I finally get to see the Neurosurgeon tomorrow. I had to go over my Dr.'s nurse and make the appointment myself. Hubby is taking the day off to take the 60+ min trip to Shreveport. I did a big boo boo today and moved about 3 cases of paper. I really should have listened to y'all and my doc. I got a "pins and needles" feeling at the base of my skull and a really bad headache from it. I am really hoping there are alternatives to surgery, like change in diet to build up the fat between my discs...special therapy....but I just don't think so. Maybe not surgery right now, but I see it coming. I am more depressed about what my Radiologist determined than the actual pain. I have been uncomfortable for so long...I figured I was just getting old!

Dawn,

Good luck tomorrow. And your NS should be able to explain things to you thoroughly. Make sure he shows you on your MRI FILM(s) so that you can get a better understanding. And, sad to say, if it is arthritis, there is no diet that is going to rid you of it. There are anti-inflammatory diets but for actual arthritis; nope...no cure. And I don't think it is possible to rehydrate a disc otherwise we would all be doing that. Therapy can help but it just depends on what the NS says. It could be possible too that he might recommend injections instead. Again, it just all depends. I wish you luck and post back. Oh, and quit lifting. I am like you...I still will lift sometimes but in the last few months I have cut way back on lifting anything over 5 or 10 lbs. Anything over that...no way...I have my husband do it.

Okay, the NS did not seem too concerned about the degenerative disease at C5-6. He was more concerned about the disc at C7 compressing my spinal cord. He showed us on the MRI films what he was seeing. My spinal cord is only 1/2 the size at the herniated disc, compared to the size at the healthy discs. He told me that it is not going to get better. I will have some days better than others and I will always have to be careful with everything I do. My options are therapy (done it and it has not helped), live with the pain or have surgery. I am a pansy and don't like pain, so don't want to live it. Plus, if I would be afraid that it would just flare up one night and then I won't be able to move in the morning. I know that is silly, but I am always looking at the worse case scenario of things! I think I am going to do the surgery, which he explained pretty well, I just need to decide if I want to be 90 min from home, or find someone only 30 min. from home. I am thinking that if my primary Dr. wanted me to see someone closer, he would have sent me there. This NS had patients from 2 states over waiting to see him today. That kind of leads me to believe he is good at what he does. Thoughts?

Dawn, I am with you on traveling to see a surgeon. I have had to travel for all my surgeries. My last one I had to travel almost two hours to get to the hospital. It was worth it.

If you trust your referring doc and also the surgeon than that might help you in deciding what to do.

I'm seeing a doc here in my city and I trust him a lot...first time that has happened in over 20 years!!

Dawn,

Sorry to hear this but am glad you got some definitive answers. Your NS is right...it will only get worse. God knows I was told that too and my NS was right...it did get worse. I have written before that he told me that in May of '06 and then by August I was right back in his office. So, based on what you have said and since you already have this NS, I would just stick with him. It doesn't hurt to get a second opinion I just never did because I know of my own NS's credentials and trusted him. Oh, I should clarify that I DID see an NS three years prior to meeting the one I have now. And that guy wouldn't do a darn thing except for PT. Like you said...I did that and I believe it made me worse. That and the long delay because that first NS refused to do surgery. Now I am left with some sensory nerve damage. Anyway, through word of mouth from some of my friends and the fact that my PM recommended him, I went with the NS I have now and didn't regret it. Actually, he has done two fusions on me. The surgery itself is not that bad...at least I didn't think so. But I hope your NS explained that muscle spasms can be bad afterwards. That was my biggest beef anyway. But they can be controlled too. The main concern is really getting that disc off the spinal cord and STABILITY. My C5/C6 was like that and I was scared of permanent nerve damage. So, yep, I would say...get 'er done. Good luck and I wish you well.