neck surgery c5/6/7 cadavor bone with fusion

[walkmoo]

Is it normal to have this burning at the graft site and pain into the right shoulder area 8 weeks after the surgery. The doctor has advised I don't need to return for 6 months, but I can't do any walking or excersie, lifting, cooking, anything with causing this pain to become severe. I have to rest in a recliner to calm it down by supporting my head/neck.

[bev62]

I had ACDF (C5-C7) 13 months ago and the burning in my neck, right shoulder and arm has never gone away.  I also feel like I have to support my neck.  I have not been able to return to work and don't know if I ever will. I don't want to sound discouraging but I hurt worse now than before the surgery.  My doctor has just released me saying he has done all he can, so now I go to pain management to try to deal with the pain.

[alinpain]

how old are you,and what exactly was done.im not sure what your saying.did you have a fusion.i also had 7 surgurys since sept 1, 06............five of which was discs,two in my neck which i had a titanium plate and bolts put in.and im fine,and on oct 26,07 was my last surgury l4 l5 fusion ,but before that they tried two disectamys(spelling)..it hurts a little ,im still on pain med.and i dont have much pain,my worse is getting started after laying down from sleeping.getting srated hurts.but im so used to taking these damn pills.i cant  semm to stop taking the same dose when i was in a lot of pain.and its not like im getting high.ive been on pain meds sincelast july06.but i also read on this site that graft **** hurts even after surgury,they put a cadaver bone in me

[besharpone]

It has been 8 months since I had my C-5,6 and C-6-7 ACDF and I am having worse symptoms now than I did before. I have lost all of the up and down, ear to ear motion in my neck and have terrible pain in my upper back, shoulders and arms.

Like you, my life has changed dramatically. Being fit was number 1 or 2a in my life, but I can no longer do any of that...no yard work...nothing that requires use of my neck, shoulders and arms!!!

On top of that, after seeing two other doctors besides my surgeon, I know no more now than I did befroe the surgery. They appear to be afraid to touch me...just humoring me. One says to wait for 6 months...it has already been 8 months...and the other says to wait a year. Meanwhile, they have refused to address my symptoms.

They seem to be worried about malpractice or whatever. As a matter of fact, the last doctor made the comment that my surgeon is responsible for me for the next couple of years because that is why he pays malpractice insurance. I don't care about that...I just want some relief...to know what the hell is going on.

My family doctor was pretty upset about the liability hint because he stated that the reason that he sent me for the other opinion had nothing to do with liability, that is his obligation to help resolve the issue and that is what the surgeon should be doing. He also stated that the reason patients file law suits is that no one listens to them.

They don't listen to what I say and always come back with the fact that is was serious surgery and that I can't expect things to be better in only 3 months...or in the case of the second doctor, 6 months.

They also want to tell me that I should expect some loss of motion...totally ignoring that I have said that I have lost ALL of the motion. Of course, they don't know because neither has ever examined me to find out!!! Neither have my surgeon for that matter.

As a matter of fact, the last time that I saw my surgeon, he never bothered to schedule me for a follow-up...only scratched his head as usual, saying that the x-rays look good and everything appears to be healing ok but with that, he can't dispute that I am having the problems that I mentioned!

I told him that is fine, but what about the symptoms that I am still having?  He never answered the question, just as he hadn't anytime since I have had the surgery.

Meanwhile, I am missing too much work because even with the limited duty job I am doin, it bothers me and now they are threatening me with discipline.

Surprisingly, I was told by a Pain Management Specialist that I needed to go to a different city for care because all of the doctors here a either good buddies or associates and they are not going to go against one another.

I even consulted a lawyer and it just so happens that he wouldn't help because he evidently uses the clinic doctors as expert witnessess in malpractice suits!!!! He did suggest that I go to a different city as well though.

If I had known that I would be treated this way, I would never have had the surgery.

I wish that I knew what to suggest to you, but it seems that we all are experiencing some of the same issues and with no one to help figure out what is going on and what to do to fix it.

[RBinVA]

I had C5 through C7 anterior fusion using cadaver bone and although I've not seen the results I was hoping for, I haven't had any worsening.  The PT tells me that my neck muscles are still in a "guarded" condition.  I have been told by many people that you really cannot judge the the success or failure of the procedure for 9-12 months.  I haven't experienced anything like you're going through.

I do hope your situation improves.

[LLWB]

I had C5-6 fused with cadaver bone and titanium plates in June. I do have pain in my shoulderblads. It was explained to me that the muscles in your neck now have to re-learn how to stretch over the fused parts.  Like stretching a rubber band over a big stack of newspapers thatn a littler stack. I made sense to me. I too was told it takes a year to heal, and for fusion to be complete. I was back at work in a month. Yes it hurt, but not working or exercising exacerbates the problem. The more I sit, the stiffer I get. Start slow. Massages also helps me. Good luck. On the dr issue, they need roasted!

