:) i didn't know whether to continue on my last thread or not. i am feeling much better. my neck & back do get stiff occassionally, & my hip is so sore. it still hurts to lay on that side. i am no longer taking the darvocet, or the hydrocodone (which i found i can take), i am taking 800mg ibuprofen & a few neurontin here & there. sometimes standing for awhile or even moving around really hurts. what kind of exercises can any of you suggest?
i would be lost w/o this board. it has been a godsend for me. i am grateful to all of you who take the time to post a reply.
thanks again to you all. take care & God bless. :angel:
i think of those of you who are in such pain & you are in my prayers.

:) i didn't know whether to continue on my last thread or not. i am feeling much better. my neck & back do get stiff occassionally, & my hip is so sore. it still hurts to lay on that side. i am no longer taking the darvocet, or the hydrocodone (which i found i can take), i am taking 800mg ibuprofen & a few neurontin here & there. sometimes standing for awhile or even moving around really hurts. what kind of exercises can any of you suggest?
i would be lost w/o this board. it has been a godsend for me. i am grateful to all of you who take the time to post a reply.
thanks again to you all. take care & God bless. :angel:
i think of those of you who are in such pain & you are in my prayers.

The first thing that jumps out at me personally is this :

800mg ibuprofen

I would REALLLLLLLLLY suggest that you consider not taking that.

There are no definitive studies to say 110% that yes, ibuprofren (NSAIDs) will inhibit fusions.... There are some that say that under x, y, z AND ibuprofren less people fused... And there are some that say under x and iburprofren... You get the point.

BUT - why risk it if you can avoid it, right?

Could you get away with just tylenol instead?

:confused: i could take just the tylenol. i don't understand why my n/s would prescribe that ibuprofen then?

Mitchie,

I don't want to add another :confused: to your med's situation. But I was concerned about the comment you made reg. taking neurontin here & there. This is an anti epileptic drug found to help w/nerve pain. The pharmacist & my doc told me you have to slooooowly build to a high enough dose to help (as high as 3600mgs or more,) over a period of days & weeks. Then when you come off, you have to slooowly lower the dose. This is because it can actually cause seizures..even a gran-mal (sp?) seizure.
Please ask your doc about this, K? (You can read about it on the net also.)

For your hip....I understand fully!!! I was able to sleep on it after the 1st month & the last few weeks it hardly bothers me at all. (Still have a large numb patch on my upper thigh that is coming back a tiny bit every day, but feels weird like after the dentist.)
My NS prescribed Ketorolac anti-inflamitory & it helped quite a bit for a while.

Hang in there, baby. Every week gets better. ;)

You have my prayers as well.
Jackie :wave:

:wave: i will ask about the nuerontin doing that. does the keterolac help you w/ pain or just for inflammation? just curious.
i drove tonite. (not sposed' to til next wk., but hubby wouldn't get up & i needed smokes.)
thanks for your reply. i always look forward to suggestions. are there any exersises i can be doing for my leg/ hip pain? that you know are safe?
thanks, michelle*

um, i hate to jump on the :confused: train, but are you smoking post-surgery? that, in addition to not taking NSAIDs, is a big no-no for the first three months. popular medical opinion these days is that it will inhibit your fusion.

i also agree w/ jackie about the neurontin not being an "as needed" med. neurontin has a very short half-life and taking is "now and then" is not doing you any good. most people need at least a week, maybe more, before starting to benefit from it.

wishing you the best. take care!

:confused: i could take just the tylenol. i don't understand why my n/s would prescribe that ibuprofen then?

Some (mine included) dont think the NSAID theory holds any water.

Lots do - its kind of like the hip vs the cadaver idea.

There is some studies that suggest that it might be a better choice for the hip.. But the choice / difference is very minimal (for single level fusions)... Even so, some people choose the hip to stack the odds just that little more.

I would say same goes for NSAIDs.

Keep in mind, the NS may also have prescribed the NSAI for a reason. Some people's need for anti-inflammatory medications can outweigh any purported possibility of an anti-inflammatory medication inhibiting fusion.

