Just had Anterior Cervical Discectomy with Fusion...Please give me some hope!

Hi Steve,

I'm in very similar boat as you. I'm 29 year old and I also went for artificial disc replacement 10 days back. I was suffering from numbness/burning sensation/weakness in my right leg, a bit of weakness in left leg too and very mild tingling in my right hand (little finger/ring finger) since last six months. Symptoms got worst with time and in April my doc recommended surgery. I had both Lumbar and Cervical MRI and doc didn't find anything unusual in Lumbar but sever spinal cord compression at C5-C6. With this he concluded that cause of my symptoms is this compression and i believed in his conclusion and decided to go for the surgery.

Coming to post surgery pains, I guess it normal to have problems like neck/shoulder stiffness and swallowing problem after this surgery. I experienced the same and it went away in a week. I still have abit of stiffness but that is understandable - a lot of muscles must have been teared apart during the surgery and it takes a while to get back to normal. I would say all is well as far as you got the relief from per surgery symptoms :-)

Also i would like to know something - I'm 1 1/2 weeks post surgery but numbness in legs is still there as worst as it was before the surgery. do you have something like this post surgery as I read everywhere that patients get instant relief after the surgery?

Best Regards,
Ravi

Hey Ravi,

Thanks for the reply. Firstly, we had different surgeries. You had Artificial Disc Replacement and I had Fusion. Although considering my young age I probably should of got Artificial Disc Replacement, but I'm just too much of a skeptist. Although I hope, and am sure everything will go fine with your future progress; I just didn't really trust the Artificial Disc. I feel that the long term success of Artificial Disc's has not been proven yet due to them only doing this surgery routinely for the past 2 or 3 years. My Orthopedic recommended to do an Artificial Disc if I wanted, but when I went for a second opinion with a reputable Neurosurgeon he opted against it. So everyones opinion is different, but I hope we both do great. They say the benefit of the Artificial Disc opposed to Fusion is that you maintain motion at the segments (which has been proven), and it prevents from adjacent disc deterioration (which has not been proven yet). There are also many risks for both of the surgeries and I'm sure your doctor explained them to you. Considering I got Fusion, if I fall into the 15% that need additional surgery within 10 years due to adjacent disc deterioration then I will certainly consider an Artificial Disc at that segment.

To answer your questions....Although I had severe spinal cord compression at C5&6, I did not have signs of numbness and pins and needles YET. That's why my Neurosurgeon opted to do the surgery immedietley. My only symptoms were severe neck pain and shoulder pain. The numbness and tingling were supposedley right around the corner for me, but I escaped those symptoms by getting on with my surgery instead of letting my condition worsten. But according to my research, numbness and tingling are the last symptoms to disipate after surgery. Sometimes even taking a few months after surgery to subside. Radiating pain is supposed to be instantly relieved after surgery. So it's totally normal to still have numbness a week and a half after your surgery.

I am 7 days post surgery now, and its getting a little better. My throat still hurts a bit, but I have no problem eating any type of food. My neck pain eased up a bit, but still hurts; especially in the morning when I wake up. I am now able to sleep comfortably in my bed instead of the recliner. My radiating shoulder pain that I had from the herniated disc is gone, and the neck pain that I still have I believe is just post operative soreness. It hurts my neck when I look up or down, but I believe that's normal post op.

Hope I answered some of your questions Ravi. Good luck with everything, I'm sure we will be fine soon.

Best Regards,
Steve

Hello. 10 years ago my husband had spinal cord compression at the c-3/4 area from a fall and had an anterior cervical dystectomy. Before and after the surgery he has had 24-hour a day unpleasant buzzing in his left leg...it has never gone away for a second. He has numbness and pain...but mostly the severe buzzing is wearing him down psychologically. He says it feels like bees are buzzing in his leg and it's very unpleasant. They have tried a Tens unit in various places which doesn't relieve his discomfort. They have tried him on every drug they know to put him on...the drugs just goop him up and have side effects and don't take away the severe buzzing. He is losing his will to live after 10 years of this (he is 55 years old).
He has gone to counseling.....stopped going because they tell him flowery phrases on how life is worth living...but that's easy for them to say because they are not living in pain and agony 24 hours a day.
There isn't much on the internet about spinal cord injury patients with severe leg buzzing. I'm so desperate to find a treatment or some relief for him. He was such a happy person before his injury but now all the joy is sucked out of his life.
Does anyone know of any clinic anywhere or anyone else with this problem?
Thanks, Denise

