Had C5/C6 Fusion
 

Hi All,

Well, I have finally had the C5/C6 fusion done last Friday. I am doing okay except for the dreaded muscle spasms that I knew would hit. The funny thing is...it was always my right arm and hand that hurt pretty bad and now it is my left! But the NS's assistant said that he drilled out some bone spurs on the left. Jeez, I feel like my whole left arm has been chopped off and put back on. But, when I take the pain meds it kind of goes away. It is way too early to really say how I will do but at least I can type on the computer now without any pain other than the left upper arm and shoulder. Well, this will be a long haul and I know it. I do have pretty good range of motion still but am not allowed to do any exercises until I see them next. So, for now I have to take it pretty easy and walk as much as I can when I feel up to it. Anyway, I just wanted to update everyone. Thanks!

Congrats Kathi on your surgery! Keep me posted on your recovery. I am now 3 months out of surgery on c5/6 and c6/7 so I'm curious to see if you start to experience any of the things that I am currently experiencing. This site had been down for so long and I just found it again tonight so I am trying to catch up with everything and how everyone is doing. Best wishes.

Kim

Hi Kim!

I am doing okay but this particular experience is a little different than from the first fusion. The C3/C4 which I had done two years ago really gave me no trouble with the exception of some spasms. The C5/C6 is different in that I did have some SEVERE spasms down my left arm the first 3 or 4 days. But they calmed down. I had a great day yesterday and probably overdid it because last night I could not sleep at all! I am having some spasms across my shoulders but not too bad. The darn steri strips have not fallen off yet and I wish they would because the incision is itching like crazy! And I have some chest pain. But I think that is because the meds are making my GERD act up. Oh, I did go to the ER the other day, so my heart is fine. Like I said, I think it is heartburn. I am so darn sensitive to meds. Anyway, I am down to two Norco a day and one Klonopin and also taking Nexium once a day. I am also wearing the bone growth stimulator 4 hours a day. So, I guess you could say I am doing alright for now. I want to know what YOU are experiencing and how you have been faring. Please let me know! :) Kathi

Kathi,

I too experienced the shooting arm pains after surgery, especially the first week or two. During recovery it became less often, until I took the Philly collar off. I'm now finding that I can trigger the pains with movement, so now I'm scared. I thought that they were totally gone since I had not felt that pain at all during the last week of wearing my collar. What date was your surgery? 9/20/06? I know how hard it is to sleep after the surgery, I'm still having trouble finding a position that does not cause me pain. It sounds like you are doing pretty well so fa...did your doc put you in a collar? (I can't remember who was being put in a collar and who wasn't from our old posts.....lol) I have to ask, what kind of chest pains were you having? By any chance were they like a crushing feeling, like having the wind knocked outta ya?

Hope you're doing well today,

Kim

Slipnslide
 

Hey Kim!
So glad you found us!! I have been thinking about you! How did your hernia surgery go? Sorry you are still having pains..:( My surgery went well.. So far so good. I think I am two weeks behind you.. 7/10/06..
Valerie

Hey Kim,

I just read your other post. Wow, I didn't realize you were having that much pain. I do remember after my first fusion that I had a "honeymoon" period when nothing hurt. Then at about the 3 month mark or so I had terrible spasms. I went to PT for a short time, had a couple of injections and then they calmed down. Since then I had always had some kind of pain in my upper back but the C5/C6 was bad all along. I am sorry to hear that you are still having pain down your arms. What does your doctor say about it? Oh, and I am in a soft collar. But I don't wear it ALL the time. If I am up and about, I do. When I am resting, I don't. I learned from the first fusion that wearing the soft collar ALL the time wasn't necessarily a good thing to do. Anyway, my instructions say to wear it when I am AMBULATORY. I am supposed to let air get to this incision too and wearing the collar prevents that. Oh, and I had my surgery on the 22nd. Now back to the pain again...the chest pain just feels like acid reflux OR sometimes it feels like I can't take in a deep breath. Then again, I know that the pain meds can act on your breathing too. I don't ever feel like I have had the wind knocked out of me though. And last but not least, I don't know what they did to cause the arm pain that is so bad but when I called my doctor's office they told me they had drilled out some bone spurs on the left. I just tend to think that a lot of pulling and tugging goes on in there and it messes with the ligaments and muscles. I go for my next checkup in 3 weeks so I will let you know if they say any more. Keep me posted too! Kathi

