SEVERE NECK/SHOULDER PAIN 6 MONTHS POST OP CERVICAL DISECTOMY

Like all the rest of you..I also have had two fusion on C6 and C7. First time did not work. Was in terrible pain for 3 years before and after several MRI showed the fusion failed. Just had my second surgery 5 weeks ago and 2 days ago my neck pooped so bad it sounded as though someone broke a tree branch in half. Since then I have terrible pain in neck, cannot reach out or down or up with my left arm, numbness in left arm, hands going numb at night, swollen tissue behind left leg. I'm 52 and walk and feel like I'm 80. Why is this happening to all of us..so any same pain problems and why don't the fusion work. First surgery they went through the front with my hip bone graft and a tittiaium plate. This second surgery went in front the back of neck, took bone from my lower back. Shoulders, shoulderblades, weakness in my legs ( can't even get up without helpfrom my husband) neck, arms and headaches extreme pain. Before all this I was such a healthy women, I feel as though something is eating me up inside. If anyone has any professional help, I need it. Like everyone else, it's very hard to show a smile when the pain is horrible. I have 4 grand babies I can't even hold.

I truly feel your pain. I have been through 5 cervical surgeries. Herniated disc then they had to go back in and fix the disc above that one. Fusions didn't take so another surgery. Then they said my body was rejecting the bone from the bone bank so they had to go in taking bone from both hips this time .After another 2 surgeries, front and back of my neck, I am only in worse pain now than I have ever been in. I refuse to go through another surgery! I am now on disability and my life will never be the same. I am in excruciating pain day in and day out and I have given up all hope of ever being able to live a pain free life. I am a small person and because of that my doctor won't give me anything stronger for my pain. I only wish that they could feel my pain. I truly pray for all of us that has had to go through this and I pray that someday I will find some relief. My heart goes out to you.

I am in tears reading your post. I am so sorry for all that you have had to endure. I have had 3 cervical spine surgeries, My 2nd surgery failed and all of the hardware fell out. I had that fixed they went in both the front and back this last time. I had two rods and a plate at the c 4/5 level. I also have 5/6 fused. I am in pain 24/7. I am currently working with a pain clinic in hopes of decreasing off of the oxycodone and morphine. I am having a really hard time doing so. I feel too like a failure with work and my family. I can not go back to work due to the pain and discomfort. Life is just not fair. I have no more smile or laughter. I get it! :( I am going to try an injection for the neck pain and occipitally based head aches in a few days. It will be another steroid injection. Hope it works this time. They continue to ween me off of pain meds and each time they do my life deteriorates right along with the decrease. My MRI looked "good" the surgeon said. I can not imagine it could be anything good!! I can not take this life of pain. I will keep you in my prayers. I had to comment as my heart jumped out of my chest when i read your post. I know how hard this can be. I will keep you in my prayers and pray that you too find some relief!!!

I too had cervical fusion and discectomy 9 months ago for spinal stenosis. I am now having severe pain in shoulder down arm up my neck both in front and back. The pain sometimes brings me to tears. I had an MRI yesterday so I'm waiting to hear results. I've been taking neurontin for years and just motrin or aleve. Nothing really touches the pain. Luckily it's worse at night so i can get through the day and work but driving is starting to become uncomfortable and i'm limiting the use of my arm i'm sure it's going to atrophy. I wish I never had the surgery but they told me i ran the risk of paralysis so it didn't seem like an option

I am 8 months after Cervical Fusion C3-T1.the pain is by far worse debilitating. L and R arm and stabbing and ripping through shoulder blades. Right Leg gives way and Tremors in arms and R Leg. The Butt Cramps can last for days as for Cranial headache can last 10-12 days. No quality of life. My Dr. Says what do you want me to do???? I didn't mess anything up and leaves the room. This was an on the job injury.

I can relate to so many of these posts. 12 years ago I had a ruptured disk at c5/6 and a subsequent ACDF. Because the disk had been herniated for awhile and I also have spinal stenosis, it resulted in a pretty severe cervical myelopathy. Knocked out bowel, bladder & ambulation. Coped well with help from above for 10 years until just this last spring when I had a left radiculopathy that didn't respond to conservative treatment. Back to the OR for a posterior fusion and laminectomy - rods and screws at 6-7. The severe neurogenic pain I was experiencing on the left was instantly gone, however shortly after discharge I began having a lot of pain in the right shoulder along with the normal neck spasms. Prior to surgery, I was told to stop taking any NSAIDS and wasn't allowed to take them for 3 months after surgery. II went to PT and the working theory (which makes a lot of sense to me) is that I have rotator cuff disorder along with impingement syndrome from the years of wheeling and walking with forearm crutches. The NSAIDS that I took was probably masking a lot of the pain. I immediately went back to power chair and we're working on strengthening my shoulders through PT. All my medical providers as well as myself, feel the priority is to preserve the uppers. I suspect as I age (I'm 53), things will only get worse but I find that distraction is the best form of pain control. I use Valium for my spasticity and a lot of icy hot but it's the activity that I force myself to continue doing that helps the most. Hang in there and always try to look for those funny positive things in life. There's nothing like a good belly laugh :)

