Looking for advice about ACDF
 

I have checked this site out over the last two years looking for alternative treatments and feedback about ACDF (C6-C7). After trying nerve root block injections, epidurals, facet joint blocks, PT, and accupuncture, it seems that surgery is the only option I have to deal with my pain and hopefully end it completely. I have an ACDF scheduled on Nov 7. Do any of our ACDF survivors have any feedback about how I can be prepared for possible health needs immediately after the surgery? Foods to eat? Medical or sleep equipment needed? What to do and what to avoid?


Thanks for any help you can give!

trinab,

Having had two ACDF's I'll tell you what I did or used...

1) Slept in a recliner for at least two weeks if not longer.
2) IF you are laying flat in your own bed and need to get up, hold the back of your neck and do a "log roll" to get up. Ask the hospital to show you how. Trust me, if not done right, you WILL feel it!
3) You will probably be in a soft collar for a few weeks maybe less. I wore mine all the time at first and then periodically if I started to feel the muscles get tight.
4) The hospital or doctor will explain how to care for the incision; it is no biggie really...but those steri strips sometimes don't like to fall off. :)
5) I bought one of those long "grabber" poles to pick things off the floor instead of bending over.
6) Some people pack themselves in pillows too...but I always just used my own cervical pillow.
7) Walk! And walk as much as you possibly can when you feel up to it. That seems to be the biggest thing the docs stress...just walk!
8) As time passes, they will have you do stretches. I learned the hard way...do not do them when your neck is cold so to speak. Do them in a hot shower...something my spinal PM mentioned.

This is really all I can think of for now. I am sure others will be along to add more. As far as food goes, I didn't worry too much because at first because hubby brought meals home. And truthfully, it wasn't so bad that I couldn't make myself something to eat. And this last fusion I had done was outpatient! Anyway, I wish you luck and let everyone know how it goes.

I also had an ACDF C5-6-7 on 8-8-05. I second the recommends on #1,#2 & #7. Make sure you have a recliner now. Don't do like I did and wait until after the surgery to buy it. I didn't get a single night of good sleep until I got the recliner. Slept the first three nights sitting upright on the couch. Or should I say I watched TV for 72 hours straight.

Thanks for the great ideas... one more question
 

I appreciate all of the great feedback. I guess my biggest worries are: that the doc will get in and decide he needs to do another level as well (my 3-4 has issues also), that I will have lots of throat/swallowing problems, and that the pain, which is now mostly muscle spasm types, with some stabbing pains in the side of neck, won't get any better. I also worry that this surgery will be starting a whole long line of surgeries on my neck. Any comments on any of that? What do the stats show, does anyone know?

Also, how long can I realistically expect before I can go back to work and feel better? My doc has said 10 days, but I have told my work sight 3 weeks as 10 days just seems unrealistic to me. Will I be so debiltated that I won't be able to do any of the activities related to the holidays like shopping and cooking? Will I be able to shower, lift my arms over my head to do my hair, silly (but important to me!) things like that?

Honestly, don't worry about it. Just do it. If you don't things will only progressively get worse. I would vote for the 3 weeks instead of 10 days. Swallowing, talking, anything involving the throat will be painful for a while. It's just part of how they do the surgery.
Stock up on sugar-free jello and pudding and stuff that goes down easy. I didn't have any problems reaching above my head though I moved a bit more slowly.

Don't baby it
 

I guess I have a different point of view than others that say to lay around. My brother had the surgery and laid around in a lounger chair for 12 weeks. I really think his pain lasted so long because he chose to lay around putting pressure on the hip bone shaving site.

In contrast, I had the same surgery you are talking about. The only work I missed was the two days I was in the hospital. Ten days later I was scuba diving in the Bahama, jumping from a large boat.

Now I did not have the hip shaving for that surgery. Instead, I insisted on a donor bone. I figured that my hip was fine so why mess with it. It was a great decision for me.

A few years later I had to have another fusion much lower in my back. There they did the hip shaving and that was the worst recovery part. Even now, five years later, I get discomfort from where they saved my hip. Avoid that part if you can. However, even after the hip shaving, rods and screws, I again only spent two days away from work after getting out of the hospital.

Stay active, refuse to give in to the pain where you possibly can.

depends on the type of work you do
 

you should be told not to lift anything over 5 pds. take there advice, as for work it depends i have a heavy lifting job so it took 3 months. but the surgen messed up and i had to have aposterior revision done which is alot more painful. you should see if you can get a hospital bed oes wonders milk shakes thoat will be soar for about a week, a cane so you don't fall when you do all that walking. this is really not a bad surgery mimimum pain ,good to go in a week but don't if you over do it you could mess it up. just take your time no dish washing and no vaccuming. hope all works for you i am still having a bad time due to more herniations t6-7, t7-8 with compromise all lumber herniated with l4-5 stenonic and no one will touch me too dangerous.. so be very careful and good luck

Do anything you can to avoid the surgery
 

Supp trinab I'm Mike, how long have you had this problem? How long have you been treating it with PT and Acupuncture and for how many treatments?

