Cervical Fusion Gone Wrong

I had a Cervical Fusion 8 weeks ago tomorrow.  Before the surgery I had pretty severe numbness in my right arm and hand that was getting worse over time.

Since the surgery, I have not had a lot of pain at all. However, headaches are the norm for me now. The critical issue is that I can no longer use my right arm, at all!  I have been going to a very good physical therapist who has been telling me it will take quite a long time to get my arm back to where it was prior to the surgery.  

I've went back to work after 4 weeks but it's very touch to get dressed and fix my hair without the use of my right arm. My hand works fine so I can at least use the keyboard and since I work in an office invironment I am getting by.  

I've been patient so far and my doctor keeps telling me that my arm will get back to normal eventually.  I truly regret having the surgery and I wish I could go back to numb arms.  Believe me, numb is better than none!

Anyone else out there had this experience?  If so, is it true that I will once again be able to raise my right arm?

[patsy10]

I had the surgery too.  Nerves heal very slowly at about 3mm/day or something like that.  I was told complete recovery takes 7-8 months.  I was also told that sometimes the nerves never heal at all if there's permanent damage.  I have never gotten any better since my surgery either.

[bev62]

I had a two level fusion in Nov. C5-C7.  Before surgery I also had pain and numbness in my right arm.  Since the surgery the pain is worse in my right arm and now my left arm is the same way.  My ring finger and pinky on both hands are totally numb and I have very little use of them.  I've been thru PT and it hasn't helped.  My doctor says that my nerves will have to get use to the new position of my verabra, he said the disk he replaced were totally colapsed.  I still haven't returned to work due to my pain level and the meds I'm on to control it.  The doctor said the only thing I can do now is try to live with it or try a series of three injections in my neck.  So I will start the injections in two weeks.

[StillWaiting2]

When did you have your surgery?

[patsy10]

August 2005.  I've never improved.  In fact, now I have numbness in my right thumb and left pinky which I didn't have before surgery.  I have numbness and tingling all over my body, along with twitches, pain etc....I fell apart after that surgery.  Both of my arms are weak.  I have trouble walking.  My pre-op diagnosis was cervical myelopathy.  The nerves do not always regenerate. I just had a repeat cervical MRI and the neuro said the fusion looked good.  He did find a Chiari 1 malformation which was not detected on any of my other MRI's