Wow...I'm really sorry to hear about your husband's nerve pain. On another note, I am now 3 months post-op from my ACDF with instrumentation. I want to thank Dr. Moore for doing such a great job. I am in practically no pain, and am currently going to the gym and lifting weights 3x per week! Next week I return to my job which I have been out from since my surgery. I thank god that I had one of the best Neurosurgeons in New York perform my surgery. I feel great, I only have some slight ROM stiffness after a long day sometimes. Other than that I am bigger, stronger, and healthier than I have ever been. My surgery was 5/14/10 and it is now 8/15/10. All nerve symptoms are GONE. I had SEVERE cord compression at C5&C6 and risked paralysis if I didn't get the surgery. THANKS DR. MOORE FOR SAVING MY LIFE! :-D

Steve,
My name is Caroline and I have a very similar story to yours. I had ACDF surgery done on C5 and C6 on March 20th, 2010 at the age of 24 due to a severe spinal cord compression that compressed my spinal cord 50% or more. Oddly enough, I also had no neurological pains(meaning no temperory paralysis) and only showed signs of muscle pain in my neck and upper back. My muscles got bad enough that I started to have TMJ and headaches, which lead to my discovery of the ruptured disc. My ruptured disc went undiagnosed for several years and when discovered was told I needed surgery as soon as possible. I am in the same boat of eventually having to have more surgery in the future at the adjacent levels due to the fusion. Today, I still have muscle pain, which is probably due to the many years of by body adapting to some vertebral displacement due to the ruptured disc, and it will probably take some more time to fully be pain free. The only thing I have noticed that started about 6 months after the surgery is that I have some popping in my neck, which is seen in some people after a fusion. You posts really made me excited to find someone so similar. I would love to keep up with your progress! Good luck to you and your healing!

Thanks,
Caroline

Hi everyone,
I'm waiting for surgery as I've been told by the neurosurgeon that arthritic discs in C5 & C6 are compressing my spinal cord. Amazingly I have very little pain but my R hand & leg are slightly paralyzed causing me to walk much slower & awkwardly. I definitely can't run & even typing is now difficult with r hand. I would like to hear from everyone on their progress with fusion & artificial disc replacement surgeries. I'm hoping a neurosurgeon in London, On will accept my doctor's referral soon & hopefully I'll be a candidate for artificial disc replacement. I just hope I'll recover from the paralysis & be pain free.

Good luck to everyone who has had or is scheduled for surgery,

Bev, Ontario, Canada

My husband had the surgery Nov 1 C5-6. The first few days after surgery were the worse, probably mainly because of the anesthesia. He went home second day on pain meds. Very irritable. He had to wear a brace for a month. He had trouble swallowing, had all soft foods for about 3 weeks. His taste was off too, up until recently. The numbness in the left arm was gone right away after surgery and the right side was better but there hopefully just weak from no use of it. After a few weeks though he got this terrible pain back in that left arm where he could not even extend it. Apparently as the nerves heal they flare up, so he got a sling from his primary and his neurosurgeon gave him some other nerve mediated pills, Neurontin, this lessened and after a month he started PT and it helped a lot for that. His right arm had caused him the worse numbness and dropping and he is right handed. That is better but the arm is very weak. Since started PT though the upper half of his back in the center is killing him, he explains it right down to the bone. He walks around like you would if you were out of shape and then went and lifted lots of weights in the gym and the next day you feel so sore you can walk and every movement hurts, that is what he has every day. Tylenol does not touch it and he does not like to take pain pills or muscle pills except at night in case he wants to drive somewhere. He could not drive for a month since he was wearing the brace anyway. He was told he could not do any exercise but lift only 5 pounds. He does not sleep but for 2 hours at a time here and there. Drives me crazy. He cannot walk for long periods like through a grocery store, now its cuz of that back pain. They said PT needs to work that out as he is very debilitated and because he is a work comp case. Also he wanted to try all other things first which failed and then work comp denied him and set him up to see their IME exam which they also recommended the surgery so he finally got it but all that time he was not moving around much in the crooked neck position. He cannot look up at things hurts his neck. He canno pick up anything off the floor like his shoes or pick up after the dogs, but this is from that back pain and that started only once he was in PT. He has a physical labor job but they okayed him to work in office work for 2-4 hours but his work denied that and do not want him back until he is better and they have no office work for him anyway. So this is his progress at 2-1/2 months.

