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New Member
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Join Date: Apr 2009
Posts: 1
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New Member
Join Date: Apr 2009
Posts: 1
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It's still early days
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Quote:
Originally Posted by slipnslide
I had C5-6-7 ACDF surgery back on 6/22/06. Wore my Philly collar and did no lifting as instructed. Six weeks ago the collar came off and I started PT. I was started off with range of motion and gravity resistance exercises which immediately triggered the neck, shoulder, and arm, and upper back pain. My OS stated that the surgery was to alleviate the shoulder and arm pain. Here it is 3 months after surgery and my neck pain is constant and worse. I've been having the shoulder pain with the shooting pain down my upper arms with any repetitive motion (such as PT, washing dishes, scrubbing shower/bath) and it takes 3 days of doing absolutely nothing before it calms back down. I can tilt my head back ever so slightly before it becomes painful and turn it side-to-side 30% in either direction, but I can look down pretty well even with the fusion. Both hands are still tingling, but the intensity and achiness has increased.
The Physical therapist has sent me back to the OS because of the symptoms I was having. I've agreed to try (in the next week or two) facet ESI's, in hopes that it will increase my ability to turn and tilt my head. Backing a car out of a parking space has become down-right unsafe! My OS also mentioned getting an MRI to see if something could be causing the pains.
Has anyone else experienced the same thing just a few months out of surgery? How long does it take for the shoulder/arm pains to subside? What is normal and what is not normal 3 months after surgery? I'd like to think that this is not the way I am going to stay. Any and all insight would be greatly appreciated cuz I sure could use as much information as I can get.
Thanks,
Kim
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Hi Kim
I know and sympathise with what you're going through that's why I'm up at 3am.I wasn't good at all for around 10 months after a c5-6 anterior fusion and it's so hard to get answers 5 yrs on  .There has been some improvement but I still have neuropathic pain down both arms but the nerve roots were crushed and they burnt them off in surgery telling me it would take bout 2 yrs for them to grow back...unsuccessful .This has caused muscle weakness,shooting electrical type stabbing pains ,loss of feeling externally and a scalding sensation between my fingers and an assortment of other problems, most Drs want to dish out pills cause they don't know what to do,this was making me worse because of the complications.
You might need an MRI to see if the nerve roots are compressed because C5&6 is where they are for the arms and because they're where you turn your head as well it's compounded. If this was due to a car accident it could also be a torn rotator cuff, tendons on the collar bone or bursitis.
I found physio made it worse except for light hydrotherapy but it had to be in really warm water as anything cold is instant agony.I do get some relief from a Niagra mat and heat pacs and for a while accupuncture did help.
I was able to get an extended revision mirror so you don't have to turn your head and in Kmart or car accessories place you should be able to get thes little circular mirrors to go on your side mirrors to give you a better view it takes getting used to but so worth it and not too expensive. You will gradually find tools that will help. Vileda make this great bathroom scrubber on a long extendable handle and the head adjusts to what you're scrubbing,which is a godsend just put some gel bleach on rub it no bending with this leave it for an hour or so and rinse.It will also do walls and stuff with no reaching the best thing out. You'll start finding different uses for other products just to make things easier.
Also try and find an anti inflamatory or night time strength deep heat gel ,here we have a voltaren gel which I found good. I am now on a 12hr Tramadol which make it a little more bearable and I am trying Lyrica with some results for the lightning strikes.
You must pace yourself which if you're anything like me is so hard. I still try to push it that bit further but will end up paying the price in bed till it calms down which can be a couple of days,so you learn to listen to your body and give in to it. I don't mean to be a downer just trying to give you ideas.
Try & look after yourself it's serious & major surgery you've had a shock to the system & it would only just be fusing around now.Hope this helps a bit,if you ever need a chat only happy to.
Libby
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