Neuropathy from spinal fusion?

[Mick1006]

I was recently diagnosed with peripheral neuropathy.  My symptoms include numbness and tingling in hands and feet and balance problems.  There is no known "cause" according to the doctors, but I can't help but think that it is a direct  effect of an extensive spinal fusion I had in 2006.  I am otherwise healthy.  I was fused T4 - L4.  The balance problems have become so pronounced that I have been falling alot.  (I don't drink)  I just fractured my wrist in a fall September of 2012.  I would like to know if anyone else has had a similar experience -    Michele

[classy54]

Hi  Michele are you Italian?? I have had 4 neck fusions C5-7 and my very bad luck was that the I was sent ( by the first Hospital  where the doctors after they ruptured the disc above had left rests of bones overgrowth after shaving them down, inside they closed me up.. telling me , that they would never , touch my neck again... I didn't ask of why. I didn't want to know., so I went to Dr. Robert Erickson a couple of month later, whom told me ( by looking at the MRI, what was left in there pressing on the nerves and that if surgeons aren,t carefull  when a fusion is being performed they will rupture the disc above And this is excactly what has happen to me.. Dr. Erickson did a wonderful job on removing the hardwear, on cleaning , then he had to fuse C4-5. After a year or so ( my bad luck...)  since apparently Dr. Erickson wasn't there for 8 month , I was then sent to Layola in Maywood Ill. to some Dr. by the name of Alexander ganhayem. This person wasn't even a spine specialist ( unfortunatelly I found this out 9 years later, and of course I couldn't file a law suite against him it was too late. Now I am going back to Dr. Robert Erickson in Libertyville and He has to cut me directly on the cervical to remove the horrible hardwear. with very long screws.and crucked.   and really all Ganhayem needed to do... in layola was  just stabilizing the C4-5 since it had gotten lose ..But NOOOO he had to practice on my spine since he had never operated on that many people yet.. I have read comments on FB after typing in ALEXANDER GANHAYEM  : Be AWARE OF THIS MEN...He HAS DISABLED ME AND OTHER PEOPLE I KNOW... This are comments of people it and it says all.. Which dumm doctor cuts directly on the neck.. Now I have to have the hardwear removed by Dr. Erickson and I hope I will come out O.K. The most important upper torso muscles have been badly damaged by Alexander . and just the idea to be cut on those muscles etc... it is absolutely scaring.. Sorry about my grammatical mistakes but right now, I don't feel that great .. I am in constant excruciating pains since 5 years on a constant base. I hope you will go to Dr. Erickson and see how he could help you. He is a very good Human and comes from the Niederland

[S. Kaul, MD]

Hi Michelle!

Spinal fusion is unlikely to have been caused due to spinal fusion. This commonly occurs due to hormonal/ endocrine/ metabolic conditions, secondary to a few medications etc; while in most cases a cause cannot be identified. I would suggest discussing the management plan in detail with your treating neurologist.
Hope this helps.

Take care!