[rustybrown]

In Aug 2000, i had a titanium plate with bone fusion surgery.  Its been almost 8 years and I live with pain everyday.  The majority of the symptoms the other people are going through I am still going through-neck, back, arm, chest, stomach. I am searching constantly for doctors to help me with the pain but unfortunately I get dr's telling me its depression or its in my head.  Just like one of the patients, I'm 43 years old and was very athletic and active.  I cannot do or play any of the sports I used to love and was good at.  I worked for 20 years of my life and now I can't even work because of the pain, anxiety, and stomach pain because of the medications I take messing up the lining of my stomach.  Is there any one that knows of a good caring doctor that can help me?  The funniest thing about all this is that I was injured at work, I have workers comp, private insurance through my wife's work, and medicare.  And no one wants to touch me.  Workers Comp insurance denies my claims and then I can't use my other insurances because they say workers comp should be paying.  So I'm stuck.  Also, I have a Titanium Plate with 7 screws implanted in my cervical is that what everyone else had implanted in their surgery??

[bigdaddyray]

I had surgery Sept. 26, 2005, c5-c6 & c6-c7, plate and screws, cadaver bone. I was in surgery an extra 11/2 hour. The surgeon said I had arthritis in my spine and he had trouble getting the nerves out of the way to fit the bone in. I had pain in my neck, shoulders, and arms  24/7 before surgery. After surgery I still have pain in my neck, shoulders and right shoulder blade. I take pills every 4 hours for pain, loratab 10, tramadol, and valium. It doesn’t take away all the pain but it makes it bearable.
I can’t do anything, not even house work without pain. I have to keep my head pointing straight forward or my neck starts hurting. When I talk to someone I have to move my chair or tell them to stand in front of me or it will cause pain. I stay mostly in my recliner and watch television from morning until I go to bed.
Two weeks ago I went to see an Orthopedic Surgeon. He X-rayed my neck and said c6-c7 did not fuse, he showed it to me on the X-ray. He said that is why I am having so much pain.
I was told by the Doctor who did my surgery that it did fuse. Maybe you need to have X-rays and have the Dr. show then to you and see if yours fused. That could be your trouble too.
To Rustybrown you sound like you live in West Virginia. The workers’ comp. insurance there really!really! sucks! It’s like not having any worker’s comp. insurance at all

[Dove7]

I had 2 disc replacements and 3 fused together with a titanium plate and 9 screws in November 2005.  My discs had ruptured and were pressing on my spinal cord, causing my right arm to go numb all the way down to my fingers.  Numb, yet very painful at the same time.  So I do not regret the surgery, as my right arm became useful again, and my range of motion for my head movement increased after the surgery.  Yes, I still have pain; however considering my neck is permanently altered with manmade items I cannot complain, considering the alternative was to remain in severe pain, lose the use of my right arm, and leave my spinal cord unprotected against ruptured discs.    What I am concerned about, though, is the donor bone aspect.  I did ask if the bone was screened, and was assured it was.  I've never had kidney problems, but within 6 months of the surgery, I had a kidney stone,  a very large one.  A year later, another one - almost as large in the other kidney.  I am now on 3 different medications to hold down my risk for kidney stones as I had high test numbers for risk on 7 out of 9 risk factors.  Since I suffer from severe migraines already and am on medications for that, I am not pleased at all about this development.  I think the timing is odd, right after the neck surgery with donor bone.  I have been assured by my surgeon's office, my kidney doctor, and my general practitioner that it is extremely unlikely the two are related.  However, I really need to know for sure from other sources.  I am happy with the services I've received from all my doctors, that is not it; I just want to be double, triple sure the donor bone has nothing to do with the kidney problems I now have.  Any ideas on how to research this?  Thank you.
As for being in chronic pain?  I live in chronic pain with the migraines; and I had for years with neck pain before the surgery.  So still having it after, just in a different way, I've adapted.  Its a way of life for me, I still do what I have to do to support my family.  Its hard, I know, and I sympathize with everyone who suffers, I pray the Lord gives you relief.

[gatorsmack]

It has been 7 months since I had my C-5,6 and C-6-7 ACDF and am still having problems. I have numbness in my left hand and my left leg is swollen and toe is numb lately i have bean falling due to loss in my left leg . The pain in my back is worse now than before is this all normal ?  I also as well have problems holding neck up .

