Neck fusion being scheduled

[MaryB]

15 months after my car accident they are finally scheduling neck fusion. Only doing a single level to start, c6/c7 to try and get the arm pain under control. I have a badly pinched nerve root on the left at that level and that disc is compressing the spinal cord the worst. He is not a fan of multi-level fusions due to slow healing and poor outcomes. He would rather go in a second time if needed in another year or two.

[jmort]

Sorry to hear this, but praying the surgery is a complete success.

[ozarkhillbilly49]

best wishes on that mary. glad you are getting it done. i waited to long to get the back surgery i need done. my heart has got to bad for the docs to do much cutting on me. ill pray for you.

[historicfirearms]

I had three neck vertebrae fused about 6 years ago. Like you, I was having constant arm pain and numbness. They went in from the front of my neck and put bone (my own from my hip) between the vertebrae and then screwed a titanium plate to everything to hold everything together. They harvested the bone out of my right hip. The day after the surgery they had me walking slowly around the hospital room and sent me home. I won't lie, it was painful. Particularly where they took bone from my hip, and that hurt for a year or so. The neck healed up quickly, within a month or two that felt fine. Immediately after the surgery my arm pain was gone and has stayed gone since, so it was definitely worth it. I can't twist my neck like I could before, but it is worth that small inconvenience to be free of arm pain. The only thing I would do differently if I had it to do over again is use donor (cadaver) bone for the fusion instead of my own hip. There is a slight risk of rejection with donor bone, but I would take that risk to avoid all of the hip pain. Good luck with your surgery, you will be glad you did it.

[opos]

My Wife, also Mary had a 3 level done about 5 years ago with "the cage and cadaver bone" process..they did a front entry through her neck and the result has been outstanding...the main situation is that Mary is a great patient and her doctor was really up on his game...she hated the neck brace but wore it for 6 full months..did all her exercises, followed all orders to a tee, absolutely didn't pick up the 15# cat which almost killed her, and the result was great...her doc said the biggest "failing" in the multi level (or any for that matter) is the patient's sense of urgency to speed up the post operative process...his comment was "we use all our skill and our facilities to to the best job possible and then send the patient home and pray they don't harm the recovery process too much"..Best of luck

[Bohica793]

I had C6/C7 fused using cadaver bone and a titanium plate roughly 10 years ago. Prior the surgery, I had constant pain radiating from the base of my skull to the tips of my fingers on my left hand. When I awoke from the surgery, I was completely pain free. I took ZERO pain meds after the surgery as I did not require anything. The most difficultly I had was sleeping in the neck brace for the required 30 days. MY neurosurgeon walks 3 feet ABOVE water.

[Doc Highwall]

I had mine done through the front too and used the cadaver bone.

[MaryB]

He is going to use plastic spacers instead of bone and then the plate. Left arm pain keeps me awake many nights so getting rid of it will be a start. Told him he needs to look at my low back CT scan and decide what we do there too. He quit using the bone a few years ago and went to these plastic spacers and told me that people seem to heal faster. No neck brace either with him.

[Clay M]

All the best to you for your recover..I am sure you will do well..You are strong and have a good spirit..

[crowbuster]

Will say a prayer that all will go well and the pain level will improve. Constant pain wears on a person. Best of luck Mary.

[MaryB]

Been fighting non stop pain since 2006 when my low back finally said it had enough and gave out. Laminectomy to remove parts of the disc and the bone spurs helped there for 6 years but that has gone bad again. It didn't get rid of all pain but it helped the leg pain immensely but that pain has been back now for 3-4 years. Bad shoulders, bad knees(torn acl in both), right hip has a huge bone spur, carpal tunnel surgery twice right hand, pain is an old friend with me!

[MT Gianni]

I hope all goes well.

[snowwolfe]

Had a similar surgery Jan 14. Fused C5-C6-C7. Left arm was so weak due to the nerves being shut off I couldn't even lift up a cup of coffee. Went in from the front and used cadaver bone and a titanium plate. Woke up after the surgery and felt better than I had in the last year with ZERO pain other than a nasty sore throat which lasted a couple of weeks.
Before the surgery was eating 6-8 Norco a day, after, NONE.
Doctor finally gave me permission to hit the gym and tread mill after one week as long as I walked and kept the weights light.

You will be very happy after the surgery:) Best wishes to you for a speedy recovery.

[MaryB]

Yeah I had a hard time holding a can of coke today left handed. That comes and goes some but is always there in the background to some extent. C7 nerve root is badly pinched by bone spurs on top of the bulging disc at that height.

