Neck Surgery

[dverna]

It looks like I will need surgery to address issues with C2/C3, C3/C4 and C4/C5.

I am going to try a shot first, but the MRI shows that surgery is going to happen sooner or later.

I have been told I will not be able lift more than 8 lbs for about 3 months. Trying to postpone the surgery as I need to be able to deal with snow, so hopefully the shot will get me by for a while.

I would appreciate hearing from anyone who has gone through this.

Thanks.

[xs11jack]

I haven't gone thru the operation but you and your family will be in my prayers.
Ole Jack

[BLAHUT]

I went through similar; but lower back, you do not say if it is for disks ? If it is there is a part that looks like two bottle caps pointy ends out with a plastic disk in the middle, if still viable ?? They used it to replace the bad disks. For me I was in ICU for a month and then checked my self out, should not have done that, I had to learn to walk again, was over six months before I could walk much, over a year before I could pass a 1/2 gallon of milk across the table to one of the boys. That was 12.1.2006 , over 12 hours on operating table L4,L5 and the one below L5. and still cannot walk very good, IF I had not had the surgery, I would not be walking at all. The surgeon was very good, the infection almost killed me. Start a good corse of antibiotics before you get it done.... Best wishes... Find someone to deal with the snow and get yourself fixed >>>

[Moleman-]

The thread says neck, but L is Lumbar and S is Sacrum? I had a microdisectomy (disc repair) and laminectomy (cut the back side off the vertebrae) on L4-5 in 2007 which really didn't fix the instability issue. The shots worked for a while, until they stopped and walking out to the mailbox and back was about as far as I could go before my legs stopped working. So Sept 2012 I had a laminectomy on L3 and S1 along with a fusion of L4-5 & L5-S1. The pain from surgery was less than what I'd been having before by the time they sent me home. I had the back side of the L4-5 disk break off about a month later requiring another surgery, in which they clipped the dura which caused a spinal fluid leak which was another surgery 3 weeks later. So my deer tags didn't get used that year. Longer recovery to get back to where I was a month out from the fusion. Had PT a few months out but what was actually better was occupational therapy my DR sent me to to teach me how not to piss off my back in the first place.

[pworley1]

My brother had a similar surgery a couple of years ago. He was blessed to have a good medical team. Be patient, it takes time to recover, and do all you PT. Our prayers are with you.

[BNE]

Have you worked with a pain Dr or a surgeon?

I’ve watched my father have surgery on his L4 and L5. Then he had to get rods out in his back, then longer rods after that. Years in between surgeries, but only the first surgery gave him any real relief. He has since been on narcotics for 20+ years. In my mind, “that great surgeon” ruined his life. He is now 88, feeble, and highly addicted to the pain meds. Dad was and is convinced that surgery was his only option. Out of respect,I don’t argue with him, but there are other options.

If it was me, I would talk to other medical professionals first. You can not go backwards from surgery.

I am younger than my Dad was when he got his first surgery, but I had terrible lower back pain last year similar to how his pains began, I saw a pain Dr. I told him I was not doing narcotics or surgery. Fortunately, he agreed. He has been doing prolo therapy on me for a year now. It has been slow, but in that time, I have have gone from seeing a chiropractor 2X a week to not at all in the last 3 months. The last time I saw him, he said I didn’t even need to see him unless something came up. I went from 12+ ibuprofens a day to maybe 4. Maybe.

I’m on my tractor and using a chainsaw every week.

The surgeons will tell you you have “bone on bone” and surgery is your only option.

Please get another opinion from a non-surgeon.

BNE

[georgerkahn]

It looks like I will need surgery to address issues with L2/L3, L3/L4 and L4/L5.

I am going to try a shot first, but the MRI shows that surgery is going to happen sooner or later.

I have been told I will not be able lift more than 8 lbs for about 3 months. Trying to postpone the surgery as I need to be able to deal with snow, so hopefully the shot will get me by for a while.

I would appreciate hearing from anyone who has gone through this.

Thanks.
My malady is both a right leg and its knee -- lower in the anatomy than a neck... Regardless, Don, you will be in my prayers and best wishes! Re "shots" I have been getting in the knee a $1,500.00 cocktail mix of Cortisone and a high-tech joint cartilage mix. The first shot lasted six months; my last -- at end of July -- wore off a week ago... But, I need wait until end of January ('23) for another. The good news, though Don, is if you're to receive a similar cocktail as I've been getting -- to say it is awesome would be an understatement! The shot makes area quite warm for a few minutes immediately thereafter -- and then unbelievable relief from pain complemented with increased mobility!
geo

[farmerjim]

I had the entire lumbar surgery last November. When I woke up the next morning I was able to walk all over the hospital the next morning without any pain. 4 days later all I could do is scream until I would pass out. Had a second surgery in December. I got an infection in my spine, 2 months of IV antibiotics.The infection destroyed the disc at L5 S1. After 3 months of therapy I can walk short distances with difficulty and a lot of pain.

[dverna]

Guys, I screwed up. It is C Not L. My fiancé is going in for her third breast surgery this week and not thinking as well as normal. God has sent us a few challenges this year.

I had two fractured L vertebrae done 6 weeks ago.

Corrected the opening post.

[Hickok]

Don, prayers for you and your lady for healing and recovery.

[trebor44]

C is for Cervical, T is for Thoracic, L is for Lumbar, S is for Sacrum and don't forget the Coccyx. Start with the injections (pain management) before surgery and get a second opinion (Nerve specialist/surgeon). Unfortunately it is a downhill slope! There is no 'easy' or 'perfect' solution for spinal issues.