[carrose]

I also had c-5 c-6 c-7 fusioned with cadavor bone a year and two mounths age and I am in more pain then before the surg.. had xrays taken and went for a MIR.Just waiting for a resone why I am in so much pain.

[skeetelmore65]

I can relate to just @ everything said here. I have pain from a day to day basis. Ot gets so frustrating and old. If you live with it and have to endure it, it makes it so hard. My pain strarted when had ACD & F spinal fusion. My right arm seemed to be affected first. It burned so severe I couldn't do anything with it. I had to use my left arm to compensate4the unability to use right. I have been through a lot more since then. I have severe pain all over my body.It is like it took over my body and I have stabbing like pains in my back and shoulder blades. I have a T3-T4 compressed fracture up under the spinal fusion in which I have read so many places that that sugery caused the fracture. Pressue was put on it from the fusion. I know I will probably have to go back and have surgery on this to improve my life and control the pain. I am tired of it and just want my life back. I have gained 60lbs on the Lyrica that was given for the nerve damage. I want to know if there is another medicine that can be prescribed for it instead of Lyrica. I have read of something called Topamax. Is it for nerve damage? I would be willing to try it so I can get the weight off. I know the weight is hindering me from getting around more and I am ready to live again. I am tired of living from my bed and not being able to do anything. I am also going to try some of the things that someone talked @ on previous post. He stated he was doing Scalene stretches, in which I tried to even walk 5 min. one day and spent a wk in bed. So, I think there is a lot more probs in there wrong w/me, but I still have hope that after I get to another NS that he'll get to the root of the prob and I will have a life again.My kids need mom so much and I have to lose this weight and get my life back on track someway. He mentioned @ Herbal remedies like Zyfament,Glucosamine Chondriotan(for disapearing cartiledge),"Amazing Arthritis Remedy....com too),Chromium, and something called Devil's claw(whatever that is..I will check it out),Melatonin(for sleep), somehting called a posture pump(He states that it helps neck...that it reverse straightening and mine they say is straight...straight..hmm). I am also going to check on Physiotherapy, Accupuncture(hopefully Ins. will cover), Deep tissue massage(It sounds good, but it seemed to hurt before...but they say..no pain...no gain., if that is the case I should be fine with all the pain I have been in.) What is the Ultarasound he was talking @ I don't know. For it sounds like if they can look at what is wrong..I mean in the areas that are so painful with Ultrasond makes sense.) I already have a nerve curve pillow..it is hard to lay on and to lay on my back like he says to do, but it does seem to make you get a little more rest and it makes a difference if the bed is firm.) We are in pain and our bodies are suffering, but there has to be a way to get to the root of the problem.
      I don't understand why I haven't been recommended to have a Diskogram? I want so badly to know where my pain is originating. I would be willing to suffer during that test, because it is suppose to make you have pain in the area that is affected to locate where it is. So, why hasn't a doc called one of those test in for me? I don't understand. It is like they want to play like God on this. I don't understand why they don't get to the bottom of our pain. I had pain the other night that scared the living daylights out of me. I had just got through eating some soft candy(macaroons...in which are only chewy and soft) and my jaw started cramping and the pain that hit my temples was unreal. It felt like a vice grip had squeezed my temples in at the same time. You talk @ scary and I called to my husband to come in and be with me I was so afraid. I have got to do something before I can't do anything at all. I feel it coming and I have got to take my life back in some way. I also found that I have a Chiari Malformation..in which is scary...just read on it. I can't believe that it took me 4 yrs. after being dx with it, to actually find it in my records. I know that I have it because a radiologist read the report and was written by him. I called them(the hospital that did my spinal fusion) and asked them @ it and told them that I wanted to be released from the doc(NS) and placed with another NS there. I am following up on that today because they have yet to call me back, but it has only been a couple of days..but I am tired of waiting and something has got to be done.
      I do want to thank the ones who have had faith in me and helped me get through the pain and suffering that I have endured during this time. I thank you Dr.Scott Boone of Olive Branch,MS. He took care of my excruiating pain and was understanding and very helpful cope. Also, I want to thank Dr.Sandy Winston of West Helena, AR..he has kept me from going through the same excruciating pain by helping me stave off some of the pain.
     I have got to get to someone who is going to fix me and I know he is out there. I just pray to GOD that this is the time I am going to get there and get better. I am willing to go and do some kind of inpatient help. I know I need some rigorous testing and bloodwork for I feel I have some kind of internal infection due to an ESI that caused my hands and feet to be immediately numb during the procedure. I just have to get tougher and fight to get better. I have always been a fighter...not literally just tough and this has been so dibilitating that it has got the best of me for a while and now I just can't give up or I know I won't be around here long if I do.