Pain after anterior cervical diskectomy with fusion (ACDF)

I had an acdf surgery in sept 2017. C4 c5 c6 im 33 years old. I have had pain for over 12 years but didnt want surgery untill may 2017 i started to have a hard time breathing. They checked EVERYTHING but the only thing that it could be was c4 c5 it was pushing on my spinal cord which was making my muscles to breath not work. I am 6 months post op and am still in SOOOO much pain. All the pain is there from before the surgery but now i have more problems. My left forearm doesnt work right! My upper parts work fine but for an example i cant lift it high enough to wash my hair or put my hair up. I cant put milk away things like that. BUT I CAN BREATH. I 100% regret surgery!!!!

May 29 - 2019 - I just had my C6/C7 fused 30 days ago (following a fusion of my C4/C5 and C5/C6 5.5 years ago). I am 58 years old. I had a severe compression of the C7 nerve root and a bone spur pressing against the nerve. The first surgery completely eliminated all numbness, tingling, pain that extended down my arm and into my hand. I returned to work at 4 weeks and the bone fused quickly. This second surgery I experienced worse pain post surgery at the 2 week mark. My doctor prescribed a Medrol steroid pack. The lapse of time and steroids have now completely eliminated all pain, tingling, numbness in my right arm! I’m so grateful for a fantastic neurosurgeon. It’s critical to have a very good neurosurgeon do this procedure because they’re experts on the nerves. I will be at 30 days tomorrow and the only thing I still need is rest.

I had ACDF three levels 12 weeks back and am told it will get better but I started therapy and the numbness and pain came back and was told it will take time, I’m not feeling that it is going to get better, the pain varies Feels a lot like before surgery, but if I’m on three medications should it be helping with the pain, I just don’t feel it getting better and the medication makes me feel tired all the time.

Easiest surgery I have ever been through. Spent one night in the hospital and only took one pain pill after surgery. You will need a grabber to pick up stuff off the floor. Walking daily helps as you are advised to not sit for long periods of time. I was able to work from home on my computer and had it placed at eye level. I didn't return to work until week seven because it is illegal to drive with the neck brace that I wore for six weeks.
Cate (Texas)

I've told my doctor outright -- IF I had known I was going to feel this bad 4 months AFTER the surgery. I would have waited UNTIL I felt this bad before HAVING the surgery. Neck pain, triggering tension headaches that trigger light headedness -
Generalized weakness all over my body.
My surgeon ASSURES me that the surgery went fine and is has healed fine and the nerves are no longer being pinched -- at least not by the bone.
He recommends continued PT at home for the muscle tightness and headaches and pursuing the other issues with my neurologist.
My primary trusts him -- so I trust him --- but it IS FRUSTRATING -- and disappointing.

I had a 45/56/67 Fusion 5 years ago. Felt good till 6 months ago. Again my left arm is buzzing and my hand feels like it is on fire. When I am up. Its not bad until I go to bed as soon as I fall asleep I wake up with the strong buzzing and My hand feels like its on fire. Can't get no sleep. It will not stop. Got a MRI seen the Doctor that did the repair and he said that I can fix by going behind the bottom of you head But lets fix you lower back L45 fusion I told him I cannot sleep because of my neck. He said we will fix you buzzing after we do your lower back! I went to a different spine doctor Same thing. Lower back now 3 levels no fusion Lumbar Decompression. Sure don't know what to do. Maybe a 3rd opinion. This is western medicine. Any help would be good info. Thanks Ken

Hi. I'm just 2 months post op and I'm feeling the same way. I know it's a process but upon explaining to my neurosurgeon how i felt, he told me i'd be uncomfortable for a while but my wound was healing nicely and walked out the room. I'm just going to follow back up with my neurologist and let him direct as he actually listens and is thorough.

