I'm having EXACTLY the same issues as you, been off work for 9 months now waiting to see if I can do without surgery, I will be having my surgery in about a month.

My pre-op appt. with my neurosurgeon is this coming Thursday, he will be fusing C5 & C6 and possibly replacing a disc as well. I have nerves pinched down both my arms and can't use my hands barely any longer. Since I am a graphic designer it has made me loose a lot of work time.

I have degenerative disc disease, as does my father and my aunt (on my Dad's side), all have had successful surgeries for it. My Dad had my same surgery 15 years ago and it was very successful. Although a big lifestyle change is in order to keep the discs above and below the fusion healthy for the rest of your life post-op.

Good luck to you... you can email me anytime to compare notes... keep positive, it's a very hard thing to go through, and very life changing. Try to meditate and eat right so the inability to do things doesn't get you sad.

I'll post more after my surgery when I'm able to type!

Cathie

Cathie, Good luck with everything. I have been having some tingling on my left arm which is making me nervous. Not sure if I am doing too much or I am having a set back of some kind. I have an appt with surgeon in 2 weeks but I may call and speak to him or go in earlier if I can get an appt. Keep me posted on how you are doing. Gail

I had my 2nd appt. with the neurosurgeon last Thursday, he's scheduling an updated MRI (which I'm having tomorrow) to help him decide whether he will be doing a 2 level or a 3 level fusion in my neck. He will be fusing C5/C6 & C6/C7 for sure but he may do one more also. Surgery is in 4 weeks. I'm pretty nervous about it, although I know it's necessary now since I just can't do very much right now with all the pain. It was scary going through all the risks and signing all the pre-op paperwork.

I hope everything everything goes well with your appt too!! Keep me posted.

Cathie

Cathie, I accepted your friend request. We can talk about the surgery and I can share what ever info you want.

I had the surgery also, 2 different ones C3C4 first and
C5C6 on 2nd.I can tell you without any hesitation
Wait Wait Wait.There is a reason for you to sign all
the papers, telling you that it may not reduce your pain.
And for so many of us to still have pain and even more
after surgery well ( Here's you sign )!!!!
No surgery is the best surgery on your spine.
Good luck to you on this decision.

I had my 1st surgery in 1994 a laminectomy of C3-4. I was already fused C4-C7 non surgical. I had such severe stenois I had no choice. After the surgery I could no longer lift my head. Had at least a 20% lean forward. Went to therapy, it didnt help.
In March 2010 found out that now fused posterior C2-C4 and fully fused T1-T3. Had surgery in October to fuse anterior C2-C4 and insert rods from C2-C5 to lift my head up a bit as I was having trouble breathing. I'm still in hard collar until next week (God willing) and I have numbness throughout entire body. I am on several meds for pain, main thing is I can walk. Not perfect but at least I can. I have a 9 level fusion.
I never thought this could happen to me, but this is my life, I'm learrning to deal with it.

I had C-3-7 fussed after a failed C-6-7. Results are good. Pain was hard the first few weeks. I took PT and it was wonderful. almost 8 months post op, and pain levels are tolerable for sure. I wish you all the best. ginnie

I am 58 years old (male) and I have had a two lumbar fusions, one in 2004 and the other in 2005. My symptoms were buttocks pain and numbness and weakness and atrophying of the thigh muscles in my right leg.

The fusions worked beautifully, all my symptoms went away and I became normally active once again. A year or so after the last fusion my hips started bothering me. My primary care doctor sent me to a rheumatologist, suspecting I had RA. Sure enough, I was diagnosed with not only RA, but also Ankylosing Spondylitis. The infusion treatments (Remicade) and weekly injections (Methotrexate) were not started early enough to halt the deterioration of my hip joints. I had both joints replaced, one in 2006 and the other in 2007.

Last year, I assume either due to the RA or AS, I started having shoulder pain and numbness in my arms and hands. An Orthopedic surgeon determined I was in need of a two level fusion in my cervical spine (C4/5, C5/6). This procedure was done in April of this year and my pain and numbness went completely away and I regained strength in my hand and fingers. Awesome!

Five months after the fusion surgery, I started having constant pain on the left side of my neck. An MRI last week revealed significant deterioration of C2/3,C3/4, since the last MRI in April. The surgeon is sending me for a facet joint injection. He said we need to try this first because the next step would be to fuse my entire neck, which he said "is not good at all".

After this lenghthy diatribe, my question is this: What mobility, if any, will I have with my entire neck fused? Anyone had this done? Any help would be appreciated!

I had C3-7 done. Had prior fusion C-6-7 that failed. As far as mobility, I still have C1-2 and that alone allows me plenty of mobility. I did take physical therapy at just 4 weeks too for eight weeks. I would do the surgery again, as the pain before was just not tolerable even with meds (morphine). I had no choice. I was told I had to do it by three doctors, and believe me I didn't want to. My recent results are good but not perfect for sure. I have some shocks yet to my left hand at times, but if that is all I can live with it. My pain doctor was the one who told me to go get the surgery, so advised. Get the best doctor you can, and get another opinion too. I am in much less pain now. I still have DJD and DDD but I am hoping this holds and that I can have some quality of life. I really hope all of you who have spinal conditions on thisost have the best possible outcomes, and that your holidays are peaceful, with lots less pain. ginnie

I had cervical stenosis and had decompression, laminectomies done from C-7 to C-2 during my extended journey to Dx of PD. It was done by a neurosurgeon and an orthopedist. I had such excrutiating post op pain that I looked like a stroke victim - shuffling, not moving my arms, couldn't hold up my neck, etc - after a week of this uncontrolable pain, I was referred to psych evaluation. I didn't have the wherewithal to demand an MRI. Three months later an MRI was done and found to have what they called a "bruise" on my cord - interpretation - a bleed. It took me a full year to recover and never did get back to my baseline. Two years later, I had herniation of C-4-5 which was fused without problems.

I did have stenosis, but my symptoms of pain, stiffness, numbess and foot dragging was really due to PD . Did I have unnecessary surgery - maybe, but one cannot be for sure on that. Was I misdiagnosed by my symptoms - Yes.

MY advise is get a second opinion, maybe even a 3rd opinion, find the best Neurosurgeon ( I had the same one as Teddy Kennedy had for debulking his brain tumor) stop all NSAIDS and ASA per your doctors advise at least 2 weeks before surgery and make certin your symptoms are not steming from something else. Good Luck
Tulip G