Just ask your self those questions.

Look I'm just going to say it straight up the people that get these kind of surgeries you are discribing are looking for the quick fix. You really have to understand that these things take time (years). I'll just give you one example; my uncle baddled with back pain so bad that he could not walk or stand. He spent 29 days in traction and had to take some serious pain killers. They had him preped for the surgery the Docs even had the room all ready for him but you know what happened, at the last minute he said NO. NO you are wrong this will heal and it took him 19 years BUT IT HEALED. Today he is 81 years old and is cutting grass on his farm in upsate New York Chopping fire wood lifting dozzens of 50lb bags of pellets and he has no back pain NONE.

Look I know neck pain is more painful I have ligiment dammage in my neck and herneated disks in my thorasic spine and in my lumbar spine. People have told me I need surgerybut they are worng. I am healing because I believe I can heal and I am doing whatever it takes to heal and YOU CAN TOO without any surgery.

I'm going to Say a prayer for your health and that you make the right choice.

,Mike

Mike,

We are speaking of the neck and not the lumbar. The neck is the "fusebox" of the body. While I realize some people wait it out it is BEST to go with the recommendations of the NS or OSS. Your faith is a great thing but it is not realistic. I am proof positive that waiting out a cervical fusion is NOT the best thing to do!!! I did not go in for a "quick fix" instead I was MADE to wait for 3 years and in SEVERE pain! When I switched over to another spine group the NS was in shock and we are not speaking of ligaments or muscle pain. You could NOT see my nerve roots at C3/C4...they were totally crushed with osteoarthritis. There was no amount of meds nor injections or anything that would fix that...osteo just does not go away short of surgery. Not only that but you risk severe neurological deficits. Then came my second fusion...C5/C6. I was losing use of my arms and hands. In May of 2006 I was told I could wait but the MINUTE I began to have deficits, I should come in. By August I could not hold a pen.

To tell someone they will heal from something like this is just flat out wrong! Again, we are not speaking of ligaments and muscles. And, btw, fusions do NOT guarantee pain relief...they are done to stabilize the spine. I do not regret either one. And, yes, they can lead to more. But, sorry, I wasn't about to wait around and lose use of my arms...motor nerves are not something that will heal with time. Once shot, there is no getting them back.

And so now I am left with Central Pain Syndrome. NOT because of surgery...the surgery freed up the nerve roots. According to my NS and Neurologist both...the severe pain I had by WAITING caused windup or central sensitization. I WISH I had had the first fusion immediately.

This has been a great thread - thank you all, for the information you've shared.

I have a herniated disc at C6/7 and am considering ACDF. My pain level is better after two cortisone shots, but not completely gone. That, and the fact I have nerve damage that may be irreversible, is another reason I am considering the surgery.

Keep that info coming!! I have an appt Monday with my OSS to discuss my options (like there are any left, LOL).

thanks,
Kelly

I never told anyone to sit on their bum. The recliner is used for sleeping. Geez, I was up and around the day of sugery. Had it early in the morning and by that afternoon I had already walked most of the halls in the hospital. You move or you lose.

I had ACDF on c5/6 6/7, on Feb 14th of this year. I went back to work in 3 weeks, and do very heavy lifting and a lot of bending, etc. since I am a printing press operator. I had mine done with cages and plates, NO bone whatsoever. swallowing was difficult for a week, so I ate soup, jello, and pudding...I slept well lying down, though I did use my recliner all day. With cages and plates, you needn't wear a collar at all... the fusion is mechanical, although your bones will grow into them in time. My neck was pain free the same day,with the exception of some muscle spasms. I don't know how to attach a picture here, but if you want to see my xray, you can e-mail me and I will send it to you. You can show your NS and ask about it...it worked very well for me.
Dave:)

hansmathias8@hotmail.com

Supp Kathi, you do have some really good points and you are absolutely right telling someone with osteoarthritis and crushed nerve roots to wait it out is wrong that is not going to heal up unless we get some advances in stem cell research but Trinab does not have this type of condition his pain is "muscle spasm pain". This guy is still working, my pain seems worse than his as I cannot work but mine is getting better because I am treating it and doing what I need to do to fix it. Go check out my thread on alternative treatments and see how much work this actually takes to fix. If anyone has a spinal problem and ignores it, does not go change their posture fix their muscle imbalances lose the weight get the body work done to relieve the muscle spasms it will not heal and you will need surgery but in Trinabs case he can prevent it if he decides to do whatever it takes to fix the problem before it gets to the point where he has osteoarthritis and so on. He can do it and so can anyone else if they believe in themselves. Kathi can you really honestly tell me that after your injury you decided to do whatever it takes to fix yourself and you still could not do it?

