anterior cervical fusion/choking and swallowing issues

I had ACF two days ago and have been so amazed by the results so far I thought I would post here with all the problems. First let me just say that I have had the most amazing staff from the first day seen through my two days of post-op. Four months ago I woke with what I thought was a creek in my neck, the pain was in the right side of my neck and shoulder after a week of pain that got worse I went to OrthoCarolina thinking it was a shoulder related problem, after meeting with Dr Belinger and describing my symptoms he was reasonable sure that I had a herniated disk and scheduled a MRI. The MRI confirmed his diagnosis and we began discussing treatment options. Options that we discussed were cortisone injections, PT, home traction and surgery if necessary. I went through two rounds of cortisone injections, two weeks of PT and three weeks of hanging myself from a traction device with no relief from the pain. The numbness and weakness in and down my right arm progressively got worse which prompted the ACF surgery. I was extremely nervous about the surgery but had to do something about the pain, numbness and weakness in my right shoulder and arm. I was admitted into OrthoCarolina Surgical Hospital in Charlotte, NC at 10:00 AM Thursday, Dec 4th 2008. I was taken very good care of during pre-op where my wife was able to stay with me the entire time. I was rolled off to surgery at 12:30 and don't know what happened until I woke in the recovery room at 2:30. I was fairly groggy during step one of two recovery. I was moved to step two recovery at 4:00 PM and noticed then that I had no, I repeat no shoulder or arm pain that I had before surgery. I did of course have some pain in my throat both left and right inside and out. I also was having some pain at the incision site and where the bone graft was placed. Dr Belinger visited me in recovery to let me know that everything went as planed, disk was removed from c5/c6, donor patella was inserted and hardware was put into place with no complications. I was released from the hospital at 6:30 PM. Came home with hydrocodene and sleep on and off all night. I am still having pain around the incision site and in the back of neck but this pain doesn't compare to the pain that I had been having in my shoulder and arm. I feel very confident that my surgery was a success and will keep everyone posted. My only concern is that I keep getting the hiccups and they seem to cause me some discomfort. The pain in my throat is not sever and has not interfered with eating or drinking. In short, I am glad that I had the surgery. If I don't post anything else here know that everything has continued to go smoothly just thought I would post something positive to anyone considering the surgery.

I had my 2nd 2 level ACF 2/13/08. My first ACF corrected all my issues and I returned to work after 6 weeks. After a bad fall November 06 I found my only option was a 2nd surgery and figured it would work as well as the first. Boy was I wrong; from the moment I woke up I experienced severe muscle spasms from my neck to my right shoulder. The pain and spasms are now down to my right elbow with horible pain in my right shoulder. To make matters worse I couldn't eat for the 1st week, not even a sip of water. After 2 rounds of steroids and a trip to another doctor I find the right side of my throat has been only parylased and the doctors can't tell me if I will get that back or not; they say only time will tell. I'm still horse and choke when I eat. When I talk for any length of time I get pain in my throat and terrible headaches which start in my neck and move forward to my temples. Just holding my head up for any lenght of time causes me pain and I have been out of work since Jan. 08 and I'm about to lose my job. If anyone has experienced these symptoms please let me know what you have done for relief.

I had a 3 level fusion done March of 2008. Initial results were OK but I did have the difficulty swallowing referenced by most in this posting. 2 months after the surgery, however, this became much worse and was accompanied by what felt like the worst sore throat I'd ever had times 10. These episodes would last 1-3 days and then fade away, still leaving me with the "standard" swallowing problem. Long story, but I've had ENT's, Internal med folks look at my throat, I've had barium swallow test done as well as a scope down the throat and all comes back normal. I am now in the middle of my worst case of the sore throat, 10 months after surgery. This time it has been going on for 5 days and is so bad I can barely get water down - took 30 minutes to drink a smoothie this morning. Once again, back to the Dr. office - more pills to take - like I really want to take pills. When I swallow now, the food barely goes out of site in my throat and sits there. If you try to clear your throat, it typically results in bringing what you last swallowed back into your mouth. Can't tell you how incredibly aggravating this is. My surgeon tells me 90% of folks get over this within the first year..... Perhaps this forum is being visited by the other 10%.... While my initial problem was resolved, I now have similar pain in the upper area of my neck which was NOT touched the first time. All in all - I wish I had never done this the first time.