Hey everyone, I just had the Cervical Anterior Disectomy on my C5-C6 with Instrumentation, I found the surgery to be a great success.  My surgery was only on the 28th of April and I would just like to add that you must listen to doctors orders.  I felt so great by one week that I decided to resume regular activities, bad idea.  I re injured myself and am now back to square one.  I have swelling, burning, sharp pain, and infection.  So please even if you feel like running a marathon, DON'T.  Good luck to everyone!

Hi Steve,

 

Thanks for sharing your story.  I can't believe you are already back in the gym.  Is bench press difficult on the neck?  I am currently trying Physical therapy first.  Still real scared about surgery. But after reading this message board, I feel some type of hope.  As with some message boards, only terrible stories with terrible results.  Please continue to write about your life style, are you able to run now?   I heard from other message boards that your range of motion is quite diminished after the surgery.  Infact, I heard it is nearly impossible to turn your head to check a blind spot when driving.  Is that in your case?

Hi Meant2bsassy,

 

Hows it going now?  Is the infection controlled?  Please don't tell me you had to go through another surgery.  What kind of regular activities did you do that caused this discomfort?  Thanks.

Hey there, well yes the infection is controlled now through a high dose of Amoxicillin and I also followed it with a dose of Omnicef which I still had left and that really seemed to do the trick.  I believe the infection was my own fault as I was talking too much and still sneaking cigarettes.  Other than that I am walking regularly and doing my normal activities which include all household chores.  There was a particular incident where I stepped off the driveway forgetting about a 3 foot drop and hit it full force, the impact I believe attributed greatly to the swelling and burning sensation afterwards.   No I have not had to have another surgery and I seem to be feeling better for the most part.  I must admit though that I am really stiff and have weakness but I firmly believe that this will dissipate over time.  If I didn't have to lift my 30lb son so soon after I do think that I would back to normal by now.  I am going back to see my pain med doctor tommorow in hopes that they will change my medication so that I am on something different instead of 7 Norco a day.  I got the surgery in hopes I could live my life without pills.  But, one step at a time.  I love my surgeon and they did a wonderful job I truly don't regret my decision as I had been in pain everyday of my life for the previous 7 years.  I just pray I will have the time to heal that I need.  Hope everyone else is doing better, look forward to hearing about it.

Hi Meant2bsasssy!

 

Thanks for the update.  Sorry for another question.  You mentioned you are now on 7 Narco a day.  How much did you have to take prior to the surgery?  Did you have an orthopedic surgeon or neurosurgeon doing your surgery?  But, I am happy for you that you didnt have to go through another surgery.  I also have 2 sons that weigh 31 and 32 lbs.  How long after did you start to hold them?

 

 

 

Georgie



I had a C5-C6 Anterior Disectomy with fusion two years ago and now my doctor has taken me off work permanently. I have developed a constant burning in my hands and have lost a lot of strength in my right arm. My range of motion is severly limited, to the point where I cannot see my blind spot when driving. When I wake in the morning I have this creepy feeling down my spin that stops at the thoracic area. The tops of my arms feel like I have been lifting weights for hours. I'm having to retire from work. I am 52 years old and not ready to retire. I'm having a hard time dealing with this. Hope you have better luck than I did.

Hi Denise,


I don't know where you live, but if I were you, you may want to make a special trip to NYC with your husband. There is a doctor Camissa (spelling?) at the Hospital for Special Surgery. He is rated the top neurosurgeon for what your husband in the Northeast. I am not getting surgery by him, but I know people who have, and I hear he is like a genius as far as that type of stuff goes. Good luck!