Here is what whatever it takes looks like:
Acupuncture 2-3 times a week every week
Massage to relieve the pressure points 2-3 times a week
Every morning 2-3 hours of hatha yoga specifically devoted to your unique problems
Every night another 30 minutes of yoga stretching and meditation
Physical therapy to help identify and correct your muscle imbalances
Actively practicing holding good posture
Eating the right foods and taking the right herbs and vitamins
Using strong ligaments every day for the stiffness
And the list goes on and on, that is what it takes to fix these kind of problems so people have the choice to do that or they can go the fast easy way and just go for the surgery and hope it works which it won't if the underling problem which is bad posture and muscle imbalances are not corrected.

Trinab I would say the next step for you is Prolotherapy and a serious life style change not surgery. Surgery is the last resort. If I was you I would leave my job for medical reasons and get that doc that wants to do surgery to help you file for social security disability to tie you over financially while you fix yourself. If you do it right you will also be able to get unemployment compensation benefits.

,Mike

Mike,

The original poster said he was scheduled for an ACDF and had tried everything. I don't think a surgeon would have scheduled an ACDF unless it was necessary. Most do NOT want to cut. They will all try conservative treatements first. I know...I went through 3 years of it.

Here's my laundry list:

Medications - All kinds; including AD's, anti-convulsants, opiates
Accupuncture - Helped with the pain somewhat, but came right back after EVERY session
Traction - Ordered by my first NS and actually made me much worse
Physical Therapy - More times than I can even begin to count! Did not help.
Heat and Ice - Only worked at times to help either with the spasms or to numb the nerves
Massage Therapy - Worked well for the trapezius but that's it
Facet injections, Selective Nerve Root Injections and Trigger Point Injections - The relief only lasted a short time; the longest I got was 3 months.
ER Visits - Too many to mention for a shot of Toradol

And yes, I can honestly say that NONE of that worked! This all began in 2000 with a diagnosis of Occipital Neuralgia. That quickly changed to Cervicogenic headaches with variant migraines. Fast forward to 2003 when I found my new spinal PM. He found it was the C3/C4. Two injections later I was referred to the NS. It was my NS that was in shock. Again, you could not see the nerve roots; both my PM and NS pointed that out to me...plain as day. At the same time my C5/C6 was pressing on my spinal cord. But my NS did not want to tackle that until he saw how well I healed from the first fusion. In the spring of 2003 I had the first fusion and in the fall of 2006 I had the second one.

I do understand what you are saying about muscles spasms and such. IF that is ALL I had to be concerned with, I would have kept trying other measures. But, nope, crushed nerve roots don't care what you do, what you eat or what you drink...neither does a compressed spinal cord. If my PM were to see your post he would die. He has has two cervical fusions of his own. Now don't you think being a SPINAL doctor he also would have tried every conservative measure? And he did because he told me about them! He was having me to do the same things he was trying. But in the long run, we BOTH had to have fusions. And he fought it for about as long as I did.

I think what you are doing is confusing muscle imbalances and/or muscle issues with actually damage or compression of nerve roots and/or the spinal cord. Of course a person is going to have pain since the nerves tell the muscles how to work. The muscles actually compensate for what is going on with the spine.

In any case, some people choose to wait it out...I know that too. What I am saying is...if you wait too long, there is the possibility of PERMANENT nerve damage. And actually, no one is forced to have surgery. In my case it was different...it was surgery ASAP based on the seriousness of the C3/C4 level. That is where the phrenic nerve comes out of that controls breathing. Any fall or hit and I could have been paralyzed and/or stopped breathing. I am speaking of motor nerves here and not muscles. My NS never guaranteed pain relief what he was trying to do was to stabilize my spine with both fusions. I am thankful that the first fusion stopped the severity of the headaches I was having and the second fusion gave me the use of my arms back.

It is up to any individual as to what they want to try. But I would definitely heed the recommendations of an NS or OSS; they are the ones that are trained in this area and know what they speak of. And I for one listened and listened closely. No amount of the measures I listed above would have fixed the problem; it just put a bandaid on it...the problem was still there.

So, tell me what would have decompressed those nerves or spinal cord? It certainly wasn't any of the measures I listed above.

