Spinal Cord Compression Surgery?

[MzDiz]

I got back from my neurologist's a bit ago, where he told me that I needed surgery for not one (as I previously thought) but THREE herniated discs in my neck. I had an MRI on Monday and an EMG today. It seems I have bone spurs somewhere back there too threatening to poke through my spinal cord.

He told me that if I fell wrong, I could become quadropalegic in an instant. I have nerve damage in my arm, on top of carpal tunnel. I barely felt the needles in my muscle for the EMG in my right arm. The left arm - different story!

I snuck a peek at my papers while he was taking a phone call and saw things like "spinal cord deformities". Uhg. Seriously. I'm a wreck.

I have a job interview tomorrow for a part time retail job, where I get to tell them that I can't climb ladders or lift over 20 pounds. Yeah. Hire me!

Has anyone had this surgery? He told me that it's common and that he's had it himself. He said that I should wake up headache free. Still, I'm scared to death about this. Something about them opening up my neck and playing with my spine doesn't sit well with me.

Someone tell me I'm not going to die.

Edited to add that this has been going on for over ten years. I've seen three doctors about this problem and none of them thought to get me an MRI. I have been saying things like "I feel like I have a knife in my neck", you would think that would give them a clue. Moral of the story - if your gut tells you that something's wrong, LISTEN! And then get a new doctor.

 

[Cool-Beans]

Is it just discs or do you have a spinal stenosis or what?

I would look around and find a really good surgeon. I don't know if you're suing anyone or using worker's comp, but that's sometimes a hinderance. Some good doctors just won't get involved in that stuff. Hell, there are some good neurosurgeons who won't even take insurance!

 

[MzDiz]

You know, Miss Beans, I really don't know. I think I remember the word stenosis, but to be honest, everything after I heard the word surgery is sort of mushy in my head. So he could have said that it's not stenosis for all I know. This whole thing has really caught me off guard.
There's no lawsuits or worker's comp involved, so hopefully it will be as routine as he says it is.

 

[kputman]

I work for surgeons. They do the surgery all the time. I would think you would be better than ever, but you can always get a second opinion to make sure the second surgeon says what the first one says. If you are in enough pain, you'll have the surgery.

 

[LindaR]

Well you didn't state EXACTLY what kind of surgery he is talking about. My sister had her neck fused (herniated discs which caused nerve damage) and I had my lower spine fused (2nd operation, first was laminectomy to removed herniated part of the disc). I would totally and completely research procedures, meds, therapy and get second and third opinions. I learned alot the hard way AFTER I had my spine fused. It was extremely difficult and the recovery time was 6-9 months AND I "thought" that the surgery would cure the problems. Not so. Created other problems. I would make surgery the last choice on the list of things you should try. If you do some research, you will find that many, many people were under the impression (or not given full info from their doctor) that they would be "cured" after surgery and then ended up with a different set of problems, or did not get the level of relief that the doctor told them to expect.

 

[MzDiz]

My first opinion came from the neurologist. Now I'm going to be seeing a neurosurgeon in a separate practice. That will be my second opinion, I suppose. Sorry about being so vague. I almost feel like calling the office and saying "wait, what the heck did he say again?"

 

[Cool-Beans]

My first opinion came from the neurologist. Now I'm going to be seeing a neurosurgeon in a separate practice. That will be my second opinion, I suppose. Sorry about being so vague. I almost feel like calling the office and saying "wait, what the heck did he say again?"

People do it all the time! They get nervous and confused and say, "What did he say? What was that test?" No matter how small, it is a bit of a crisis for you, and that's not really the best time to process new information.

Call them up and ask, if you want.

And you could write it down this time, so you don't forget, and can tell us what the heck is wrong with ya - I'm just sayin'.