue you described - feels like someone has their hand around my neck. Or, like a cotton ball is stuck in my throat. Any luck since you posted this?
I had fussion at C5- C6 -C7 in Feb 2010. I have also been struggle with a choking issure for 4 years now. Right after the surgery I had a slight lump feeling, like a cotton ball stuck in my throat and it continued to get worse. The only thing that helped was to eat and I started gaining too much weight and got acid reflux, and heatburn. The Doctor also told me this was normal, but sent me to an ear nose and throat specialist, they did a scope and said they found nothing wrong. Yet I kept on choking, so they sent me to have a dialation done which I needed two and they only helped a little and it was temporary. I started having panic attacks because of the choking feeling, and I have to take anxiety meds and cough medicine to sleep at night. I developed TMJ, the clentching of my teeth, to keep from choking in my sleep. This has caused bone growth on my jaw and I cracked a tooth. My teeth and jaw are very sore from constantly trying not to choke.
After a year and a half I went in and had the plate and screws removed, it only helped a little; the choking came back and I had another dialation done. This too only helped temparly. Back to another ear, nose, throat specialist and he said I had Hashimoto's thyroiditis. The doctor said for some reason my body was attacking my thyroid. Gee I thought, I wonder why it would do that, considering my thyroid is right were my fussion surgery was done. I figured my body is fighting the mess the doctior made of my spine in my neck. I'm wondering now if the foreing bone they fused into my neck is not compatible with my body. I think this whole surgical procedure messes up the body and it can never heal from it.
4 years and I am still suffering from this choking issue. I can't get any relief. I can't do any of the things I used to enjoy, like singing or even just get a good nights sleep. I feel like i'm going to lose my mind or choke to death adventually.
If anyone has any info on how to get rid of this choking feeling, please let me know. I hope all the rest of you can find peace with it too.
I had the plate and screws removed.. I believe it did help to a point, but 3 years later I am still suffering with choking. I believe there is more to it than just the plate and screws... now I have bone spurs developing around my fussion site which could also be agravating my throat. But the doctor warns that another surgery could make the choking even worse.
I think he just doesn't want or know how to fix his messed up procedure.
I had C6-C7 cervical fusion 8 days ago. I feel like I am choking and also feel as if someone is pressing their thumb on my throat. It is uncomfortable and I feel like I am suffocating... one night I woke up feeling like I could not breathe. I thought it might just be scar tissue... but now I am beginning to wonder. I just want relief !
I had a triple level fusion with titanium plate two months ago as well and it has been rough. I am starting to feel the benefits with my neck pain/headaches and arm pain. Unfortunately I am just starting to really notice the swallowing problem. It seems to get worse as time goes on. I also feel the plate when I bend my neck a certain way and food gets stuck if I don't chew really well and have water to help it go down. I can't take large pills because they get stuck 75% of the time and I cough them up but I have stopped taking them because I feel like one day I won't be able to cough it up and then I'd be in really big trouble! I can't imagine having another surgery for anything right now!
I was hurt in 2003 My hole neck is tytanium I have problems since day one Don't have any doctor in Idaho work on you. I was given the run around from the state of Idaho and only wish for my last day on earth. good luck to all you who have been injured.
Has C-3 thru T-3 with plates and rods pain unreal
Hi
I was looking on line for answers to my difficulty swallowing which is now a choking on food problem. I had neck surgery 10 yrs ago. Absolutely no side affects from that one. However, 18 mos ago I had my thyroid removed, cancer treatment and then 6 months later had major neck surgery 3-7. I was having some difficulty swallowing. About 4 months ago I began choking. Holy smokes. Very scary. A gentleman at work stated his mom had to have surgery as her throat was impacted by neck surgery. I went to my thyroid doctor who said this may be a result of surgeries and the throat become constricted (maybe weakened as a result of surgeries). He has me going to a gastro. It is possible that this doc can simply stretch the throat out. Don't know if this applies to us all but am hoping the solution is that simple.
I as well have had a c4-5 & c5-6 cervical fusion done 2 months ago. Since the pain in my arms are gone and my headaches went away but I feel as tho I am choking. It feels like something is pushing on my throat from all sides and last night it was so bad I cried like a little girl until I fell asleep! Since I have woke up I feel sore but it's not as bad as last night *THANK GOD* but what are the reasons this is happening to everyone??! I have read alot where the "hardware" can chip and break the vertebrea and the screws can come "loose" is this really normal?!!
it is now 2014 & I still have problems with the incision from cervical neck fusion. I had an revised procedure done april 3 2014 & it failed. did not take & now the incision site is even worse than before.. my incision was done horizonally.......
i had a cervical discectomy 6 weeks ago, i,m having alot of pain in my shoulder blades and i am feeling like i am being strangled, feels like my air waves are closing, is this normal