Cervical Myelopathy

Hi all. On May 1'st I underwent a C5-7 anterior cervical disk fusion and fixation.  prior to the surgery my symptoms had been worse on my right than my left but present on both sides.  Eight weeks after the surgery I started to get numbness and tingeling again in my right hand and ten weeks after the surgery my left leg started to give out.  Now both legs can give without warning, I can't do much with my right hand before it is too numb to work, I get severe muscle spasms on the right with my hand clnched into a fist and am getting sharp, fleeting burning pains across the sole of my right foot.  My exam showed positive hoffman's and bilateral clonus that weren't there at my six week post-op exam.  My neurosurgeon agrees that I have all the symptoms of cervical myelopathy but the only thing my MRI shows is a slight impaingment on the left which may be shadow artifcate due to the fixation hardware.  We still don't know why the disks herniated except I due have ser-negative inflammatory arthritis and lumbar spinal stenosis.
This week I'm going for a MRI of the brain and T spine and on Monday will be seeing a neurologist for a consult and conduction studies.  If nothing is found my surgeon wants to do a mylogram to see if during healing some part of a nerve got caught in the fusion..this would explain  no signs of a problem until about eight weeks after the surgery.
Anyone else have cervical myelopathy without a clear cause?  Am I possibly facing a downhill battle?  I'm out on disability from work right now but this is taking me past my 12'th week so although the disability will still be there, my job won't be.
Thanks for letting me ramble
moeck

[patsy10]

I was diagnosed with cervical myelopathy and had a c 5-6 fusion 2 years ago.  I got worse immediately after surgery.  I have weakness, pain, numbness, tingling twitching and much more. My legs and arms feel weak but objectively there is no actual weakness.  I'm not sure if my myelopathy was really related to the disk as I only had a mild cord compression.  I wish you the best.  

[hatgal]

I don't like the sound of your posts as I am four weeks post-op from C5-6 fusion surgery.  The original pain was gone right after surgery but is beginning to return again as is numbness and weakness in my legs/arms.  I go back 8/14 for a check up.

I know I've been doing too much, but they tell you to move the muscles around, but when I call to tell them the pain I'm in they then tell me I'm doing too much - geez.

I swear if this surgery did not work, I don't know what I'll do.  I hope the both of you get some answers and relief soon as do I.

Please keep me posted on your progresses.

[moeck]

Take heart, we all heal differently.  Hopefully you won't have the same problems as badly as before.  I'll post on Monday after I've talked with the neurologist.
Moeck

[lynn00]

I hope someone here can help me i have just had surgery on my neck for a decompresion and been told it was cervical myelopathy and aslo had a cage fitted. i understand most of it just the cervical myelopathy  what is it also i was told the signls to my brain and spinail cord were a bit mixed up Can this be MS i have been told it is not i have only had a brain sdcan for this never had a  LP to test for it. and one last thing will i  always have cervical myelopathy do peoplke get beter as i still have numb feet and arms and right side of my body still feels very numb i do hope some one can help me get  some answers
many thanks

[jobogirl]

It really depend. Some get better, some stay the same and some get worst. I've read if your MRI shows signal changes, as mine did, you will not do as well. I have not done as well as other. Almost 4yrs post acdf I still have pain and weakness. Like patsy I have weakness but it's not showing when the dr. has me push against gravity.
Then again, Christopher Reeves was able to feel light touch yrs after his injury. I believe there is always hope.

[kay290]

How long did you delay surgey while having the cervical myelopathy stuff?