Dang, I have to have more surgery!

[jazzielady]

Two years ago I had fusion surgery on my lower back. For the most part it's been a success, except for difficulty standing in place for long and walking long distances. Then it feels like someone put 50 lb. weights on each hip. At least the pain in my leg is gone.

About 6 weeks ago, I fell while scrubbing floors at home w/Murphy's oil soap. I had applied it and was letting it soak into the wood before scrubbing.

Hint: don't try to walk across a floor coated with Murphy's Oil Soap.

My feet went right out from under me. My right arm and shoulder took the brunt of the fall.

Since then, I've had numbness, tingling, and weakness in my right arm. Went back to the neurosurgeon who did my lower back and he said that I have 2 discs virtually gone, and arthritic boney growths into my spinal column.. He also said that conservative methods won't do anything.

So here I go again. He's going to fuse level C5-7 to stabilize my vertebrae. I can't wait. It's really frustrating when my arm goes numb numerous times each hour. I am currently off work for other health issues, and am trying to get an online writing career started. It's tough with my arm.

Has anyone here ever had cervical fusion? I'd like to hear some stories - positive or negative.

TIA!

 

[SRICE100]

Jazzielady-

No I have not. But you are in my thoughts. I hope this goes well for you!

I just had an emergency apendectomy, and am shocked how difficult it has been to recuperate. Must be I am getting old.

Hopefully someone else on the boards is familiar with a cervical fusion.

Take Care!

 

[The Princess]

I haven't had fusions....yet but eventually am going to have to~hope all works out well and you will be pain and numb free soon.

 

[LindaR]

Well, I had my lower back fused using bone grafted from my hip (which I will NEVER do again).

My sister had to have her cervical spine fused and HER doctor used donor bone. Her recovery was so much quicker!

I have "issues" all the way up my spine and will eventually have to have more surgeries, but now I know so much more and know to question the doctor ALOT more and be more proactive in DECIDING what will be done!

 

[jazzielady]

Thanks for all your responses. I've heard that cervical fusion is easier than lumbar, so I'm hoping for the best.

 

[disneymarie]

Two years ago I had fusion surgery on my lower back. For the most part it's been a success, except for difficulty standing in place for long and walking long distances. Then it feels like someone put 50 lb. weights on each hip. At least the pain in my leg is gone.

About 6 weeks ago, I fell while scrubbing floors at home w/Murphy's oil soap.

Since then, I've had numbness, tingling, and weakness in my right arm. Went back to the neurosurgeon who did my lower back and he said that I have 2 discs virtually gone, and arthritic boney growths into my spinal column.. He also said that conservative methods won't do anything.

Has anyone here ever had cervical fusion? I'd like to hear some stories - positive or negative.

TIA!

For a longtimer with cervial and lumbar issues, it is extremly early to consider surgury for the fall. This degenerative no disc was there prior to the fall and you lived with it....the new pain is strain and nerve pain. That can take 6 months to a year to heal.
Brachial plexu stretch injury.....

I herniated the left side of the cervical 9 year ago. I live with the numbness, hands, fingers fall asleep, holding the phone, steering wheel,...
Along with lumbar, unable to stand in line more then a few minutes, walking get power outages to the leg. My neck strain, whiplash never went away. The left side herniations, are not a restrictive problem.

The surgeon gets paid to do surgery....at 6 weeks, he his doing surgery based on the pre injury condition to your neck.
How much of that pain do you feel could benefit from the surgery?
I would do non agressive therapy, no hand bike, no therabands. Ultra sound, Tens, on the shoulders, heat pack and massage.

THere are cervical nerves called the brachial nerve bundle, C4-5-6-7-8 & T-1, they travel across the shoulders, behind the collar bone and become the 3 nerves of the arm, the Ulnar, Median and Radial.

They travel from the neck, shoulder to the finger tips,...about 3 feet.
This is a whip lash type injury and needs to heal.
To fix the disc is not going to address this pain...

it is like the pain in the back going down you leg..
Pre injury MRI on older, over 30 are going to show degeneration. It is what symptoms you have before your fall, after the fall, and in another 6 months.
Just my thoughts, my Aunt 3 years older then me had the cervical surgury and it damaged the vocal nerves and she still has the arm pain.
Di

 

[jazzielady]

Wow Marie, you are a great fountain of information. I just gave you the Reader's Digest version. I don't blame all of my pain on the fall. For about the past year, when I would lay in a reclined position for a long period of time - like napping or taking a nap, my arm would tingle and go numb.

It's only since the fall that the tingling, numbness, and weakness started. I know that DDD is common with age, and that not everyone with issues with discs have pain, and some people have pain whose discs are perfect.

My concern isn't so much the discs as the arthritic growths. You could obviously see on the MRI how the spinal cord was being impinged on. My doctor is one of the best in the area, and that's saying a lot in Pittsburgh. I've never had any success with conservative measures such as PT and injections. The Dr. also said that conservative methods really wouldn't help in my situation. I have no reason to doubt him. I know dr.s make $ from doing surgery, but right now, I'll do anything to get rid of this pain.

For a longtimer with cervial and lumbar issues, it is extremly early to consider surgury for the fall. This degenerative no disc was there prior to the fall and you lived with it....the new pain is strain and nerve pain. That can take 6 months to a year to heal.
Brachial plexu stretch injury.....

I herniated the left side of the cervical 9 year ago. I live with the numbness, hands, fingers fall asleep, holding the phone, steering wheel,...
Along with lumbar, unable to stand in line more then a few minutes, walking get power outages to the leg. My neck strain, whiplash never went away. The left side herniations, are not a restrictive problem.

The surgeon gets paid to do surgery....at 6 weeks, he his doing surgery based on the pre injury condition to your neck.
How much of that pain do you feel could benefit from the surgery?
I would do non agressive therapy, no hand bike, no therabands. Ultra sound, Tens, on the shoulders, heat pack and massage.

THere are cervical nerves called the brachial nerve bundle, C4-5-6-7-8 & T-1, they travel across the shoulders, behind the collar bone and become the 3 nerves of the arm, the Ulnar, Median and Radial.

They travel from the neck, shoulder to the finger tips,...about 3 feet.
This is a whip lash type injury and needs to heal.
To fix the disc is not going to address this pain...

it is like the pain in the back going down you leg..
Pre injury MRI on older, over 30 are going to show degeneration. It is what symptoms you have before your fall, after the fall, and in another 6 months.
Just my thoughts, my Aunt 3 years older then me had the cervical surgury and it damaged the vocal nerves and she still has the arm pain.
Di

 

[jazzielady]

Last Thurs. I called my neurosurgeon's office after several nights of incontinence. I won't go into detail, but with back problems, it can be a very serious situation.

They told me to go to the er for emergency surgery. After 3 days of testing, they determined that it wasn't related and sent me home on Sat.

I am now scheduled for my cervical fusion on Mon. I can't wait, as I still have constant tingling and weakness in my arm, and it has actually migrated now down the right side of my torso.

Again, thanks to everyone for your thoughtful and caring responses. Sorry I haven't been back for an update for a while, but I'm sure you understand now.