very confused need help - Back Problems Message Board

cindyj · 02-17-2005, 09:29 PM

my husband was a normal 37 year old who after a car accident last April is now on a cane to keep from falling. He has c6 c7 anterior cervical discectomy with fussion, allografting, and plating In June. Since surgery he has been on a cane has loss of balance can't move his neck from side to side very well and an abnormal gait these are all finding from the doctor. He was sent to another doctor who says that he could have nerve damage but the tests don't show any. Then the doctor says that doesn't mean that there isn't damage. The report reads from the MRi
AN MRI SCAN OF THE CERVICAL SPINE SHOWS A DISC HERINATION AT C6 C7 ON THE RIGHT CAUSING C7 ROOT COMPRESSION. THERE IS EVIDENCE OF SPONDYLOSIS AT C5 C6 WITHOUT DICS HERNIATION. THERE IS NO CORD COMPRESSION ALIGNMENT OF THE SPINE IS NORMAL.

Now we have been sent to another doc for a myligram(soory for the spelling) we drove 3 hours to get to the hospital to have this done and the head of radiology refused to do it. (after all the preop stuff and beingin outpatient surgery for 2 hours) So we were sent to yet another doctor and he had another Mri ran after surrgery and said everything looks good and My husband has a positive Hoffman's sign (which he says means a compressed spinal cord someplace) BUT there is nothing he can do and my husband should start doing exercises to learn to live with the pain and that he would get worse as he got older. Now since my husband can't lift a carton of soda, can't play with my children and can't make love I think that some where someone may be able to help us. Please if you know anything about this type of surgery or a positive hoffman's sign please let me know

memawhurts · 02-18-2005, 01:28 AM

Cindy,

I don't have the answers you are seeking, but I did want to welcome you to the boards, and say how sorry I am for what you both are having to go through.

Hopefully someone will come along and be able to help you.

Best wishes,
Memaw

ALMOST 4 YEARS · 02-18-2005, 08:31 AM

HELLO CINDY,
I KNOW HOW UR FEELING MY HUSBAND WAS ALSO IN AN ACCIDENT WHICH HE STILL IS ABLE TO WALK WITHOUT ANY CNE OR ANYTHING ELSE BUT.... HE HAS HAD SHOT AFTER SHOT AND STILL NO RELEIF AND HIS DR NOW WANTS TO SEND HIM TO A SHRINK SO HE CAN DEAL WITH THE PAIN BUT... WERE GOING TO GO SEE A ORTHO AND A NEURO TO GET SOME MORE OPTIONS CAUSE HE IS A HEAVY EQUIPMENT MECHANIC AND HAS TO GET SOME ANSWERS SOMEWHERE... HE SAYS IT FEELS LIKE BROKEN GLASS CONSTANLY RUBING IN HIS BACK SOME DAYS HE'S GOOD BUT FOR THE MOST PART HE IS ALWAYS IN PAIN LIKE U SAID HE CAN'T PLAY MUCH WITH THE KIDS AND FORGET ABOUT PLAYING IN THE BED ROOM ANY MORE CAN'T EVEN DO THAT..WELL I HOPE EVERYTHING WORKS OUT FOR U AND UR HUSBAND

Quietcook · 02-18-2005, 09:17 AM

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carol632 · 02-18-2005, 07:10 PM

Never allow a dr to brush you off with "learn to live with it". It is time to find another dr.
I don't understand why they refused to do the myelogram. What did your dr. say when he found out?
I agree with quietcook that you should look for your own specialist and not run from one to the other as they pass you back and forth. Do some research, there is tons of info on the web. The more you learn, the less they will be able to hoodwink you.

Good luck, and please come back and tell us how things are going.

Carol