Jeannie45

[SherryElaine]

Jeannie,
How are you doing now? Last I heard you were one week post op and doing good. How are you doing now? How many disc did you have fused and did it require plateing? Just curious. I am still waiting on my surgery. Insurance it trying to say I have a pre-existing codition and won't pay for anything yet. I am still working with them on that. Hopefully will know something next week.

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Sher

Hi Sherry,

I'm now 2 weeks post op, and keep making progress every day. I have the feeling back in the thumb and pointer finger on my right hand, and all but the tips on my left hand.
I had two disc's removed. It was the C4-5 and the C5-6. They also opened up my spinal canal to make room for my cord. I will be going back to the doctor on Feb. 17th. They will take x-rays to see how the fusion is doing. If it's healing well, I can take off this collar! Can't wait. It's hard to sleep in it. Not that I'm complaining. I'd rather spend a few weeks in this hard collar than go back to where I was before the surgery.
I hope you win your fight with the insurance company. How can they prove how long your condition has been in existance? I only experienced symptoms for 2 months, but they progressed very quickly, so who knows. Please keep me updated. I will be keeping my fingers crossed for you.
Jeannie

[SherryElaine]

Wow 2 months that is a short time. I have had this for 20 months I think. Mine was really bad for a while then pain lessened but then I started getting some numbness. Going to doctor today to look at new MRI. I am nervous. I just can't imagine a plate and screws in my neck bone in throat area but guess if that is what it takes to get rid of this then I just have to face it..... Can you feel yours? Best wishes..

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Sher

[tracyalex]

Hi Jeannie,

I had c-3,4c-4,5 fused and plated last year. I would try not to do nothing hard after the collar comes off. I was fine until 3 months post-op, I started having other symptoms. Now I still have cord compression and herniated c-6,7 disks. Did you have spinal cord compression? Tracy

Hi Sher & Tracy,

Sher, You can't "feel" the plate at all. You will not know it's there. Actually, I go back to the doctor on the 17th, and he will be taking x-rays to see how the fusion is doing, and that will be the first time I will "see" the plate. Otherwise I don't know it's there. They say that when you don't have the pain, it's actually getting worse. When the numbness starts, is when you are experiencing the spinal cord or nerve compression. I wish you luck. Have faith, and keep me posted.

Tracy, Thanks for the advise. Yes, I had spinal cord compression. It was pinched flat in the C5-6 disc. I also have spinal stenosis. My spinal canal had shrunk so much that it was strangulating my cord. I had no feeling in my fingers, hands, all of my arms, and my feet, on both sides.
I can feel it when I over do it. I start getting numbness and tingling in my right arm again. It's really hard for me to sit and do nothing. I was always so active. But I will heed your advise. I don't want to go through another herniated disc. I hated not being able to feel anything. However, they told me that the stenosis is a degenerative thing, so I will probably have problems in the future, but maybe not for a long while.
My older sister is 6 years post op for the C3-4/C4-5 discectomy with a plate. She used her own bone. Now she has the disc above and the disc below her fusion that is also herniated. She said the same thing. Take it easy. But WOW! Only 1 year later for you? What does your doctor say? Please keep me posted, and Thanks for your input. I appreciate it.
Jeannie