Dear Thread,
I suffered a fall that caused 2 disks in my neck to severly comprese my spinal cord to the point I had no life with the pain I was in. Due to my extreme fear it took me 11 months interviewing all the top Doctors before I just could not live like that anymore. I thank G-d everyday for finding Dr. Heary. He was voted #1 neurologist for 3 years and has no ego and is amazing. It is now almost 13 months since my surgery and with accupuncture and muscle relaxers I am off almost all my opiods which I was on ALOT. Trust me. He is worth flying into New Jersey for. 973-972-2334 Carmen is his secretary. Not always great at calling back so keep calling. She is great too. Say Audrey S sent you. I am new at this communitie thing and might not find my way back Good luck

When I first had ther fusion at l4-L5 it hurt like hell but seemed to help but 22 years later i'm rite back where it all started but in more pain then ever. Personally ask around make sure the surgeon gives you all the pros and cons I'm sure medicine has eveloved in the last 20 years but it still can't turn off my pain.

NO NO NO NO cervical fusion, u will be sorry

I cannot tell you no, not to do this. Each case is different. What is important is that you go for quite a few different doctors, including a neuro surgeon. What you MRI says, usually is the deciding factor. It helps if you research all the words in your MRI. I had a failed fist surgery at C6-7. I had the domino effect, but was not told at the time of my first fusion that more was wrong with my neck. NOT informed. so I had a second C3-7. Surgery can and does work. It is not a blanket yes or no. It is based on the severity of your condition. I am much better, with no shooting pain down the arms. I am not perfect, the surgery WAS horrible pain wise, but I am glad I did it. So many things factor into your decision. That education is the best thing to arm yourself with. If your MRI says "mild" "moderate" perhaps this surgery isn't the best idea. However if it says the words "serious" or "accute" or "severe" then you are getting to the point you need further investigation to see if surgery is a right course of action. Be your own best advocate and ask all the questions you possiblly can. Find out the condition of the verterbre above and below the proposed surgical site. Those vertrebre need to be healthy and strong to support the hardware. Let me know if you have some questions, I will try and help you. surgery can and is something to think about, and good outcomes can happen. It did for me. ginnie

Hi, This is all a little new to me. I understand your frustration so well.

I just realized a few months ago that surgery may be appropriate for me or as they seem to say in medical circles I am "a candidate".

I have what I guess is called a Triple Major Scoliosis but my PT just told me I have both Idiopathic and Degenerative Scoliosis and I am now trying to figure out what that means. She also said that my three curves are all under 45 degrees and the problem really is in the lumbar spine (surprise!) where I seem to have three discs that have what she calls "Spondo" (Spondolisthesis). The literature seems to suggest that this is sometimes/often a result of untreated scoliosis over time (Gee, thanks mom!). I have also heard it said that our bodies were never really designed to accommodate our standing upright which is a strange thing to think about. Usually creatures opt for evolutionary changes that will enhance their survivability but if there were divine intervention that left us potentially suffering with spine problems that is pretty interesting (Don't want to open Pandoras Box, just wondering). I am sure most of us have at one time wondered why God is doing "this" to us. I know I have but watching videos of people with 80 percent curves and also terrible diseases silenced me. I guess it builds character but it sure does bear down on you sometimes.

A few days ago my right foot started throbbing with pain but there was no pain in that leg so that suggests that it is probably not stemming from my spine...is it just garden variety arthritis I wonder now. What fracking next!!!! It seems to come and go. It would be nice to have one dependable leg, one or the other.

A friend said maybe it is because that leg is bearing a heavier load because I am now limping on the left one due to lumbar "Spondo" which is also why I have these really horrid muscle spasms mostly at night. Last night for the first time I had the muscle spasms in the back of both legs. I was raking a lot in the yard yesterday (Aren't we supposed to get some exercize?). Maybe that was the result. Don;t know if you have the muscle spasms, if not consider yourself really fortunate.

I also take Hydrocodone (Vicodin, 5/325). You can take two if you really need to but be careful not to lose the theraputic effect by taking too many. Also there is this strange neuro loop where you actually feel more pain if you become dependent on the narcotic pain medications. I do not understand this phenomenon well but it is good to try to get a grasp of it to help yourself.

I also have SOMA, Clonezepam and Piroxicam that I can take if I need to. And I take a low dose aspirin every morning and evening. The SOMA and the tranquilizers tend to make you sleepy so not a good option for work or driving generally but really helpful at home. Also the SOMA used to help but not so much anymore. I have no idea why.

If you can get yourself to a pool swimming is amazing...it strengthens your muscles, is non weight bearing and is very healling. Depending on where your live, if you do not have a private or community pool the YMCA and some gyms have them, also High School Pools are often open for free and/or lap swim in the summer. I promise it will make you feel better. Keep moving. You don't have to climb mountains but by refocusing your attention you block the sense of pain and free endorphins, etc.

In my case it seems that I might not have to have a whole body fusion but maybe just lumbar. I meet with the Director of the Neuro Inst. that has ordered a lot of studies recently...I am looking forward to this meeting,,,sort of but it is scary. I find that a little dark chocolate, and either some warm milk or port help me to sleep (Until I wake with leg cramps that is!). My poor dog is very concerned...I start howling in the middle of the night and he looks at me like he has no idea what is wrong. He is A Great Dane/hound hybrid and has those intense hound eyes...he seems to be thinking, "Hey mom, I am the one that is supposed to howl, not you!").

Sometimes I have muscle spasms in my abdomen, in my hands, and once a couple of days ago at the base of my tongue! God, am I going to choke to death on my tongue because of muscle spasms related to my nerves! What a way to go! So you see, you are not doing too badly relatively speaking.