I had C5-C6 almost 6 months ago. Have had nothing but problems since about 3 months out. The big muscles along side the neck are extremely tight, sore and painful. Pain radiating from middle of neck into shoulder blades, left shoulder and down arm. Also creeping back into my head along the sides. Start my days at a 4 to 5 pain level and end at a 8 or 9 pain level. I have done physical therapy and the whole 9 yards. This issue has ruined my life over the past 5 years. All I want to do at the end of the day is ice and lay down. The only relief I get is from pain meds. But it makes me feel like a druggie to my wife but it's the only way I can operate. Going back to see the surgeon but don't expect much. I just want my life back without extreme pain daily. I'm not glad there are others out there in the same boat but at least maybe there is someone out there that can relate to my pain and how it affects a person on a daily basis. Because my wife thinks I should be fine and I'm just complaining if I say I'm in pain so I just don't say anything. But I get chewed on when I grab a ice pack at 5pm and go to bed for the night. Not sure what to do?

I am 34 as well and I have bo pain relief after getting c5/6 , c6/7 done this year 2015. My last surgery was on Aug, 31 2015.because if the constant pain and lack of sleep I had to resign at work. I couldn't go back after the second surgery. Pain can cause depression and your mental status depletes. It seems nobody at home understands as well. Not sure what to do about thos because the docs keep saying give it time. Sometimes I feel like giving up but you need to fight for your family.
We went to being an above avarage income family to being below because im not working. We make too much for any assistance not even Obama care. So life is the worst its ever been yet I still wake up everyday and repeat the process.
God bless us and bring us back to health.
MJP

If you have solutions or just need to talk. Good luck to all!!!

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Hello everyone.
Reading these posts is like me telling my story.
I had cervical Disc replacement in September of 2015 also lumbar epidural steroid injections both for pinched nerves in both areas.
However, one week after getting the injections the pains came back even worst in the lower spine and im now experiencing what i believe is sciatica (shocking and pains from my lower back down thru to my thigh and leg, numbness and swelling of my right foot especially when i wake up). also my neck to shoulders shock, swelling and burning down thru to my thoracic area, but according to followup xrays the plate is still in-place.

I too am unable to sleep even with sleep meds, however when I use what i call my neck cushion I get a little rest for a few hours but only laying on my back, which is uncomfortable without my legs arched. Ive gone thru so many meds i cant count anymore so ive decided to stop taking them. Im now doing therapy, but much cant be done because of my severe pains.

I live in the Caribbean so its usually warm, but when the temperature dropped last month (December) the pains were terrible. Im still unable to go back to work.

I wish doctors were reading these posts because this is an indication that there is something wrong either with the procedures or he after care.

I haven't had much, if any, relief since my surgery and i Have been suffering since 2012.
Ive tried hot and cold therapy, stretches, muscle strengthening,you name it ive tried it. The only thing left is another surgery which i dont want to do.

Please if anyone found any solution please share, and good luck to my fellow sufferors

I am in the same predicamen, hadfusion c4,5 with bone from hip, recovered but still had that stabbing pain between left shoulde blade and neck, found out after i retired disc betwee . C5,6 was protruding but workers comp didnt want to take care of that one then so i had it done about 6 years ago so now have 2 plates between c4,5,6 and still have this pain that is so bad i cry cant sleep, the knife feels like it is stuck in there permanentl and is twisting around none stop, pain mgmnt dr cut my prescription down to one every six hours sorry that wont work for me , if i take them every 3-4 hrs it cuts the pain but it is still there, no sleep, going to another surgeon something is terribly wrong, but like everyone else they just push you out the door see u in a month,HORSE####! Its my body and i know something is terribly wrong here!

Hi I also had cervical fusion they finally put me on Lyrica don't go there neurotin not as bad

Hi. I'm sorry you're having such pain. I will say this, I'm 9+ months post op and I'm exactly like you. I cry every single day. Life is miserable and I pray for relief daily. I can only hope someone can help us.

I just had the same experience and I'm in so much pain and have no answers! They are wanting to put dye in my spinal cord now to see what shows up, if anything. If I had to do over I would take the pain I was having be g ore any day over this pain, it terrible!! I am 3 months in

Hi,
I had ACDF in March 2016. It was a 2 level fusion C5/6 and C6/7. I am a very active 57 year-old. I stopped my pain meds after 6 days or so and just used ice. I was fully released at 3 months to resume normal activity. I am now at 4 months and have developed new pain especially when I am sleeping and when I first awaken. If I turn my head too quickly I get a sharp quick pain in my neck. The numbness and tingling in my hands is gone. It is also hard to drive long distances as I will start to get pain in my rt. scapula (shoulder) and under my clavicle. I called my surgeon's office and was told the pain is "normal"??? They suggested I start taking the pain meds to help with sleep and if it is still bothering me in two weeks to call back and they would schedule an MRI.

I was taking 3 neurontin at bedtime to sleep even a few hours prior to surgery and it helped tremendously. It's not fun to be on meds, but consider it for nerve pain. I took it during the day too, but the higher dose at bed was a lifesaver. I could only sleep on my right side due to how bad it was herniated out the left. had an anterior corpectomy and fusion of c5/6/7 in April and weaned off the neurontin after surgery. I've been getting "zingers" down my shoulder blade when I turn my head and am petrified for my next appointment next week...scared they will give me bad news.