Chronic Pain 6 months Post ACDF

[kitgatekat]

Hello, I am a 38 yo Caucasian female. I had ACDF surgery 7-19-07 on C3-4, C4-5, and C5-6.  Immediately upon waking out of surgery, my numbness in my hands went away and I felt amazingly well.  About a month later, I began to resume numbness and pain.  The pain began as a feeling of being stabbed with a knife on the left upper back area and slowly began to feel pain up  my neck and into my skull about 1/2 way up.  In addition I have also been feeling a lot of pain down the middle of my back (deep inside, almost as if along the spinal column).  At my 3 month POV, my surgeon said that the xray revealed that I was healing well and that I should be back to normal soon.  I then had my world turned upside down and moved to another state.  I did over do it and wonder if that has anything to do with my pain.  I don't feel comfortable in any position and cant bend my neck to the left or right, up or down without major tightness and pretty bad pain.  My hands are once again numb much of the time.  I have only taken 400mg Advil 4xday for the pain but am at a point where I am so miserable that I now am headed to a doctor to see what is going on.  Does any of this sound familiar to point to something specific or do you have any suggestions?

Thank you in advance for all you do.

Kathy

[JainMD]

Hi,
I feel you should be seeing your surgeon again and decide regarding further management. Your symptoms suggest that you should be doing an imaging study like MRI to see for nerve and other soft tissue pathology apart from vertebral pathology.
Your symptoms sound like you are having radiculopathy due to nerve compression at your cervical rib level.
I am sorry but you should be consulting doctor at earliest.
Keep me informed if you have any queries.
Bye.

[kitgatekat]

I did see a neurosurgeon and I am having an MRI taken on Monday and having the doctor review the results on Tuesday.  I was given Lyrica to take and it seems to cut down the reaction so far.

I will update you Tuesday.

Thank You,

Kathy

[kitgatekat]

I had the MRI, Lyrica caused my nerves to feel like they were "buzzing" in my arms (being looked at for Carpal Tunnel Syndrome with a nerve test 4-4-08) I had an epidural 2 weeks ago today for an injection to "calm down" my nerves.  I felt incredible for one week and now I am back to pain again.  Pain pills just don't help and I really don't want to be on them anymore.  I am having on a scale of 1-10, pain mostly on the left side but also on the right from the muscles above my shoulder up all the way up into my skull.  The back of my neck is very tense and throbbing and I have many pressure points on the left and right side of my head that are indented and painful to touch.  I have a follow up with the "pain management doctor" at the end of the week.  Any suggestions?  I just want to lay down and give up but I have two kids 3 and 9 and a husband to take care of.  Help!

[kitgatekat]

The pain level is 9-10 constant