Aa
Post ACDF C5-7, donor bone, titanium plate
Help! 41 year old, healthy, fit, female. 7 weeks post op-Have burning, intense pain in shoulders and neck. Had prior laminectomies C5-6 in 2003, C6-7 in 2006 for ruptured disks.
ACDF Surgery fixed pain/numbness in arm and heavy feeling on left shoulder. (unknown cause for all the neck issues-told possible DDD) When I lean forward to drink or brush my teeth, I feel like I am going to choke on the hardware. Had xray at 4 weeks since I was having so much trouble eating-(felt like I was choking) and dr says it looks fine. Also, my left tricep is so weak, my doctor wants me lifting 3-5 lb wgts. When I have tried to, it makes the pain in my neck worse. How am I ever going to get the strength back? There is a huge visible difference in my two tricep muscles. Have had massage, heat therapy, -what do you recommend for the pain-I really do not want to keep taking drugs? How long could this last? Are injections an option? And what do you think about the hardware causing all the pain? I appreciate any suggestions you have. A somewhat Frustated post ACDF patient.
ACDF Surgery fixed pain/numbness in arm and heavy feeling on left shoulder. (unknown cause for all the neck issues-told possible DDD) When I lean forward to drink or brush my teeth, I feel like I am going to choke on the hardware. Had xray at 4 weeks since I was having so much trouble eating-(felt like I was choking) and dr says it looks fine. Also, my left tricep is so weak, my doctor wants me lifting 3-5 lb wgts. When I have tried to, it makes the pain in my neck worse. How am I ever going to get the strength back? There is a huge visible difference in my two tricep muscles. Have had massage, heat therapy, -what do you recommend for the pain-I really do not want to keep taking drugs? How long could this last? Are injections an option? And what do you think about the hardware causing all the pain? I appreciate any suggestions you have. A somewhat Frustated post ACDF patient.
It took me six months to feel like I could do anything after having a rod put in my humorus. I am now back to bodybuilding and find my fractured arm is sometimes stronger than my dominant. It takes time and about three months of therapy. I had two cortisone injections because of the popping. It went away after six weeks.
Since my surgery I've been sent for Xrays before ever doctors appointment, about every two months. Between those I have been sent for mylograms, CT scans, EMG's and the last thing was a pchyological evaluation, because I'm so depressed. It wasn't until my last appointment the my NS told me I was totally fused, which was 11 months since my surgery. I have tried the lidocaine patches, they didn't help very much.
I agree with injection, there isn't any miricle surgeries, especially when your dealing with your neck or back. I was expecting to be perfectly normal after mine, but now I am totally screwed up. I have two children ages 7 and 4. I can hardly take care of them without help from my husband and family members. So they are having to suffer from this surgery also. Your right injection there are a lot of people worse off and I know God has a reason for everything, I just wish I knew what it was. It might make it easier to deal with.
Good luck to both of you.
I agree with injection, there isn't any miricle surgeries, especially when your dealing with your neck or back. I was expecting to be perfectly normal after mine, but now I am totally screwed up. I have two children ages 7 and 4. I can hardly take care of them without help from my husband and family members. So they are having to suffer from this surgery also. Your right injection there are a lot of people worse off and I know God has a reason for everything, I just wish I knew what it was. It might make it easier to deal with.
Good luck to both of you.
seven weeks is a short time on scale of your surgery,after 6 months you will no if your surgery was succesfull,or not,my first was none fusion my second the surgeon clipped my vertebral artery putting me on life support i came out of that,and two months later i was back in surgery for coilling of an anuerysm he cuased,my advise to anyone is dont rush back for miricle sugerys,there arnt any,and when mistakes are made the smiles go from the well paid surgeons face,truley he wants rid of you and move on,i know i sound bitter,but ive moved on,high strength glucscumine an chordrotin plus hyaluronic acid 140mg daily,h/a is exspensive shop online,feel much better,good luck to you and remember walk down any childrens ward{were not that bad off]
I am so sorry to hear that you are in more pain now. I hope you get some pain relief-it has been a long time to be in pain and I feel for you. Let me know what the pain clinic does for you. How long was it until you were fully fused? How often did they send you for xrays?
The only pain that is the same for me from before surgery is the pain in the upper back and muscles-they just burn. You can hear the crunching when someone rubs them for me. I guess I need to get some PT so they can work on fixing these. I had pneumonia last week (got it from my daughter) and all the coughing I am doing is killing me. Epidural injections did not work for me but at the pain clinic here, prior to surgery, I had steroids injected into the muscles in my shoulders to help with the burning. After a couple of days, I saw an improvement. I also wore lidocaine pain patches (2) over the sore muscles. It provided some relief but not huge. Have you tried those? It is so frustrating. Like you said, it is still only 7 weeks for me, but I guess I did not expect this much pain in my shoulders at this time.
The only pain that is the same for me from before surgery is the pain in the upper back and muscles-they just burn. You can hear the crunching when someone rubs them for me. I guess I need to get some PT so they can work on fixing these. I had pneumonia last week (got it from my daughter) and all the coughing I am doing is killing me. Epidural injections did not work for me but at the pain clinic here, prior to surgery, I had steroids injected into the muscles in my shoulders to help with the burning. After a couple of days, I saw an improvement. I also wore lidocaine pain patches (2) over the sore muscles. It provided some relief but not huge. Have you tried those? It is so frustrating. Like you said, it is still only 7 weeks for me, but I guess I did not expect this much pain in my shoulders at this time.
It's still pretty soon after surgery. You are still healing. I had a two level ACDF (C5-C7) in Nov of last year. I am in more pain now than before the surgery. The doctor says that all my test look great, but there has to be something causing all of this pain. My neck, shoulder and arm burn and ache all of the time. I have a terrible headache everyday. I have had the epidural injections and they didn't help. All my test are normal and my NS says that I am fully fused. My doctor now tells me that most people do well but a small precent do end up with more pain. It seems that I'm in that small precent. I just don't understand how this much pain can not be explained. So now I'm being sent to pain management to help me bare the pain. I've not been able to return to work yet, I'm 45 and hopefully have a long life ahead of me. I just can't imagine having to live like this the rest of my life. But hopefully you will continue to heal and your pain will go away. Good luck.
i am acdf patient your symptoms are that of none fusion i would presume more time and they will dimminish as you dont have problem upright mine sorted itself out x
Have an Answer?
You are reading content posted in the Back & Neck Community
Find out how beta-blocker eye drops show promising results for acute migraine relief.
Could it be something you ate? Lack of sleep? Here are 11 migraine triggers to look out for.
Find out if PRP therapy right for you.
Tips for preventing one of the most common types of knee injury.
Here are 10 ways to stop headaches before they start.
Tips and moves to ease backaches