Valerie & Kathi,

I'm so glad you're both here to bounce things off of....so to speak. The past two months I've had so many questions that only others who had the same surgery could answer. I kept checking back with the original BT Communities address and it wasn't until I did a search that I found it under the new address.
Valerie, that hernia surgery was a kicker! It wasn't until they got in there to fix the first hernia that they found a second one just below it a few inches. I had a worse time with pain and getting around, I believe because of the drugs (Mepergan Fortis) they gave me bound me up! I stopped those pain killers after 2 weeks, had I known what was making me so constipated, I would have not taken them at all and stuck with the percocet from the ACDF surgery. I honestly thought having the lapriscopic surgery would make it so much easier of a recovery, boy was I wrong! I felt like they took an egg beater and stuck it in each incision and turned it on full speed. I'm happy to hear that things are going well for you. Since you can't take your usual meds for pain and the tylenol is doing nothing, can't your surgeon prescribe a mild pain killer that will allow you to sleep a little better or wake with less pain?
Kathi, you've given me some hope being that you had that "honeymoon" period of no pain before pains returned. I'm so happy to hear that they can disappear again! I think what you are doing with wearing the collar only part-time is a smart idea! I know my muscles locked up while wearing the collar cuz when I first took it off, I could not move my head in any direction without pain. I was stiff as a board. As far as the scar on the neck, the PT told me to rub, press on, and massage it once it's healed over. By doing so, you'll break up the scar tissue that builds up and reduce the scarring. When I first started working on mine, it felt like needles poking me deep in the neck, but now it's much better and the scar is hardly noticable. I still have no feeling on the surface of my neck from the incision, up to the front of my chin, but I know that could take up to a year to return. Kathi, you're a brave soul to do that surgery twice! Right now, I don't ever want to even think of having another surgery...I'm a big old chicken!...lol I'm wondering now what symptoms you had with your C3/4 prior to having it fused?

Do either of you, or anyone else have any ideas on how to sleep?

Anyhow, my OS mentioned an MRI to see if something is in there that got left behind. Can MRI's show if the nerves are being irritated by something even with all that hardware so close to where they need to view?

Best to you both,

Kim

Hi Kim and Valerie,

Yes, it helps tremendously to bounce things off of each other. As far as the constipation thing goes. I have had that for a long, long time along with GERD. Nexium, which I take for GERD, can cause constipation and then when you add the pain killers it just makes things much, much worse. I asked my gastro guy for a prescription for Miralax. It has worked wonders! However, you are not supposed to use for more than two weeks. BUT I have read of people taking it every day. I take very little...not the usual 17 grams they have you take. I try to get by with half. And it works...that and PLENTY of water. When I can, I will go back to my usual Benefiber and still MORE water LOL!