I was really disappointed in what the pain mgt doctor I saw told me also. I do not understand it. Finally he told me that after I have all the tests and see all the physicians I am scheduled to see he wants me to come back and bring me the "studies" and reports and then we will decide what to do about my pain. It is very frustrating when your pain grows deeper with every month that passes. A couple of glasses of red wine at dinner helps also and sometimes a sleeping pad and if you have a TENS unit.

If you have not read through all the posts on the various websites where people address and discuss these issues you should think about doing that. I have found it very helpful even though there is an understandable degree of complaining that you have to muddle through. People need to vent and it is sometimes hard to hear over and over but it is part of sharing our stories and bringing them to life. I actually download the posts and go through them in WORD and edit out what is not relevant and maybe highlight what is. I have found this really helpful and I can go back to these documents in my own files for reference.

You might also want to see a different pain mgt doctor for a second opinion. Unfortunately, because of the serious problem with the misuse of drugs and inappropriate writing of perscriptions on the part of some doctors the pressure is on responsible doctors to not prescribe strong pain medications.

I have also realized that for me Acetemenaphen (sp?) does absolutely nothing for me but Ibuprophen does help. A friend said it is because the later has anti inflamation properties. Anything that can relax you and your muscles and reduce inflamation is probably going to help you and you may have to develop your own combination of therapies until you sort through the surgery question.

I have noticed that several people have said that surgery is not done to relieve pain but to address symptoms and halt progression, etc. We have to ask ourselves how much pain we are really in, what can be done to control is without surgery and remember that there is no going back once it has been done. It is a lot to think about.

Finally, you might want to consult another surgeon for a second opinion. If you are in the LA area you might consult with Nitan Batia at UC Irvine or David Fish at UCLA (He has office hours in Santa Monica and I think he is on the faculty as well).

Keep the faith!

Yes, we're suposed to get some exercise, but in moderation.

It's possible to become tolerant of, and/or dependent on, SOMA and/or Clonazepam too; it could be the same effect you've just described. It's also possible that you're experiencing a rebound effect of one, or a combination, of your meds.

Several of the symptoms you've described could be ascribed to medication rebound or dependence.

Dependence, in and of itself, is not necessarily bad, and is not restricted to pain medications. It's a tradeoff for the lessening of suffering and improvement in quality of life for many people with chronic conditions.

Doc

Why havn't they tried a stimulator mine has been the only way i could live. ask about one before fusion I have been able to put the fusion of my c-6 t1 for the past 5 years with the stimulators.

Hi Suz...I also take Hydrocodone and have been taking it since 2003 (.5/325) every six hours "as needed". I try to taper off now and then as I can to keep the theraputic effect as high as possible. Now it just is not enough and I am taking two which I rarely did before. What I have had to do is drink wine, usually red wine in the evening instead so I will not take too much. Also I noted that Ibuprophen has anti-inflamatory properties and sometimes I take that and it helps a lot more than the Acetempenaphen they combine with the Vicodin. Why don't they combine the Vicodin with the Ibuphrophen I wonder. Anyway here are some less controversial things I am doing (but I am very new to this discussion so this will probably not be very helpful:

1. Heating pad
2. TENS unit
3. Swimming
4. In addition to medication, re-focus and/r distract your mind. This sounds like nonsense when you are in real pain but even then it does help, maybe not on its own, but it really does help. I write and paint but if you play piano or guitar, anything really that you enjoy. Someone told me to keep a daily journal and first thing every morning just write three pages, stream of consciousness...nonsense or whatever, just keep your hand moving, what ever comes into your mind. It seems to be a kind of venting and this really helps also. Sometimes when you go back a week or two later and read (after letting the writing "age" a little, it can be really insightful. Imagine it is your inner child in pain and crying out for attention (Isn't that what the body is doing, really?). By writing you give attention and voice to that inner child or inner "bones" or whatever.
5. I believe that taking calcium, Glucosamine/Chrondritin (sp?) and other supplements also helps but in more subtle ways.
6. I also have Clonezepam and sometimes that seems to help...anything that helps you relax...Chamomile tea

I guess I really believe that it is a whole spectrum of things that help...not just a couple of drugs sort of thing. The other thing is...for me, I have just lived with the pain...try to ignore it, do Yoga and meditate. Use all the tools available to you and take control to the extent you can. If you feel like a victim, defeated, that will amplify your pain so be a warrior. :-)

Hi, I tried everything you did but acupuncture. I was 47 at the time and had the best job of my life. I talked to several people who had spinal fusion and they had great results, so i thought why not. I wanted to get back to work as soon as I could. I had c-5-6-7 plated, after the operation I had more pain than I ever had. After about three years of all kinds of pain meds my pain mang. Dr. suggested a spinal stimulator, well that only stayed in for about an hour. It was stimulating my legs, I had neck and arm pain! I went to see three different spine specialist and not a one would operate again. So now wear a fental patch and take oxycodone, they take the edge off the pain but I don't know the last day I did not have pain! I don't know what to tell you but spinal fusion is not allways the answer, I wish I didn't have it done! All the best to you and yours!

Sorry your fusion didnt turn out so good. I still take meds too, but the C3-7 did help a bit. Not going to be perfect, but it did stop the pain running down my arms. wish that you had a better outcome. It is so hard when folks have to face this and make a decision. some get better, others do not. I wish there was an advanced way to predict the ones with better outcomes.
I took a chance like you did. I really do feel sad for all of us with spinal issues. ginnie