Trinab,

You have to do what is best for you. I TOTALLY agree with what Stiffnecked said though...just get it done because I agree...things will only get progresssively worse. And honestly, the surgery is not all that bad. You will probably have some muscle spasms afterwards but that is more or less due to the nerves being freed up. The surgeon can give you meds for that and with time you will be able to do some gentle stretches. Anyway, I would trust the surgeon and what he recommends. Like I said...they know far more about all of this than any of us do.

I have to say thank you for saying that ... hearing it from two people does at least help me in MY decision. I worry about this condition becoming worse and doing more nerve damage in the long run. I meet with my OSS today to see what his recommendation is - but at least hearing a couple of you say "it's not that bad" makes me feel a little better. :)

supp yall, Kathi you are totally right you needed a surgery to clean up your cervicals I mean you had crushed nerve roots and lost the function of you arms but the recommendations I am making are for Trinab. He is going in for a surgery on November 7th and he is still working. His arms are functional and I highly doubt his nerve roots are crushed; his pain is "muscle spasm pain". There are plenty of surgeries which are done that are not needed. I have 2 friend one who is a physical therapist and the other a massage therapist who were told that they needed surgery on their knees one had a torn meniscus the other a torn ACL and both of them said no to the surgeries and one is training for a marathon and the other does barbell squats in the gym every week. It took a long time for both of them but they both healed.

I know a knee is not the same as the neck but it is just an example of how these intelligent doctors are totally uneducated in alternative medicine and rush to surgery.

Trinab I would bet 1 million dollars on credit (you might think I am kidding but I really would take that bet with anyone) that if you said I am going to do whatever it takes to heal and gave it the time you would heal much better than you would if you did get the surgery done.

,Mike

It is cool hearing how good the surgeries went from the people who had good experences too bad the people who it did not go good for can no longer type on a cumputer.

,Mike

Well, I for one would like to know Trinab, if you are out there, what does your cervical MRI say about the C6/C7? I know you mentioned all kinds of injections so obviously there is more going on than just muscle spasms. Is it herniated? Do you have stenosis, myelopathy, radiculopathy?

And Mike, I HIGHLY doubt a surgeon would operate based on muscle spasms alone...there is no way. At least no NS I have ever talked to would operate based on spasms alone...I would have gone into PT if that were the case.

Anyway, again, I would leave up it to the surgeons and/or their recommendations. And btw, I can use a computer. :) Oh, and no surgeon will guarantee pain relief...they don't do these types of surgeries based on pain alone.

So, I will just leave it like this. If someone wants to try alternative medicine first; go forth. That is usually the norm anyway. Most docs WANT you to try everything conservatively first. Surgery is usually the last resort. But when it gets to the point that NOTHING is working and the situation is serious, it is time to get something done.

I decided to go ahead with the ACDF after meeting with my oSS on MOnday. My pain level is good right now but no return of tricep strength. He said the shot may last two weeks, months, or years - but no one knows, and when it wears off, I may be back where I started. So I decided to have the surgery and just get this done!

Redhotbeads,

Sounds like you have a competent OSS! :) He's right...no one knows how long those shots will last AND honestly, while they help to keep the pain levels low, I know most PM's don't want to give you a lot of injections. They are usually DIAGNOSTIC as well as therapeutic. I will probably be getting facet injections on Monday for the C2/C3...and I can't wait! If they work, I will talk to my PM about an RF. Then again, he may have something else in mind.

I am sorry to hear there is no return of the tricep strength but that is what I mean by neurological deficits. Hopefully, and with time, you may see a return of some strength. :)And, btw, my C6/C7 will probably be next and IF it is, I am NOT messing around. ;) Good luck to you and when is the surgery scheduled for?

Hi Kathi,
Good luck on Monday! I hope you can get some relief.

I had 2 ESIs. I couldn't have the third since I did two rounds of Medrol. So far it's working and I hope it continues to until my surgery date!! :)

My surgery is December 13th. I've lost about half my tricep strength - and my physical strength is really important to me. I like working out, lifting weights - and I can't lift right now. :( My first three fingers are also numb, which is another reason he's concerned. So I'm just going to do it and then move on from there. Your posts have convinced me that waiting just is not a good idea: it can get worse!

Take care,
Kelly

You are welcome Kelly,

I just don't want people to get the wrong idea that I am advocating fusions. Basically, if it is a muscle problem, I definitely understand stretching, etc. But when it is neurological (such as your numb fingers, etc.), then that IS a concern. Actually, when I had the C5/C6 going bad I NEVER had pain in my arms at all...it was strictly at my neck and went right down to the base of my thumbs...bypassing everything else. I did have weakness though. And like I said...that was in May and by August I could really no longer write. It was just scribbles! :eek: So, just in that short amount of time I went from bad to worse and my NS said I would and that is exactly what happened.

