[ally46]

Hello everyone! This is the first time I have ever posted anything, so please bare with me. I am a 46 yr old female that has been off work & life for the past 10 months due to a herniated disk @ c6/7. I have also been medicated with oxycontin twice daily for pain management. I have tried, chiropractor, acupuncture, physio therapy, ice/heat with some relief but still suffer with sharp throbbing pain in back at the disk site. I have had appointments with two surgeons and have found one that I am very comfortable with. He has also recommended surgery. Either fusion or disk replacement (my choice). I am terrified to have surgery but it looks like this may be the only chance I have to return my life to normal. Has anyone had either of these surgeries? I really need to talk to someone about this!

Hope to hear from you

[ckepi]

http://neurotalk.psychcentral.com/forum22.html

Here is the link to spinal problems forum that might be able to help you

[DM]

Hi Ally~ Glad to have you with us. I have herniated discs at L4~L5. Yrs ago, my Neurosurgeon mentioned surgery to me, but through Phy Therapy and alot of luck, I was able to hold it off.

I still have pain, but not all the time, usually when I overdo.

Hope you find comfort in knowing that others here understand what you are going through. Keep us posted on your decision.

[dorrie]

Hi there Ally....welcome to Neurotalk!!

[dreambeliever128]

I woke up one morning and couldn't get out of bed due to back problems. My Dr. put me in PT and with that and a lot of luck as Daisy said, I didn't have surgery.
My Dr. fought me over it and kept me in PT until he got me walking again.

I will say to though, my husband had back surgery in 73 , he was around 32.and he did great up until he was around 63. I lost him 14 months ago but he was able to do about anything he wanted.

One thing that helped him though and I do believe this is weight. When he had his surgery in 73, there was a heavy set man that was on his 5th one. The Drs said that the weight makes a difference due to weight bearing on the back.

I do good if I don't overdo it which I have lately due to too many people wanting help from me but I have been sleeping on a heating pad and using Lidoderm patches on me. I would end up back in PT if I get down.

When I talk about PT, I don't mean weight lifting and bike riding. I mean good massage therapy and easy exercises.

I do believe it depends on the Dr. doing the surgery also if you needed it. My husband had one of the best at the time and he did good but I would make sure that this is a good reputable Dr. I realize things can happen anyway but we do want to better our chances.

Hope this helps and hope you stick around with us.

Ada

[Darlene]

Ally,

Hello and welcome to NeuroTalk. Great to see you have come to be with us. You will find a great number of caring, supporting members here willing to help each other as they can.

Again welcome, looking forward to seeing you around.

Darlene

[80'sGrrl]

Hi Ally,

Welcome to NeuroTalk! Glad that you stopped by.
I can relate to everything that you are going through. In 2000 I had a herniated C5-7, and I too took a hiatus from work and life. I found a wonderful Neurosurgeon here in Ohio that gave that back to me. I had fusion surgery in Oct of 2000. He did take bone out of my hip to use for the disks. The surgery was a piece of cake and recovery was not so bad. I couldn't drive for two weeks, I was in a neck brace for about that same time. The worst part was the healing of my hip, not my neck! My neck did not hurt at all. I was back to work in 4 weeks. I was a reservationist at that time for a major airline ..so I didn't do any heavy lifting etc...and was released to go back to work. I didn't have to go through physical therapy or anything...I was able to do my daily workouts which I hadn't done in close to 6 months. My life was put back together again...and so was I! I played softball, volleyball, and did all the things that I loved to do but couldn't. I did this for 6 years after the surgery and had no problem what-so-ever. Neck pain? What was that??!!! Then I got in a car accident in Dec, 2006 and had to go through this again. I was rear-ended and it caused my C4 to totally blow. I went back to the same neurosurgeon for an MRI and he gave me the bad news that I had to go through this again. This time, more extensive. He had to fuse C2-7 and do a plate inlay. I wasn't so much concerned about the surgery because I knew what was coming down the pike. I was more concerned about the range of motion that I would have in my neck. My doc said I would lose about 50 percent.

