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Botox injections for spasms post cervical 4 level fusion
I had a 2 level anterior cervical fusion after I was the victim of a drunk driving accident. After about 1 year, my neck was purple and I was very uncomfortable. The MRI's showed nothing wrong. I finally went to my primary care doctor, who referred me to a different neurosurgeon. MRI's showed the levels above needed to be fused.
When he went in to fuse those levels, he discovered that the first fusion never fused and, the plate popped off and the screws were all wiggly. This is in the OR report.
I have had the 4 levels fused and the old screws were removed and one long plate is now in to stabilize me. I now am suffering with left sided headache, pain up the side and back of my neck, left shoulder, elbow and my left hand is pins and needles. The neurosurgeon sent me to a pain clinic to get botox injections, but they decided to give me 8 cortizone trigger point injections. I WAS MUCH WORSE after this. I called them back and left a message with the nurse. I asked her if we could just do what the neurosurgeon ordered. They were suppose to call me back, but so far nothing.
I am suppose to go back May 13th for more cortizone shots, but I am going to refuse them based on the first round.
Has anyone had any luck with botox injections for these symptoms? Also, the new pain doctor said they do not prescribe oxycodone (which I take now) but they use "meth-based" pain meds. What is the difference and why are opiates worse than a meth-based pain med?
I am in pain all the time. I use VOLTAREN cream, gabapentin, norflex and oxycodone right now. Thanks for any help please. I am struggling with which clinic to go with. Both have totally different approaches.
Thanks for some input~
This discussion is related to Continued pain after anterior cervical fusion.
When he went in to fuse those levels, he discovered that the first fusion never fused and, the plate popped off and the screws were all wiggly. This is in the OR report.
I have had the 4 levels fused and the old screws were removed and one long plate is now in to stabilize me. I now am suffering with left sided headache, pain up the side and back of my neck, left shoulder, elbow and my left hand is pins and needles. The neurosurgeon sent me to a pain clinic to get botox injections, but they decided to give me 8 cortizone trigger point injections. I WAS MUCH WORSE after this. I called them back and left a message with the nurse. I asked her if we could just do what the neurosurgeon ordered. They were suppose to call me back, but so far nothing.
I am suppose to go back May 13th for more cortizone shots, but I am going to refuse them based on the first round.
Has anyone had any luck with botox injections for these symptoms? Also, the new pain doctor said they do not prescribe oxycodone (which I take now) but they use "meth-based" pain meds. What is the difference and why are opiates worse than a meth-based pain med?
I am in pain all the time. I use VOLTAREN cream, gabapentin, norflex and oxycodone right now. Thanks for any help please. I am struggling with which clinic to go with. Both have totally different approaches.
Thanks for some input~
This discussion is related to Continued pain after anterior cervical fusion.
and how are you doing now? do you have leg pain? any numbness in ur legs? any burning going on in your legs?
When they say it is psycosomatic, it means they have no idea what is wrong with you, and they are not going to admit this.
The statute of limitations on a malpractice is (2) years.
I was in a drunk driving crash. Four of my discs WERE protruding into my esophagus, which is why I could not swallow. I NEEDED the surgery and my neurosurgeon is one of the top five in the USA. He has only done a handful of 4 level fusions. (they are very RARE). He corrected the first neurosurgeons mess. The first fusion fell apart and nobody believed me, when I kept complaining. NOTHING showed up in the MRI to prove this. They only found the wiggly screws and popped off plate, when they opened me up to fix the (2) levels above the first fusion. MRI's are not always reliable even with contrast dye.
I had (2) nerve blocks this past August and I finally got the botox injections approved.I had that done (2) weeks ago. I am feeling much better and my headaches are GONE. Once the nerve blocks wear off, I am getting radio frequency to kill the nerves around my facet joints. The nerve blocks were a test to see if I was a candidate, and I am.
You need to find ANOTHER neurosurgeon or a Pain Management clinic. Healthcare is not what it use to be. You HAVE to kick and scream to get treated appropriately.
Do not give up on yourself. Laying in bed is no quality of life~
The statute of limitations on a malpractice is (2) years.
I was in a drunk driving crash. Four of my discs WERE protruding into my esophagus, which is why I could not swallow. I NEEDED the surgery and my neurosurgeon is one of the top five in the USA. He has only done a handful of 4 level fusions. (they are very RARE). He corrected the first neurosurgeons mess. The first fusion fell apart and nobody believed me, when I kept complaining. NOTHING showed up in the MRI to prove this. They only found the wiggly screws and popped off plate, when they opened me up to fix the (2) levels above the first fusion. MRI's are not always reliable even with contrast dye.
I had (2) nerve blocks this past August and I finally got the botox injections approved.I had that done (2) weeks ago. I am feeling much better and my headaches are GONE. Once the nerve blocks wear off, I am getting radio frequency to kill the nerves around my facet joints. The nerve blocks were a test to see if I was a candidate, and I am.
You need to find ANOTHER neurosurgeon or a Pain Management clinic. Healthcare is not what it use to be. You HAVE to kick and scream to get treated appropriately.
Do not give up on yourself. Laying in bed is no quality of life~
I meant to say that YES, I do get those headaches that run all over the left side of my face with numbness and through the EYE...not fun.
