Anterior Cervical Disectomy W/Fusion Recovery

[camerd]

I have never posted anything to a forum, but I have to agree with Ronin, there must be success stories out there. My doctor told me that I needed anterior cervical discestomy w/fusion C5-C7. I reseached the internet and decided I should go for the surgery. If I read these forums before surgery, I would have chickened out. I was scared because my brother-in-law had the surgery three years ago which resulted in his being confined to a wheelchair. After three years he is still undergoing surgery. I had a right to be scared but I didn't want to lose the use of my right arm. My surgery was October 17, 2006. On October 19th I went home. I am recovering and except for taking 2 hydrocodone and the scar on my neck, you can not tell that I had surgery. By the 20th of Oct. I was helping my wife with dishes, I drove my pick-up, and feel very well. Today is October 30th and I was raking leaves. I still take it easy, but I was blessed by having an excellent doctor. Since the surgery I don't have the daily headaches, my arm pain comes and goes but is not as bad as before the surgery. Bottom line is that I feel my surgery was very successful and recovery will be quick. I know there are others out there that have had success. Yes it was scary deciding on the surgery, but I'm glad I did.

[Socialworker2403]

I am a 55 yr old female clinical counselor.  I have fibromyalgia and before my accident was on anti-inflammatory meds, weekly acupuncture and massage therapy.  Dec 11 2012 I had my ACDF C5-7 done by a neurosurgeon.  Pain in shoulder blade and right arm was gone right out of surgery.  Back to work part-time in 3 weeks.  Driving to work.  Vocal chords would swell if talking too much so I had to loosen the cervical collar.  The worse part of the whole ordeal is wearing the hard cervical collar 24/7 except showering.  I have to sleep on my back which I can't stand.  Resistance is low, learned to pace myself.  The more fatigued I get the more muscle cramping I get-which I attribute to no anti-infammatory for 6 months and no acupuncture or massage therapy until collar comes off.  I was informed of all risks and told when pain was severe enough I would let the doc know.  By accident being caught between 2 doors broke off a piece of the disk onto the nerve root causing instantaneous searing pain.  I highly recommend the acupuncture & massage therapy.

[rudie240]

I was confused when Dr.'s were referring to neck pain when most of my pain was the shoulder blade, pain down the outer left arm, elbow and numbness in the baby and ring finger. That was 3 years ago when I ended up in emergency thinking I was having a heart attach or stroke. Since then there has been Lyrica, Ultrium, patches, gabapentin, chlorzoxazone and little bit of therapy. For two and one half years I did fine and didn't have to take meds. Then it came back with neck pain, again not able to move my left arm. Can't wait to get home and prop myself up like a manniken, back on pills and even reached up and found some steroids and started taking those. I'm not overdosing, but I have increased my dosage of meds. Got an MRI and it said "It demonstrated degenerative disc disease. There was a right-sided posterolateral disc herniation at C45 and at C67. There was a broad disc herniation at C56. I've made a decision based on what I have read here to go for it. Seems people have had better results with bone grafts (even if the hip is sore). Seems that not many people have as many disc messed up as me. I was concerned about range of motion and not having the help post-surgery more than anything else. Got an appointment Wednesday and will keep you posted on everything. I am going to Dr. Claybrooks in Southfield, Michigan and may get an second opinion somewhere else. (maybe University of Michigan) Just to have an option of Doctors. I already know its not going to get better. Take care everybody!

[RWebs]

is anyone still posting on here?

[Ianster]

My mother is 77 with congestive heart failure and is in desperate need of this Anterior Cervical surgery. We are wondering about who and where is the best surgeon for this operation. My mother was told she has severe critical cervical stenosis of the neck. What are the chances, percent of something going wrong? She needs to have her spinal canal widened. The bones are pressing very hard on her spine. I was told there was only a tiny opening ? 4 millimeters?  We are in upstate New York.

[Markep123]

I used Dr. Tanvir Choudhri at Mt. Sinai in New York.  He is top notch.

[Rosey511]

Who was your surgeon? I hear some good results but no one posts a name.