Anyway, my whole point is...listen to the recommendations of the surgeons. They know this stuff inside and out and what can happen. I trust my spinal PM and NS implicitly and when they tell me what is what...I listen! :) And I have to add too my NS is the one that is called in when the Indy 500 drivers and NASCAR drivers have head injuries. Soooo...that was enough credentials for me! :) He's good, he's conservative but he will also spell it out for you in no uncertain terms LOL!

Clarification
 

Sorry, I haven't been able to check in here lately as I have been working may hours to make up for my time away for surgery. The surgery is now 3 days away and of course, I am very anxious. The history on my problem (as requested by Kathi) is this: beginning over 2 years ago I had much pain in my middle of my back and shoulder blades, then eventually had numbness in my arm leading down into my thumb and first two fingers. Tried a round of steroids, then PT, which seemed to make my muscle spasms and pain worse (especially when they did traction). Tried about 6 sessions of accupuncture, which did not help at all, and seemed to increase the pain for a short while afterward.

Then tried 2 nerve root block injections into C 6/7. Pain eased off a bit, but I still had to take skelaxin 3 times a day, along with ibuprofren, though none of it in huge doses. MRI showed (and continues to show) a large bulging disc, bulging into the nerve and osteophyte complex. A year later, pain was still about the same, still on meds, propping myself up on pillows at night and unable to sleep well due to discomfort (though not intense pain). Finally tried PT again, with same results, and then this summer an epidural (cervical) with little help given, though it did calm the tingling I was starting to feel in my arm again. Later in the summer tried a facet joint block which caused tremendous pain in the area, rather than helping.

Now I am experiencing on and off neck and shoulder pain, though not at an intolerable level. Also have been having head aches off and on, pain at my occipital ridge (just below hairline in back of head), and very slight tingling off and on. NS says that it will "only get worse" and that I have lost some of the strength in my left arm/hand and that I will eventually "have to" have the surgery and noted that the longer I wait, the more damage I may do. He felt an ACDF was needed and that he could not fix this with a procedure from the back of my neck.

So here I go. I am not in agony, but when I consider having to continue to filter my life through this haze of on and off again pain, life seems daunting to me. I don't look forward to the recovery and worry about whether I am dooming myself to a life now of recurrent neck and back problems. But what else can I do? Haven't I tried everything?

BTW, I am a female, not a male...

You are singing to the choir, Trina. I totally know what you mean. My pain comes and goes, and hasn't been excruciating since the epidural shots. I'm not getting my strength back, though. And the whole "it will only get worse" scenario is the one that's put me in action. I really don't want it to get worse or end up back where I was in the beginning.

I also know what you mean about filtering your life through the intermittent pain. Me too. I'm tired of limiting my activities because of this, and not doing some things at all (like lifting weights) because I might make it worse. I worry too about whether I'm opening the door for a bunch of neck and back issues later.

But when push comes to shove. I think we just have to maintain a positive outlook about this.

Hang in there and good luck on surgery day.
Kelly

Trinab,

First I want to apologize if "I" assumed you were a man. :) And, YES, you have tried everything. So, see, there is more going on than mere muscle spasms and I thought so. No surgeon that I know of would EVER operate unless there was something really major going on. So, yes, I personally believe you are doing the right thing by having an ACDF.

Okay, both you and Kelly are talking about the C6/C7. I have issues there as well and it might be next. But you know what? If it gets bad REAL, I am going forth...that will make 3 fusions. And, yes, I have worried about the domino affect before myself. But as my NS says, it is NOT ALWAYS true that other levels will go...even though logically it would make sense that they would. But it has been since 2003 and 2006 and they are holding their own. I do think it is just a matter of time. But for now it is mainly facet stuff going on (medial branch nerves). But what is a person to do? You just CANNOT let the neurological deficits get to you as there is no going back if there is permanent nerve damage.

As of this morning I had facet injections at the C2/C3 (have facet degeneration on the left and an osteophyte complex on the right. As my PM says too...the C3/C4 fusion is causing the C2/C3 to compensate. But I knew this a LONG time ago before having anything done. So, if the facet injections take care of the occipital pain, I will have an RF done next.

I won't lie and sugar coat everything and say it is a walk in the park. It isn't. The surgery itself both times was just fine...no problems there. It is the spasms either shortly thereafter or later on that is what really hurts. But, hey, Valium kicks them out. :) Honestly, I was up and walking within hours of both surgeries and felt fine. When you both start to recover and after a period of time, the docs will have you stretch. They should give you a booklet that shows which ones to do.

