YES THREE YRS AGO I HAD SURGERY AND NOW I HAVE TO HAVE NEW SURGERY TO FIX WHAT OTHER DR DID THIS FRIDAY
C5 c6 c7 fusion hardware put it and fused, cut from front of neck flipped over cut down back more fusion, worst pain a human could endure, lemencptampy , also hands and arms cramp fingers n thumb lucks up if I turn my arm certain way ! My spinal chord was 99 percent compressed needed surgery
Hi, I am 4 weeks post ACDF C5/6. I was in hospital for a week after my operation as I live rurally and on my own. My post op period was going okay until the morning of discharge. That day I woke up in hospital with searing pain down my left arm. I thought that maybe I’d slept in an awkward position (my surgeon didn’t use collars post op). I reported it immediately to nurse who said, “it’s probably just the nerves waking up” and I continued packing to be discharged. I wasn’t helped by the nursing staff and I think this may have worsened the pain I was already in. I then had to get to the airport and was in tears for most of the two hour flight home.
I have had a brother helping me out sometimes, because I live alone, I have lifted a few things heavier than recommended and maybe I am overdoing things. Patience is not my virtue! Anyway, the pain I woke with one week post op has worsened. I am actually worse off on my left side now than I was pre-surgery. I have severe weakness - I have lost at least 50% of the strength in that arm - and have pain and burning along the top of my L) shoulder and into my upper arm. I can’t confidently use my L) arm without support from my R) arm. My upper L) arm feels foreign. It also feels like something around my left scapula is out of whack or dislocated.
I’ve been walking most days, but become fatigued easy and the burning after an hour or so. Ice really helps then, and of course pain killers, but I don’t want to be dependent on drugs. I also spent a small fortune on massage, chiro, osteo and the rest prior to the surgery. I had hoped surgery would finally give me back my life and the need for massages would disappear. Sadly not. I have had two in the last week and it’s the only thing helping. Prior to surgery, I was unable to work for six months. It now feels like it may be a very long road back, if I get back at all. I just turned 50 last week so this sucks. I am a medical coder and transcription is key to my work so I need to be able to type.
I consulted with two orthopaedic surgeons and finally my neurosurgeon, before deciding to go ahead with the surgery. I know I couldn’t function before so I’m hoping this is par for the recovery course. Maybe I should be wearing a collar to stop moving too much or should I be doing more exercises!?
After three days home from hospital, my GP sent me for an urgent CT as the pain was that bad. It showed significant swelling (expected) but also showed “ongoing narrowing of L) neural foramina”. So I read this as nerve root compression on the L). This certainly would explain my pain. But is the nerve still compressed due to swelling or did the surgeon not do what they were supposed to?
Has anyone else experienced this AND has it got better. Did you do anything that helped it get better? Any advice would be appreciated. Thank you
I have had a brother helping me out sometimes, because I live alone, I have lifted a few things heavier than recommended and maybe I am overdoing things. Patience is not my virtue! Anyway, the pain I woke with one week post op has worsened. I am actually worse off on my left side now than I was pre-surgery. I have severe weakness - I have lost at least 50% of the strength in that arm - and have pain and burning along the top of my L) shoulder and into my upper arm. I can’t confidently use my L) arm without support from my R) arm. My upper L) arm feels foreign. It also feels like something around my left scapula is out of whack or dislocated.
I’ve been walking most days, but become fatigued easy and the burning after an hour or so. Ice really helps then, and of course pain killers, but I don’t want to be dependent on drugs. I also spent a small fortune on massage, chiro, osteo and the rest prior to the surgery. I had hoped surgery would finally give me back my life and the need for massages would disappear. Sadly not. I have had two in the last week and it’s the only thing helping. Prior to surgery, I was unable to work for six months. It now feels like it may be a very long road back, if I get back at all. I just turned 50 last week so this sucks. I am a medical coder and transcription is key to my work so I need to be able to type.
I consulted with two orthopaedic surgeons and finally my neurosurgeon, before deciding to go ahead with the surgery. I know I couldn’t function before so I’m hoping this is par for the recovery course. Maybe I should be wearing a collar to stop moving too much or should I be doing more exercises!?
