I had 2 level ACDF on C5/6 & 6/7 on Jan 2nd of this year. My recovery was moving along quite nicely, until about April. I developed L'Hermitte's sign, and was having a hard time walking for exercise. It's gotten worse: I can't walk more than a few blocks, and my legs feel like rubber, my feet burn and hurt almost all the time now. The L'Hermitte's has faded, but I believe that the Trileptal I'm using for nerve pain has helped with that. Now I am experiencing numbness in my chin. I have had MRIs of my entire back, Evoked Response Potential Tests, and a myleogram. The NS says my neck is fine, my neurologist feels it's time for me to go to Mayo Clinic, since the chin numbness cannot be related to my neck surgery. I did have some delay between my feet and brain when the ERPT was done. Both the auditory and visual tests were good, so my neuro says he doesn't think it's MS.

OK, SO WHAT IS IT THEN?! I'm tired of hurting all the time. I'm crabby and find myself not wanting to go places because I won't be able to make myself comfortable.

I know I haven't suffered as long as some, but until a year ago, I could pretty much do anything I wanted. I'm 45, and after my neck surgery, when I started feeling better, my goal was to get in tip top shape before I turned 50! Now I feel like I'm 70, going on 80!

My frustration level is high, as is my anxiety level. I ******d "numb chin" last night, and raise my anxiety level a few notches - there wasn't much good to be said about having a numb chin!!

I just need to vent - thanks in advance to anyone who might read and respond.

hi julie:) sorry to hear of your problem. i read your thread and thought i'd put in my 2cents. i have rsd. at 1st they said that thing you have, can't spell it, hermitts sign. anyway, i have been seeing a pm doc for over 1 year and i'm trying to get the pain to where it is tolerable. i have a hubby and 2 kids and it is soo hard to be in pain all the time and try to keep it to myself so i come on here to vent and chat tp people who know what i am going through. anyway, i had 4 failed cervical fusions on c-4-5 and c-6-7. the last c-6-7, immediately after the surgury, i woke up with the rsd.(took 5 mo to find out what is was). anyway, i guess it is comming from the c-8 nerve root. i have tried many meds and shots and everything. next will be the spinal cord stimulator(august). the best med i took is methadone. works great but i do have many side effects from it, i'm the type who gets sick and stupid on anything. well, i hope i didn't go too off the subjuct. hope you feel better ,patti:jester:

i am just wondering if you have found out with 100% certainty that you are indeed fused?beleieve me, i had an MRI that was inconclusive and recomended a CT,the CT stated without a doubt that i was,but i still wasn't.this was found out when my NS finally just sent me for simple flexion and extension x rays.this would show either way.the thing is,if it isn't(either one of your levels)the bone can be bopping around a bit in there(not alot,but just enough to cause symptoms) and intermittantly causing you strange symptoms like you are having.just one possibility that you really need to be certain of.if you haven't ever had the flex and ext x rays,i would highly reccomend them before going off to the mayo.they just show a non fusion much much better than any scan possibly can.good luck and please keep us posted.Marcia