HELLO ALL i AM 8 DAYS POST OP acdf c56, 67. dR. PLACED CARBON FIBER DISCS, TITANIUM PLATE WITH 11 MM. SCREWS. i HAVE BEEN DOING great. i WAS EXHAUSTED FROM UNBEARABVLE bilateral radiculopathy, shocking in left hand, pain in left hand. I have a 6 cm high by 5 cm wide lump under my incision. I swallow, breathe okay. It feels firm. I guess it's scar tissue or edema. I cried last night. I think the operative steroids are wearing off. I never wore a collar. Will this lump go down? I have been pushing myself too hard--lifting laptop like 50 times a day. Finally, i put it stationary. Carrie 45 lb laundry up. Moved 65 # massage table. Cannot drive for 4 wks. dr. insistent about that. I hang upside down with no problem. Still with intermittent numbness both hands.Thanks for communicating people!

I had cervical spine surgery on my c3-c4, c4-c5, c5-c6 with the titanium plate. I am always with pain and neck is locking. Everytime I eat or drink I have a choking and drowning feeling. When I swallow my food or drink it comes up through my nose after i have ingested it. My legs or numb and sensitive that always feel cold. I have this burning pain in my left arm that has a slight paralyzation to it is the worst

Hi everyone! I am a 43 year-old female who teaches middle school. I had my surgery 2 weeks ago and I feel GREAT!!!! Mine was C5-6 and C6-7. The only pain I am experiencing now is in the morning--the area between my shoulders hurt--could be from sleeping in the recliner. The swallowing issues only started a few days ago, but it is not severe enough to see an ENT. I walk 2 miles a day--one in the morning and one in the evening. I just switched to the soft collar today and although it allows for more movement, it's a bit more confining than the Miami J hard collar. My incision is raised, but I'm not concerned with it. The only thing that I can complain about is the restriction of not being able to drive. I guess everyone is different when it comes to recovery.

had c/5 c/6cervical ant d and f with tatanuim plate 12/19/06 still have throat prombles. wosre in the mornin.
its allways there ,on a good day feels like a feather is stuck in my throat bad day theres a chicken bone down there and it
wont come out. so just constantly gag i want to vomit it up but cant. neuro surg says have to get use to it almost 4 years
still not use to it will have some test done on swollowing after i have my r shoulder surgery done. see, iwent to the ortho
for r shoulder pain 11/16/05 he said coming from neck, well now yes my neck does hurt. get a second and even more opions
before having any kind of sugery on the spine. even if your dr ben carson

Have had two cervical descectomies and fusions 10 yr. apart. Last one in 2000. C 5-6 and C 6-7. Now with bone spurs in three levels (including previous surgery sites) Disc herniation at C 3-4 C 4-5. Horrible pain radiating into the right arm. Speaking of weird swallowing problems, has anyone ever experienced hiccups when bening neck for eating, etc? Last 3 months evertime I eat I get hiccups wondering if this could be related to the cervical stenosis? Any response would be great!!

I got on here to see if there was anyone else experiencing swallowing issues. It seems it's common. I'm 6 days from c5-7 fusion and have had a great recovery so far. Should not have gone out for a cocktail a few days a go with my little sister (she turned 21) but I had to be positive. I'm 35 so not old, but not young and have staples running along the front of the left side of my neck. Sexy, I know.

Most times I think when I feel the worst it's because I am giving it all too much attention. I feel very strongly that getting your mind off it, not giving it the attention that it wants, and being super positive that you can make it through the best you can. There is no way around it. I still wouldn't trade this in for all of the ridiculous pain I had before. It won't last for ever.