I've read a gazillion studies on fusions and much - if not most - of the data is pure corollary, not cause/effect. There is a big, big difference. I have even read a study in which the fusion rate was higher in the smoking group. There are studies correlating level of education and income to fusion rates. Yes. Really. Same types of thing for self-reporting of symptoms.

I'm not suggesting that anyone begin taking NSAIs or start smoking, BTW. :eek:

But don't throw yourself off a cliff because you read something on the internet, either.

Worry and anxiety has physical effects on the body, too. Remain positive.

Standard disclaimer: Each individual and his/her physicians will be in the best position to fully explain the risks, etc., involved in his/her course of treatment. Most importantly, the procedure has an extremely high rate of success. :bouncing:

Hi Mitchie,

Ketorolac helped me w/pain enough to make it worth the sleepiness.

For your hip....driving for cigs is not a good exercise.:rolleyes:
I like to do aqua leg exercises in my spa at 92' as it doesn't hurt too much & it must be good for ya. But you should ask your doc 1st.

Bye for now,
Jackie :wave:

Mitchie,

We didn't scare you off, did we?

How are you feeling these days?

We're waiting... :angel:

:bouncing: i have been doing really well lately. my brother & i have been taking my dogs out for a walk, which helps me a great deal. my leg still gets stiff & sore, but nothing like it was before.
when i see my n/s next wk. i am hoping he will release me for work. i miss my social life & friends there. i don't know if he will start me at 1/2 days or just go for the whole day. i know i will be exhausted considering how long it has been for me. i will probably fall asleep in the fitting room. :p ha ha.
i'll keep posting. thanks for everything.
peace & love to you all.
michelle*

:) i started back to work wed 3rd half days. i was so exhausted by the time i got home. :yawn: my hip & leg were hurting so very badly. i imagine i just need to keep moving.
mitchie*

:confused: :confused: i have really been hurting alot the past couple days. i was wondering if the hip & leg pain like this is normal. my neck started hurting again. i don't want to take any pain killers while i am at work. i have been sitting down off & on just to take some of the edge off. can any of you tell me if this is ok & what i can do in the meantime? i want to be back at my normal speed & just feel so cruddy.
thanks all.
michelle* :wave:

:confused: :confused: i have really been hurting alot the past couple days. i was wondering if the hip & leg pain like this is normal. my neck started hurting again. i don't want to take any pain killers while i am at work. i have been sitting down off & on just to take some of the edge off. can any of you tell me if this is ok & what i can do in the meantime? i want to be back at my normal speed & just feel so cruddy.
thanks all.
michelle* :wave:

I can't comment on the hip and leg pain but are you doing too much too soon at work? Perhaps on a weekend (if possible) relax as much as you can and see if things improve? That would probably be a pretty easy way to say that yes you are doing too much.

Also- I forget if you had a collar. Even without, I'm sure your muscles are a little sore / underused at the moment and need to be retrained. Perhaps PT if you are allowed would be helpful?

i had a couple of days off & i am feeling better. i am still tiring too easily. ( i know it will take time; i am just impatient.)
thanks for your reply.
michelle* :wave:

You're body is healing, Michelle. Tiring isn't such a bad thing.

It's your body's way of saying, "Give me some time. I'm busy doing some work in here!"

You're doing great. :bouncing:

i had a couple of days off & i am feeling better. i am still tiring too easily. ( i know it will take time; i am just impatient.)
thanks for your reply.
michelle* :wave:

I used to get tired just walking for more than 10 mins.

I feel like a marathon runner today compared to where I was.

It gets better!