[smokeywolf]

Sure hope this significantly reduces the pain that you have had to live with.

smokeywolf

[Magana559]

I don't have a neck fusion but j do have a lumbar fusion, L3-S1 fused with 6 screws, 4 rods, and 3 plates. Absolutely helps with the leg pain/paralysis but not with the back pain.
Be absolutely sure it's your last option before jumping into the fusion, it's definitely a game changer. I myself cannot complain because I was losing my legs before the surgery. It's just a lot tougher not being able to bend at all.

[Magana559]

And I had a significant increase in back pain, but that's normal after 4 surgeries 8n the same area.

[Cmm_3940]

I had a staph infection form a grape-sized cyst within a cervical vertebra, which compressed my spine and partially ate a disk. It went undetected because I had no elevated temp or white cell count. Went through five MRIs without finding out what was wrong with me. Finally wound up in the emergency room one day in unbearable pain and loss of motor control to the point I couldn't sign the paperwork in the ER to get treated. I vaguely remember someone holding a pen in my hand as I made a sort of scrawling mark on the release. Nearly died. A final head-to-toe emergency MRI by the oncall nerosurgeon (NOT a neurologist, who had been looking at my MRIs before this) turned up the problem. Two surgeries, incisions front and back of neck, laminectomy, metal plate and two screws installed. When I woke up, the pain was simply GONE. Recovery was, umm..., lenghty. 8 week course of IV antibiotics just to start with. I was left with some permanent nerve damage, tactile and motor control loss in hands and feet.

but I ramble. I guess the thing that is important for you to know is that the pain relief following the surgery is immediate.

[Lloyd Smale]

my prayers are with you. Ive had 5 back surgerys but none in the neck and know that's hands down the worse place to have them. Ive got a buddy who broke his neck in a car wreck in the late 70s and I don't know how many operations and procedures he had but im sure he could have supported a couple doctors. Hes allways in pain and be ridden half the time. So I know how miserable those neck things can be.

[ohland]

they are finally scheduling neck fusion.

Neck fusion, is that like cold fusion? Will this fusion give you the powers of wonder woman?

[Ramar]

You're in my prayers.
Ramar

[Rick Hodges]

You have my prayers. My hunting partner had a single fusion done 3 or 4 years ago. They went in from the front....he was trying to swing a golf club 3 weeks later. We did go fishing but he asked that I not go crazy through the waves...as he didn't want to unduly bounce his neck around. He had severe arm pain...and it cured it completely.

Hoping for a full and speedy recovery for you.

[snuffy]

Mary, prayers from Oshkosh for a successful surgery. I need it too, keep putting it off. With the help of my chiropractor, I've been able to avoid it. I hope it solves your pain.:happy dance: (We need a smiley of someone praying!)

[MaryB]

I was told to avoid chiropractic like the plague. With discs compressing the spinal cord it could lead to really bad things.

Almost dropped a 1/2 gallon of V8 this morning. Picked it up left handed without thinking and dang near dropped it. No strength on that side today.

[shoot-n-lead]

Mary, prayers for a successful surgery and recovery.

[Lloyd Smale]

I agree. Im not a chiropractor fan at all. Nothing like mushing around some already bone to bone discs. If your talking neck I wouldn't walk within 10 miles of one.
I was told to avoid chiropractic like the plague. With discs compressing the spinal cord it could lead to really bad things.

Almost dropped a 1/2 gallon of V8 this morning. Picked it up left handed without thinking and dang near dropped it. No strength on that side today.

[bruce drake]

same procedure and same location for same problem. Oct1 went in to have the C6-C7 fused and once the doctor got in there he was able to clear up all the bone spurs and degraded disk issues. Ended up not getting a fusion but instead he installed a titanium spacer to help rebuild the C6 and to deal with the inflammation of the ulnar nerves which was paralyzing my arms.
When the doctor says 10lb weight limit on lifting, he means it. Follow it religiously. Also, your throat is going to be very sore and I advise soft food for several days while it recovers from all the manipulation, (to get to the disk fromt he front incision, he will have to literally shift your voicebox and windpipe over about 3 inches and then put it back afterwards.
You are going to be dealing with sore throat issues for several weeks and phlegm buildup in the throat for a couple of months as well. It does go away eventually.
My Arm pain and tingling - gone almost immediately after wakeup. Hope its the same for you. Arm Strength will still be for a few weeks afterwards as part of your recovery. You'll know when you overdue it. Mine is when I lift something too heavy and it comes like a needle/knife stab between the shoulder blades.
Post-Operative, the incision and the sore throat may be your biggest pain issues for a while. I don't take a lot of serious pain meds now but the Percocets and the other drugs they prescribed afterwards really helped...but the first couple of days on the Percs were a bit of a blur...
After a month, they may move you up to 20lbs. Its been 6 months since my surgery and I'm now allowed 40lbs. More than that, I know it is still too much. Perhaps as I heal it will get to be more. If not, I have my sons to do the lifting...
I Also had a no heavy recoiling rifles limit placed on me by my neurosurgeon who is also a target shooter. Last month, he let me get back to shooting all my rifles again. Its a recovery process that I hope yo can benefit from this post in order to see what you have to look forward to.
Bruce

