So, I had cervical c4-c7 June 13,2012. Was good for a while but few months ago started having severe pain when after bending my head down to read etc. Had appointment with neurosurgeon, his assistant, ordered new ct and xray. Got disc and report. Report states I have not fused. However when I went to see dr, he said I am all fused and all is good. My neck is not causing my neck pain!!! I had another doctor read the report and he agreed, he said I have not fused. I will never go back to that surgeon again, my neck is killing me, I have tried PT but I quit out of frustration. She said I have muscle guarding going on but I am nervous about my neck being worked on especially if I have not fused!!! I hated it being worked on before surgery!! I will not have another surgery on my neck again so what is next??? I pray I fuse but what if I don't will I have this pain forever and if I do, I can't do much!!! I can go see another neuro surgeon after a year of my surgery but why bother.
Hopefully you are fusing, just not fused. It can take up to a year at most any age. Longer for older folks. Fused, fusing, not fusing, which level, it is all a word game. The pain may get better, but there is at least an equal chance it will not. I would be very careful with the type PT engaged in and all neck activities, especially prior to complete fusion. Doctors rarely admit failure. My surgeon considers my surgery (not fusion) a 99% success, I considered it a 95% failure. Though inappropriate PT bears some of that responsibility.
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C3-C7
Severe DDD, Severe neural foraminal stenosis at 2 levels, moderate canal stenosis at 2 levels, significantly impaired left shoulder & arm function. Chronic moderate compression fracture at C6.
A quick search on the terms and phrasing would seem to indicate that it means while fusion is occuring (has started), no significant solid complete fusion is visible yet. Good Luck!
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C3-C7
Severe DDD, Severe neural foraminal stenosis at 2 levels, moderate canal stenosis at 2 levels, significantly impaired left shoulder & arm function. Chronic moderate compression fracture at C6.
The Following User Says Thank You to Daffydolphin For This Useful Post: deb1125 (02-07-2013)
I'm sorry to hear your problem. Going through that type of surgery is hard enough as it is. You still have time for the fusion to occur. Did they have you use a bone growth stimulator at all? Was it donor bone used ? Do you have hardware? Or was it a fusion without hardware? I had a fusion yrs ago at L5/S1 without hardware . 8 months later, I felt I couldn't go further in pt. had a ct scan to find there was "no significant union formed" . I had been taking a ton of Advil at the time, which I was then told inhibits bone growth. I had to have a repeat fusion with hardware...unfortunately I continue to have pain. Give yourself some time, don't rush the pt. I'm sure you will muscle guard for a while...muscles are tense and protective. Good luck I hope you feel better soon.
They used cadaver, hardware and I used stimulator for 4 months. I can't do much because I can't brand my neck long and can't lift much. Different neurosurgeon won't see me for another 4 months til I hit a year.
They used cadaver, hardware and I used stimulator for 4 months. I can't do much because I can't bend my neck long and can't lift much. Different neurosurgeon won't see me for another 4 months til I hit a year since surgery. Wow I have been using alive/ advil/ ibuptofen a lot since my first follow up and they said I was good!!! Guess I nerd to stop again. Wait, I can use ibuprofen right?
Advil is ibuprophen And vice versa. At the time I was recovering, I actually broke one of the bones in my hand...the bone below my pinky at the outer part of my hand. Recovering you can't do much, we were on a family vacation and I was floating in the pool. Other family members were throwing a nerf football around. It went right by me so I quickly stuck my left hand up. The ball was water logged and felt like a brick. Needless to say, I received a spiral break at the 5th. Bone in my hand. Dr said anywhere from 6-8 weeks for it to heal....they were extremely surprised when it took closer to 11 weeks. That was at the end of august. Oct. I found out I didnt fuse. I was taking upwards of 14-16 Advil a day (so much more than normal). When I went to see the dr after the scan in Oct, he had printed out an article that had just come out in one of the medical journals regarding taking Advil- ibuprophan inhibits bone growth, especially when taking larger doses over long periods of time.
If nothing else it is something to think about and perhaps look into. I just k ow that my hand took a lot longer to heal and my back never fully fused. Since you have hardware, I would imagine you would still be very stable anyway (but that is just my thought). Good luck, a continue to be patient. The dr.s want to wait to see you because there is still time for you to fuse.
Thank you!! I guess I will go back to tylenol. My neurosurgeon that did my surgery told me to take ibuprofen for my current neck pain. Why is it he saw the disc and said I have fused just fine and the ct report says another thing? That bothers me. The neurosurgeon I want to go to (closer to home too)! Won't see me until my surgery has been a year. That is 4 months. So i guess I will wait it out, go to him and see if he will do ct to see how I am doing.
