Hi ksf, I saw your post from over a year ago on steadyhealth.com. I also had ACDF and since the surgery (6 yrs now) I have been in severe chronic pain - primarily on the left side of my cervical spine which escalates with any activity. I also get relief after I rest my neck for a while on a pillow while icing. But the moment I try to do anything, especially sitting, the pain escalates all over again. I see a Dr. at a pain clinic - I am trying to manage my pain with meds, rhizotomy, facet blocks, etc. but am in agony and cannot function. I was wondering if you could update me as to your condition? Have you found any answers? I would greatly appreciate your input. Thank you . Kelly
i had c5 and c6 fused in nov 2010-i was feeling kinda allright, manageable about a year or so later-but last summer the pain started getting progressively worse, dr didnt want to listen, i was fixed and fused! they sent me in dec for mri and c4 was blown-had second surgery a little over a month ago-my pain is in my neck and shoulders-i work on pc all day long-i am going to get an ergonomical mouse and see if that helps
my kids are in the catagory of 'it cant hurt that bad' also-thank goodness i had bought groceries and dog food and paid some bills ahead or i would have starved to death and not had water and electricty-only my older sister knows my pain and comes once a week to take me to go places i need to go-the house went unvacumned/cleaned for 5 weeks-i live by myself so i cook and do dishes, but i have to take alot of breaks so far-kids are so busy and in their own world-i have a sign i put on my front door "go away" or i just dont answer-visitors know and i know they know i am here, but i will answer the door when I want company-i am 50 and have a boyfriend, but i have been begging him to stay away for a month now-and he really is a great guy-thinking i might need to talk to dr about anti depressents-been 2 1/2 years and i feel like the life has just been sucked out of me-the pain been going on to long-gotta back to work in a week or if i can talk dr into giving me additional couple of weeks-something has to give
get your medical records and see if they used something called BMP, (they also word this a few different ways) It is usually put on a sponge or in a cage between disc in your cervical area used to promote bone growth. My husband is going through the same thing. unbearable pain, burning on right side neck and temple. BMP will cause inflammation of the nerve roots called radiculitis with a lot of other problems. It causes bone spurs which is unbearable when it squeezes the nerves and surgery must be done. See a neurologist and have them check the nerves in cervical area and make sure there are no pinched or inflamed nerves, or bone growth pinching the nerves.
How did things turn out for you ?
DON'T DO IT. I DON'T CARE WHAT THEY TELL YOU. I HAVE FOUND SINCE I HAD MINE DONE THAT THE USUAL SALES PITCH FROM YOUR SURGEON WILL BE, "YOU REALLY HAVE NO CHOICE BECAUSE IF YOU FALL OR IN A CAR ACCIDENT YOU WILL BE PARALYZED. " THEY TOLD ME THE PAIN WOULD BE MINIMAL AND WOULD BE BACK TO WORK IN TWO WEEKS. AFTER SIX WEEKS, i WENT BACK TO WORK AND HAVE BEEN IN PAIN EVER SINCE. THE SURGEON SAYS AFTER MY 3 MONTH CHECKUP, EVERYTHING LOOKS GREAT. COULDN'T ASK FOR IT TO BE BETTER LOOKING ON THE XRAY. MY ANSWER, "WELL, WHY DO I FEEL AS THOUGH I AM A DIFFERENT PERSON BECAUSE I LIVE WITH PAIN EVERY DAY. I AM TIRED OF FEELING LIKE MY FAMILY THINKS I SHOULD GO ON AS IF NOTHING HAPPENED AND GET OVER IT. HOW DO YOU GET OVER FEELING PAIN EVERY DAY SINCE THE SURGERY AND AFTER SIX WEEKS LEVELED OFF TO A TOLERABLE PAIN, BUT NO CHANGE SINCE. I AM FORCED TO ACT HAPPY, HEALTHY AND NORMAL WHEN I DON'T FEEL THAT WAY, JUST TO MAKE EVERYONE ELSE FEEL OKAY. EVEN THE DOCTOR WANTS TO PRETEND NOTHING IS WRONG. HE IS THE ONE THAT BOTHERS ME MOST, BECAUSE I KNOW HE DID THE SURGERY AND I FEEL THAT HE SHOULD KNOW WHAT IS WRONG BUT WON'T ADMIT THAT HE KNOWS WHAT IS WRONG. BEFORE THE SURGERY, THE PAIN WAS ON THE LEFT, AFTER, THE PAIN IS ON THE RIGHT???? I DON'T HAVE FULL USE OF MY RIGHT HAND. WHEN I TRY TO GRASP THINGS TO PICK THEM UP. BUT AGAIN, THE DR. SAYS IT IS MUSCLE PAIN. HE WON'T ADMIT THAT A NERVE HAS BEEN DAMAGED AND/OR PINCHED. I HAVE A CONSTANT PAIN JUST BELOW MY COLLAR BONE ON THE RIGHT BESIDES THE PAIN IN THE BACK OF THE NECK THAT WILL NOT GO AWAY WITH ANY AMOUNT OF OVER THE COUNTER DRUGS I'VE BEEN TAKING TO TRY TO ALLEVIATE IT. THE SURGEON HAD ME ON 5 MG HYDROCODONE WITH 325 MG. TYLENOL FOR TWO WEEKS AND THEN STOPPED THE PRESCRIPTION PAIN RELIEVER SO I WOULD NOT BECOME ADDICTED. IS IT BETTER TO BE ADDICTED TO SOMETHING THAT STOPS THE PAIN AND MAKES YOU FEEL NORMAL SO THAT YOU CAN GO ON WITH YOUR LIFE, OR SUFFER AND BE GROUCHY AND UNHAPPY. IT'S NOT LIKE I WOULD OVERDOSE OR TAKE MORE THAN PRESCRIBED. I AM NOT THAT KIND OF PERSON!
i had cervical fusion on c4 5 6 w/ plate & 6 screws 2/25. some pain in neck and hurts to turn head and cannot look down very well. Worst of this is my throat has not stopped hurting. I feel a lump in throat, difficulty swallowing and have even choked a few times. very hard to eat. I just had lidocaine injection in neck only numbed for hour not worth it. im wondering what I can do other than have this all the time. sick of soup and recliner.