Kim, I was a big ole chicken too! You don't know how afraid I was to face this second fusion! The anxiety levels were sky high! I was NOT afraid of the surgery per se. I was more afraid of the spasms and pain afterwards. Which we are speaking of now. I hate it! Did your doctor, by any chance, prescribe Valium for the spasms? I don't like advocating the use of "benzo's" but they work better than muscle relaxers in my opinion. The Klonopin I take pretty much takes them down to a bearable level. Anyway, I had my choice...to come off of the Klonopin and go to Valium after surgery. Or, just to stick with the Klonopin and "up" it to two pills a day instead of one. My NS suggested that I just stick with the Klonopin and so did my Neurologist. It would have caused more problems (withdrawals) if I had had to taper so quickly. Anyway, I am only taking one Klonopin a day and it seems to work so far. At least if you had some kind of anti-spasmodic med maybe you could get to a therapist without too much pain and start working on those issues. And, to be honest with you, I had much better relief with a massage therapist than regular PT. It seems the PT made me much worse. I don't know why but perhaps they had me stretching way too soon without getting those darn knots out first. Finally the PT had to use that tool I spoke of. And that hurt! BUT...she eventually got those things out! I guess we all do what we can to eliminate those types of pains. So, my opinion is is to try anything within reason to help with the pain. Now, what I want to know is what is up with Norco???!! I didn't get Vicodin this time and Norco is supposed to be more mild but supposedly the same as Vicodin. I don't think so! The Norco seems to keep me awake, although a little loony, and then I sweat a lot with it. With Vicodin I only needed very little...like 2 pills a day, slept like a baby and was extremely happy all the time LOL! I know, it was the opiate part of it LOL! Oh, well, when I go back to the NS, I will ask him about all of this. As far as sleeping, I had a rough time last night. See, it is the darn Norco keeping me awake! I had a few spasms, so I put on my soft collar and grabbed the cervical pillow and adjusted myself until I finally went to sleep. But, like you, I always start out in my recliner. I don't like that either but it does help to get sleepy and then I crawl into bed. Anyway, I also wanted to ask you what meds you are currently taking. My PM once mentioned Lunesta to me to help me sleep but I never did take it. Let me know! Kathi

Kathi,

The only meds I am taking currently is Tramadl/APAP (Ultracet) and it doesn't help much, to be honest. I went from sleeping 3 hours a night to 4 hours a night after I started taking the Tramadl. My OS took me off the Percocet since I had been on it so long and expressed my wishes to go off all drugs so that I could pass a drug test in order to become employable again. Little did I know that I would be experiencing these same pains as I had before the surgery.

I'm scheduled to get an ESI in the facet joints on thurs and I am dreading it after that last injection I had back in March! I'm so tired of being poked, prodded, cut, and stuck with needles...but on the same note, when the pain increases to the level its at right now while typing this, then I become brave and am willing to try it almost anything. Pain is a great motivator...lol

You never did say what pains/symptoms you were having with your C3/4 that made you decide to get them fused. Care to share???....lol

Kathi, I'm clueless about Norco...never heard of it, let alone taken it.

Best wishes,

Kim

Hi Kim,

I just now saw you are back on Brain Talk 1. We need to go over there I think. But for now I will tell you about the C3/C4. I'm sorry, I know you asked about that and I spaced it! Okay, I had cervicogenic headaches with variant migraines and/or occipital neuralgia. The SEVERE pain was always up around my head in the typical "ram's horn pattern"...so they call it. This was all due to bone spurs/osteophytes pressing on nerve roots. The docs tried to treat it conservatively at first. And I went through 3 years of awful pain before I found a spine group that fixed it! Just know that the pain I had at that level was UP the back of my head and never downwards. BUT, also know that the C5/C6 was bad at the same time. The NS just didn't want to fuse both at once. So, any pain I had in my shoulders which was minimal at the beginning, I attribute to the C5/C6. I suppose the C3/C4 could refer pain elsewhere but in my case it was the base of my skull and head. Okay, now for Tramadol or Ultram. I tried that once and I can't really remember what happened. Either it made me sick or I got nauseated from it. But in any case my Pain Management doctor did tell me that HE is finding that it is not helping his patients much although he was once a believer in it. I suppose he may still use it for some people I am just re-iterating what he told me. I have extreme difficulty with most meds. And, he did want me to try Lyrica. I am telling you what...you might as well put me totally out of comission if you hand me Neurontin or Lyrica. I just cannot tolerate them. Okay, so after all of this pain BS, pardon me, he finally decided to let me stay on Vicodin since I was taking only 1/2 pill a day along with Klonopin. I know it can be addicting but I am extremely careful about how much I take of anything. And I will say 1/2 of a Vicodin and 1/2 to 1 tablet of .5 Klonopin gave me some functionality back! At least I was able to drive and get out and about. Okay, now Norco is a "baby" Vicodin. That is how I view it anyway. Vicodin is usually 5/500. Norco, or at least the one the NS prescribed is 7.5/325. I also have some that are 3.5/325. Norco has less Tylenol in it which is supposed to be easier on your liver...more so than Vicodin. Currently, I am taking 1 to 2 a day of the 7.5/325. Hopefully, I can taper down as time goes on. Also, for some reason, the Norco does NOT make me sleepy like the Vicodin did. Anyway, I hope this helps. Kathi