Anyway, there is just no easy way around any of it. My BIGGEST thing was...I don't want to lose use of my arms and the headache pain was unreal...not like any migraine I have ever had. They termed them cervicogenic headaches and those killed me for about 3 years. So, I do NOT regret the fusions at all. Sure, I have residual pain and sometimes I can feel it in my index fingers (C6/C7) but I am really much, much better than I was back in 2003. Back then I just wanted someone to take my head off!

Oh, and Kelly, ask about the weight lifting later on. After your surgery they will NOT want you lifting more than 5 lbs. at first, then maybe 10. But again, and I will be honest, I am NEVER to lift any more than 20 lbs. for the rest of my life. But remember too, my whole cervical spine is affected...not just one level. What I do is use thera bands, go to massage therapy, get injections from time to time and just stretch in a hot shower.

I wish the both of you much luck. And you are right...keep your chin up so to speak and carry on. :) I think a positive outlook is the best thing you can have right now. It is scary but I am glad I had them! Living the way I was was pure he##! At least now, even though I have some residual pain and have to limit some activities, the aches and pains went from a 10, and no I am not lying a definite 10, and dropped to maybe 3...sometimes 0. :)

Mine is one level - but my shoulder doc told me that I've lifted all the weight I'm going to lift. I'll be able to go back to weights, but it will take time. My OSS told me as soon as I'm fused, he'll let me do whatever I want. But now I'm worried about the weight and figure I should lift less to avoid more problems in the future. Mind you, I'm not talking that much weight - 70-100 lbs on the bench is all I was doing before all of this happened. I really just want to get my tricep strength back after all this.

Therabands are a good answer, though, too - I just read an article in Prevention that said they're better than using weights in a lot of cases.

And Valium sounds like a good plan, I'm going to ask what they do about the muscle spasms.

So chin is up...thinking positive.... with five weeks to go! :)

:hug:
Kelly

Such great advice!
 

Thanks to you both for the encouraging ideas and comments. I am feeling pretty good at this point - very little pain and fairly relaxed after a massage tonight after work. A friend suggested this as a way to get my body ready for the surgery. Neck is still crunching, though my actual pain level is at about a 1-2 right now (makes it hard to think about having surgery - it's been good for the last few weeks). However, I am committed and it's onward ho Wednesday morning!

Hey you two,

I wish you both the best of luck. :)

Just remember...go easy!

I should have said earlier that the C3/C4 was the most horrific pain I had ever had in my life. Glad I had the fusion. The C5/C6 was different...didn't have much pain at all except in my thumbs. But, geez, if you could have seen that disc pressing on the spinal cord, you would know why I said to my NS...get it off there!!! :eek::) Even my Neurologist who hates fusions, said, you HAVE to do something about that one! And my spinal PM, who is a goofball said, hey, even a monkey could spot that problem a mile away...and was kind of laughing. He is just crazy but makes me laugh all the time. If he ever retires I think I will just die. He is that good at what he does!

Anyway, yep, you can have very little pain and then see your MRI's and say...whoa!!! And the reason I mention therabands is that is what the PT folks have had me use to get some strength back...no weight lifting. The biggest thing is...when you are somewhat past recovery...keep moving...no matter what. It was amazing to me, I had the C5/C6 fused last September, that when I went to lift a potted plant in the spring, I couldn't do it. But know too, I was wearing a bone growth stimulator for 6 months as well...4 hours every day! My NS apologized to me about the restrictions; they will make you weaker. But then said...since you are completely fused...get out there and plant some flowers LOL and that was at the 6 month mark! So, I pushed past it every day until I got stronger and it took TIME...so just go easy! You don't want to undo anything. The hardest thing I think is to keep the muscles loose yet strong. So, that's why my NS suggested PT...but mild PT at that...nothing at all aggressive. Oh, and massage therapy. THAT really helps. But they made it clear...LIGHT massage therapy...not the deep therapeutic kind...not right away.

Anyway, again, I wish you both much luck and success. I firmly believe you are doing the right thing. Just be prepared for those spasms. You may or may not have them. My NS's PA explained to me that once things are freed up the nerves are ****** off. Sorry, but that is what she said. And true enough...once freed, they were mad. And it does take time for them to calm down. She also said they "plump up" after surgery which is probably why I felt like my left arm had been sawed off. But ONE Valium kicked that right out...never to happen again. Anyway, at least those levels are stable and that was my biggest concern...pain or no pain. The thought of going on without doing anything..scared me more. Hang in there...I think just with the one level being done you should be fine. Just follow the surgeon's instructions to the letter and ask a bunch of questions. :)

The surgery is over and I feel 100 percent better than expected!
 

:winky:.... and it went really well (at least so far!) I am able to talk, have no pain when I am taking my meds as prescribed, and am feeling so well that it's hard to believe I had surgery just two mornings ago. Not many throat symptoms, able to walk around, and just generally feeling A= ok. Will keep you up to date as I feel better able to taype for a long time on the computer.

