Confused...need to vent - Spinal Cord Disorders Message Board

jbabbit · 05-11-2004, 08:07 PM

Went back to my NS today. Six weeks ago he said I needed an ACDF with plate at C5-C6. I told him I wanted to wait till after June 4th since school was out then....I work at school. I went in today thinking we would schedule the surgery...this is what NS said...

It's been six months now since the auto accident and the first mri...so, lets take another mri and see if there is any change. If it is the same or worse...he will do surgery...if it is better he'll wait and see what happens...

My symptoms have not improved...still in lots of pain, although I do not take many pain pills. It took forever for me to decide to do the surgery. I saw the NS first in Jan and he wanted to do surgery then... Now I feel like Im at square one...

Now the confusion... Do herniated discs get better? He said it is pressing on the nerve root and aggrivating the spinal cord... Bicep reflexes are gone in both arms now...was just the right, now the left too... Numbness in thumb and index finger,,,,pain radiating from neck down shoulders into both arms...
pain between shoulder blades.

don't get me wrong, I don't want surgery if I don't need it, just want all this to be over I guess and I thought I'd be having surgery soon and I would start getting better...

Any words of wisdom?

Update: ACDF C5C6 is scheduled for June 4. Herniated disc is now compressing the spinal cord. Im a bit scared and anxious but Im gonna keep a positive attitude. You guys keep praying for me...

boxer_dog_luv · 05-12-2004, 05:59 AM

You sound almost identical to me. I'm a teacher-school ends 6/4/04. I have been dealing with neck pain since 11/2001 when it started for no reason at all as a crink in neck. Believed a chiro could "work it out." Saw a chiro until 5/2003 with no improvement--symptoms grad. worsened (from tingling, pain, tightness down arm). The chiro saw me 3x week, then 2, 1, etc; it got so I was afraid to be honest 'cause he would increase the visits--too expensive--no benefit. He refused to hear of medical referral. Anyhow, last May 2003, I fessed up to my primary MD who I see rarely (never sick) and he ref. for MRI which showed drastically diff. findings than the so-called chiro's plane x-ray. Family MD said I should have seen him sooner & ref to neurosurgeon. Last 7/11/03 neurosurgeon, after EMGs, dx'd carpal tunnel syndrome and did carpal tunnel release (no probs there). It made sense that CTS in wrist could produce symptoms in neck. I have computer occ. so I long ago had symptoms of CTS but it resolved upon teaching. I seemed to do well after that until 3/1/04 when it has been a real downhill slide-constant numbness, shoulder blade pain, etc. Went back to orig. neurosugeon (who is known as the "reluctant surgeon" among other doctors) last week, looked at MRI in '03 & said he still did not see any findings to cause my symptoms. The visit did not go well--I felt he was dismissive, did not listen to me & either did not believe me or wanted to save face having done the CTS surgery last summer. I guess my family MD had an inkling this might happen as when he re-referred me over spring break, he said that if neurosurg. did not address the neck problem surgically this time I was to call him ASAP & he would refer to another ortho/neck spec. that he prefers to use. Repeat MRI was done last Sat. and having laid for one last May and this May, totally diff. exp. I discovered I could not lay flat without intense agony on the MRI table with head in holder; left arm and thumb went numb and stayed numb nonstop for the entire scan. I did not say a word & suff. in silence as I told the tech. that I had worsening symptoms & it was imp. to get a scan to show what was going on. So now you have it - I return to neurosurg. tomorrow & hopefully he will make a decision. School ends 6/4/04 & I can't go through another year like this one. Good Luck & God Bless! Sorry this is so long--but this board has been a saving grace to know that other people have almost identical symptoms. I know it is not "all in my mind."

grace2 · 05-12-2004, 08:57 AM

I had the same exact symptoms and had ACDF on C5-6 & C6-7 on March 16th. It has helped considerably. I still have occasional slight pain in my arms and pain at the base of my neck but all numbness is gone. He said my residual pain is just the nerves waking up and that will pass with time. For your question, from what I have read some herniated disks do get better over time. But if you are having numbness that means that the spinal cord is involved and that means surgery ASAP or permanent nerve damage. At least that's what I was told. Good luck.

X-man · 05-12-2004, 10:05 AM

RE: jbabbit comments...My NS (and the physical therapy folks he referred me to as a first step in treatment) told me that it MIGHT be possible to reduce pain by getting disk pressure off the spinal cord using massage, ice packs, ultrasound and a round of steroid treatment. I thought it was worth a try in my case. I did see temporary pain reduction for about 4 months, but not immediately after these treatments, so I really can't say if they were the reason for the improvement or not. But ultimately, the problem itself isn't going to go away. You're just managing it, not solving it. In my case, it came back strong in the fall and worsened to the point that surgery was inevitable.

RE: boxer_dog_lvr comments...I can relate to your last experience in the MRI tube. Worst pain I've ever experienced. You can't move a muscle, you're confined and locked down and it hurt like HECK!! So I can definitely sympathize.

And all I can say to grace2 is...DITTO!

boxer_dog_luv · 05-12-2004, 11:17 AM

Jbabbit, we school folks try to make it to summer break & then come back ready in the fall. I worked as a med. transcriptionist for 10 years before teaching & as grace2 said "numbness means spinal cord involved and surgery ASAP or permanent nerve damage" was exactly what I had heard to be fact. It is sure frustrating when one doctor seems urgent and then another minimizes. Having never had surgery (other than CTS-minor), you want to make the decision mindfully. Many times I have asked myself if I am sure I am doing the right thing--what if it makes it worse for the rest of my life. From all the transcription, numbness is followed by muscle wasting and then the doctor says, "You should have come in sooner." My family sympathizes but just doesn't understand, having never experienced neck or back pain. No one --not me--wants to rush to surgery. This board has been great to zero in on folks with similar experiences and a wealth of helpful knowledge from different perspectives. Just a great big mental relief to know that others experience the same wacky symptoms & all the things do actually "fit together."