After three days home from hospital, my GP sent me for an urgent CT as the pain was that bad. It showed significant swelling (expected) but also showed “ongoing narrowing of L) neural foramina”. So I read this as nerve root compression on the L). This certainly would explain my pain. But is the nerve still compressed due to swelling or did the surgeon not do what they were supposed to?
Has anyone else experienced this AND has it got better. Did you do anything that helped it get better? Any advice would be appreciated. Thank you
"Don't wait if you have weakness. If you need your hands to function perfectly like I do, stop messing around with conservative measures. Get in to see a good neurosurgeon and get an MRI. Weakness is a very bad sign."
Yeah, this is bad advice. I originally had C3-C4 ACDF and felt like a normal person until 2 years post op, at which point I started to get ASD at C4/5 and C5/6. C6/7 did not have much height either. I waited until C4/5 and C5/6 were bone on bone and then did two level ACDF. One year post op and I'm starting to get ASD symptoms at C6/7. If you rush and get surgery instead of being conservative, you risk have to get ACDF after ACDF. Additional surgeries are MUCH rougher than the initial surgery, especially if you get surgery on multiple levels.
Some of the really good neurosurgeons are unwilling to do disc replacement below fusion and with fusion you are much more likely to have ASD year after year. Also, it's bs that chronic discs are hard to remove. All of my discs degenerated over decades and were about as chronic as can be. Surgery never took more than 3 hours, even when I did multiple levels.
My recommendation is that you start with disc replacement as long as you are a candidate for it. The limited studies show that disc replacement is much less likely to have ASD, but you have to consider down the road your body may fuse around the artificial disc anyway.
Take what anyone says who is a few weeks post op after their first ACDF or disc replacement. They are a noobie in terms of neurosurgery. Conservativeness is the way to go unless you want to risk surgery after surgery, with each one progressing quicker than the previous one. ACDF is completely unnatural to your body and disc replacement is only moderately better. You will never be 100% after any disc replacement or ACDF and you are lucky if you even reach the 80% point.
Yeah, this is bad advice. I originally had C3-C4 ACDF and felt like a normal person until 2 years post op, at which point I started to get ASD at C4/5 and C5/6. C6/7 did not have much height either. I waited until C4/5 and C5/6 were bone on bone and then did two level ACDF. One year post op and I'm starting to get ASD symptoms at C6/7. If you rush and get surgery instead of being conservative, you risk have to get ACDF after ACDF. Additional surgeries are MUCH rougher than the initial surgery, especially if you get surgery on multiple levels.
Some of the really good neurosurgeons are unwilling to do disc replacement below fusion and with fusion you are much more likely to have ASD year after year. Also, it's bs that chronic discs are hard to remove. All of my discs degenerated over decades and were about as chronic as can be. Surgery never took more than 3 hours, even when I did multiple levels.
My recommendation is that you start with disc replacement as long as you are a candidate for it. The limited studies show that disc replacement is much less likely to have ASD, but you have to consider down the road your body may fuse around the artificial disc anyway.
Take what anyone says who is a few weeks post op after their first ACDF or disc replacement. They are a noobie in terms of neurosurgery. Conservativeness is the way to go unless you want to risk surgery after surgery, with each one progressing quicker than the previous one. ACDF is completely unnatural to your body and disc replacement is only moderately better. You will never be 100% after any disc replacement or ACDF and you are lucky if you even reach the 80% point.
"I’m fused from C4 to C7 and not only was I walking within minutes out of recovery, I was in my own bed 26hrs later..... ATCDF is the most least painful surgery there is"
This is horseshit. I had complete ACL replacement and that was a walk in the park compared to spinal fusion from C3 to C6. I've had 4 other surgeries and none were as rough as ACDF, especially multiple levels. Even a septoplasty wasn't as bad and with that surgery they had to sand down all the nerve endings in my nose, it was painful but I'll take a septoplasty any over ACDF.
This is horseshit. I had complete ACL replacement and that was a walk in the park compared to spinal fusion from C3 to C6. I've had 4 other surgeries and none were as rough as ACDF, especially multiple levels. Even a septoplasty wasn't as bad and with that surgery they had to sand down all the nerve endings in my nose, it was painful but I'll take a septoplasty any over ACDF.
