week 1:anterior and posterior cervical surgery
 

So 1 week since my surgery and I feel like a mack truck hit me and is still sitting on my shoulders/neck area. I cant lift my arms and have a horrible pain. BUT I can swallow better from day one than it was the entire 7 months after my first acdf. I cant find much info though on anyone who has had both an anterior and posterior procedure in one day. They went through the front removed the plate and screws then went in back and put in rods and screws c3-c6. pain seems gone from shoulder and arm now numbness comes and GOES so figure that is just swelling induced? Thoughts feedback info?????? anything????

Praying for quick healing and awesome results.

Didn't your doctor give you any POST surgery medications? I wish you had talked to him prior to surgery about this. Give him a call and tell him about the terrible pain you're in -- tell him you NEED something for this pain!! You can go on like this -- how in the world do you sleep?

Obviously whatever meds you have aren't touching this, so ask him to Rx you something to help. I wish you the very best. God bless & take care. Hugs, Lee :)

Could be inflamation but I can't help but wonder if also could be from surgical positioning on the table. I just wonder of that sometimes because I had acdf and woke up with horrible right shoulder pain which was severe. I still get nasty flare ups in the shoulder. I remember years ago during my cancer surgery which was on my leg --I was awake during that surgery but numb from the spine down--- I remember being on the table with arms extended and tied down and legs were streched so far apart almost to the point of doing the splits. Im not sure if they use any kind of traction device during cervical fusion but u were flipped on both sides--I only had anterior but my brother had posterior and I know posterior is harder on recovery because they have to cut all that muscle on the back on the neck. The only problem is because of bleeding no antinflamtory meds are allowed for long time after fusion surgery.

thank you
 

I think thats what it is horrible muscle spasm. And I have norco 10mg I take them every couple hours flexeril 3xs daily. Ihave weird little points that hurt and little scabs on eash side of my head so Imsure thats what is is from being racheted down lol

I had scabs and blood in my scalp after surgery ----thats from the sticky electo things they attach to you during surgery --they forgot to take mine off I had to pull them off they were in my head and back I even found dried blood btw my toes-lol--I think they use it to montior the spine to make sure they dont nick anything during surgery.

i read your posting with much interest since i am scheduled next tuesday for the same 2 procedures. i had had a plate installed during an anterior acdf in November 2012. now the doc says it has come dislodged and is hanging loose on only 2 screws. he and every other doctor we've talked to think this is a dangerous situation . he wants to remove the plate anteriorly and install the rods posteriorly.

It took me a long time to recover from the first procedure in Nov. and i still cannot use my right arm (diagnosed as C 5 palsy). i'm very concerned that recovery from the upcoming operation will be even harder or that i will never fully recover. My recovery is further complicated by my Parkinson's disease.

I'm also interested in hearing from others who have undergone similar procedures

Linda Im sorry you have to go through all this. I was scared too! BUT I can tell you straight out of surgery I could swallow better than before. Pain is pretty intense though. I think time will tell how it goes from here Im not really sure. I did it because I didnt really see any choice I couldnt stay the way I was. Guess now were in this together. Ill be praying for you!!!!:hug:

hi lee
just passing through
i cringe just the thought
of what this person was
subjected through
i spend much of the writing
on a different forum
medication sub pain pump
wishing you well and happiness

someone who cares

hello
you bring me back
the one on the right is
problematic

i had ACDF 5/6-6/7 PLATE AND SCREWS 3/11/10
FAILED TO FUSE
WENT BACK TO WORK 2 WEEKS AFTER SURGERY
i had PCDF ON 4/15/11 NEW DONOR BONE AND CAGE
IMMEDIATE ADDITIONAL COMPLICATIONS
HEMATOMA AT AND ON SURGICAL SIGHT
MAIMED FOR LIFE
BREAST CANCER WAS THE HICCUP IN THE ROAD
AFTER PCDF RADICAL MASTECTOMY RIGHT
BOTH BREASTS REMOVED

