San Diego Folks (Anyone actually):Questions and Massive Head/neck pain - Page 3

KonaKid · 04-11-2007, 09:50 PM

7 lumbar fusions! Wha? How many disks are in the lumbar? I thought there was just a few, then the thoracic begins. This is not good. Then again, I had three back surgeries...two were fusions...but on the same two disks-- re-fused. Man, awaking from fusion is hell. Yeah, and that morphine (pump) works so well--being sarcastic. Geez, just knock us out with fentanyl all ready. 24 hours waiting to get out of bed. Lying there in that unimaginable pain. It makes ya wonder if it was worth it. Yer told yer going to go paralyzed if ya don't have it, but ya end up head down that road if ya do--well, for some of us. I've read a thread here about the ADRs. Many lawsuites here in the States against them (frickin' lawyers--ok, not all of them)...In Germany, where I believe they were invented, they use better hardware. What is sad, that hardware is made here in the States and shipped there; but, we can't used that hardware according to the FDA. Yep, made in Florida. Yeah, I hope the new surgeon will/can help me. Have to wait another three weeks. It seems to me why do I allow myself to wait. I've waited long enough. Should just walk into ER and force them to do something. Then again, I've tried that. Maybe I'll carve a gun out of soap and then put it against my head and demand a surgeon attend to the "pressing" problems. Ha Ha--mixed up scenes from two comedies--one Mel Brooks and the other, oh what is his name? He made "Annie Hall"...the movie I was thinking about though was "Take the Money and Run". There is a movie with Denzel where his boy is dying....yep, sometimes you have to stand up for something no matter what the consequence.

DesertBloom · 04-11-2007, 10:56 PM

Hi Kona: I explained my unusual back probs in your other thread. There are 5lumbar discs/vertebras. Some people had an extra one...Anyway I'm just repeating myself which is boring.

Yeah if you pulled that stunt with the soap you'd be in another type of hell

I have no plans on going to the hospital ever again-HA HA, will at least for my back, that's it. My last surgery (7th) stabilized what needed to be, grade 1 spondy, stenosis, (which has come back) and had the vertebras restabilized from that blasted swinging action but with a different type of rods and screws, but unfortunately the damage is done, and I have to live with the constant pain. I can't have anymore, my choice since my probs can't be fixed. Fortunately at times it's bearable, but by 2 every afternoon it roars it's ugly head and I'm in bed. You have to give up a lot of things, as you know, but what are ya going to do?????

chatterboxsd · 04-11-2007, 10:59 PM

I am 2 months out of t6-7 fusion with Dr. Taylor at UCSD. He has a great reputation and so far, so good with me. The hospital experience was par for the course. They were responsive. I'm sure I would have enjoyed the experience more if I hadn't just had spine surgery!

Must say, the universality of care is really handy. The PM docs have access to the NS notes and xrays, etc.

Best of luck to you,
Margaret

KonaKid · 04-13-2007, 02:11 PM

Thank You...

lisibug · 04-13-2007, 05:52 PM

It's interesting (and very sad) to hear that you have had such bad headaches, too. I had a C5-6 fusion 2-1/2 years ago. Subsequently, C3-4 'went' pretty badly with gross compression of the spinal cord, etc., C4-5 'went', not as badly, C5-6, pretty badly, mild to moderate spinal cord stenosis with severe neural foraminal stenosis. Before my fusion, I had cluster headaches on the left side of my head and migraines on the right. The cluster headaches would wake me up between 2:00 and if I was really lucky, 6:00 am every morning - I'd go downstairs with shaking hands like a drug addict to get my meds, sit there and wait for them to kick in... After the fusion, the cluster headaches were gone. Migraines were improved. 9 months after my fusion I could tell I wasn't healing properly and that's when we started having MRIs done and saw that I was degenerating at other levels. Bad headaches started again, but no more clusters, for which I'm grateful. Still, my battle was 24/7 fighting the headaches. Neurontin (2700 mg daily) was my biggest help, but also took Topamax (50 mg daily), Amitryptiline (100 mg. daily), Indocin, (450 mg daily) which was helpful. My p.r.n. meds for the headaches were Fioricet, Soma and Imitrex. It got to the point where I had to lie down about 9 to 10 hours per day/evening or the meds would not keep my head pain under control. Then I started having fainting spells if I was up too long and then had to lie down about 90% of the time so I wouldn't faint and that really kept my pain levels down.

Just 3 weeks ago today I had a 3 level cervical ADR (C3-4, C4-5 and C6-7) performed in Germany. I'm doing really well. I have upper back, trapezius, and shoulder muscular pain, with light tension headache pain. I haven't taken any headache medicine since the surgery - just Vicodin and Soma and this keeps my pain at about a '1' - but I do take it pretty easy. I just do little chores, light exercises and take short walks and alternate this with reclining on the sofa. I can move my neck pretty freely already, without thinking about it - not 100% of course, but it's pretty good.

Anyway, I am so very sorry you have the horrible headaches too, and that you have been through so many surgeries and have had such problems. Sure hope that you can get some help that lasts. I am hoping that my surgery will bring me long term relief, too. Wish you the very best.