[snuffy]

I was told to avoid chiropractic like the plague. With discs compressing the spinal cord it could lead to really bad things.

Almost dropped a 1/2 gallon of V8 this morning. Picked it up left handed without thinking and dang near dropped it. No strength on that side today.


I agree. Im not a chiropractor fan at all. Nothing like mushing around some already bone to bone discs. If your talking neck I wouldn't walk within 10 miles of one.

I don't want to start a fight. I'm just able to get along with a great chiropractor that has handled my case for 15 years. He knows his stuff, and if he can't help me, he tells me go see a surgeon.

Medical doctors and chiropractors have been at war ever since the bone benders started treating people. Few doctors give them any credit for healing without drugs or surgery.

After reading this entire thread, I see I'm not even in the same league with Mary and a few others. My case is mild, compared to them. I have degenerated discs in both my neck(cervical) and lower back (lumbar). I'm not a surgery candidate at this time. A MRI at Milwaukee VA,(zabloki), showed the degenerated discs in my lower back. An orthopedic doc looked at the MRI said maybe in a couple of years they might do a fusion. I suspect getting in shape following my CABG surgery will help get/keep things moving. As well as losing weight will take the pressure off as well.

[jcwit]

Here's praying everything goes well for you Mary.

May you and your pet have full recovery ASAP, you both need & deserve it.

[w5pv]

Praying for a speedy recover and the pain taken away'

[Lloyd Smale]

I think there lies the answer. In people not yet needing surgery they may help. I think anyone that has progressed so badly that they need surgery shouldn't be fooling with a chiropractor. Heck ill even add this. Back surgery is a dice roll itself so surgeons aren't a thing to bet on either. After 5 surgerys im worse then I was when I started.
I don't want to start a fight. I'm just able to get along with a great chiropractor that has handled my case for 15 years. He knows his stuff, and if he can't help me, he tells me go see a surgeon.

Medical doctors and chiropractors have been at war ever since the bone benders started treating people. Few doctors give them any credit for healing without drugs or surgery.

After reading this entire thread, I see I'm not even in the same league with Mary and a few others. My case is mild, compared to them. I have degenerated discs in both my neck(cervical) and lower back (lumbar). I'm not a surgery candidate at this time. A MRI at Milwaukee VA,(zabloki), showed the degenerated discs in my lower back. An orthopedic doc looked at the MRI said maybe in a couple of years they might do a fusion. I suspect getting in shape following my CABG surgery will help get/keep things moving. As well as losing weight will take the pressure off as well.

[MaryB]

With low back surgery under my belt once already I well know to follow limits on lifting! Doc went over the surgical stuff with me in the office, he has this soft rubber model he pretty much shows the process on. Right now lifting is pretty much becoming a thing of the past so a 10 pound limit would be an improvement over dropping everything like the can of coke earlier.

[MaryB]

Surgery second or third week of April, still trying to nail down a time my sister is free to help with driving

[snowwolfe]

If you really want a treat go to youtube and look up the surgery. Then you will understand why your throat feels like you swallowed a water melon:)

Good luck with the surgery.

[Pinsnscrews]

You are still in my prayers Mary, glad they are getting you a date. I finally got the referal to my surgeon,mhe actually looked at the MRI and not the report and said the MRI tech was too neutral in the report. I was showing signs of spinal column compression in the MRI and should have been directed to a surgeon. He says that I need to quit letting pain bother me so they take closer looks at thigs. He says I screwed myself by not telling them the pain was worse. (I won't tell you what my '10' is on the pain scale) he told me in the future to treat this injury as a 10 and rate everything else based on this. Because of that, he put me on the RUSH list. My surgery is the 17th of March.(next week) C3-C4 and C6-C7 fusions. He is going to make a "on the fly" judgement call whether to use a synthetic spacer or a bone graft for them.

