help - still in pain 4 months post ACDF
 

ok, I thought I would be better by now. I'm not. I'm not even seeing any improvement anymore. This sucks. I had my ACDF (C5, C6, C7) on March 2, and wore my hard collar for 8 1/2 weeks, I've been following the doctors instructions, and weaned myself off the narcotics the best I could, still take the occasional percacet and oxy when I just can't handle the pain any longer.

I wake up everyday with burning pain from my neck down my shoulders, traps into my arms and hands. Driving makes everything worse. I'm still off work but due to go back in 2 months, I can't even drive myself without suffering extreme pain, when does this get better?

I've talked to the doctors they offer little help. They tell me there are no guarantees you'll be completely out of pain ever, and it's still too soon to tell. I still have nerve damage in my right hand and I'm getting very depressed waking up and not being able to do anything without extreme pain.

What should I do? should I keep going to my dr. and have him take me off work permananty? Will I ever get better? My job requires me to drive 35 mins to work each way and sit at a computer for 9 hours, doing graphic design work with my right hand (the one with the nerve damage).

Currently I'm on WSIB, can I request to be taken off and put on disability if I'm not getting better? Am I jumping the gun thinking this way? I am in pain every single day, this chronic pain just wears a person down. What are the rules for disability insurance and how do I even do that?

I'm panicking lately thinking about how I'm feeling and what the future holds. I would appreciate anyone's advice and experience on what they've gone through.

Getting pretty discouraged.

Hi ~ I'm sure you ARE discouraged!! Unfortunately, like the doc says, there are no guarantees that this will help. Surgery is for mechanical problems; it is NOT for pain. Your doctor should have told you that.

I've had 2 open surgeries and neither one worked. I've been in chronic pain for over 25 years -- and YES, it does wear one down. :rolleyes:

You are EARLY in the healing process -- a lot of "trauma" was done in there, and the tissues have to heal from that. It can take awhile -- for instance, nerves heal at the average rate of one inch per month. So it can take a good long time for healing to take place.

Plus the fact that your job entails that you drive so far and also have to SIT for prolonged periods of time is NOT beneficial to your problem!!! Sitting and standing for long periods is NOT recommended for spinal patients. I couldn't find a job where I could lay down, so I went on Social Security Disability! Plus i had trouble walking anyway. :rolleyes:

It's hard to say if you'll get better -- only time will tell. I know it's hard being patient when you're in so much pain. You won't even know if you're fusing until about the 6 month to one year time span! But I think I would wait and TRY to go back to work -- at least see if you can do it. If your pain isn't improved by the time you're ready to go back to work, I'd go back to the surgeon and ask for a CT scan to make sure things are OK.

I wish you much healing & pain relief -- I know how awful this is. Please keep us posted on your progress, ok? God bless & take care. Hugs, Lee ;)

thank you....
 

thank you for your response. The best thing about this forum is knowing that you're not alone and there are others who understand and have and are going through the same thing. Trying to describe nerve pain to someone who has never experienced it is like describing childbirth to a man.. lol. Unless you have felt it you can't fully understand how it feels or how it wears a person down day after day.

I'm hoping by the time Sept. rolls around I will be feeling at least better enough to try to go back to work, I'm only 40 years old, so going off permanently at my age (with teenagers needing college money) would be very difficult. But at the same time I worry I just won't be able to physically do my job. It's hard to know all the 'what ifs' in life. I can only imagine how many long days you've had over the last 25 years coping with this.

Thanks for your words of encouragement.
Wishing us both some pain free days... God bless.
Cathie

Pain
 

A vital part of your recovery and ongoing treatment is missing-TLC for your poor hard working muscles that are trying to hold it all together.
Get a sports or remedial massage immediately, and be amazed and pleased with the benefit.
Then have them every 2 or 3 weeks for a while. Then regularly afterwards.
The muscles are so often overlooked in the pain analysis, yet they are a major contributor.
Been there, done that. Some scarily bad pain episodes from muscle spasms.

Yep, I do go for massages every 4 weeks, and alternate with reflexology every 4 weeks, so basically every 2 weeks I have something. By alternating them I can make my benefits last a bit longer since one is consider holistic and one is massage therapy. It does help, you're right the muscle spasms are huge and hurt as bad as nerve pain. Muscle relaxers help a little bit, but I can only take them at night or I'm groggy all day.

How long ago did you have your surgery, and how are you now? Did you have a full recovery?

You have had some great advice. The only thing that the others forgot was to tell you that the final step before closing you is to drop in a grenade. :eek:;):D.

I wish more surgeons were upfront about post op pain and how long it will take to start feeling better. While it varies from person to person, you had some serious work done and it will take time, patience and the therapies that were discussed. As Lee stated, the purpose of the surgery is structural repair. I have had eight spinal surgeries and only one resulted in lower pain levels. Hang in there.