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
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