Psychlea-anyone with more than one disc fused - Spinal Cord Disorders Message Board

calico angel · 05-09-2003, 04:40 PM

Hi-
You are one of the few I have found on the board to have had more than one disc done. Can you tell me about your surgery and recovery?
I am scheduled to have an ACF on C5-6 and C6-7. I am nervous and scared and hope I am not making a huge mistake that will make more pain for me in the long run. I just want to be normal again, although I haven't been that way in over twenty years.
I also don't care to run the risk of paralysis and losing function by not doing anything!
Thanks a bunch!
Kelley

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Kelley
Symptoms dating back to 1986?
Rear-ended 1999
Disc herniations C5-6 & C6-7
DDD diagnosed 2002
Surgery scheduled for 6-25-03

KeithEugeneW · 05-09-2003, 05:54 PM

Kelley,

Sounds like we have a lot in common. I have herniations at C5-6 and C6-7 with severe DDD. Do you also have DDD in the discs above that level? I do and the surgeon recommended against surgery unless it posed a serious or imminent danger because he'd have to be continually operating almost annually as the weak ones above received more stress due to the fusion below them and they would fail much more quickly. I'm going to get a second opinion, but was curious about whether your situation is similar to mine in regards to the DDD through the cervical spine. It's strange, because below C7 all of my discs are perfectly healthy!
Keith

winged phantom · 05-09-2003, 08:43 PM

Hi Kelley,
I just had my surgery a month ago: three levels, and my NS says it should hold me for about 15-20 years. I had my first diskectomy in 1989, but it was not fused surgically. I just don't remember ever being aware that I would have to probably have more surgery done... now I realize that once DDD, always DDD? I had "severe" stenosis at at least one level; varying amounts at others, with bad spurring and nerve impingement. My NS said I should have the surgery within 6 months, but I was so miserable, I opted earlier rather than later.

You must of course know that there is a tremendous variability as to surgeons and their expertise, as well as variability in our injuries/disabilities, etc. As one doctor put it, "No matter how bad you are, we can always make it worse." That's terrible, isn't it? But it is so true. Be sure to get at least two professional opinions from physicians you trust, ask lots of questions, about not only techniques but their own abilities...

You have to know going into surgery that it is the right option for you at that time, and that you've made all the right choices. Learn a lot about your condition, and of course we know that you are taking steps in that direction just by being here and asking questions. Yes, there is a problem with the "domino effect", but I'm not sure how much of a problem. For me, with the stenosis I had.... I needed surgery.

You're right about being "normal" after being in pain and not being "normal" for so many years. I still have lots of the symptoms I had before surgery, but not that really heavy pain that was smothering me: I felt I had been cracked over the neck with a 4x8 and was lugging concrete blocks around. Now I'm still stiff and sore (I had that before.... thought it was fibromyalgia for 13 years) and still have some shoulder and arm pain. Still and all, a big improvement for the mean time. Was my surgery a success? I think it's really too soon to tell, but at least the early indications are that it was good.

Good luck on your decisions... none of them are easy to make. You just have to do the best you can.
wr

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12/29/89 C5-6 Microdiskectomy (no fusion)
4/9/03 ACDF C4-7 with plating and donor bone

PsychLea · 05-09-2003, 10:06 PM

Kelley,

Welcome to the board

I have not had my surgery yet. Gee, I wish it were over and I had already recovered. I am having surgery on Tuesday. Understand you being nervous. I am too. It's normal.

My concern is how I'm going to do without a collar. At first I was concerned about HAVING a collar on

We women can be so fickle!

At this point, surgery is welcomed. My pain is getting sooo bad and even the Norco only dulls it, while making me feel loopy.

Right now, my pain is very strange. I feel like I have an incredible sunburn on my shoulder blades and then searing pain down my left arm. Can't wait to have that disc removed. NS said the nerve pain in the arm should be gone when I wake up from surgery. He has not decided whether he is going to do the C5-6 yet, until he looks at it during the surgery. I also have a large herniation at C6-7 and smaller one at C4-5 with degenerative discs.

Good luck to you. When is your surgery schedule?

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God bless,

Lea

C4-5 noncompressive disc displacement
C5-6 compressive disc displacement
C6-7 broad based disc protrusion encroaching on the anterioposterior aspect of the spinal canal.
DDD
ACDF with possible 2 levels on 5/13/03!

05-11-2003, 11:45 AM

Hi Kelley,

My spine is fused from C7 - T9. I had a severe curvature so I've always had limited flexibility, but the surgery left me more limited than I had expected. Ask lots of questions from other people with fusions in the same discs as you will be having to be well prepared for dealing with the limitations. Knowing waht to expect and being psyched up for it is half the battle.

love and prayers,

aj in Oregon

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~ 48 year old female; currently self-employed as an artist/designer/woodcrafter.
~ Previously worked in the restaurant biz for 27 years (not so good for someone with a bad back!)
~ Hereditary and congenital scoliosis, but it never caused any problems until I was 40+ years old.
~ 76 degree curvature had increased 2 degrees in two years 1999-2001; indicating surgery was necessary.
~ Surgery in March of 2001.
~ Fusion and insturmentation of C7 - T9.
~ Fourth rib removed; 5th and 6th rib cut back halfway; removed ribs were morselized and used for the grafting, plus additional bone harvested from hip.
~ After tthe hardware was attached, spine was straigntened 20+ degrees.
~ 2 weeks in the hospital.
~ Brace worn for five months. Bone growth stimulator device also worn several hours per day.
~ PT 5 mos. after surgery caused increased pain.
~ Follow-up surgery to remove hardware scheduled for Feb. 2002.
~ Round 2 of PT 2 mos. after hardware removal.
~ Medically released to return to full activity in July 2002.
~ Increased pain upon returning to regular work schedule.
~ Round 3 of PT in April/May 2003; continually increasing pain.