[AmyyAcer]

I had acdf surgery in Feb of this year. Had 2 discs removed and he said there was a 3rd that was barely buldging but not very noticable so it stayed. I have no pain before or after surgery. It was just to remove the buldging ones before things got worse. I have nerve damage on my right limbs (arm/hand/leg/foot). I had this before surgeyr as well. I am concirned with muscle weakness as i still dont have all my strength back. i barely regained any. i get exhausted just washing a few dishes. My foot cramps if i walk more than 100 feet or so. My calf is stiff in the mornings im not sure why. I can barely wright my name. my fingers just dont move that way and i shake. in the past few months i have noticed my shoulder hurts if i move it upward and in a certain way or if i am getting something from the freezer or shelf. its like its coming out of place sorda ( i know it isnt) like it pops but it hurts. i dont know how to explain it. I know nerve damage effects the muscles. What i want to know is if there is anything that can be done about it? Like get my strength back or being able to walk better or write my name? I asked my neorologist he said that the nerves either grow back or they dont and to be patient and i guess that effects the muscles too i dunno.

[Leesa]

Hi ~ I'm sorry you're having such trouble. Nerves grow back at the rate of one inch per month. That's an AVERAGE. Some grow faster, some slower - so depending on how much damage they did, you might still be healing. Also, were you sent to physical therapy after your initial healing time??? If not, you should be referred to therapy.

At physical therapy, they will give you exercises that you can do for your particular problem, taking into consideration that you had fusion. They won't push you too hard because they don't want to damage the surgery site. But the exercises will help you strengthen your arms and legs so you're not so weak. Ask your doctor for a referral to physical therapy ~ if they have a pooll, that would be ideal therapy too.

I wish you the very best of luck. Chronic pain sure is difficult. God bless. Hugs, Lee

[AmyyAcer]

Originally Posted by Leesa

Hi ~ I'm sorry you're having such trouble. Nerves grow back at the rate of one inch per month. That's an AVERAGE. Some grow faster, some slower - so depending on how much damage they did, you might still be healing. Also, were you sent to physical therapy after your initial healing time??? If not, you should be referred to therapy.

At physical therapy, they will give you exercises that you can do for your particular problem, taking into consideration that you had fusion. They won't push you too hard because they don't want to damage the surgery site. But the exercises will help you strengthen your arms and legs so you're not so weak. Ask your doctor for a referral to physical therapy ~ if they have a pooll, that would be ideal therapy too.

I wish you the very best of luck. Chronic pain sure is difficult. God bless. Hugs, Lee

no he didnt refer me to therapy and im still wondering why... If i am still healing IT SURE IS TAKING ITS SWEET TIME!

so at least i know that it IS possible to get my strength back. I will look into therapy ty.

BTW i have no pain what so ever... never have. Just this annoying mobility issue.

[aussiemom]

After my laminectomey I couldn't get my hand up to itch my nose. My toothbrush landed in my ear. It's a wonder I didn't bleed to death trying to shave my legs! My arm just wouldn't work right. At first ns said it was the position I was in during the surgery. After about 9 months I has ROM back to normal.

The ns left some damage to my arm, it's permanently numb. It works just fine, but I can't feel much. Great for shots, not so much for trying to pick up small things. So your feeling should come back, just a slow process.

[AmyyAcer]

Originally Posted by aussiemom

After my laminectomey I couldn't get my hand up to itch my nose. My toothbrush landed in my ear. It's a wonder I didn't bleed to death trying to shave my legs! My arm just wouldn't work right. At first ns said it was the position I was in during the surgery. After about 9 months I has ROM back to normal.

The ns left some damage to my arm, it's permanently numb. It works just fine, but I can't feel much. Great for shots, not so much for trying to pick up small things. So your feeling should come back, just a slow process.

i dont have numbness either... i dont have any of the normal symptoms that comes with nerve damage... except the muscle twitches and weaknes


no pain
no numbness
no tingling
no loss of ROM


i do have... (on my right side)
grasping problems with my hand
cramping in my right foor when i walk (no pain)
stiffness in my calf
unbalanced
weakness
muscle twitching

btw its been 10 months

[aussiemom]

Geez, I don't know what to say. Hope somebody with more knowledge than me comes along.

I went back for more surgery, fusion, and that fixed the original problem, but opened Pandoras box for everything else to go down the toilet.

[WTR Nymph]

Hello Amy, I,ve had ten neck surgeries in all. There was a period in my life, where I lost all mobility and had the very special opportunity to live in a halo w/vest. I was in the hospital for three months, before the nurses helped me sit up. From there I went to a Rehabilitation Hospital. It took about six months for me to lose all mobility and it has taken about three years to get some what back to normal. I remember learning how to walk all over again. To this day, I'm still considered disabled. Like someone said, in an earlier post, an inch a month. I'm very lucky to be typing to you right now. It's taken well over 45mins., just to write this post. To this day, the man who saved my mobility, My Neurosurgeon, will yell over the lobby w/15 people sitting there, Hello Mrs. ----, you are lucky you are walking. It's been a long hard struggle, especially, when I lost my pain pump, just recently. I've been on oral pain meds for well over ten years, almost lost a kidney, due to acetiminophen. When you end up w/C-spine problems, sometimes it's best to put your collar back on and go to bed. Hugs, WTR Nymph