I would not do it. I had the procedure done last year, and i am in more pain then i have ever been in my life. I wish i just would of went to a pain clinic before surgery. I now have to go to the pain clinic, and be on pain pills the rest of my life. If i would of just know about pain clinics, it would of made my pain that i was going threw , easier. There is not one person who i have talked to said the surgery worked. I was so upsset , i wanted to sue the doctor. These operations DO NOT WORK, i haved researched this since my surgery, and wow what i know now. So my advice, is absoulty Not!
Mary N I am about ready to cry after reading your post. I have had C5-6 fusion from lifting accident at work( only about 15lb. weird huh?). Nine months after that surgery I was in an auto accident and had to have C6-C7 fused. After the bone finally healed (1 yr.) the pain never went away. I am 60 yrs old my symptoms are virtually identical to youra. I also am taking pain medications which nominally mitigate the pain as well as an anti depressant. Somedays are nearly unbearable. Sometimes I am want to be anesthesized. You've listed all the things I am going throough so I won't reiterate them. I was thinking of getting rhizotomy done next week however the forum comments I have read have been mostly negatinve. I am not sure what to say, except that I get it. Today I can sit up for awhile and type and yesterday I was down all day with ice packs, meds, tens unit, nerve glides, muscle stretches and no relief. So far I have had 8 yrs. of this... Now what? I don't know. Dan S
Can anyone help me ? I had ACDF one week ago the pain in my arm and the headaches are gone, but replaced with pain even worse than what I went in with. I have SEVERE HORRIBLE INSANE PAIN in my neck and shoulder. I was given 2 strong pain meds for pain and they are not touching this at all. It is 24/7. Is this amount of pain normal, to be hurting this bad ? On a pain scale it a 10 + it will go past a ten and I cant take it . The pain meds bring it down to a 8-9 but not for long. How long is pain supposed to last after a surgery like this ? Is this amount of pain normal or is something wrong ?
I had anterial cervical discectomy and fusion in May2013.
Since this is over a year old, I may not get feedback. 18mos ago I had a 3-level cervical fusion (4-5, 5-6,-6-7) and have been suffering, although different from pre-surgery, ever since. My neck pops, I have headaches, my jaw hurts constantly, etc. I too do not work and every aspect of my life has been affected. My doctor really doesn't have any answers except that I have nerve damage. I am miserable and wish I had never done this. Thanks.
Since this is over a year old, I may not get feedback. 18mos ago I had a 3-level cervical fusion (4-5, 5-6,-6-7) and have been suffering, although different from pre-surgery, ever since. My neck pops, I have headaches, my jaw hurts constantly, etc. I too do not work and every aspect of my life has been affected. My doctor really doesn't have any answers except that I have nerve damage. I am miserable and wish I had never done this. Thanks.
I had acdf in May of 2013 for degenerative disc disease which was close to comprimising my mobility. 4 discs were involved-plate and screws. Well, the donor bone did not fuse and the screws came loose. Move ahead to March 31, 2014-had surgery done again. This time the dr. removed bone marrow from my hip-did all C 1-7-plate, screws.......etc. i am also using a bone growth stimulator 30 minutes each day-have to do this for 9 months. have not been back for my post op check up yet. go on may 13. Is this a common occurance? Has it happened to any one else. Should I blame the Dr? Please give me some feedback. Thanks, Jayne oh yeah, dr also referred me to pain mgmt. Why?
If you are still out there would love to know how it is going. Did a C4,5,6 myself in April of 2012. Did ok the first year, numbness, tingling and shooting pains a little: over the shoulders, behind the biceps, elbows, upper fore arms, little and ring fingers and lower hand/palm – worse on the right then the left. Year two started a wind up of gradually increasing pain that crescendoed the month of the two year anniversary. Tried all the drugs through that time. My son suggested Adderall which I scoffed at but it helped, 5mg got me back on my feet and doing stuff but when it wore off - ouch almost unbearable, but I can not sleep on Adderall and I agree 9 to 10 hours sleep or equivalent flat back time is important, the more the better! Got on Butrans patches 10mcg and that took the bite out of the Adderall wearing off, it only took a week to figure that out. That worked pretty well for six months at end of which I was up to 10 to 15 mg of Adderall, 5mg 3 times a day and then the Butrans patches weren't enough. Dried out for three weeks and that was agony, couldn't even get comfortable to sleep - up pacing the house. Anyway I am currently back on 10 to 15 mg Adderall while trying to get a correct dose of buprenorphine, same drug as in the patch but dissolved under the tongue. 2 mg of buprenorphine all at once was too much for my head and the pain was back before my head was. Actually titrated up to .5 mg 4 times a day, started with .02 mg by diluting a 2 mg pill in water, what a bother. Anyway the buprenorphine still is bothering my head but the pain is manageable. I’m really sensitive to cold and stress and lack of proper rest makes things even worse. Would love to compare notes.