:D thanks for replying to me. i always check the posts when i get online. i stayed home sunday from work. my neck & shoulders hurt & my leg where they took bone just feels so sore. is this normal? and i was wondering do you think it will be ok if i fired up my lawnmower to mow my lawn? my hubby is being really lazy & the lawn looks horrid. i just get so impatient & discouraged so easily lately.
again, i thank you all for the posts & replies. it means a great deal to me.
take care all & God Bless. all you moms, i hope your mothers day was wonderful.
michelle* :angel:

:D thanks for replying to me. i always check the posts when i get online. i stayed home sunday from work. my neck & shoulders hurt & my leg where they took bone just feels so sore. is this normal? and i was wondering do you think it will be ok if i fired up my lawnmower to mow my lawn? my hubby is being really lazy & the lawn looks horrid. i just get so impatient & discouraged so easily lately.
again, i thank you all for the posts & replies. it means a great deal to me.
take care all & God Bless. all you moms, i hope your mothers day was wonderful.
michelle* :angel:

Welp.... It's almost three months out for me and I'm just STARTING to see myself do things that I wouldn't have dreamed / thought about doing before... Went to NY to see GNR... Picked up my son (very carefully - hes 11 months ~21 pounds) ... So... And I would say this is all very new.

Everyone is different but I feel like I'm getting into a recovery phase now at ~ 3 months.

acdfouch-- so kewl you seen gnr. was it totally awesome? how old are you? so, after a month recovery how much were you lifting? do you think i dare lift more than 10lbs yet? my hubby finally mowed the yard, so i don't have to worry about that. i want to get out there, pull weeds & plant some flowers; but i'm afraid of my neck hurting since i will be looking downward for awhile. what do you think?
well, i am gonna do some internet surfing.
thanks for the reply.
michelle* :)

acdfouch-- so kewl you seen gnr. was it totally awesome? how old are you? so, after a month recovery how much were you lifting? do you think i dare lift more than 10lbs yet? my hubby finally mowed the yard, so i don't have to worry about that. i want to get out there, pull weeds & plant some flowers; but i'm afraid of my neck hurting since i will be looking downward for awhile. what do you think?
well, i am gonna do some internet surfing.
thanks for the reply.
michelle* :)

GNR was very good .... Much better than the 02 tour... I saw the last show and riot on that one (NY and PA :D)....

I wouldn't lift more than 10 pounds... You DONT want to hurt yourself but your NS is really the only one that can tell you the right answer to that one... Why risk things .... That stuff will be there in a month or two from now!

Mitchie - did you indicate that you're a month out?

Obviously, your Doc will know best.

But 30 days? I'm pretty sure that would mean little more than a cartilage-like-formation at the area of fusion. The first stage of healing is inflammatory, which is roughly 30 days. After that not-so-fun-stuff gets done, your body will move on to the next stage and begin laying down actual bone.

Each of us is different, however, and I don't know what the doc has told you.

Have you asked your surgeon about activity levels?

yes, it's been a little more than month now. i starting hurting terribly thurs. nite & even called the er. for advice. i started taking the painkillers again (it's been awhile); but the pain is really intense. i didn't even finish my 4 hr. shift @ work sat. nite. i can't handle this kind of pain; i thought i was doing so well for awhile & now the pain feels just as bad as before.
the n/s i see is 4hrs. away from me; but will probably call there mon. to see what i should/shouldn't do.

Those nerves get funky.

No fun when that happens.

Hope the pain subsides soon. :wave:

:) i seen my family dr. on tues. 23rd... he told me i probably went back to work too soon & was definitely overdoing it, told me to take it easy & stay on half days for at least another month. he prescribed vicadin. he was going to call my n/s to see if i could get in sooner than july. i am still just hurting so much; i just want to cry. i am trying to be strong & brave, but my body isn't agreeing w/ me.
thanks all. :wave:

I can sympathize....pain sucks!...and staying at home sucks!
It's hard to stay positive when you're in so much pain...have you tried getting a massage from a professional...I go once a week...it's incredible..I look forward to it soooo much!
Hope you have a better day!
Jennifer---4 weeks post ACDF w/hardware

I had a "glitch" at about 5 weeks post op - I couldn't lift my arms to feed myself and I was begging to take another week off of work (I own the business with my husband so thats hard to do) - but I just rested as I could, crashed when I got home and with time it passed.

