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HI Denise,



I live in Canada. I feel for what your husband is going through - and also where you are with th is. My husband is very frustrated with the level of pain I'm in since this surgery. I had my surgery two years ago and now my doctor has taken me off work permanently. I cannot relate to the buzzing but I have developed this awful burning sensation in my hands. I'm finding Laser Light Therapy very helpful. Don't know if your husband has tried that? I did not like the medications the doctor put me on for the burning - the side effects were not worth it. The nerve damages is unbearable at time, especially at night. I go to bed with icecubes by my bed in a bowl. And it was the same at the office. I cannot resume eight hour days at a desk anymore... Now I'm home by myself and my husband will not be retiring for four years. I pray I don't go into a depression from this. I hope your husband will find some relief. Will keep you in prayer!
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Hi there, I would like to suggest a natural remedy that has helped me and it's called Oxygen Plus and it's recreational oxygen that is 95% pure. As I am sure you well know Oxygen has many redeeming qualities and coupled with a combination of therapies I believe can help. I had a fusion as well and have had tremendous set backs and I know the emotional toll it can take, please just remind him that it takes longer to heal as we age, I am 35 and it has taken since my surgery April 28th 2011 to now before I even stop pain on a daily basis, so if he is considerably older it may take longer, but it will come in time. Oxygen regenerates cells and in my opinion will speed up healing process. What is he taking for pain?
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Hey no problem I enjoy answer questions. I was taking more than I would like to admit in reference to your question. I had an orthopedic surgeon although I would like to add that I am having balancing issues. I had my spinal cord being pinched and I was showing other neurological signs of distress. I also had gone to a neurologist with suspected seizures in previous two years(mild). However, I was already on a anti-seizure medication for bi-polar disorder so the lady was dismissive and attributed my suspected seizures with mental problems which goes to show you what a stigma there is attached to the word Bi-polar. Well it is unfortunate for her that she was so dissmissive because not 6 months later did I find out that my biological father was Epileptic when he had a major seizure and sustained major brain damage leaving him brain dead and passing away within 6 months thereafter. My point here is the doctors and surgeons are a God send but they are human and capable of error and mistakes, and we must know and trust our selves and gather information. As to my surgery recovery, I am feeling much better, although do I think I would do it again? Not really sure....my back feels out of whack now and stiffness is incredibly bad for someone my age, I am very active and if you look at skidiving in san marcos tx website you would find me in the photos in a pink jump suit, I love life and I feel the difference that is for sure, I only hope it gets better and I keep applying all the sciences, believing, and trying.
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Has anyone had an Anterior Decompression Dysectomy with cage performed ? I did in 2005 my pain is worse then ever and no have numbness in 2 fingers on my left hand. This is not normal is it?
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Hi im Richie i have some suggestion for you,, first just follow what your doctor has told you for faster recovery, secondly have moments of walking around for an hour and always thing positive, the negative thing is the one causing you pain sometimes,, i am currently working as a technical assistant of spine implant and i have read lots of it and i want to share it with you,,, good bless and everything will work out just fine
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wow that's great.. may i know what brand of implant is used for your ACDF ? thanks it will help me a lot
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hi hope you can share me what implant was used for your surgery it will help me a lot thanks
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why i cant see those reply?
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Apparently there aren't any replies. I have a fusion c5-c6 in 1995, but no hardware.

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Hello there.  I had a C5-6 posterior discectomy/lamenctomy 3.5 years ago. Had same surgery on my C6-7 4 weeks ago.  I never had any numbness of my fingers prior to my surgery, just the radiating nerve pain down the back of my left arm.  Immediately after surgery - even in recovery, I notified my surgeon that my left index and middle fingers were numb - he attributed this to swelling post-surgery.  I went for my 3 week follow up a week ago and informed him that I feel fine, the nerve pain and arm pain is gone but the 2 fingers are still numb...he stated that the C6-7 herniation was so large that he had to do alot of manipulation to get access to remove it all out which has probably aggravated other nerves causing the numbness.  Does this sound right to any of you?  I could understand that if I had numbness PRIOR to surgery that I still might have it because it takes months for that to go away but I didn't...I didn't have a single issue with my index or middle finger.  It's a numbing that almost hurts, if that makes sense.  It feels like my fingers got super cold in the snow/ice and I'm running them under hot water so like a burning sensation but definitately numb. 

My fear is that this may become permanant if something happened during surgery and I don't treat it now but my doctor is telling me to give it time.  For the record, the same neurosurgeon did my C5-6 and I had no problems like this.  I take Naproxen 2x a day for inflamation (which he thinks could be causing the problem)...I also did the Prednisone dose pack post surgery.

Should I go for a second opinion or just "give it time" like he says.  If I should give it time, how long? 

Thanks in advance!