Be strong. Be positive. You are not alone.

swallowing issues are common particularly with c3 and c4. They are behind the throat. Any level can make swallowing difficult for a few days/week or 2 because of swelling etc. when they move all that over (the muscles, the esophogus, trachea, jugular/carotid, to get to the spine. So there can be inflammation and difficulty for a short period of time. If it hasn't cleared up in 2 wks, I would ask your dr about it. GOOD LUCK

Still having swallowing issues since my surgery in Feb. 2007. Also I was wondering if anyone has heard of the Thyroid either turning hypo or hyper depending on how it is moved during surgery? Best wishes to you all on your surgeries, overall I am very please with the results. The nerve pain I had experienced was gone upon waking up in the recovery room. The only downside I have had is that I have gained a ton of weight but that could be from meds, not sure really, the feeling that someone is always pressing in on my neck and developing Fibromyalgia, but that would came from the accident that caused everything anyways. Would love to hear from any of you to know if anyone else has heard about the Thyroid issues. Thank you!!!

I cant help you but i just had c3 fused, on 11/4. I now have c3/4/5/6 done. I am having a terrible time swallowing. I cannot swallow breads, meats, some vegetables, a few fruits, etc. Its not pain, its just it doesn't work. I cannot explain it. I hope it goes awaay soon. Kimm2u, what is your swallowing situation? Is it pain or just like me, does it feel like it got caught or gets caught? I try, but I need to learn what I can and cannot eat, and also see if I can figure out what I can/cant swallow. I know this sounds silly but its a very difficult thing, something one takes for granted until unable to do it. Thanks

i just had c5 and c6 removed and replaced and fusion of c4/c5 and c6/c7 5 days ago. wow swallowing is horrible hope this lump in my throat goes away but it is better than the pain i was in before surgery can barely get pain meds down takes about 3 tries for each pill. it feels like i can feel the fusion plate pressing against my throat anyone else feel this ? %-)

I also had c5, 6, and 7 removed and a fusion on Dec. 2, 2009. 2 weeks after the surgery I choked on a pill and from that point the majority of food I try to eat feels as though it lodges in my throat. Once this happens I have a choking sensation until the following day. Also if I try to eat anything else while experiencing this sensation of choking, the food actually lodges in my throat and I can push the food back up.....I hate this feeling, I am going to my general doctor next week but after reading all the comments, it seems like it will be something I must live with.

Hello All, and I am certainly glad to know I am not alone, although I am sorry that so many have to suffer and feel like this.
I just had Anterior Cervical fusion from C5 thru C7 on Tuesday 2/23/2010.waking up in recovery was horrible. There was apparently a miscommunication as to my meds. Unfortunately due to my accident and pain I've been taking 2-3 10 mil percocets a day plus xanax to control my regular pain. I was taking and additional 2 40 mil Oxy's a day about a year ago, but I cut that out on my own for obvious reasons.
Anyway, upon waking in recovery, they were trying to tell me that I shouldn't need more than the Percs they gave me!! It was a fight until my Doc got there and informed the nurses of my already built up tolerance to pain meds!!! I had this horrible tightnes in my chest which caused pain to breath (needless to say this scared me to death) but, apparently it has something to do with what goes on during the surgery, I don't need to know anymore than that !! My throat felt like someone was constantly rubbing sandpaper up and dowm inside it!! Plus I could not clear the phlegmy type stuff inside my throat!
It is now March 1st, 2010 (5 days post op) I still have severe difficulty swallowing, more so at some times than others, but none the less it is there. It's like I put liquid in my mouth and I don't know what to do with it!!! I find I need to sit up or atleast make some sort of forward movement to get the liquid to go down, and then it is still painful getting it past the "Lump"!!
I also had/have pain in my upper chest, both seems to be muscular and gas built up inside.
I would have to say my major complaint, (other than lack of sleep due to the collar and I can't sleep sitting up), is this pain I have in the rear of my neck and down along the sides of my cerv. spine. I'm afraid I'm going to cause something to not heal or fuse or work or whatever!!! I do hear a clicking every once in a while upon certain movements. If anyone has experienced any of these symptoms feel free to set my mind at ease!!! I also have noticed that the area just above my inscision is completly numb to the touch, very strange feeling, but at least not painful. Sorry for such a long post but, Here I sit and I can't sleep so I figured I'd put my symptoms out there to possibly help anyone wondering if anyone else has these, and also see if anyone knows if these are "normal", especially the pain in my neck and out to shoulders. (Go away with time maybe) Feel free to contact me and let me know your thoughts!! BTW, I read everyones comments from beginning to end.

Daniel Burch

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