[MaryB]

I had C3/4 and C4/5 fused about 7 years ago. Just a lifting limit of 20 pounds for 3 months, no PT, no neck brace(they weaken the neck muscles and cause more harm than good) just learn to hold your neck still while it heals. Instant relief of the pain radiating down the left shoulder/arm that was masking a broken and badly healed collarbone from the car accident that did my neck in. Some pain after for 2-3 weeks but not bad at all.

Make sure your surgeon is going in from the front! It disturbs far less muscle structure than the old way of doing it from the back. I had a 2 inch incision on my neck that he hid in a natural skin fold. Titanium plate and a plastic cage with an artificial bone matrix that promoted natural bone growth.

Only downside is I still have pain turning my head to look over my shoulder while driving. I have to turn my upper body to do it now.

[Tazlaw]

Hello all! I am an internet educated x-pert on this subject! lol

Honestly, I have had two surgeries on my neck. Three levels fused. The first surgery I had two levels done at once, Surgeon went in from the front--most do. He told me the disks were compressing the spinal cord by 50%. Thats a lot y'all! He said I would not be able to lift anything but a gallon of milk for six weeks. Folks, it took me six weeks to be able to get off the couch! The first couple weeks I could not even move! Pain meds helped a lot but still killed me every time I moved around.

After six weeks, I was still in pain some but got much better as time went on. I still had some issues with other disks, but they did not warrant surgery. Long story short--after a while I was doing pretty well. No daily meds, I could do about anything I wanted to.

THEN-car wreck, other guys fault--but he didn't have any money or assets to sue for. I did get the insurance check, but most of that went to docs. It was a minor wreck but made my head turn to side and snap really quick. I was having trouble keeping my head turned to a side for any length of time. Had to turn my chair to face whoever was talking. Anyway-back to surgeon I went. Had a wonderful experience this time. First surgery--six weeks before I could get off couch. Second surgery I was stacking firewood the next day! Now I am sure that was against doc's orders, but I did it very slow and only one piece at a time.

Trouble is, I STILL have disks that are rubbing the spinal column. It causes me very much pain on a daily basis. Surgeon said live off meds until you can't stand it anymore. If we do surgery again--your whole neck will be fused together. You will lose your driver's licenses because you can't turn your head at all. Not a very good option for me. It's life! We deal with it and move on. I am happy to be alive and able to see my grandkids. I can even play with them some. Some are getting old enough to hunt/shoot/cast....
I thank God, and Jesus Christ my Lord and Saviour every day. I am not perfect by any means, but I think God is not done with me yet, if He was then I'd be dead!

Takeaway,
Have a good surgeon, ask nurses who's patients recover better. My first ex is an RN, she recommended my surgeon to me because "his patients recover better than everyone's else's." (Btw-first ex is almost a good person, our marriage ended our friendship). Do your research and learn all about the process, find foods and supplements that support recovery and good bone growth. DO NOT OVEREXERT YOURSELF! It probably won't hurt the surgery/fusion, but it will hurt you a lot! There is no reason to hang around in pain. Take the pain meds unless you are subject to becoming an addict. They work, just use them as NEEDED, not wanted.
Do not ever accept Oxycodone as pain med. That stuff was designed to be addictive-google it. Hydrocodone is pretty safe if you do not abuse it.

P.s. I did not hunt after my second surgery (close proximation to hunting season) because I was worried about moving the parts around in my neck when firing. Small price to pay.

[farmbif]

been there, done that, got a whole dresser off them tee shirts.
no matter what. get a second and or even a third opinion from neurosurgeons. dont let an orthopedic surgeon operate on your spine, never, ever. those injections can be more dangerous than surgery if not done just exactly correct. if you do have surgery follow the rehab suggestions and exercises with all the effort you can.
as far as one narcotic being more addictive than another, poppycock. if you have to take pain meds take them as needed or exactly as prescribed. if they dont work, let your doctor know. and of course these days they won't give you very much unless your on your death bed. and if its long term prescriptions for a chronic condition that cant be corrected they will make you pee in a cup every month or 2 to be sure of whats in your system and they can tell exactly how much medicine you are taking with the newest pee, blood or saliva tests.
again. if you can do the rehab exercises thats one of the best things you can do for yourself after spinal injury or surgery. you folks are lucky these days with the new fangled MRI's. back when I first crushed a bunch of vertebrae in my back the doctors would order the " gold standard" test, spinal tap. myelogram. they use a giant needle and syringe, take out some spinal fluid and put in some radioactive dye. feels like the top of your brain is going to blow off. I've had 3 of them tests.

[MrWolf]

Guys, I screwed up. It is C Not L. My fiancé is going in for her third breast surgery this week and not thinking as well as normal. God has sent us a few challenges this year.

I had two fractured L vertebrae done 6 weeks ago.

Corrected the opening post.

I had a cage put in at L4-5 three years ago. Neuro surgeon operated around 7:30 am and I was ready to go home and recover ASAP. I had had discussions with my doc prior to the surgery and told him my son who was a paramedic would be with me and my daughter is a Physician Assistant. I bugged him enough after the surgery that they made me walk the entire floor with this lil drill sergeant who I heard tell the others that I could really walk. I was his first ever parent to go home the same day. Normally 2-3 days. I would have been miserable in the hospital trying to recover. Yes it hurt like hell but I wanted home. I was walking around just fine within a week.. My gf had almost the exact same operation two months later and she was in for four days. Every one is different. Good luck
Ron