OMG! Did you go to Dr Dunsch? You poor thing. I feel bad complaining when I hear your experience. So you had an ACDF and then a laminectomy? Was that for your thoracic or lumbar spine. Seems a lot to do in one operation. You poor thing.
I agree. You’re either very lucky or full of
Before x,as my left sided pain was awful - 4 weeks post op - He told me to just stop doing stuff. I live alone and due to housing shortages haven’t had stability since the op. So I lay down and did cold packs 20 mins x 4 per day for for days. My brother was staying so he helped with meals or I used ubereats. I also have a little TENS machine. I started using that. My pain improved immensely but not completely AND I the left sided weakness, that wasn’t there pre-op, remained. I had a nerve root injection at C6 (thought I was done with them….uh uh… nope). Took two oxycodone an hour before the injection but OMG….the pain. Injecting into an already inflamed area. Worse injection ever. But some relief. I could lift my left arm without using right to support it. That was on the 30th December. It’s wearing off now. Barely 2 weeks ago.
My surgeon is now saying he’ll do a foraminotomy, at his expense. CT shows nerve root on left is still trapped.
Has anyone had this after an ACDF.? Did it help? I have to decide this week.
My surgeon is now saying he’ll do a foraminotomy, at his expense. CT shows nerve root on left is still trapped.
Has anyone had this after an ACDF.? Did it help? I have to decide this week.
Before Xmas - 4 weeks post op - my L sided pain was 8/10 - but my main issue was also paralysis / weakness that wasn't there pre-op. I spoke to my neurosurgeon and he asked what I'd been doing eg. Driving, groceries, housework etc. I said a little bit, plus I've had to move three times since the op (rental crisis). He told me I shouldn't be doing anything. He said to just STOP doing stuff. I live alone so that was hard but I though F#@# it! I only have one sh*t at this healing. So I lay down and did cold packs 20 mins x 4 -5 times per day for 4 days. My brother helped with meals or I used ubereats. I also have a little TENS machine. I started using that. I ALSO started taking the painkillers regularly - I was avoiding them because I hear people get addicted to oxycodone. But since I was in pain, I took them. I didn't try empty the dishwasher or hang washing out or cook or anything. Within 3 days there was a notable improvement in my pain. BUT it hadn't gone completely AND I still have the left sided weakness, that wasn’t there pre-op!.
So my neurosurgeon sent me for a nerve root injection on the 30th December. His thought was that it would help settle any inflammation and the residual weakness would disappear. I had a nerve root injection at C6. I so thought at surgery meant was done with them….uh uh… nope). I two oxycodone an hour before the injection but OMG….the pain. Injecting into an already inflamed area. Worse injection ever. But next day there was some relief. I could lift my left arm without using right to support it. BUT after barely 2 weeks I can already feel it's effects wearing off. I think I metabolise steroids quickly. These injections never lasted long prior to surgery either.
SO.....My surgeon is now saying he’ll do a foraminotomy, at his expense. CT shows the nerve root at C6 on the left is still trapped.
Has anyone had this procedure after an ACDF.? Did it help? I have to decide this week.
So my neurosurgeon sent me for a nerve root injection on the 30th December. His thought was that it would help settle any inflammation and the residual weakness would disappear. I had a nerve root injection at C6. I so thought at surgery meant was done with them….uh uh… nope). I two oxycodone an hour before the injection but OMG….the pain. Injecting into an already inflamed area. Worse injection ever. But next day there was some relief. I could lift my left arm without using right to support it. BUT after barely 2 weeks I can already feel it's effects wearing off. I think I metabolise steroids quickly. These injections never lasted long prior to surgery either.
SO.....My surgeon is now saying he’ll do a foraminotomy, at his expense. CT shows the nerve root at C6 on the left is still trapped.
Has anyone had this procedure after an ACDF.? Did it help? I have to decide this week.
I’m a nurse was hurt at work… pushed myself back to work then nerve pain in arm etc .. c5-6 ACDF now post op 16 days.. if I do anything with right arm pain returns I totally feel what you say :(