:) i seen my family dr. on tues. 23rd... he told me i probably went back to work too soon & was definitely overdoing it, told me to take it easy & stay on half days for at least another month. he prescribed vicadin. he was going to call my n/s to see if i could get in sooner than july. i am still just hurting so much; i just want to cry. i am trying to be strong & brave, but my body isn't agreeing w/ me.
thanks all. :wave:
Don't beat yourself up, Mitchie.

Those nerves get inflamed and your body says Uncle.

It's a series of little steps, not a giant leap.

Relax. Pamper yourself. Better yet, get your hubby & others to pamper you. :wave:

thanks for all your replies. i am really trying to take it easy, but it is so hard to do. i'll make more of an effort.
michelle* :wave:

:( i don't know why i am still hurting so so much. is this normal? i've had one fairly decent day in the past 2 wks. it really feels like it did before i had the surgery. i am a recovering drug addicted alcoholic of 11yrs. but feeling this way makes me really want to use again. the painkillers don't do much to take the edge off. any suggestions? is this much intense pain normal. the surgery was done march 28th, shouldn't i start having less pain? :confused:
thanks all. :) michelle
i apologize for so much whining, i really do. i'm just not used to living w/ every day pain as i am sure so many of you don't care for either.

Hi,
Hi Michelle....this is a previous post that I put on another thread....thought it might give you some encouragement....as you can see, I think you & I are in the same boat!


My name is Jennifer. As of today (6/01/06) , it's been exactly 3 weeks and 6 days since my surgery..I had ACDF C5/6 and C6/7. Had on/off pain since October, 2005..numbness/tingling started mid March...did 4 weeks of PT...it got worse...had entire body numbness (including face/head)...my family doctor said it was arthritis...i called an ortho doc..he referred me to a NS, 4 days later, I had surgery.

I wasn't in that much pain before the surgery...the problem was that my spinal cord was being compressed and that can be dangerous. My post-op pain is still about 3 times what my pre-op pain was and it’s really getting frustrating. I have right arm and chest/face numbness , neck pain and shoulder blade/under arm pain--all on right side…occasionally on left side too.

It’s difficult being at home as I have my own small business (I only employ 2 other people)..so I have to work to eat….I’m considering filing for disability but I’m unsure.. My business requires me to do trade shows every weekend all over the east coast…(this includes unloading/loading about 600 pounds of inventory) my dad (age 69) and I usually alternated weekends, but now he’s in it alone and I feel incredibly guilty.

I keep telling myself that I need to take it easy until at least the 6 week checkup so I can see how fusion is going. But it’s tough….I can’t help but feel as if people are judging me and thinking that I’m “milking” it.
But I feel so bad about my dad being on the road…..sorry for the whining but it’s made me feel a little better just putting this down in writing….I’m also a single mom w/full custody of a 12 year old boy who needs constant chauffering to numerous extracurricular activities…sometimes, I feel like I’m stretching my support system to it’s limits.

I’m taking percocet for the pain…..5/325 one or two tablets every 4 hours as needed. The “as needed” is ending up being pretty much 2 tablets every 4 hours from 6:00am to 6:00pm,,,,is this too much???..should I be asking for a different type of medication???

I’d appreciate any thought/comments…..have a wonderful Tuesday everyone!

Michelle,
Forgot to mention a few tips I've gathered:
Some "natural" pain killers....oatmeal....peppermint oil (for headaches), HEAD-ON (for headaches)--you can find this at a drugstore..

Try moist heat...heat a wet towel in the microwave--about 1 minute or I found a thing called a "bed buddy" at Walmart...it's a moist heat "collar" filled w/gel beads, so the heat lasts up to an hour vs. the warm towel (10 minutes)...it costs about $10

Also, in addition to avoiding ibuprofen, advil, SMOKING....also avoid caffeine.

