Hi Cbonacal,
Keep up the faith. don't worry about disability just yet. See what all the information gathered together says first. Glad you were able to pull up some of the information. I sure understand why you would want to do the test if it involves a law suit. Keep us posted on how you do. ginnie

I had the milogram done it wasnt so bad. I stayed in bed for one and a half days. I also stayed medicated to avoid the pain and slept a lot. I spoke with the surgeon today and he informed me that he would have to do a five level fusion in my neck that would take 20 hours to perform. He said i would lose all mobility in my neck. He is NOT going to do the surgery. He said that all my pain complaints are valid and i have tears at all five levels. He told me as i get older he feels that the tears will increase and then we will do surgery. He advised me to continue with the chiropracter and to continue swimming. Also stay with my medications. I have to go back to him in sept. It is hard wrapping my head around the fact that i will forever now be in pain. I do not see how i can hold down a job when i do not know how i am going to feel the next day and when my headaches are severe i can not see straight. I do have a lawsuit going on and i guess now that we know where we stand i should call my lawyer and find out if we could move forward with it.

You were brave. You are in my prayers right now. I hope that you know, the pain can be controlled for the most part. I take several, for my neck and to be able to walk. If yours are not sufficient to get you through the day, do ask for more. You doctor through that test can see the pain. If you can't work, tell the doctor and see what he says. I am sorry this has happened to you. I was one fusion away from not having any mobility myself. I only have C1-2 left.
Driving is a real pain!!!!!!
Keep in touch and be strong as you can. I know it isn't easy. None of the pain stuff is. We all hang together here, and give support. I will be here for you anytime, as I am in your same boat. I hope today has less pain than yesterday. Take care and do something nice for yourself. ginnie

They did up my meds to something stronger but they did not give me enough of them for the month. i have a new pain management doctor and she seems to be more caring. Since i am not going to have the surgery on my neck we are going to start doing specific nerve shots as they did with my lower back.. I am sorry to hear that you have several tiers fused. I am still trying to wrap my head around this. As far as me working i dont think i could. Everyday i wake up and its something different hurting if its not my neck its my arm, if its not that if the headaches, and if its not that its my leg or lack of sleep. I am glad i do have a good surgeon and he is not out for the money. i feel another doctor would of done the surgery. This one wants to wait due to my age and the fact i have small children. I am so thankful for this web site and the information i have found out here and the support i have received. I feel i am better prepared. What i do find is there are weeks were i am depressed more than usual and dont want to do anything. I even miss my appointments with the doctors because i go 3 times a week and i get sick of it. I pray all the time for strength. I just want to thank you again for your support and prayers.

One more thing with you and only having one level left how do you find it to function? Is it hard to move? Is there more pain than before the surgery?

***I would suggest you get a second opinion. ***



I slept on ice for many years. I hate pain meds, they back up on you and leave you with major headaches. After surgery, I started with the pain specialist but not right away. If you happen to have high blood pressure, some of them are are not recommended.

I go to a research hospital and my surgeon is the head of the department. My neck was so bad that if I hadn't caught is when I did (or my fybromailgia doc did and referred me to him) My doc uses a pain specialist that is wonderful as well as a great PT guy. Many people do not like research hospitals because they train doctors thee b ut I have had only great medical help there.

After surgery they told me that if I had been in an accident, I would have snapped my neck. I have C-2 to T3 laminated, discetomied and fused.

20 hours for 5 levels? It took my surgeon 5 hours for 8 levels, discotemy and fusion.

I wish you very good outcome.

It took two seperate fusions, first at C6-7 and 6 years later C3-7, redoing hardware, spacers the works anterior. I am BETTER!@!!!!!!!! This did help. Second surgery was very hard to endure. NT got me through it with the folks here to support me. That is why I never left. Get meds Cboncal for the rest of the month. If they are narcotic, you must, or you may feel some of the effects of withdrawl. You don't want to go through that. If you can't get more, taper down that last week, to minimize effects. This really should be done with a doctors guidance. Get more for the end of the month if you can. I have cried in the office, and told her at one point I did need more. It is OK to let the doc. see your emotions if you are hurting. I will be here, I so know it is not fun. your friend, ginnie

Ginnie, I am so much better too. My first surgery was posterior and anterior. I woke up in a reclining forward ergonomic chair. This last surgery was anterior only..

My meds were prescribed as "as needed" I scared myself when I first got home. They were really heavy meds. I couldn't get online because sleep was my healer. Then I just didn't take as many as they prescribed. I practiced relaxation things. Stress makes your muscles and whole body ache.

Then I used ice and very few meds. I did slow controlled breathing. I let DH know that if something upset me, I had to go to our room and relax and stay out of tense things. I took them when I was in lots of pain but not at whole dose. I did taper them off.

I just now went to PT. The same PT I have gone to in prior surgeries. He knows of my different tender spots. And He manipulates them. (he's the one who taught me to "breath" correctly.) Controlling your breathing to regulated slow breathing is hard. Because we tense up with pain or arguments or stress.

I didn't mean to say don't take your meds, but for me, when it said 1-2 every 4 hours as needed, I started with one, then half later. Then Aleve. And I am ok.

Glad to hear you are better too. Compared to what we were before, guess we should count the blessings. Some don't get as good a result. I am by no means pain free, but better. What hurts is to see those, where the surgery didn't help or made them worse. I knew I had that risk too. I don't know about you, but I was scared silly. Thats how I wound up here on NT. Glad to get to know you too. Keep up with that breathing excersise. I may have to try doing that too. ginnie