Surgery time came....I went through it with flying colors. I had stitches in the front of my neck (they go in through the front for cervical disks) and once again had bone taken out of my hip to be used in my neck. My neck didn't hurt at all...it was the incision site on my hip. It is very uncomfortable to walk for a few days, and to stand up while sitting for a little bit. Same routine as my other surgery, can't drive for two weeks, wear neckbrace..this time for 2 months. I wouldn't have had to go through physical therapy this time, but I felt a burning sensation down my back and he sent me for 4 weeks. Once I was done, that feeling went away. My neck is perfectly fine, I just don't have the range of motion that I once did.

I also developed Trigeminal Neuralgia due to my C3 being affected in the accident. This is by far the worst pain that I have ever felt in my entire life.
I wish this could be fixed as easily as my neck was. I don't have any problems with it at all.

I know it is a scary feeling to think that someone is going to be working around your spinal cord and those thoughts of paralysis come in and won't leave. I had those before my first surgery. I was scared to death that I was going to end up paralyzed. I believe whole-heartedly that you will be fine and go through the surgery with flying colors! Don't be afraid to ask your doc questions, that's what he is there for. You will be so glad that you had the surgery, it gives you back your life and you are pain free. It is definitely worth it.

If you have any further questions, feel free to PM me, or come check out the chat room, there are wonderful people in there that would love to meet you!
On average, I am in there from 6-10p eastern time..usually everyday.

I am so glad that you posted your questions and reached out here on NeuroTalk. I look forward to meeting you soon!

80'sGrrl (aka Melissa)

Originally Posted by ally46

Hello everyone! This is the first time I have ever posted anything, so please bare with me. I am a 46 yr old female that has been off work & life for the past 10 months due to a herniated disk @ c6/7. I have also been medicated with oxycontin twice daily for pain management. I have tried, chiropractor, acupuncture, physio therapy, ice/heat with some relief but still suffer with sharp throbbing pain in back at the disk site. I have had appointments with two surgeons and have found one that I am very comfortable with. He has also recommended surgery. Either fusion or disk replacement (my choice). I am terrified to have surgery but it looks like this may be the only chance I have to return my life to normal. Has anyone had either of these surgeries? I really need to talk to someone about this!

Hope to hear from you

[ali12]

Hey
Welcome to Neurotalk, if you need anything just ask
Thanks
Alison and Andrea

[AfterMyNap]

Hi, Ally! Welcome to NeuroTalk!

Here is a link to our spinal disorders forum where you'll many others who know and understand what you are experiencing. Feel free to join right in anywhere.

http://neurotalk.psychcentral.com/forum22.html

[Parkydoll]

Ally, I had cervical spinal fusion levels C4 and C5 in 2002. From the moment surgery was over, I felt like a new person. The surgery was done from the front and I had a soft neck brace to wear while riding in the car. Very positive experience. In 2004, I had lumber spinal fusion and laminectomy levels L4 and L5. I went in to surgery in much pain, unable to walk unless bent over with a walker. After surgery no pain. Wondferful! I did have to have physical therapy to help with walking and rebuilding muscles in lower back. Both surgeries were blessings for me. Last May 2007, I had laminectomy levels C3, C4, C5, C6, and C7. I was losing use of right hand and arm. There was pressure on spinal cord that had to be relieved. I have a fabulous neurosurgeon, with whom I have the utmost trust and repect. He did my carpal tunnel surgeries in 2001 and 2002 also. This surgery in May went well; however, my nerves were irritated during the surgery and I am still waiting for them to heal. I had therapy right after surgery for 3 months which helped a lot. Tomorrow I start with more therapy. My thoughts to you are to hang in there and try not to be afraid. If you need the surgery then have it. I will say though that with my neck fusion, my surgeon used donor bone rather than taking bone from my hip. I am a large person and this may have been why he didn't take bone from my hip. The recovery would not have been as good for me. Also I do have Titanian rods annd screws in my neck and hardware in my lower back. They show up on x-rays but other than that, I forget I have them. just be sure you are comfortable with your neurosurgeon. That makes all the difference. let us know what you decide to do. I will keep you in my thoiughts also. If I had it all to do over again, I would do the same. Oh, and even though my last surgery hasn't had the best outcome yet, I would do it again. There are risks we all take that are necessary in the long scheme of things. Take care. Hope this helps calm your fears.