I WISH YOU NOTHING BUT A SUCCESSFUL END

someone who cares

wish you well

someone who cares

PLEASE DO NOT DO ANYTHING
TO PUT YOU IN HARMS WAY
SAFETY SAFETY SAFETY
IT TAKE LONGER THAN WHAT THE DOCTOR
SAYS ABOUT RECOVERY
TAKE THE MEDICATION
WHEN IN PAIN

GOD BLESS

someone who cares

as i will too

someone who cares

muscle spasms
 

Hi mrsalkire,

Sorry, I have no experience with anterior and posterior in one day, but WOW! I do know that after having anterior cervical fusion, it took over a year for the muscle spasms to completely go away. It takes quite a while for the body to adjust to the hardware invasion. I was beginning to wonder if the muscle spasms were going to be permanent, but after about 12-18 months they finally subsided.

Hang in there! :hug: Also, check on the pain medicine. There should be something that could relieve some of the post-op pain. :)

thank you mrsalkire,
It helps to know what to expect, even if pain is the expectation.The docs say there is "a little" more pain with the posterior approach--- only other patients who have gone thru the same experience will tell it like it is.

I hope your pain is gone soon and you get experience more improvement. You wroted,
" I did it because I didnt really see any choice I couldnt stay the way I was." Exactly how I feel.

Thank you Eva. This is all good advice

Thank you so much!
 

I am so grateful for all the well wishes. It means so much knowing we are not in this alone! Most people who havent been through this dont understand. :grouphug:

Two failed ACDFs and upcoming surgery
 

Hi, It sounds as though I will be having a procedure similar to yours so I am very interested and concerned for how you are doing. I originally had an ACDF at C5-6 that either never fused or broke due to an accident I had after the surgery. I had a stroke about one month after the surgery from a blood clot and later fell. I eventually had a second ACDF to repair the fusion. Because of the stroke the docs were very apprehensive about doing any surgery at all. As it was, I had to wait 6 months before they would attempt it. They would not attempt the posterior repair portion for the same reasons. Now, after a two years of continued neck pain, they have diagnosed another failed fusion as well as herniations and stenosis at the two levels above. Bottom line is I will have a three level, anterior and posterior fusion repair, fusion, laminectomy, and hardware implementation. Yes, I am nervous, but after reading your report, I am feeling better that maybe it won't be as bad as I imagine.
Any thoughts or feedback will be appreciated.

Posterior & anterior c3-7
 

I am a week out of surgery. No feeling in right foot & in a wheelchair
The front incision doesn't bother me...the back incision is beyond
Painful still. The scabs on my scalp are due to the vice they place
Your head in once they flipped me over to secure the cage with screws
I am in a rehab facility to do PT & OT ... My follow up with my surgeon
Is 7/19/14. I have a ton of questions...WHY IS MY FOOT left without feeling!!!
Has anyone experienced such intense pain as me? I am on meds for pain
But even those can't combat this intense feeling... Any feedback would be
Great?!?!

How are you doing now?
 

I am having the double procedure on 8/12/14. How are you doing now?

Newbie - no answers, just more questions
 

I suppose that I should have taken into account that the last two posts here didn't get a response. Oh well, now that I'm here....

I'm scheduled for a triple on Nov. 4th. Two anterior (one high, one low) and one posterior. Two sets of hardware and an unknown number of bone grafts will be joining my existing plate and three bone grafts.

They're going to leave the vent in, tie me to the gurney and put me on a machine with deep sedation. This part has me a bit apprehensive.

These will be my 5th, 6th and 7th cervical incursion. I recall the plate and bone graft installation (anterior) vividly as it was quite some time until I could swallow anything. I'm not looking forward to this at all.

We do know how to have fun, don't we?

Hi guitarguy
as this is an older thread, which was started related to another member's situation, you may want to consider making your own new thread here, and might get more replies to your post that way.

Good point and well taken. Thank you.

gg

I just went through the same surgery you have gone through. I pray you are doing better now. Let me know if you want to talk about the experience. I was like you, can't find anyone who has had this surgery to talk to.

I have am 6 weeks post op from having anterier & posteirer surgury. Good luck with your surgery!! I think I would be worried about leaving the vent in, etc. I think I might would get a second opinoin. That sounds scary to me.