3 level cervical fusion due 31st May 2012

[eternaloptimist1]

Hi everyone

Been a long time since I posted on here, but I've had a lot to sort out, much like everyone else.

I had a lumbar revision L2/S1 with two rods and BMP in April 2010, very successfully carried out by Khai Lam at Guy's in London.
Badly inserted Dynesys screws were removed and various other jobs done but unhealed AWGC and migrated screws at L4/S1 had to remain as it was deemed too near the great veins to remove. This was a very lengthy surgery.

So now it's the turn of my upper spine due to cervical stenosis and I wanted to ask if anyone's experienced a worsening of leg and arm symptoms - like weakness and stiff legs - after activities?
I tried cleaning my oven and pulling up a few weeds in the garden and I got markedly worse. I've had walking problems of varying degrees since 2007 but
in my mind it feels like the stenosis has got worse and maybe pressing more on the spinal cord.
Latest MRI showed facet joints pretty bad and a hybrid C4/C5 C5/C6 and C6/C7 is planned - disc replacements will only be used if the segments are mobile.
I should have had this op a few months after the lumbar revision but respiratory/cardio checks delayed it.

Relieved I've only got 11 days to go, everything is so much more difficult lately, but pain isn't the major problem, it's the awkwardness of my limbs.

[Maria]

EO,
I'm going to wish you the best possible outcome and recovery with your upcoming fusion on 5/31. We'll be having surgery on the same day tho mine will be a bunion and hammertoe surgery on my right foot which will leave me with an uneven gait and increased back pain for ? amt. of time... tho not nearly as big a surgery as yours.

I have sort of left my spine alone re further diagnostics mostly because symptoms are unchanged or better w/o doing anything. I have had a backache quite a bit lately tho am packing to move so that makes sense. I also am active in between with walks and other outtings tho still have to limit sitting when pain is acting up.

My legs do get stiff and feel weak at times. I attribute that to my low back probs tho. Have had arm weakness in the past which was not attributed to my cervical spine altho there were some findings there just not significant enough to have caused the arm weakness it was deemed post cervical MRI(s).

Again wishing you the best and hope you'll be able to come back and post to let us know how're you're doing post op. take care, Maria

[eternaloptimist1]

Hi Maria

I'll be thinking of you when I'm sitting waiting for my trolley to arrive on the 31st! ........I hope all goes well for you, it sounds a painful op to recover from.
Altered walking patterns always affect the spine so I guess you'll need to rest up quite a bit while the healing process takes place.

Life's difficult when there's still so much to get on with, I wouldn't like to be packing for a house move right now, so I hope your back holds up.

Will come back later and report on what happens, I hope to hear good stuff from you too,
Many thanks
EO

[jsewell]

Hi EO
I have had a cervical fusion (bone density is too bad for any disc replacement) of the same levels you are having done. My symptoms were electric shocks for a year or more, which i just ignored. then my neck got totally stiff and i could not move it freely. I went to a chiropractor who took x-rays and told me my cervical spine was in very bad shape. I showed them to my spine doc , who i had been seeing for lower back pain, and he confirmed i was in bad shape. While trying therapy to help , my left arm in particular began hurting , soon enough it did become weak. I was in a program lifting weights with both arms , when i noticed the therapist teasing me about not lifting as well with the left arm. At that point an MRI had confirmed severe problems in my cervical spine and i had surgery in 2007.

I have leg weakness now, but i am not sure what that is from, possibly my lumbar spine. I'm not sure if cervical spine issues effect the legs. Hopefully someone will post that knows.

good luck to you on your upcoming surgery. I am facing one as i have a new lumbar fracture.
I too am packing to move, just like Maria and had hammertoe correction on my left foot so far about 7 weeks ago!!!
Again, good luck and let us know how you did and are doing after your surgery.
judy

[mmglobal]

EO, welcome back! I'm sorry that you are headed for more surgery. Will Dr. Lam be doing the neck too?

I'm looking forward to reading of your success!

All the best,

Mark

PS... what is AWGC mean? (Besides Australian Woolgrowers and Graziers Council.)

[Maria]

Eternal Optimist
I'm thinking you will probably have a far easier pre admission than I just had yesterday. I went to 3 hospitals to get my pre op stuff done. Can't believe first hosp. which is directly across from my doc's office said they couldn't do it because I hadn't met my deductible! What??!!!! So went to next hosp. close to my home for labs, and then another hosp (LB Mem for those of you near here) which I spent 4 hours mostly waiting for preadmission and then 2 mins to get a CXR!

My surgery will not take as long as the pre admit!!! Also I'm not done becuz my doc is out of the office until the 29th of this mo and hasn't written my pre op orders. My surgery date is the 31st. I'm sooooo disgusted as I'm in the midst of packing and between two places and everything is such a mess that I don't even have space to have someone stay w/me to help me out. Argghhhh!

Oh well.. EO I hope you are doing well with regard to prep for your surgery and that if I don't get back to wish you well before the big day that you know I will be thinking of you and wishing you the best possible surgical outcome and like recovery! Hope this will be your last spine surgery!

[jsewell]

EO
Your surgery is coming up fast here and i want to wish you the best. i may forget next week. I will be thinking of you and Maria on that day. take care,
judy

[cherylstewart67]

my out come was not good after two level fusion lead to another level above; now i have adjacent level issues at c 2/3 and c 6/7/t1...i wish i would have had adr but to late for me ;o(

[Maria]

Eternal Optimist
Wishing you the best possible surgical outcome and recovery! Please let us know how you're doing when you're able!

[mmglobal]

I'm looking forward to a positive report. I know MANY successful fusion patients.... here's to EO's becoming another successful patient.

GOOD LUCK!!!

Mark

[Maria]

Hey EO,
I made it thru my foot surgery on Thurs and they must have used a ton of long acting blocks on the right great toe (bunionectomy) as it didn't hurt the at all until today~ well now it's kicking in big time! Also because I have a condition called Lymphedema in the right leg my leg is swelling in response to trauma and faulty lymph valves that do not function well.

I'm actually having a great deal more thoracic pain than lumbar because of my position resting in bed. I have been having some increased thoracic tiredness when sitting w/some very low level pain tho I think the crutches and particularly time spent in bed in certain position is what's giving me this increased thoracic pain.

For now my lumbar spine has yet to kick in tho I'm pretty certain after some gimping it will.

Hope your cervical fusion went well and you're able to post soon tho take it easy and do what you have to in order to have a really good recovery (I'm going to try this advice myself)!

[cherylstewart67]

I too am a 3 level c spine fusion patient. I wsh I could have had adr...please visit adrsupport.org and research all of your options first! Your sugeon will only tell you what he/she knows how to do.