Good for you Trinab! :)

See, I told you it wasn't all that horrific. So, hang in there. What meds did your doc prescibe btw? And yes, stay away from the computer as much as you can. And I don't mean that we don't want to hear from you LOL! I just mean it can aggravate things. So, be careful. Glad to hear you are doing just fine. :) And keep up with the walking as much as you can. That is one of the biggest things they stressed upon me. But I also know the meds can make you sleepy. And it is hard to believe isn't it? I know after 3 years of SEVERE headaches; the minute I woke up from the C3/C4 fusion, they were GONE! :) Just continue to go easy and TAKE THE TIME it takes to heal and fuse. Keep us posted only if you can tolerate being on the computer. Again, I am so glad to hear you are up and about. :)

Day 3
 

:)Still feeling great. So good, it's hard not to overdo it. Meds are flexeril (for the muscle spasms) and vicodin, which I have now cut in half. Will keep you all updated as I am able! Thanks for the great support!

Yea, Trina!! Glad you are feeling good so far. I hope it continues.
I'll post my progress here too after I have surgery. :)

Day 12 post ACDF
 

Just a short update on my recovery; maybe this will help others who are considering this surgery for themselves. So far recovery has gone very well for me. I was able to sleep in my own bed from the beginning, although I need several pillows to prop me up and use a rice pack under my neck whenever I lay down. Down to only 2 muscle relaxers a day, with tylenol extra strength. I still take a half a vicodin at bedtime as it seems to help me to sleep.

From the beginning I have been able to move my head from side to side and up and down, as long as i don't push the range of movement. Able to shower and do my usual self care (hair, make up) if only a bit more slowly than usual. Streri strips were easily removable after 7 days of hot showers. The incision as hardly been painful at all and looks nice and pink now.

I have had minimal pain - just some muscle spasms across the shoulders and issue with swallowing, which are almost gone at this point. The thing that has bugged me most is yawning, which is very uncomfortable and causes me to notice the lumpy feeling in my throat a bit more than usual.

I am able to walk 2 miles a day - even enjoy it, and do little tasks around the home as long as they don't require extended bending and lifting (ie: I can load and fold laundry but try not to take it out of washer or dryer, I wash my dishes by hand but let my hubby do dinner dishes and put them in the dishwasher).

Negatives would be my lack of energy, the swallowing issues, a creaking or cracking of my neck when I suddenly change positions and a feeling like I have cotton in my ears or they are stuffed up due to cold symptoms (has anyone else experienced these last two?). The worst thing is the boredom! Despite stocking books and movies and DVDs, you can only do that for so long. So I really have no right to complain, do I?

I know my limits so I am not going to push it. I do find it interesting that my doc says no lifting over 15 pounds, not 5 and also some of his other post surgery instructions are not as stringent as others I have heard about or read about here. Wonder what that is about?

Thanks to you all for your wonderful support and help!

trinab.

Trinab,

You are doing fine. :)

You are going to have some pretty strange sensations; some of which will pass with time. The lack of energy is probably due to the pain meds and definitely the muscle relaxers. But you are only on day 12! :) I don't recall feeling as if my ears were stopped up. And remember too they went in through the front so you are going to feel lumps and bumps and maybe even swallow weird sometimes. I still get that every now and then. Please don't push it...just go easy and be consistent. With both fusions I was basically fused at 3 months; wore the Bone Growth Stimulator for 3 more months (to ensure a SOLID fusion) and at 6 months was fully fused. Every 3 months I went to my NS for xrays and just this past September was the one year mark. So, you see, it takes a good, long while. And my NS probably said no lifting of 5 lbs because of the previous fusion and other issues with my neck...but not lifting 15 lbs. sounds fine to me. And your doc probably isn't as stringent and really, some aren't, because they want you to get up and move around as much as possible...within reason that is. Plus, you had the C6/C7 done and that basically just sits there...in a sense. I just remember my NS telling me that it is the HIGHER levels that have the most ROM. He wasn't near as concerned about my C5/C6 as far as ROM goes...mainly the C3/C4. So, quite frankly, you sound like you are doing just fine! Oh, and if you start hurting from overdoing it (you will be able to tell) just put on your soft collar...it helps! And, when they tell you you can start in on stretching; please do!!! But not yet! :eek: Hang in there! :)

Oh, but I do have to ask this and just teasing you...

Have you been sound asleep only to wake up and start to get up using your upper back? Or, have you been asleep, woke up and forgot and stretched? OMG! I have to laugh at myself because when I did both of those things the first couple of days...I about died!!! I had to tell myself every day from then on....roll out of bed and don't stretch!!! And I am mainly referring to how you would stretch like a cat would when first waking up. Oh, boy that hurt!!!