I can't wait.

btw, I went to my usual chiro the day after the incident and he said he would not touch it until the swelling went down. Said what he does would cause more swelling and not be a positive thing. That is why I go to him. If he can fix it, he will, if he can't he will make suggestions on who to see. The pain management specialist was on his suggestion.

quick Healing Mary!

[MaryB]

Mine is compressed but not that bad. And yes my 10 on a pain scale would probably have most people begging for morphine IV. I function still but it means no way can I work.

[Magana559]

If you are dropping things and are losing feeling in limbs I would say get it done. Like I said in the first post, Absolutely make sure you can live with more restrictions on neck mobility and increased muscle pain at the incision site. It's a pain trade off.

Also, the faster you get it done the less nerve damage it creates. I waited 2.5 years and 3 less invasive procedures and still ended up with a 3 level fusion.
Your doctor makes all the difference in the world too, make sure you get a good one!

[MaryB]

Doc did my low back decompression and that gained me 5 years pain free mostly, hospital has a dedicated neurosurgery wing with its own air filtering system etc to prevent infections. They also have 1 nurse on duty for every 2 patients. So it is a good place. Went to the range today and firing the AR made my left hand pretty much go numb on the outer half. Feeling is back a little but it needs fixing.

[Clay M]

We will certainly hope and pray that things go well for you.I am sure you are nervous and ready to get it over with.
I had to have a Cardiac Ablation in 2012.The procedure went well but I was nervous and apprehensive about it. The only pain I had was when they had to hit me with the Voltage to get my heart rhythm back to normal. That hurt ,even though I was asleep..
Wishing you the best..
Clay M

[MaryB]

I have had 7 joint surgeries so far... no longer get nervous. Nurse came in to give me the sleepy med last time and I was napping, she had to wake me up lol

[Clay M]

I have had 7 joint surgeries so far... no longer get nervous. Nurse came in to give me the sleepy med last time and I was napping, she had to wake me up lol

I am glad you have confidence in your Doctors, and I hope it relieves your pain and restores to use of your hands and arms..

[MaryB]

April 16th is the date, no engraving orders will be worked on for at least 2 weeks, maybe 3. My docs have kept me walking, low back nerve compression had killed the use of my left leg and I was using a cane/walker. I still drag that side a bit from lingering nerve damage but I am walking.

[smokeywolf]

April 16th is the date, no engraving orders will be worked on for at least 2 weeks, maybe 3. My docs have kept me walking, low back nerve compression had killed the use of my left leg and I was using a cane/walker. I still drag that side a bit from lingering nerve damage but I am walking.

Peroneal nerve damage? That's what I live with. Mine is also the left leg.

[MaryB]

Doc just called it sciatic nerve damage, that is one branch of it so yes. Gets worse the longer I walk...

[xs11jack]

I think you are believer in Christ so I pray for your healing and spiritual strength. If'n you ain't I will pray for your healing and salvation.
One way or the other, you're getting prayed over.
Ole Jack

[MaryB]

I am but no longer a believer in big churches. I prefer to worship in private or with just family when we are together.

[ozarkhillbilly49]

my thoughts and prayers are with you mary. 73's

[Lloyd Smale]

damage to the sciatic nerve is my main problem now. About complete numbness of my left leg below the knee and the sciatic pain that comes with it. After all the operations to fix what was wrong my doctor tells me that nerves usually just don't heal and its something I will have to live with. they implanted a spinal stimualtor to supposedly block nerve pain but when its bad its about as useless as the narcotics.
Doc just called it sciatic nerve damage, that is one branch of it so yes. Gets worse the longer I walk...

[MaryB]

Yeah meds are not cutting it tonight, raked out the garden and moved all the leaves and old plants to the compost pile. Paying for it now but the way food prices have headed the garden is a must.

[GONRA]

GONRA hopes you get better fast!

Seeking a rcommendation for a "Neck Brace"
for use when on my eXmark Zero Turn Lawnmower.
Have small kink in my neck. Hurts more whilst mowing.

Wal*Mart sells a $21 "ITA-MED Rigid Plastic Cervical Collar '
Think its worth a try?
Thanx in advance guys!