Now you have me wondering....1
 

I am scheduled for surgery on Friday 1/26/07, to fix a spur at c5-6. After listening to the Doctor's it sounded like it would be a fairly simple procedure that would eliminate the pain that runs from my neck down my right arm to the tips of my thumb and pointer finger. After reading some of these posts I am beginning to wonder how long recovery really takes and if the pain will really be gone.
My pain came on in 3 days time and has been aching now for almost 6 weeks. I would really like to hear some feedback on how you are feeling now after the twelve week period in which you are required to wear your brace and collar. The bone they are using to fuse in will come from my hip which they say is the better way to go than to use a cadabber bone. Feedback?
Not looking forward to trying to sleep comfortably with the collar or even using the restroom. How did you manage that? I am 6'6 and 300#'s and I detect a little difficulty. I will get some practice in once my collars are fitted on Tuesday before surgery. Any feedback is welcome.

Thanks,
Tripn

Tripn,

I'm sorry that I've only noticed your post just now. I'm hoping your surgery went well!:)

I know that reading some of our posts must be scaring you a bit, but please remember that most of the people who have this surgery feel tons of pain relief and then go on to live a normal pain-free life and are too busy . The minority of us who have continued pain or problems remain here looking for support and answers. There are even some who had successful surgeries but keep coming back to the forums to give support and advice to those who are still dealing with their spinal issues.

I had my C5/6/7 fusion with my own iliac crest bone back in June '06. Since then I have experienced problems with the nerves in my hip, but my PM believes it might be aggravated by the fact that I am quite thin and there is no padding to protect the nerves. I also had two hernia's repaired right next to the autograft site on my hip just 3 weeks after my ACDF surgery which just added to the scar tissue in the area and is contributing to the nerve irritation. As far as the pre-op and post-op pains, mine seem to have not changed and if anything, they've slightly progressed. I'm still going through the process of trying to finding out why, but have no answers yet. Everyone is different, so keep a positive outlook, the odds are with you!

I hope you're doing well and recover from your surgery quickly. Keep us posted on how you're doing.:)

Best wishes,

Kim

GERD, constipation, continuing back and neck pain
 

Hello all,

This is my first post but I have been reading along for the last 9 months.
I had ACDF on C4-5-6 in Jan. of this year. Apparantly it wasn't a cure-all because I am still having problems with pain in my right arm and thumb, just below C6 on both sides and a large area in the middle of my back between my shoulder blades. It started out with just a small numb area in the middle of my back but since surgery the area is about the size of a postcard and is numb, the pain starts out as a severe itch there and on the outside of my right arm at the elbow and forearm then progresses to burning then severe pain! Sometimes I can just turn my neck a certain way and those areas will just throb with pain!
I am now in the process of getting injections AGAIN to help with the arthritis in the facet joints which they say may be causing the pain? I'm not so sure about that! The plate they put in is at an angle to my spine but they say it doesn't matter if it's crooked, I'm not sure about that either? You would think that if it was crooked it would exert pressure in the direction it is off and press on the nerves but of course they say no. On top of the neck problem they hit a nerve in my lower back when they did the mylogram prior to surgery because of an extremely narrow epidural space then when the opening in my spine didn't close they had to do a blood patch which further irritated the nerve so now I have pain in my left leg that feels like a really bad ache you get after you have hit your funny bone! AHHHHHHHHHH! But it sure isn't funny!! :( They did and MRI and found narrowing canal along with bulging discs and one ruptured disc on L4, at this point I have lost feeling in my big toes on both my feet. Kind of strange it is on both sides???? So now I am waiting to see what they will do there??
But the good thing is I have finally overcome my depression due to all this and I am taking it one day at a time, keeping the faith that eventually I will be able to join the world of the working class again!:D

As for GERD and constipation, I use to have ulcerative coilitis, GERD and IBS but I was able to "cure" these problems throwing away my nexium and adding 2tblsp of "Bragg Organic Apple Cider Vinegar" in a full glass of water twice a day. I also stopped eating pork but that was just my preference. It took about 1 day for the GERD to stop and a couple of weeks for the rest.

