4 Days Post Op From ACDF
 

I had an ACDF C5-6, C6-7 and C7-T1 on Tuesday 6/28. Spent one night in the hospital. It has been 4 days since surgery. I'm feeling sick to my stomach quite a bit. May be from the pain medication even though I only take it with food. I'm taking 1-2 Hydrocodone/APAP 5 mg/500 mg every 4 hours for pain and 1 Methocarbamol 750 mg every 6 hours for muscle spasms. I'll be in a hard Aspen collar 24/7 for 8 weeks. A have some muscle spasms but overall think I'm doing pretty well for 4 days. When I move in my recliner chair, sometimes I hear my neck make a cracking sound. Do you think this is nornal? Also, do you think it is ok to sleep in bed on your side with the hard collar on? If I can just get rid of the nausea, I think I will feel much better. How soon do you think I should start to cut back on the medications? Any suggesstions, comments or words of encouragement would be greatly appreciated.

I appologize for not seeing this earlier as I would have responded immediately. I am old school and think you were discharged too soon unless you were transferred to a physical rehab. hospital which you qualified for. I wish you had gone, regardless. I hope you are feeling better now and the nausea has passed. It could have been some lingering anesthesia. I hope you were watching your temp.

I am certain you still have the achies. Even after the incission heals, there will be ongoing spasm for some time. That was some serious surgery and the surgeon did a lot of work in there. The entire area is angry for a lack of better words.

If the collar is giving you trouble, get yourself two soft collars. Wear one under the hard collar and it makes things more comfortable. They need to be washed about every two days as they get rather funky. If you have two, you will have a spare while the funky one is being washed and air dried.

Best wishes.

At your post op chronologic point and with the medication you are taking, it sounds like pretty much business as usual. You will likely feel a whole lot better more on a weekly basis than a daily one.

As far as doing two soft collars, forget it it unless your surgeon agrees to it. Mal or non-unions (not a good thing) run higher with multi-level fusions. Just say no. The more motion you induce across the surgical fusion the more likely you will mess things up and you will not be happy :)

Follow your surgeon's plan and his wisdom will lead you to the best outcome for you! He knows your situation best.

OOOOOPS! You are so right about not getting the soft collar w/o consulting with the surgeon. Mine actually recomended it for me when I was having problems after my first cervie. He said it all depended on the nature and location of the procedure and the length and shape of the neck. He said some necks just aren't suitable for doubling up. Thankfully, when I woke up after the second and third operations, the soft collar was already in place. Each patient and their needs differ to some extent.

What you will need more than anything is a double dose of patience. It takes time to heal from this. Often it is two steps forward and one back. Follow the intructions you have been given and don't push the envelope. Best wishes.