I see a compression on my MRI in the Cervical. I just know that when that NS did my C5-C6 spin.disk. that he compressed something because the last NL said that he saw a compression and that was it...all of that discussion. He said I had some Physcosymatic disorder...NOT... I am so appalled by the words that can come out of their mouths. It seems they need to get stuck in our bodies for a few moments then they would know what we trying to say...right?! Peace everyone.:)))<3 Karen
I see a compression on my MRI in the Cervical. I just know that when that NS did my C5-C6 spin.disk. that he compressed something because the last NL said that he saw a compression and that was it...all of that discussion. He said I had some Physcosymatic disorder...NOT... I am so appalled by the words that can come out of their mouths. It seems they need to get stuck in our bodies for a few moments then they would know what we trying to say...right?! Peace everyone.:)))<3 Karen
Hello, How ru doing today? I must say that I am right there with u on the pain that u explained...yes, I am another victim of the cerical surgery that has wrecked my life. ALL I had wrong with me b4 the surgery was that I couldn't sleep and kept moving and found later from another NS that I didn't even need the surgery, that I only had a small disk herniation, but was told that it was a disk protrusion...whatever, I am so miserable now that I am basically bedridden. Well, if a person can't sit or stand for 15 min...something is bad wrong. NOW, I am having these all day numbness spellls and have episodes of complete paralysis on my left side. It feels like a 40lb.weight just will lay on my left arm/leg and I CAN'T move it at all. I have been tested from top to botttom, but they can't see behind that titanium plate...how lucky 4 them or I AM SURE that they would be having TONS of malpractice suits. They tell us to wait a yr for fusion...well, in a year they are in the clear from the statute of limitations...HOW WELL THOUGHT OUT.. I am not a mean person. I am a goood person that has suffered soo much from just not being able to lay my head to complete paralysis...pins/needles in my face,head...heck,everywhere and I can't do anything or I PAY 4 it. My kids know where to find me...laying in this bed and last night when I went in to talk to my son b4 he went to bed...HE said, "Mom, it must be nice laying in that bed all day...?" "WHAT? Are u kidding me...I hate it and no, it is not fun to be stuck in this bed". I just want to get well so I can go and do things with my boys. I can't do anything anymore and I used to sing professionally. Now, I just dream and pray that one day I will find a goood doc that will fix me and I pray that u find it too Rootsgal. I would love to get Botox and try it. I have so many cortisone or corticosteriods...whatever else the pysiatrist done too. I have been poked,prodded on and tested, but just got the results that it isn't Lyme or Lupus and the lady said that my MRI hasn't changed. I have an AVM in there that hurts and it really feels numb there, but they won't consider that it could be what is wrong. I don't think, anyway.
I wish u the best and let me know, if u would @ the botox deal...k? Take care and God Bless us all...always.:)))<3 Karen
I wish u the best and let me know, if u would @ the botox deal...k? Take care and God Bless us all...always.:)))<3 Karen
Well, I got one response, but have run into others with cervical fusions who also have the EXACT same headache as me! It goes up one sideof the back of my neck, to the top of the left side of my head, then behind my left eye, and down the LEFT side of my face in to my shoulder.
I would like to stick a knife in my eye sometimes it is so annoying and wearing. At least I now see, I AM being dismissed and denied BOTOX that other have received. I would be happy with 3 months of relief, and do I not deserve this after being the VICTIM of a DUI accident? As if that is not bad enough, now the HEALTH CARE system in this county is treating me less than a dog.
I am not sure I can live like this much longer........
I would like to stick a knife in my eye sometimes it is so annoying and wearing. At least I now see, I AM being dismissed and denied BOTOX that other have received. I would be happy with 3 months of relief, and do I not deserve this after being the VICTIM of a DUI accident? As if that is not bad enough, now the HEALTH CARE system in this county is treating me less than a dog.
I am not sure I can live like this much longer........
My neurosurgeon referred me for botox but they used cortisone instead. Now I am worse then before I went there. Should they have just used botox? Cortisone (I googled it) is for inflammation. Botox is for spasms. I have spasms so why would they have possibly thought it was inflammation?
I am very angry now, and their story is: "If you do not have a good outcome from cortisone, then botox will not work. I beg to differ. I also found out that botox is EXPENSIVE, so are they thinking I am not worth it?
I am going to call my neurosurgeon back and have him send me to someone who will follow his direction. In the mean time. my left shoulder is worthless and the pain is excruciating.
BTW: Thank you very much for answering mu question. Have a nice weekend~
I am very angry now, and their story is: "If you do not have a good outcome from cortisone, then botox will not work. I beg to differ. I also found out that botox is EXPENSIVE, so are they thinking I am not worth it?
I am going to call my neurosurgeon back and have him send me to someone who will follow his direction. In the mean time. my left shoulder is worthless and the pain is excruciating.
BTW: Thank you very much for answering mu question. Have a nice weekend~
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
Hi there. Botox injections are used in cervical dystonias or severe neck spasms and in shoulder muscles causing neck pain.normally brain sends electrochemical messages to muscles to make them contract which are transmitted from a nerve to the muscle by acetylycholine. Botox blocks the nerve from releasing acetylcholine relieving the spasms. This is however not a cure and the relief is short-lived for about 3 months. You can consult your neurologist and pain physician to know the feasibility of this treatment. Hope this helps. Take care.
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