anterior cervical discectomy and fusion (Cervical Spinal Fusion) UPDATE 3/23

[PIMking]

Anyone had this procedure done? I have to have mine done, I'm not looking forward to the post op pain but it will finally fix my neck pain that I've had for years.

If you had it what was your post op like?

[Dion]

I have nothing to add other than I hope fusion goes well for you.

[PIMking]

Thanks man, it's funny I've been needing this for years and didn't know. Played hockey, hunted, moved (twice) and was in some serious pain sometimes, I always thought it was muscle pain so I never went to the Doctor. Finally my neck went out and it was so painful I couldn't swallow without nearly breaking down in tears.

Bad pic of the one of the MRI but c4/5 disc ruptured and c7

[Minnie]

Jeebus. That picture. That looks nasty. My aunt had what I would assume would be a similar operation after a major car accident. She had a broken neck - an incomplete fracture between the vertebra called C1 and C2, the top of the spinal column, which holds the skull on the neck (you're probably aware of all those Cs) - all that stopped it from being a complete internal decapitation was 1 mm of tissue, holding her head onto her neck. She spent months at GF Strong in Vancouver, for rehab.

I don't know how much pain it was for her - neither does she, since she wasn't really conscious enough to know what was going on and she had so many other injuries if she knew what was going on, I'm sure it all muddled together. I wish I knew someone else who could give you some answers - best of luck with the surgery.

[Shawnski]

OK, this is just dumbass me. Is the problem with the three vertabrae closest to the throat area that appear to be separated?

[Cali Panthers Fan]

Cripes, disc material appears to have spread out and down the back of the vertebrae impinging upon the spinal cord (from that one bad pic, need to see the rest of the series to be sure). No wonder you were in so much pain. I wonder if they talked to you about what to do with the set of your cervical spine after your surgery because I see disc bulges throughout your c-spine that need attention before they rupture as well.

Can I also just say that serious pain, even if it's just muscle pain, is NOT normal and you should see a doctor asap for it. There are lots of options before fusion surgery if you catch it early enough.

[PIMking]

I thought it was muscle pain but it definitely wasn't. They did an EMG on me yesterday and I felt nothing in my left arm. Now I'm just waiting on the surgeon to call me for the surgery time.

I'm terrified about this, but I'm excited that I won't be in constant pain anymore.

[Rennip]

Yikes, best of luck to you.

[Flash Walken]

Originally Posted by PIMking

I thought it was muscle pain but it definitely wasn't. They did an EMG on me yesterday and I felt nothing in my left arm. Now I'm just waiting on the surgeon to call me for the surgery time.

I'm terrified about this, but I'm excited that I won't be in constant pain anymore.

Surgery of any type is scary, but I don't think it's going to do you any good worrying too much about it. Hollow words, but, the reality is that surgery looks necessary.

http://umm.edu/programs/spine/health...-spine-surgery
http://www.michaelgleibermd.com/blog...e-surgery.html

You might find this one really helpful as it's a discussion group of regular joes:
http://forums.mtbr.com/rider-down-in...es-415163.html

[Caged Great]

I hope everything goes well and you make a full recovery.

[fredr123]

My mom just had work on C5/C6 and C6/C7 done on Wednesday afternoon. She was discharged today already. She was up and about a couple hours after leaving recovery. She's still sore and all, but I would have expected a lot more time in the hospital recovering from surgery given the fact they are monkeying around with your spine for crissakes.

Good luck!

[PIMking]

I just spoke with the surgeon and I'm going in at 8:30 Monday.

[nickerjones]

Hopefully it quickly resolves the pain like my back surgery did for me. Out of curiosity, are you still on your own insurance or did are you on Obamacare? It will be interesting to see what your med bills will be like, especially if you are on Obama's.

[wittynickname]

I might be mistaken, but I'm pretty sure this is the surgery my dad had a few years back. It was a tough recovery--no driving for something like six weeks, inability to lift more than a gallon of milk for the same time frame--but now that he's fully healed, he has no pain at all. It made a huge difference for him.