I had c4/5 and 5/6 done 2014 then redo of c5/6 from failed fusion and they did 6/7 and 3/4. None fused and in on disability now. Pain so bad that I take Hysingla and muscle relaxers for spasms. And last 3 years ive taken gabapentin from pain coming from nerve damage. They tried 3 facet joint injections, 3 epidurals, and 4 medial branch blocks (all at about $3-400 each out of pocket) and no relief. Its brutal but I'm told im in that 5-10% who have wirse problems because if surgery. I could never imagine how considering how bad it hurt to get me to agree to surgery. The first was because a a herniated disc was impinging my spinal cord pretty badly so no brainer. But that screwed so much up. The pain was worse after so I tried a redo. Nope. Worse again. So they will NEVER cut me again. Hard pass. But again in rare. Not to be negative nelly but it does happen, never recovering or having pain disappear. I live about 5-8 hours a day on a heating pad. I actually have a USB neck heating pad for when I have to travel or sit at doc office etc. And for people who want to get rid of opiods, try living with my pain for 2 minths and you'll be wanting to rip your head off your body to see if that alleviates the agony or sometimes just the torture monotony of constant aching and burning. Shabby pain can be relieved with daily hysingla and Norco as needed but the burning spasms and hirrible nerve pain...i wouldnt want my worst enemy to go through it. Had to retire early because I couldnt concentrate at work, the pain just takes your brain over. I couldnt take meds at work or for commute so it was horrible. Thankfully my company's long term disability was great. I still took 40% pay cut but its until I turn 65. Most is for just 5 or 10 years so I'm lucky. But I would live in a camper at state parks on social security disability if i had to. Or in a family members basement if needed. I cant drive on full meds which sucks. I have to plan trips wisely and the money ive spent finding a pillow oy vay. Now I have 2 bulging discs in lower back and those spasms have me down for 5 days at a time. PT has helped but I will never go under the knife again. For no amount of pain. (So she says now lol). Best of luck to you. But if I can give you one piece of advice; do NOT let them tell you your pain is not severe. Thats for YOU to tell them. I remember my GP at age 18 told me my menstrual cramps werent that bad and was mostly in my head. Sigh. My male GP. I fought hard and finally found a pain doc that knows how to be compassionate and knows when to stop trying shots and stuff. I tried acupuncture and massage and everything offered. Nothing helped for more than 30 minutes. I couldnt afford treatment every 30 minutes so pain meds were the only and last solution. It works. Ive only increased dosage twice and the last time was 4 years ago. I dont have addiction issues and often go for 2 months before refilling as needed muscle relaxer, but just be careful. The second you want to take a pain med and you dont need to, you just want to, get help. For me Vicodin (at my prescribed dosage) doesnt make me tired it actually peps me up and helps me focus. Bizarre. Some are like that. So its easy to want to take an extra pill when I want to be alert and focus on something but I don't. Because thats not what its for. Thats abusing it and dangerous. I also know how many I can take at once and with what ither meds and never ever ever go above no matter how much im hurting. Rainy and cold weather is brutal but I just live with heating pad and stay on dosage. And will move to warmer climate when we can. Elderly mom so we have to wait for now. So be careful. And join a pain support group. There are some very supportive fellow pain sufferers out there. Pain is real and dont let others make you feel bad for it. Youre not weak or a wimp. It is what it is. Tell them to smash a hammer down on their finger every week and then call them a wimp. I also have "situational depression" because I cant do most of the things I used to do. Or not for a long period if time. That sucks and is depressing. I constantly let people down, promisong to meet for dinner but habing to cancel because the pain is too bad. Your real friends will understand and KEEP inviting you, at the risk of constantly being disappointed. Because they know you cant control it. For someone to be upset at you for that, they arent true friends. Be strong but understand you might have to be a new level of strong thats a little weaker. Its ok. But just be as strong as you can. Don't give up. Peace.

I am now 8 weeks post op c-6 /c-7 discectomy. Fusions. My head still feels like a bowling ball & after only a couple hours I can not hold my head up . I have sun scapula extreme pain under what I’m sensing the spine of the scalpels. Pain is intense in my forearm. Now I am experiencing constant itchy feeling in my “snuff box” up to base of 2 digit. I’m not getting better, I am deteriorating!!!! Is this normal?????

I’m a retired tech specialist working before in the OR interventional radiography backing up to ER and radiology departments. And I was working we approach the back from the back.
I wish the surgeons would tell patients that this was going to be a long haul and you’ll probably feel worse after surgery, sadly they didn’t. In the physical therapy department I’m going because I also have no rotator cuff’s basically left in either arm from lifting patients for 48 years and will be having after my neck heals bilateral shoulder replacements.
Three therapist I told me that it’s not easier for the patient going from the front it’s easier only for the surgeon. I’m almost 2 months postop shy just a couple of days my pain is getting worse daily and the physical therapist said that the surgeons do not recommend any type of physical therapy or manipulation of the neck because everything may become undone.
Because I’m stubborn and sick of all through the day having to sit and put a heating pad on my back and neck when I am in bed I do do some simple movements of my neck chin down and push the head straight and gently going side to side because my muscles are getting so weak in my neck. I’m afraid I will have no muscles when I get finished with this process to even hold my head up. I am very sorry I had the surgery done.
The therapist did say it’s gonna take at least 5 to 6 months before I’m gonna feel any better and the shoulder surgeon will do my shoulders which have been scheduled twice cancel once because the surgeon was moving out of the area and a second one scheduled was because of Covid coming in that got canceled canceled.
I am not gonna be able to ever recommend the surgery to anyone.

I stopped the Gabapentin because of lapses in memory. Spoke to my sister about my memory issues and she asked me if I was taking Gabapentin. She said she had to get off of it because of the same problem. Once she stopped, the memory problems went away. Check out side effects. If you're taking Gabapentin temporarily for relief, fine but just be aware of the side effects if you take it long-term so you don't think you're losing your mind.

Hi, i had ACDF surgery over 12 months ago and had 2 disc taken out, C5/6/7, its the best thing I did. I still have some slight nerve sensation running down the left arm and some niggly in the shoulder blade but I am on no medication and am 95% better for having the op. I was released within 24 hours and they want you mobile asap.

A year ago or so you asked, "I would like to know has ANYONE been able to return to normal life after this surgery ?" I am just two weeks out from acdf surgery (C5,6,7) and the pain is five times whar it was before. In fact it is shocking. Did your pain ever go away?

I too had a C5-C6 fusion October 2021 and now have pain in my right arm and to be honest the pins and needles improved for a while but now back again in both arms and coldness of joints. I also have some pain around my shoulder blade areas which in turn causes me anxiety and stress as we have jobs we need to do etc. Like you I am wondering why I had it done. My first op was covered by my medical insurance by not sure my follow up will be as it will be classed as a pre existing condition. I think some consultants class this as a simple op/procedure but for the patient it is a major life changing consequences I wish i had had further in depth discussions about the longer term prognosis.

I agree totally I have similar problems 5 months on aching tops of the arms and pain around my shoulder blade area and the pins and needles are still there.