Need advice in cervical disk surgery 2 level - Spinal Cord Disorders Message Board

JoshuasMom · 04-22-2006, 11:26 AM

Hello Everyone,

I have been having lots of neck pain and left arm pain for 2 months. I have had and MRI and X-rays. I saw a spine surgery yesterday and I am being advised to have a pain injection in my neck. If this does not help then I am going to have to have surgery on my spine. I have two herniated disk as well as several bone spurs at C5-6 and C6-7.

The surgery they are talking about doing is going in and removed both of the herniated disk and replacing them with bone from my hip.

I go for my pain injection epidual this Wednesday. I guess I will know by the end of the week if I will be having surgery.

Has anyone had this surgery? If so how long were you in the hospital and how long was the recovery time.

I am only 40 yrs old and feel like I am falling apart.

He said he would also send of the tissue/disk he removed to be biopsy with my history of Sarcoid.

Kim

ThoreauFan · 04-22-2006, 03:19 PM

You will find a wide range of surgical experiences on the boards.

I had C5-C7 through the front (anterior - ACDF) with donor bone.

Some people feel very good after two weeks, some after 3 months, a year, etc. No two people are the same, any more than your son is the same as other mother's sons. Each person's recovery is a unqiue experience. Nerves are funny little animals.

Your physician will know your particular situation best.

I hope you find relief soon.

SpineAZ · 04-23-2006, 12:50 PM

I first had symptoms of the herniated disc in the fall of 2003. In 2004 I did the series of 3 epidural injections for the neck and they worked relatively well

and lasted through the end of 2005. The pain came back and I just finished a second series of 3 epidural injections without as much success in pain relief

so I see a surgeon on Tuesday.

The epidural injection on Wednesday could lead to two more injections. Many doctors use a series of 3, one every two weeks. The shot you will get Wednesday may not 'kick in' until about 3 days later. So the first day you may really know if the shot is working at all for you is about Saturday. Again, keep in mind that many pain mgmt doctors will do the full series of 3 to see if you have good results (unless you were to have any adverse affects from the injections which I didn't have).

I only wish the second set of injections had worked well for me the second time as it did the first. I'd much rather do the shots 2x a year than have the surgery (which I'm likely having this summer).

Keep in touch and let us know how you are doing.