Hi,

Sorry it took me a week to post after the surgery. Surgery went very well but during the surgery my heart rate dropped significantly for like 3 minutes but no heart attack or stroke. I did not wake up until after 8 pm surgery ended around 1:30 pm. I saw my Mom who passed away in Feb 2006 I was singing songs about my great nephew looped out of my mind so I was in like ICU the first night. So let's talk about the pain. I was in hospital for three nights. I slept on my back without any problems! I have pain but nothing like before the surgery. I take oxycodone 5 mg 1 to 2 pills every 4 hrs. Gabapentin 300 mg caps 3 times a day. Robaxin 750mg 1 to 2 tabs every 8hrs. I sleep on my back it is hard to lie down but my Dad has been great with getting me iced packs for my neck and back. Go back to get sutures removed on TUes JUly 1st at 11:30 am. Any questions let me know!

I am looking at C4-6 or7. Surgeon was talking about anterior approach.
How did your doc decide posterior ? I have RSD & have a friend who got it from this surgery doing it from the front.

Will you be able to turn your neck ?

How hard is the recouping so far ?
Thank you..

Hi Daryl:

My surgery is Aug 26 & I have anxiety about it every time I get on these forums. I can't imagine voluntarily going from where I am right now, which is okay, pain of about a level 3 every day, to where many of these people are: excruciating, unbearable pain for months, still wearing collars after a year, barely existing.

I imagined that the pain will be more than with the ACDF a year ago, but manageable with pain meds for a week & then gradually getting better & being glad I opted for the surgery because quality of life will be better. NS said to expect 4-6 weeks before I can go back to my volunteer work but that by my daughter's wedding in 9 months there's NO QUESTION I'll be totally fine.

Are the people with successful surgeries just not on these forums? Yours is very encouraging but if I went by what I'm reading in general about this surgery I would cancel it immediately. I get nauseated & can't breathe when I read the forums. I honestly don't know what to do.

Looking back, my emergency 3-level ACDF a year ago was really a long ordeal but I am SO much better functionally than before. Without the surgery God only knows what would have happened. But this surgery isn't an emergency and I fear I will regret it & be mad at myself for going back under the knife when I didn't absolutely have to. What's your status right now?