cervical disc fusion

  I was wondering what the downside to having cervical disc fusion might be?  
  I have had C5-6 6-7 fusion about a year ago. I still have some problems
  with muscle tightness and dizziness and some tingling in face, arms, and hands.
  I had suffered with my neck problem for years.  I was wondering how your
  patients typically do after this type of surgery and what are "normal"
  problems associated with having disc fusion?  What can I expect over the
  years?  I appreciate all the help this site gives, I am finding it very
  useful.
  Also wondering if it is a problem to leave a herniated T8-9 disc that is
  impinging on spinal cord alone.  I do have some pain and tingling.  Are
  there activities that I should avoid and is there anyway from having the
  herniation become worse.  I really don't want to face anymore spine surgeries.
  Especially for this area of the back.  This is of great concern to me.
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Dear Brenda,
Ideally, one would like to see a patient with a solid fusion and a relief from pain after a fusion such as you had.  There are occasional problems with non-fusion and rarely some other problems related to the surgical approach in the neck.  
After surgery to fuse the cervical vertebrae, symptoms usually improve in a particular order.  The first symptom to improve is pain, especially shooting pain down the arm.  This is often recognized immediately in the postoperative area.  Next to improve is weakness,  which usually improves, but to varying degrees, depending on the  severity and duration of nerve compression.  Similarly, numbness is the final symptom to improve, and may take months to improve, if at all.  That is simply the way nerves work.
Symptoms from a thoracic disc may cause numbness and weakness of the legs, and incontinence when severe.  Your surgeon should decide whether your symptoms are sufficient to warrant surgery to remove the thoracic disc.  Typically he or she will try to manage it conservatively if at all possible.  Remember that over 90% of back pain can be managed without surgery, and that back pain is one of the most common complaints patients have when seeing their physician.
Speak to your surgeon if you think you have problems relating to the thoracic disc, he should be able to give you some straight answers.
Good luck.