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What you are explaining is me to a tee! I too had anterior discectomy - C4-C5 close to two years ago. I awaken to a creepy crawly sensation down the top section of spine. The pain in my upper right arm then comes in and I apply deep heat. With 4 kids to get off to school I struggle through and collapse on the bed after every chore. Make sandwiches - rest on bed, Take out washing - rest on bed, tidy bedroom - rest on bed ....you get the picture. I take lyrica three times a day and norspan patches which take the edge off, but the pain is always there waiting to surface. I too cannot work. I thought about doing an on line course to put my time away from work to good use but typing is too painful. Typing this now is causing immense pain. I try to keep upbeat for my family's sake but I am far from it. I have tried counselling, learning to train the brain to ignore the pain etc. but to no avail. Pain defines me and I hate it! Georgie, I know how you are feeling. Any time you need to offload I'm here. Good luck Caroline from Christmas Island, WA

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HI I'M 40 and just had the exact same thing done just at c3-4 &4-5. OVERALL I'M DOING OK. DO HAVE REALLY BAD NUMBNESS DOWN MY WHOLE RIGHT ARM VERY LITTLE IN LEFT DO STILL GET WOKE UP FROM PAIN BUT DOC HAS ME.DOIN STUFF WITH A 15 pound.weight restriction. Pretty much have my range of motion back.OVERALL THE MOST ANNOYING THING IS THE NUMBNESS IN THE ARM CAUSE IT DOES INTERFEAR WITH REACHING OVER MY HEAD WITHOUTPAIN AND EVERYDAY LIFE FOR ME BUT I AM ALSO RIGHT HANDED. HOPE THIS INFO HELPS YOU....
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Hi Folks!

I just had my second surgery. I had c5,6 fused in Nov 2010. After about 14 months I was doing pretty good. Still taking meds, but not by the fist full. I was living again, going to the beach and fishing. I found a really great guy that has a motorcycle and I decided to buy myself a scooter. Took motorcycle classes and got my license.....my life was beginning to really turn around. Then late last summer, early fall the pain started and continued to intensify. My Dr wasn't listening, but his Physicians Assistant did. By this time I was back up to 3 Soma and 6 Lortab daily. They sent me to get a MRI and found that c4 was blown. I had to save a couple of months to pay the "down payment" to the hospitial. I had my second surgery 5 weeks ago and yes I am in pain, but I have HOPE and FAITH that I will be feeling well enough this summer to be back at the beach fishing and riding my scooter.

It really takes better than a year to heal and to truly know how successful your surgery was. I am now 50 and I don't bounce back from illness and such like I used to. Also, living with chronic pain for the past 2 1/2 years has really drained me both mentally and physically-BUT, never give up the Hope and always hang on to your Faith.....

Don't push yourself physcially, don't pick up over the 15 lbs, find a way to keep your find inner peace and have patience with your recovery.
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Hi
Wondering if you would be willing to answer a few questions for me re. your ACDF
I just had a ACDF c5C6...feel pretty good and am trying to do my best to rest and be as gentle with the body as possible.
However wondering how long till i am able to resume my old lifestyle...
I, like you, are in my early 40s... and in decent health but at the same time don't want to rush the healing process.
Wondering how long it will take me to "fuse" so to speak?
Any tips or advice would be appreciated...re exercise, timelines, PT, etc.

Thanks
AC
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Try hypnosis .... Much better than counselling
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Hello,
I'm 3 weeks post anterior discectomy of c5,c6,c7. When I woke up after surgery I was in a lot of pain, the pain meds I was given in my IV wasn't helping. I was moved into a different room where I could be given pain pills to help with the pain, it work a lot better. My throat was sore and was given soft foods to eat, so I finished the soft foods and then finished my wife's sandwich and potato chips about 2 hours after surgery. My nurse was shocked, it hurt a little but no pain no gain. I did my 5 hrs of post op monitoring, walking all around my room and the floor. Everything was going well for what just happened. When I got home I rested that day, next day I started doing little things around the house. Kept pushing my self to do a little more, I would push myself to were my neck and shoulder would start to hurt then I would chill and relax and start again (you might see why I had to have this surgery to begin with lol). So I'm now 2 1/2 weeks post op, pain is going away a little at a time. I started taking pain medication for my neck, shoulder, arm pain 2 1/2 months ago. Worked for a month with the pain, went on short term disability for 1 month before surgery. The reason for me writing this long damn message is - 4 days ago I caught my self depending too much on the pain pills and stopped taking them all together. Wow that sucked and still sucks, but I know myself I couldn't ween off of them like you should. I stopped taking the pain pills Monday afternoon and went to bed around 4:00pm and slept till the next day till noon. Well that's when all the fun started, my body was jerking all over and ALL my joints hurt. Couldn't keep any food down, basically I wanted to die. If I didn't flush the pills down the toilet I would have broke down and took one. Day two of detox much better, not great but a lot better. Day 3 even better I left the house and just drove around for sh**s and giggles. Day 3 night time depression hits like a brick to my face. Day 4 feeling a lot better but depression is worst. Seems like the past 2 1/2 months have been a blur and I'm now dealing with it with a clear head and it sucks. Any idea if this is just a phase?
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