I "cured" my constipation from taking the pain meds by drinking 4 ounces of Aloe Vera juice mixed in the juice of choice "i use orange juice" but any thing you like will work. It doesn't have much taste so you can add as much or as little juice as you need. I haven't been constipated since I started this and I lost 20lbs.

My mom has diverticulitis and after she started doing the same she hasn't had any more attacks so what do you have to loose?

I wish all of you well and pray that you all find relief from your pain.

Cindy:grouphug:

Fresh out of the OR
 

Hey,
I didnt even know there was a place like this on the web. I just had my C5-C6 fused on Mondat the 27th. So far my right side pain in all gone but I have pain on my left now. I hope this is just a carryover effect from them rooting around in there. I really wont know my range of motion for a couple more days after I take off the bandage on my neck. The most painful part of the procedure is swallowing. I am so hungry but applesauce and Cream of Wheat can only take me so far.
Let me describe why I decided on it for future viewers. I am in the Marines and I can not run due to the vertical punishment of the very nature of running. Well, after about 15 months of sucking it up and one deployment to Iraq, I needed to get this taken care of. My symptoms were extreme pain down my right shoulder through my elbow and sometimes my hand. After I injured it the first time it took about 10 months to plateau at its pre-op level which meant I could play golf (not swing so hard) but couldnt exercise.
I will give an honest update to anyone who cares to hear them. Wish me luck and God bless all of you.

Hi / Question About Baby Vicodin Kathi...
 

"Okay, now Norco is a "baby" Vicodin" quote, hmmm, what do you mean Norco is a "Baby Vicodin", maybe you mean a newer Vicodin which it is, but the 7.5mg dose is the codine in the pill, while a 5/500 in Vicodin is 5 mg of codine...when you said baby I though you meant it was a smaller dose pill? What did you mean, "Oh sorry for jumping in here but it kinda threw me", I'm new here.:)

For Tripn; About Bone
 

You asked; The bone they are using to fuse in will come from my hip which they say is the better way to go than to use a cadabber bone. Feedback?

Yes, from what I have been told it is better, I had the C5-6 fusion in 1990, and I regret they didn't use my bone, but instead used bone from a bone bank....I've been told that the pain I suffer with is due in some to that fact and that using your own bone is a way better deal, so at least your headed in the right direction...I can tell you I've had problems since 1990, mostly pain and stiff neck, for the longest time it felt like a rock had been transplanted into my neck, I'm on disablility now and have been since that surgery, not to discourage you, most people do good when they use their own bone...just do what they say and don't be lifting anything heavy ok...Good Luck or hope you did good whichever applies. futurexboy;)

Had C5 C6 2 yeras ago. Disc was ruptured. took 2 my doc 2 months to order MRI and then opeation in 2 days after it was done.
Immediately lost all pain in arm. STill have numbness and stinging on 2 fingers on left hand. Sometimes it is very difficult to deal with. But, all the neck down the arm horrifc pain was gone immediately after I wole up from surgery.

Same operation
 

had c 5 c6 fusion done 2 years ago. When I woke up from operation, all arm and neck pain were gone and have not returned. Left hand finger numbness and stinging and burning sensation remain even now.

results C5 C6 fusion
 

I had fusion at c5 /c6 back in Feb 2008 and to this day i am still having stinging pains in my upper arms (fills like being pinched) that change from right to left arm. What is the typical recovery for nerve issues? Docs are saying 12-18 months. Not sure I believe them.

acdf c5 c6
 

Had acdf c5 c6 done on November 1, 2008 because MRI showed that discs had completely flattened against spinal cord. Felt better for about 2 weeks until symptoms came back worse than before surgery. Both arms and hands are now totally numb and have lost approx. 80% of motor skills in left hand making it difficult to pick up anything. NS said it could be because nerve path is now opened up and could take months to heal or it could be permanent spinal cord damage due to length of impingement. New MRI done yesterday to find out what is going on. Will see NS next week to see what he says.