Believe it or not, I really haven't had that much trouble. I do stretch like that, but it doesn't seem to bother my upper back. I do tend to forget and try to rise up from my back sitting straight up, but it really doesn't hurt that bad. I just don't want to do it as I am afraid it will injure my neck...

Thanks for all of the great help and support, Kathi. I really appreciated the comments about C6 and C7... it is my sense that they are probably the least used of the cervical vertebrae and it sounds like that may be what you were implying too.

Going to try a decongestant tomorrow for my ears. Maybe they're just plugged up.

I had my ACDF at C6/7 on Dec. 13th. No problems whatsoever. I hadn't been having a lot of pain prior to surgery (thanks to the ESIs, but no clue when they'd wera off). So I went ahead with surgery. It took approximately 3 hours because once my OSS was in there, he discovered a bunch of scar tissue, indicating this is an old injury and not a new one - a surprise to all of us. So he roto-rootered out the scar tissue, removed the disc and put the donor bone in, and finished with the titanium plate.

I spent the night in the hospital (good thing) and was glad for that - the most pain I had, I had immediately afterward. It was basically a stead stream of Dilaudid and Valium. I was discharged with Lortabs and Flexerils which seem to do the trick pretty well (although they only gave me 40 of each, so I'll be calling for refills by this weekend).

More than anything I have slept. Slept, slept, slept. Like a rock. Apparently I needed it. My pain level is manageable, it's not terrible by any means. I am very glad I had this surgery done and am looking forward to moving on with my life!
Kelly

Kathi
Just wondering if you were on any meds like Gabapentin or Lyrica prior to your surgery?
When I am off of meds I cannot use my arms and hands. When I am on them it is not so bad.
Bonnie

Bonnie,

Yes, I was on, over the course of those years, Neurontin, Depakote, Lyrica and the list goes on and one. None of those touched the pain. Actually, nothing did. That's my whole point about crushed nerve roots! :eek::) Now, meds like that are supposed to block the pain signals and they usually can or do. But for me...no way! Actually, I think they made things worse as far as SE's go. What helped to relieve it the most was Selective Nerve Root injections and/or facet injections...but those were short lived. That C3/C4 level was bad and so was the C5/C6 which was fused eventually. I do NOT regret any of it. What I regret is not having something done much, much sooner. The thing is...once those neurological deficits start...in the arms for instance...TIME to do something. And you better believe I listened to my NS...he did say it would get worse..and it did! On the other side of the coin and after these surgeries, I swill have weakness in my arms from time to time...not always. But as my NS says...it is due to the restrictions I had. But it is slowly getting better with time.

Anyway, the thing with the osteo and bone spurs...nothing short of surgery will take care of it; not meds, not supplements...nothing. It is as RedHotBeads said...it has to be roto-rootered out. Otherwise, anything else is just a bandaid on the real problem. The thing with fusions too is that pain relief is NOT a guarantee. That is NOT why they do them unless of course the pain is intractable and mine was. They do them to stabilize the spine.

And I know people choose to wait it out...I am doing that right now with my lumbar. But the cervical spine is whole other ballgame altogether. This is all just my own opinion of course. But if my NS said tomorrow I would need another fusion at another level; I would go for it. I would hate it meaning another surgery...but I know what can happen if too much time passes.

RedHotBeads,

I haven't been on here for awhile. But I am glad to hear that you are doing pretty good. I just have to say it...isn't Valium the best thing ever?? LOL I just mean when a spasm hits, that stuff kicks it out in a hurry! :)

Yes, the Valium was the shizzle! I so wanted the home version but the best the PA would do was Flexeril. The Flex does seem to work just fine, though.

I'm doing great so far, no problems and no pain. Waiting for my restrictions (no driving and no lifting over 2 lbs - my dr. is very conservative) to be lifted. But this hasn't been bad at all. I'm really glad. :)
Kelly

Everyone is different.
 

Hi, Kathi, I have to say that I agree with you completely! In 2004 I had ACDF C3-C7 with 5 plates and 10 screws. I was not having any neck pain but I was having arm pain, weakness, numbness, and problems with fine motor skills with my hands. I followed my doc's instructions and had a great recovery with very few problems. Everyone's situation is different and to tell everyone that they should avoid surgery at all costs just isn't realistic. Many people really need surgery. I continue to have other spinal problems but none of them have anything to do with the surgery that I had on my neck. Everyone needs to seek out as much info as possible, consider all their options, and make the best decision they can for themselves. Best of luck to all spineys!
Kat