[opos]

My Wife..another Mary had a multi level fusion (from the front) a few years ago...she is a really good patient and her ortho is very talented (he had done some work on her back before)...the results on her neck have been amazing...her doc said the fact she is such a good patient and did exactly as she was told made the difference between a great result and a "good" result....She was not happy with the time she had to spend in the collar but he said her neck needed the support and being a good patient she just mumbled a lot but kept it on....and it really paid off...best of luck with your surgery...it's made a huge difference here. Pic is the day the brace came off for good...big steak lunch!!

166898

[Blackwater]

Prayers up for you Mary. I had my cervical disc fusion in 2000 on the same one as you're experiencing. I wouldn't go for surgery until I HAD to. More pain than I'd ever had in my life before then! Went to a neurosurgeon in Savannah, and the results could not have been better! I was astounded at how little problems I had afterward. Did as he instructed, but totally pain free since. Whenever I get an X-ray of my neck, I'm always amazed that I can have what looks to be a titanium bolt about 3/4" dia. in there, and not feel it!

Had two more surgeries on my back, and both went well. The first was a laminectomy, and it worked for a time, but the disc finally just disintegrated, and I found a new level of pain I'd never imagined before. After the surgery, though, I didn't even take any pain meds! Finally took some tylenol to deal with some of the mild swelling that was present briefly. My doc, like someone said earlier, walks ABOVE the water just as his does!

I was told many years ago that neurosurgeons tend to give better results on back surgeries than orthopoedists, and I have to agree with that from my own personal, though limited experience. Looks like I know need another back surgery and hip replacement. I'm pooching out my lips now, and working myself up to making the call to let the docs tell me what to do next.

Who knew, back when we were all 10 ft. tall, bulletproof and immortal, that it'd all lead to this? Wish you well, young lady!

[Preacher Jim]

Mary our prayers will be with you for successful relief and healing. Just remember the after care is as important as thee surgery. Please don't ask how I learned that lesson.

[tomme boy]

Dang Mary you sound as beat up as I am. Sucks, especially trying to get the Dr's to listen

[MaryB]

Guys, this thread is a year old lol surgery got the use of my left arm back. I suffer from a little neck pain during weather changes due to the titanium plate... they used the plastic spacers and artificial bone substitute as filler and it has healed well. Been pretty active this spring and the only thing bothering me is shoulders and mid back where I have hunks of disc floating loose in the spinal canal...

Moved a rolling cabinet out to the new garage to start in the beer brewing stand. I have its twin in the shed to dig out and then bolt them together, mount 3 burners, mount a pump and all the quick disconnects... all grain brewing takes 3 tanks hot liquor tank(which is actually hot water only for sparging), the mash tun where the grains steep, and the boil kettle the sugar from the grains is drained into. These are 24x36, with 2 of them side by side I have room for the 3 propane burners I will be using.

http://i226.photobucket.com/albums/dd248/maryalanab/IMG_20160424_171432815_HDR1_zpsjznahicz.jpg

[smokeywolf]

I'm always amazed when hobbyists like us can fit a car in their garage.

Really glad to see things are moving in the right direction for you Mary.

[ShaneLyall]

I'm the new kid here so I'm just reading about your surgery. Glad to hear it went well. I also had the same procedure a few years ago after a rock fall in an underground coal mine broke my neck, and several other bones. Takes me forever to get thru an airport metal detector!

[MaryB]

Well the garage is 24x30... and I have to still move a lot of tools from the shed. Did some work hanging up ladders yesterday and freed up a lot of floor space. Still trying to decide in a good method to store extra steel roofing/siding. I have enough scraps to build a small shed! May use them as liner for the other shed after I insulate it.


I'm always amazed when hobbyists like us can fit a car in their garage.

Really glad to see things are moving in the right direction for you Mary.

[Lloyd Smale]

Mary be careful. I know they put parts in my buddys neck and because of years of nerve damage the parts aggravated him even worse. He decided he wanted them out and the doctor said that there is no doctor in the US that can take them out. they removed to much bone putting them in. He lives in bad pain everyday now and even a narcotic pain pump doesn't cut it. So I would definitely check with your doctor to make sure this is reversible. The neck area is much more critical and sensitive then the rest of your back. To many nerves there going to your brain. Its not just your routine spinal fusion your getting.

[MaryB]

Fusion was done a year ago, Xrays show everything is fine. No irritation of nerves, 90% pain reduction(well worth it to not have electric shock down my arms). He does a LOT of fusions each year so he knows what he is doing. No surgery is risk free but if it causes issues they can remove it and go to cadaver bone but that carries risks too!

[Lloyd Smale]

good luck though. Anytime they have that knife that close to your brain its a very serious operation!