Yes dear... I feel your pain :-( . Literally on all of it. I have more of the numbness than pain, although I have more pain & numbness when sleeping on the left side. I forgot to mention that I am also smoking and was advised to quit immediately since they are planning to use donor bone. There is a 20% chance of non-fusion alone without factoring in that fact that I smoke. I knew this before I got on this message board and heard about all of you folks and got the bejesus scared out of me. Yesterday I logged off the computer and got another black n mild immediately from the stress :$ ! Mind you I am actually a surgical medical professional and have a pretty good, strong surgical stomach. So I don't scare easy, but this is MY neck we are talking about here (no pun intended). I also have some extenuating professional issues that may limit my personal use of narcotics. Having AND not having this surgery is the scariest thing I have ever considered because of the consequences of both %-) . I just need so much more information.
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I am so scared to have this surgery. I too want to know, "what if" it doesn't fuse...then what? And "what if" I end up with pain that I never had before, and "what if" I can no longer turn my head while pulling out of a parking space....all I know is that I had 3 Dr's tell me the same thing...surgery, because it is degenerative, the longer you wait, the worse it will be... I do not like that answer.....scared out of mind, sleepless in Sarasota.
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Rough night last night. I cannot sleep on my left side because it immediately goes numb (that has been going on for almost a year). I had become accustomed to sleeping on my right side. Last night my right side became slightly numb with pain in my neck and elbow. (That's how it started on the left). I have no idea how I will be able to sleep if I can't sleep on my stomach or either side. My back is not a very comfortable position for me to sleep on and I have sinus issues. I have decided to get as much information as possible from actual patients that have had this procedure and get a second opinion. I was trying to delay this procudure for much later this year (due to the amount of recovery time) if possible but I didn't expect my right arm to start getting numb last night ? progression :-( . Then I had a thought that I wouldn't be able to ride roller coasters any more and that made me really sad. I know some folks might think I've got bigger things to worry about but aren't those the things we really live for? This whole thing has really got me thinking about life. Life as I know it is about to change... ?
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Well, I decided to have the surgery..1/20. I am now home recuperating. The surgery was only 2.5 hrs...they removed discs C3-4,C4-5, C5-6 and many more bone spurs than anticipated. I no longer have that pins and needles feeling and the numbness in my left arm is starting to fade. My recovery has been nothing like I anticipated. 1st day home from the hospital I was walking around and eating like a horse (small bites and soft food) since the worst pain is in the throat..today is the 6th day from surgery and my throat feels almost normal today. I still have to sleep on on my left or right side..if I lay on my back, there is pain (like a metal plate trying to stick out of the back of my neck!) so, I don't take that position. I was skeptical at first, but I feel this surgery has been a huge success (at least for now). Again, the worst part is the throat; and cepacol sore throat tabs work great. I suggest you go get your 2-3 opinions, but it sounds like you have what I had... and look, I am at my computer typing!! :-D
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