Have a "less painful" day than yesterday!
Jennifer

thanks for the reply, jennifer. yes, i think we are in the same boat. i know there are some people that are probably tired of listening to me whine. the pain is so very real. you are not milking it & neither am i. i have been taking darvocet & vicodin lately, that takes some of the edge off, but not totally. what i would really like is to sleep without waking every 2-3hrs. so, i don't know if you are taking too many painkillers. i was reading last nite about skelaxin. i think i'll ask the dr. about that. it's sposed' to help the inflammed area. i sympathize with you and all your extra work. please try not to feel guilty, i think this is just gonna take more time for some people. (like us) hang in there. God Bless and take care.
michelle* :)

thanks for the reply, jennifer. yes, i think we are in the same boat. i know there are some people that are probably tired of listening to me whine. the pain is so very real. you are not milking it & neither am i. i have been taking darvocet & vicodin lately, that takes some of the edge off, but not totally. what i would really like is to sleep without waking every 2-3hrs. so, i don't know if you are taking too many painkillers. i was reading last nite about skelaxin. i think i'll ask the dr. about that. it's sposed' to help the inflammed area. i sympathize with you and all your extra work. please try not to feel guilty, i think this is just gonna take more time for some people. (like us) hang in there. God Bless and take care.
michelle* :)

Michelle,

Skelaxin was my drug of choice so to say before surgery and some time after.

Its a muscle relaxant - it blocks nervous system activity to the brain. Its not quite as strong as a balofcen (sp?) Or a soma.... Matter of fact, the odd thing you will find is they are unsure as to how it works. Good to know, right? :)

I don't believe it will directly help with inflammation as there is no nsaids in it. Perhaps what you found is skelaxin + nsaids or something like an nsaid.

Last, skelaxin is very popular as it is one of the muscle relaxants that generally speaking do not make people sleepy.

I found that it only made me tired when I really needed it for pain. Your mileage may vary.

Good luck.

i seen a family dr. fri. am. he did have xrays done & reassured me everything is in place. he also agreed w/ my other dr. that i went back to work too soon. he strongly suggested i call my n/s. he has me off for 3 days. he told my it was very inflammed. gave me some flexerall (sp?) so, i've slept off & on fri & still am tired. i was up all nite thurs/fri. am w/ extreme pain.
thanks all
michelle* :angel:

Hope you're feeling better today.

Very happy to hear everything is still where it should be! :angel:

i seen my n/s wed 7th. he wants me to stay off work for a couple of wks. & start physical therapy. does anyone know what kind of exercises that will require to feel better? i also have been so tired & groggy lately :yawn: ,even when i am not taking painrelievers. is this normal? i can sleep 14 hrs. or more. any advice will be welcome.
thanks all.
michelle*

When it comes for the time to go to PT they basically have you do some stretching exercises to loosen up the muscles and some strengthening exercises for your arms if you happened to loose any strength. It's nothing real major. I found most of my sessions lasted about a hour or less with the begining of it starting with heat to warm the muscles and at the end a cold ice pack for a short period to calm things down.
If your PT happens to cause you any pain definately let your therapist know. You shouldn't be feeling any strong or sharp pains with PT and if you do it could be a sign of overdoing thing.

As far as the sleep goes, do you happen to feel depressed? Depression can cause the tiredness. If not you might want to get a general check up and bloodwork to make sure nothing special is going on like anemia. Also if you are not getting a good nights sleep (continual sleep) that too can add to being tired and sleeping for longer hours.

good luck!

:wave: i probably am somewhat depressed. i do take lexapro, maybe at this point, i need to tell my dr. of the long sleep periods. i did, however manage to stay awake today & got some sunshine. it was after 3pm, my pain started & continued to keep getting worse. all i did physically sunday was carry 2 sacks of groceries in my house. i didn't think they were too heavy and more than likely they were. i also noticed if i am standing up & leaning down (to pet an animal), it hurts to lean down or try to reach something above my head. all this pain makes me wonder if it will ever end. i am trying so hard not to take the pain meds. but i continue to use them when the pain is at this level. i am hoping the p. t. helps alot! :)
thank you for your post.
have a wonderful monday.
michelle*

PT for me was an hour each visit. First about ten minutes of massage, to loosen up the spasms in my upper back (ugh - but the massage was nice!)