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Just had ACDF at C5/6 level 1 with a synthetic graft and 2 titanium screws on Nov. 28. I'm 61 and in very good health overall.  (My hobby is running and maintaining an old farm property.)  Had been having left neck pain since Feb. this year and then right arm pains that was misdiagnosed as tennis elbow.  That treatment didn't work and then I tried a chiropractor that did xrays and tried a few light therapies but he suggested a neurosurgeon based on the compression he saw on the xrays.  So I did it before any more nerve damage took place and it got to the point of numbness like so many of you have written about.  No problems with the surgery except the Dr. said there was about 10 times the amount of bone growth than he thought there would be to grind out.  Didn't have any pain.  Stopped taking the muscle relaxant after 4 days cause I could move my arm without pain and I don't like taking pills if I don't have to.  Didn't try moving the neck too much for fear of pushing the limits and tearing something that's trying to heal.  Anyway, the pain came back to the neck and arm like before so I started the pills again but it didn't seem to change anything.  Two week post-op visit today and Dr. said it's perfectly normal.  At this point I take muscle relaxant (Valium) at night and stay on steady Acetaminophen (not ibuprofen because it's an anti-inflammatory and you want the inflammation to assist in the fusion/healing process.)  This plus starting physical therapy tomorrow will gradually teach my muscles and nerves to relax the old tightened response to pain, thus loosening and stretching them all (or maybe most) back to their usual shape and usefulness.  Have also had the typical throat tightness especially swallowing pills and last night I learned laughing to the point of tears also swells it up and panicked me when I couldn't swallow.  Dr. said that is typical cause it's rushing more blood through the area and swelling.  So don't laugh so hard. I think I may be lucky with finding a great doc. and he used a newer type fusion apparatus that is more flush than the older plates that screw onto the outside of the bone. It's made by Peek Prevail,Medtronic. I have an ongoing vocal chord issue for many years and the Dr. wanted to make sure there was minimum protrusion into the throat.

I'm thinking patience and time to heal and keep, keep working with your Dr.  Keep him or her informed of your ongoing issues and anxiety.  Nerves do not regrow like muscle tissue can but other options may be possible if time does not work for your healing.

Good, good luck to all of you in this predicament.

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Newest member to the club: I had my ACDF performed on C5/C6 last Friday 1/11/13. I am now 8 days post-op. I am 48yr old male, in reasonably good shape, and physically active. My symptoms started rapidly just 4 months ago: Upper back/neck pain following a 150 mile bike bicycle race (dismissed as a muscle strain); followed by numbess and burning in my left arm fingers after a day of rollr-coaster rides at Holloween Horror Nights at Universal studies in Orlando. An abnormal EKG led to a 'fake' heart attack which was disproven following a nuclear stress test; this led to an x-ray and MRI which showed the ruptured disk, bone spurs, and spinal compression. A visit to the neurosurgeon and the immediate rcommendation was surgery as this would never heal itself and only get worse over time (degenerative disk disease). Spend the night in the hospital following surgery and was released the next day. Follow-up visit is 1/22/13 and I expect/anticipate being released back to work. Post surgery condition: The pain relief was immediate. I took muscle relaxers for the first 3 days (valium). I took the prescribed pain meds (oxycoton?) only one day (the hallucinagenic side effects were for real). I have a hard aspen brace -- have only worn it outside for the fist few days. Resting and sleeping comfortably without it. I started walking 1 mile per day for the first 2, then increased that to 4 miles by day 4. I've had minimal voice or throat impacts. On day 6 some discomfort started during the night, and has continued if I do too much. So I've backed off the walking and household chores (especially laundry). Although some discomfiort, no pain when sitting, walking, or sleeping. This has been my experience so far. I offer it in hopes that it can provide a simple perspective or positive outlook for someone. I came here to see experiences of others and for some insight into my current discomfort. It also made me realize that many have had much more challenging experieces than I have - and I do want to provide hope and support. God bless us all. My Dr. did say that he hates treating athletes because they are not good listeners on the recovery side of things; I now understand why. So my car keys were taken taken away, my bike tires flattened, I can't find my running shoes, and my gym access has been revoked.

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I had the exact surgery on 12/19/12 (5 weeks ago). Each day is better than the next. I hurt. The cold/wet weather makes it really ache but tylenol is helpful. My doctor insisted I start walking immediately, she did not want me lying in bed all day. I was walking around the block in the first week and a littler farther/ longer each time. I did 3miles 2x this week and have been on the treadmill at an incline for half hour stints every other day. I get tired but overall it's so helpful. I truly believe the exercise and movement (lower body only) have been key in my quick and less pain recovery. I hope you are feeling better soon. As an avid exerciser- It sound like you are too- do not overdo.
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I did not have issues when i had 6-7 fused with turning my neck when driving. But I did have some issues following 4-5. I had to turn my body more to look and use mirrors. Now that I have 3-4 done it is to hard to turn neck to see so I use mirrors. I must say it is very important to go to PT and keep up doing your exercises to keep muscles stretched out and strengthened. After spending 3 months in a neck brace they are greatly weakened. If you do not keep up the exercising then you can start to have problems with muscle pain and tightening. I have learned to live my life with pain on a daily basis now. It still is better then it was before I had any of the fusions. Its just to what degree it is each day. I have good days and bad days. Got to remember every spine and Dr. treatments are different. Some of my surgeries I didn't have to wear neck braces and some I did. The ones without brace was due to the hardware he had installed to keep my neck from losing curve or curving backwards. Last Dr. removed all the hardware but some bracing on disks.

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I was told not to lift or do anything after my diskectomy with fusion. I was in a neck brace for 3 months. I doctor told me if I did to much or lifted anything over 3 pounds I could slip the disk and cause permanant damage. Again I have seen some doctors tell people 1 month some 2 and some 3 for neck braces. My friends doctor told her not to ride in car except to go to doctor. Mine didnt have that restriction.
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