So, I am 6-1/2 weeks post ACDF with C5, C6 & C7 fused with titanium plates and 6 screws... I was just starting to feel like myself again, even though I'm still required to wear my hard collar, almost off all the heavy narcs, still having some pretty massive muscle spasms, but I was handling it pretty well.

Until yesterday.

I woke up with intense sharp pain on my left side ( shoulder, trap, up into my neck and fusion area, even into my ear). By intense I mean I can't stand up with bursting into tears. I never had any pain on my left, even before surgery, my pain was on the right side. I don't remember doing anything to hurt myself... Why all of a sudden do I have new pain? I don't want to run to the ER again if this is just a muscle spasm, but how long, and how strong can a spasm last? I have spent the last 2 days alternating heat and ice and light massages by hubby, biofreeze, hot jacuzzi bath... Nothing is working!

Has anyone else experience this kind of unwarranted set back after surgery?

So frustrated, I was just starting to feel better.
Cathie

So hard to know for sure, can you see about getting a few sessions of PT or an evaluation by one?
Or maybe you just need a few sessions of some therapy modalities like ultrasound or low level laser...

but "intense sharp pain " has me wondering it it is a muscle or not...

.......
I went to see my neurosurgeon today, called and described the pain, he sent me for xrays. unfortunately by the time I got to the hospital and xrays, he was called into emergency surgery, but his surgical nurse looked over my xrays and examined me. She thinks that everything still seems to be in the proper place on my xrays, although there is no fusion or bone growth at all yet. But she said she will have the dr. review them after to make sure everything is ok. In her opinion I slept wrong and wants me to check my pillows and posture to make sure that I am sleeping at a 'neutral neck' position. perhaps I pinched something sleeping wrong.

They told me if the pain gets worse to come back into the hospital tomorrow to see the dr., othewise I have a followup appt. next tuesday.

(I'm not allowed to have PT yet, I'm still only 7 weeks post op.)

I think you are probably okay. I had little quirks like that too. In fact I am over 3 years post C5-6 fusion w/plate and for the last 4 months am getting very discrete focal pain over the plate. Flexion/extension xrays showed entirely intact hardware and no motion so I am relieved (the CRPS is another issue). Regarding your xrays, you would not necessarily show evidence of bony fusion for many weeks, more like months or even years (although fusion is solid), depending on the type of graft done (PEEK cage vs. cadaver graft, etc.). And the fact that you didn't get a midnight call to immediatly return to the hospital speaks volumes to the likelihood that your xrays were unremarkable once reviewed by the hospital radiologist and were commensurate with your clinical presentation. Scary though!

Cathy,

I am so sorry for the extreme pain that you are having. Not that it makes it any better. I had 2 similar episodes. I thought that i must have moved all of the hardware or done some damage when I tripped up the stairs running to the bathroom because of a stomach bug then all of the heaving. I was probably only 4 weeks post op at the time. I thought I cracked or moved some of the hardware. Thankfully nothing seriously wrong with the hardware. The OSS office told me that unless I fell down an entire flight of stairs or was in a serious car accident not a fender bender that the hardware would be okay. That made me feel a bit better. Then I tried blow drying and styling my hair at 4 months post op. I was back in the pain I was prior to the surgery. I almost had my husband take me to the ER. The heavy duty pain meds helped and I slept most of the day and then was in extra pain for a few days. It really scared both of us since I am so far post op. Guess the ponytail look will have to continue for a lot longer. That was only 1 1/2 weeks ago. I did not show any bone growth at 6 1/2 weeks. It only showed up in the x ray at 3 1/2 months. The OSS told me that I shouldn't worry about the bone growth, that it will come in time and that the hardware will keep everything stable. Some of your muscle spasms can be from wearing the hard collar for so long. I know that your muscles need to stand on their own and get their strength back. I wear the soft collar to bed and in the am I am stiff and have some spasms but it wears off as the morning progresses.
Yes it is a long difficult journey. No one told me how emotionally difficult the journey of recovery would be. I am still going through it. I told myself that at 6 months I hope to have limited amount of pain and pretty good ROM. At 1 year I want to have no pain, great ROM and much more strength. Hope I am being realistic. If at the one year mark I am not where I want to be then I will start getting upset and more frustrated. I hope that this note finds you a bit less painful. Please keep me posted. Have a healthier day.

Hi, thank you for your note of encouragement, it does help to know that others are struggling with the exact same emotional and physical challenges. It is emotionally draining to recover from this. I find some days it's hard to keep my smile on my face, but I force one and pretty soon it's real. The limitations are so hard on someone used to being active and busy.

I am feeling a bit better today, so whatever it is I did to cause the flair up seems to be subsiding. That's a good sign.

Thank you again... keep in touch.
Cathie

Glad you are feeling a bit better.

I agree it is helpful to commiserate with others struggling with same emotional and physical challenges. I never realized how emotionally and physically draining recovery would be either. Or long for that matter. I am sorry that you have to wear a hard collar for so long. I would feel so claustrophobic. I'm use you will be thrilled when you get to move into a soft collar. Just be prepared for some additional aches and pains. It will be you neck muscles fending for themselves and getting stronger.

Horrible weather here - rain storms, thunder... very congested ;( and tight. Up until now all of my sinus issues were gone. It was a wonderful positive side affect. But today I feel some facial pressure with the facial congestion and extra tightness in my neck. Hopefully it will only last today as the storm is suppose to pull out later tonight. For sinus issues pain, migraines and congestion I was taking alot of med. It seems the pressure from my neck (bone on bone) was really the culprit not necessarily the sinus or nasal concerns that I thought. Anyway, waiting for the weather to pass and feel a little bit better. Have a GREAT painfree day.