Then the thing that worked best for me, I think: the upper body cycle - it was easy to do, stretched out the muscles around and under my shoulder blades, and strengthened them as well. I started at 2 minutes, one minute forward, one minute reverse, and had worked up to six minutes, three forward, one reverse.

I also did 2-3 sets of 20 of each of these:

On my side, opening arms. Hold arms all the way out in front at shoulder level while lying on one side. With the upper arm, lift and make an arc, following arm with your chin. Open the arc as far as you can. Rest between sets, then switch sides and do sets on other side.

Still on side, arm circles. Stretch arm out as far as you can, make as wide and flat a circle as you can. (1 set of 20 clockwise, 1 set counterclockwise, then switch sides and repeat)

On my stomach, arms spread wide at shoulder level. Lift arms up toward ceiling, squeezing with shoulder blades to raise.

On my back, punches. Lying flat, arms up straight above. Punch up gently, as high as possible, then relax. left-punch + right-punch = 1 rep.

On my back, alternate stretches. Right arm up as high as it will go, on floor; left arm down as far as it will go, on floor. Raise both to shoulder height, lower right arm to side and left arm to floor above head. Return to original position. That's 1 rep.

Then I had to do all of that while lying on an incredibly uncomfortable "foam" (read as: concrete) rolly thing that looked like a round column lying on the floor. At first I couldn't get onto it by myself, as I had to sit at one end and lean back, which I couldn't do. But this morning I was able to do the whole thing by myself!

I also did work with rubber bands - gripping bands at waist height and pulling back using only my shoulder blades, like I was trying to grab a pencil placed on my spine with just my shoulder blades. Not a lot of movement, but it helped strengthen my back a lot. Then also using the bands, arms down at sides, gripping bands - pull straight back.

At the end, there'd be five to ten minutes of icing, and I'd be done for the day. Probably way more than you wanted to know about PT!

Hi,
I have my first post-op check up next week (6 weeks)...you mention sleeping a lot...make sure any blood work you have done includes testing for your thyroid...

I, too take antidepressants....am doing wonderful last 3 years..finally found the right combo of meds......at one point, I too was sleeping for 14hrs/day and they found my thyroid to be underactive and I was put on medication and it cleared the problem right up!

Take Care....and remember, just cause you're sleeping a lot does NOT mean you're lazy (for some reason, I felt sooo guilty)...it's just your body telling you something's wrong!

Jennifer

Regarding your tiredness and sleeping so much, you might consider the muscle relaxers. I think you said you were taking Flexeril?

I can take pain meds and muscle relaxers with no problem. I don't get a 'buzz' from the pain stuff and the muscle relaxers only slow me down a little. On the other hand, my husband, who outweighs me by at least 100 pounds, is knocked flat by them. We know that if he takes, say, a Flexeril or a Skelaxin, he will be asleep within the hour and out for at least several hours.

Also, unless it's just because you're worried about all the sleeping, why are you 'trying not to' take pain meds? You've got them for a reason! If you're hurting, take them. Trying to soldier through the pain right now is just more stress on your body.

Hope you are feeling better soon.

thanks all for your posts. i do appreciate it. i will ask my p.a. on friday about blood work. i have been on thyroid medication for yrs. i get checked for that at least once a yr. to see where i am.
and i guess i've always tried so hard to be brave when it comes to hurting, that is why i try not to take the pain meds. thanks for what you wrote, ember about soldiering through the pain & possibly creating more stress on my body. i hadn't taken that into consideration.
i will update fri. to let you guys know what the p.a. tells me.
thanks all so very very much. :)

i am getting blood work done mon. to check my thyroid level & also to see if i am anemic.
my pt went well. i was sent home w/ some neck exercises which i have been doing. they hurt, but i know it is helping to strenghten those muscles.
later, michelle* :wave:

my p.t. is going really well. i went back to work last wk. i did go home early sun. (i was so beat!) i'm sure it'll take awhile to get back in the groove. i have been receiving massages at my p.t. which is sooooooo nice. i still hurt; but it isn't as intense as before.;) hurray! i am wondering, however how long should you be in pain after the surgery?
thanks everyone. have a great independence day.:bouncing:

:( i seen my n/s on the 5th. he took me off work again. it seems everytime i return to work, things get worse. perhaps i'll need to find a new job? i very much like the job i have right now; but i just don't know what i am doing to aggravate things. i started to have stinging pain & now throughout my left shoulder i feel twinges of stinging pain. the n/s suggested i continue w/ my pt. i think i will learn some yoga, i heard certain yoga exercises help the pain.

HI
I am almost at 3 weeks post op as well rom an ACDF . I know my doc did not want me taking any anti inflammatory drugs due to inhibiting the fusion. I did not use my own bone however, I had a donor bone and am doing very well. I was prescribed a codiene elixer which I took for a couple days after returning home (I had surgery on Tuesday and home on Thursday) and a muscle relaxer which really helped those first few days, thankfully, I did not need anything after the first few days home. I do get stiff now and then, and sneezing really hurts, but am back driving and doing daily activities with no problems at all (however, only can lift 5 lbs max right now).
One thing I know which helps me with the stiffness is I very slowly rotate my shoulders up and down which seems to help. Do you have any swallowing problems? I still have some swelling according to the Xrays taken Friday, and can tell if I bend over I can feel it, and still have difficulty with swallowing now and again. Hang in there, every day gets better! I just wish now I hadn't put off surgery for the past 5 years!

i seen my n/s mon. 7th. he told me this is as good as i will get. i still hurt pretty badly off & on. i am to return to work full time next wk. i am done w/ physical therapy. any suggestions?

How far post op are you? ACDF? What levels?

Don't give up hope!! Nervous system issues heal/repair VERY slowly. You don't want to believe that, but we have to - some people say 2 years even, most say a year. I'm at 11.5 months and actually in the past six weeks I've seen improvement on a few little things. I still dont walk probably, but the neurologist and NS tell me to be thankful for where I am - however I'm still not trying to get this remaining issue better with exercise/PT.

I can't believe he told you "that's as good as it gets" after what, 2 months?

my surgery was in late march. i returned to work this mon august 14th. thurs. i felt severe pain in my neck & ended up going home. it is a sharp shooting stinging pain. i am staying home today as well. it is my c5 and c6. i was really hoping i would do really well.:confused:

i'm feeling somewhat better, but i do get the shooting stinging pain off & on yet. it starts in my left shoulder throughout my neck. is this normal?

Mitchie,
I had my surgery only a couple of weeks after you, and even though I'm doing MUCH better, I still definitely get pain, burning, tingling and numbness at times. But it can always be traced back to me doing too much, and I've gotten better about trying to respect my body when it complains. I am better now than a month ago, and I was better then than the month before that, etc., etc.

My surgeon, too, seems to express surprise that his magic touch did not instantly heal me of all my woes, but his PA and his nurse and the folks at PT, both therapists and patients, assure me that my healing time is not at all unusual. I don't believe for a minute that I'm at the point of "as good as it gets". Phooey.

I do find at this point that keeping up with stretching and strengthening is absolutely vital to how all the neck stuff feels. I'm not doing a lot, not an entire workout or anything, but I have to keep up with at least the basics or I feel the difference. I was just out of town for a little over a week and took my stretchy bands with me and it was a breeze to go through 10 minutes of stuff a day.

I believe I remember that you went through some rough spots early on, perhaps indicative of how much damage you had before surgery? Hang in there and (OK, I know it's boring, but.......) give things more time. The long recovery can be terribly frustrating and sometimes depressing, but just imagine that we're the little turtles or snails, slowly inching our way to the finish line. It might take a little longer, but we WILL get there.