Cervical fusion recovery

[twelvetoes]

I had a cervical fusion at the end of Oct. 08...all went well...I did PT and felt great in Nov. and Dec.  In Jan 09 I began to experience the same symtoms as I did when the disk blew...Riding in a car going over bumps caused back pain and I went back to using wet heat to relieve the pain.  In Feb. we flew to  Arizona at an altitude of 32,000 feet.  While on the plane (coming and going) I experienced pain in my neck and back that was worse than when I blew the disk.  My surgeon's office (nurse) said she never heard of that. ...am I crazy??????  Does air pressure affect cervical fusions?????  Please advise...can't seem to get an answer.


This discussion is related to Continued pain after anterior cervical fusion.

[LRD]

No, I don't think you are crazy.  Unless, of course, I am also crazy.  I had surgery in March to fuse C5-C7.  After surgery, I was completely pain-free, although my hand was numb.  After 5 weeks, I returned to work.  The same day that I returned -- I kid you not -- some but not all of my pre-surgery symptoms returned.  Specifically, the pain in my forearm and tightness and knots in my neck/shoulders returned.  I'm better than I was before, but would love to get back to my post-op pre-work condition.  I've asked both my neurologist and pain specialist about Botox injections in the knots; both denied that it would help. I read some posts that indicated that they have had Botox injections.  Has it helped anyone?  If so, for what symptoms?

I had a bone scan done a couple of weeks ago which revealed a crack in the spot where the C5-C6 should have fused.  My doctor isn't sure whether it is because it never fused or because it fused but subsequently cracked.  It seems as though the later is more likely since I was asymptomatic for 5 weeks after surgery.  A friend recently suggested that I ask my doctor for an osteoporosis drug like Boniva which is supposed to help strengthen bones and promote bone growth.  Has anyone heard of this?