Surgery on neck
 

Hi, I have been reading your posts and replies, and I have got problems with C3 C5 and C6 in my neck and will shortly be going to see the consultant about it, but wondered if you were given any other options than surgey of fusing the bones, which I am not too happy about having done. Thanks
John Chadwick

surgery
 

Hi
Did you get any other options other than fusing the bones together please, as I have problems with these discs and I really dont want them fused, as I am a driver.
thanks
John Chadwick

ACDF post op 2 weeks
 

I had ACDF surgery April 5th of 2010. I am now 15 day's post op still having pain in my neck but different than before. A year and a half ago I noticed my left arm would go numb and my left thumb and index finger would too. I would also have severe pain in neck and left shoulder. At that time it was not an every day thing but in the last 6 months it became an everyday thing. I had an mri done and my c/5 c/6 area was really bad. I had two steroid injections that did not help at all. My OS put me on oxicontin 20 mg twice daily and perc 10's for in between times. We scheduled my surgery, everything I have read on here with peoples pos op I went thru the same too. Extreme pain when swallowing, the collar that drives you crazy at night all of that. I had cadaver bone not my own from hip. Now I am having deep pain on left side of neck and spasms. I no longer have any weakness or numbness. I know i am only 15 days out I feel like I am doing well except for the spasms, pain, and horrible stiffness I recently went off the oxi and continue to take percocet.I find it to be my life saver.I dont want to become dependent on the percs. My os mentioned Lyrica and i would like to know if anyone here has taken it should I try it? Also how did you guys respond to physical therapy my os wants me to start in a few weeks. Im not thrilled about it, have heard it can cause more pain. Take care everyone.:)

cervical discectomy
 

Cutting it fine I know as booked to go in tomorrow for cervical discectomy and fusion. My question is: I have very little pain now but alot of muscle wastage and some numbness in my right arm. I also have spasms in my right leg Is it still worth going ahead with the surgery if the pain has mostly gone? Its awful when I wake up but after an hour it seems to decrease.
For those of you that are still in pain I wish you well. There is nothing like nerve pain to really demonstrate the pain threshold x
Any advice would be great.

Sandie

ACDF C-56 C6-7 on 12/9/10
 

I just joined this site. Still having some issues navigating. I had the same surgery. Just 4 weeks out now. Can you share with me the recovery you had? I am doing pretty well. Had excessive swelling due to bone protein went on steroids and much of the swelling went down. Still some swallowing issues. Not much rotation in my neck not sure if it is the plate and screws or some of it will return. Thanks for any info you can give me.

fusion C5-C6
 

December 30, 2011
Anterior cervical diskectomy and fusion C5-C6 with fibular allograft and a Globus anterior cervical plate.

Spine Symptoms 1 year later after surgery and no help to be found.
projectile vomiting, daily, no warning
nausea, with dizziness
sever headaches
tinnitus, weird sound in my ears, very loud at times
vertigo
excessive perspiration
blurred vision
double vision
objects appear to be moving
tearing of the eyes
numbness left arm and hand
sharp pain between shoulder blades
constant chest pain, feels like a bee sting
sharp pains in the chest area, feels like a needle
daily episodes of loss of consciousness
decreased level of consciousness
clumsiness when walking
fall over when walking most of the time

c4 and c5 disectomy and fusion
 

Hi im having disectomy of c4 and c5 fusion next week on August 22, 2013. im so scared to have it done due to it beening surgery on spine. I have pain in my neck quite offten, headaches and tinnitus, weird sound in my ears, very loud at times
vertigo. at times if i lay on my stomach and I pick my head up I feel pressure in my head like im going to pass out. my MRI says degenerative changes a small diffuse disc osteophyte complex. findings are mild to moderate spinal canal stenosis Does anyone know if this surgery will correct my problem?????