[PIMking]

Originally Posted by nickerjones

Hopefully it quickly resolves the pain like my back surgery did for me. Out of curiosity, are you still on your own insurance or did are you on Obamacare? It will be interesting to see what your med bills will be like, especially if you are on Obama's.

Obamacare is just a system set up for people to buy into a private company in one central location.

With that being said, I'm on my own insurance through BlueCross BlueShield Alabama that I got through the company. $87/bi-weekly

[TheSutterDynasty]

Originally Posted by PIMking

Anyone had this procedure done? I have to have mine done, I'm not looking forward to the post op pain but it will finally fix my neck pain that I've had for years.

If you had it what was your post op like?

Do you mind describing the pain you're having and the treatments you've tried?

[PIMking]

Originally Posted by TheSutterDynasty

Do you mind describing the pain you're having and the treatments you've tried?

The best thing I can describe it was that it is like this.

I always felt like I had a pinched nerve under my shoulder blade, along with real stiff neck muscles. Some times it would "go out" and I would stuck with out being able to move without terrible pain, and that pain would reach through my shoulders down my spine and up to my skull.

My original major in college was athletic training, I did stretches, which helped a little, but the pain was there. Then I tried Chiropractic care and that seemed to help a little but didn't fix it. I did electro therapy, heat, ice, and then tried the strengthen the muscles in my neck to help support the area thinking it was all muscular.

My last "spasm" a few weeks ago still hasn't stopped. It could happen drying my hair, getting out of bed, putting a shirt on, grabbing for a gallon of milk.

I finally went to my GP and he was scared about the lack of feeling that I had in my hands and arms and called for an MRI, from there is where I am now with a neurosurgeon.

It's amazing, I haven't been able to turn my head all the way without pain for years, I just thought I was stiff from sleeping wrong, I've always had to have a pillow while on a couch and behind my shoulders so I wouldn't get a ton of pain.

towards the last year standing or sitting without support to lean on would really start to tighten up and I would end up curling up and leaning.

I wish I just went to the Dr. sooner.

[TheSutterDynasty]

Originally Posted by PIMking

The best thing I can describe it was that it is like this.

I always felt like I had a pinched nerve under my shoulder blade, along with real stiff neck muscles. Some times it would "go out" and I would stuck with out being able to move without terrible pain, and that pain would reach through my shoulders down my spine and up to my skull.

My original major in college was athletic training, I did stretches, which helped a little, but the pain was there. Then I tried Chiropractic care and that seemed to help a little but didn't fix it. I did electro therapy, heat, ice, and then tried the strengthen the muscles in my neck to help support the area thinking it was all muscular.

My last "spasm" a few weeks ago still hasn't stopped. It could happen drying my hair, getting out of bed, putting a shirt on, grabbing for a gallon of milk.

I finally went to my GP and he was scared about the lack of feeling that I had in my hands and arms and called for an MRI, from there is where I am now with a neurosurgeon.

It's amazing, I haven't been able to turn my head all the way without pain for years, I just thought I was stiff from sleeping wrong, I've always had to have a pillow while on a couch and behind my shoulders so I wouldn't get a ton of pain.

towards the last year standing or sitting without support to lean on would really start to tighten up and I would end up curling up and leaning.

I wish I just went to the Dr. sooner.

Well I'm glad you found something that can work for you. I know you're in the States so it's quite a bit different down there, but it's too bad you didn't get a good chance at physiotherapy earlier on.

Anyways, I'm sure things have been explained to you, but fusion is exactly how it sounds; the vertebrae that are fused will no longer move. At all. This will be especially impactful since it sounds like you're having multiple levels done. You should have decent neck rotation though since it's the lower levels you're having down, so shoulder checking should be ok. Looking up/down, and bending to the side will be reduced.

People gladly exchange this for no more pain, however, and fusions are some of the few surgeries that actually work as most people anticipate in regards to pain relief. If you have weakness in your arm(s) it will improve, but the prognosis for nerve damage is very dependent upon how long that nerve root has been compressed.

[PIMking]

I did an EMG yesterday, my left arm didn't do too well. we will find out how much is dead after surgery.

[PIMking]

Waiting to go in now.