C5-6 Prodisc-C Surgery Blog

[jchebert1979]

5/28/08

Hey everyone, I had my surgery today and am out of recovery and into my room. Surgery was scheduled for 10am but didn't get started until 12:45pm, I think I was in recovery until about 4:30pm.

The doctor said that when he removed the disc that there was a lot of scar tissue that he had to remove and a lot of inflammation. I have never heard of having scar tissue behind a disc especially since I haven't had surgery there before, but then again I am not quite thinking so straight right now.

Now for post-op pain. Keep in mind that it is too early to tell how much pain relief is from the surgery or the medication right now, but I will still describe what I feel like.

The pain in the back of my head is almost gone. I had some pretty significant pain in my left arm in recovery that did not respond to pain medication, but that is diminishing now. The pain in my upper back between my shoulder blades is still there, but reduced. I am pretty dizzy, but I have been able to get up and walk around a bit. As far as the throat pain, I have to say that it is not nearly as bad as I was expecting. My Chiari surgery throat pain was much worse and I have had sore throats much more painful than this.

Now for the bad news. My heart rate is still pretty high and it is not because of the pain. It is running between 100-115 and jumps to 130 or so when I move. I also have this pain in my throat/chest about 3 inches below my collar bone that shoots straight through to my back. At this area I feel every heart beat and when I swallow, my heart rate increases to 130-135. It is a really horrible feeling that I can do nothing to relieve. The doctors are not concerned about it but I would rather be in pain than have this feeling.

So anyway, I am going to try and get some rest now. I will keep everyone updated on my progress.

[mmglobal]

Wow J... posting just a few hours post-op. Great news that you can tell that some of your pains have been addressed so early after surgery. You'll be surprised how fast you'll come around and how other pains may fade much later. There is still a lot of inflammation from your surgery.

There can be scar tissue where there was not surgery. Inflammatory responses to the torn discs can generate scar tissue. Also, remnants of old disc protrusions can be calcified must be cleaned up behind the disc.

I hope to hear that your increased heart rate resolves. Regarding the pain below the collar bone... does it change with breathing. I had (and still have occasionally) pain on deep breathing... I'll expain more in other posts.

Recover well... don't push things (like I have!)

All the best,

Mark

[dshobbies]

J,

My but you're posting so soon post surgery. Glad some pre-op pain has disappeared but understand your concern about your heart rate. Could this be a reaction to anesthesia? Has this happened before, perhaps on a lesser scale?

Please remember to take it slow. Hopefully, other pain issues will resolve in short order.

Bet it feels great to be on the other side, Dale

[jchebert1979]

5/29/09

Well I made it back home. I had surgery about an hour from where I live. I did have a bit of a scare today though. When I was being discharged I got into an argument with my mother who is an extremely abrasive woman and very stressfull to be around. I got upset and shoved my clothes in my suitcase and def. hurt my neck a bit. The anxiety on the way home was through the roof.

I am at my home by myself now and even though it is probably not good to be by myself, it is better than being under more stress than I already am.

As far as the pain, everything is still the same. I was able to eat regular food today, but it still causes my heart to beat fast and hard. Sleeping last night was rough because of the way the pain medicine affects me. It makes me agitated and my muscles twitch a bit. Just like with my brain surgery I will probably have to just suck it up and go without them. I think sleep is much more important in my recovery than pain relief at this point.

I am going to try and take it easy now and hope that I didn't mess anything up when I got upset.

[Maria]

So I gather you weren't given any medication to regulate your heart rate or perhaps any anti-anxiety medication? Is it just w/movement that rate increases.. that would be pretty often in my book as lying still isn't easy for me to do.

I hope this sensation/occurence passes soon for you and I'm sort of like you re being alone to sooth *nerves* no pun intended..

Also hope you have all that you need or can easily enough access it w/o agitating yourself/heartrate/sensation.

Thanks for the update and take it easy!

[dshobbies]

J,

Dealing with parents and family is complicated. For your own sanity and health, just say yes to everything she says and then do what you want.

Though some mothers are indeed , most mean well and only want what's best for their very precious children - regardless of age.

Take care, rest easy and maybe you should see a cardiologist, just to get things checked out.

My best, Dale

[Maria]

On cardiologist consultation. Ditto on agreeing w/whomever just to shut them up and perhaps get a glass of juice/water and food as needed.

My neck went out last week and when I would speak the movement of my tongue made my neck hurt so while hub was driving around looking for a certain location last weekend we got into a bit of a verbal tiff and it bothered me so to escalate so I just stopped talking. That helped me! I can be quite reactive myself at times esp. when I don't feel well so I have to be careful not to get drawn into some unnecessary drama (that usually makes me want to go off in a huff and/or do some stupid physical thing I'd usually ask for help with because of increased adrenaline (fight or flight type of energy).

Calm thoughts, calm environment, calming music.. and so forth~ rest,rest,recover

[jchebert1979]

5/30/09

Thanks for the input everyone.

As for the mother situation, she is back home in Alabama. I know she means well but I need to focus on getting better with the least amount of stress.

For the heart rate thing, I've been through 4 separate cardiologists including one at the mayo clinic. Two stress test, one nuclear, three echo's, one stress echo, tilt table, etc. Multiple holter's. My heart is structurally sound.

Unfortunately since that is the case, they are not going to look further into it and will just re-run the same tests over. For almost two years, I have lived with pain that anyone will tell you "go to the emergency room, it sounds like a heart attack". That in of itself has caused terrible anxiety because if I do ever have a heart attack I won't know the difference.

I still have hope for this surgery. With what pain has been lifted, I am now able to determine that the rest of the pain is in fact from nerves. I have a few other herniations that of course are too small to be causing problems per all of the doctors, so I will have to look into them. It is still early though. I know I have to give it time.

I was up and around today. I drove to the store and rented some DVD's and brought my grandmother lunch. I am feeling a bit run down now, so I will be taking it easy for the rest of the day.

I haven't taken any pain medicine since yesterday and probably won't anymore. I did have some left over baclofen (muscle relaxer) from the brain surgery that I took last night because the pain medicine was making me agitated. I do wish I weren't so sensative to the pain medicines.

[mmglobal]

Sounds like you are on a good course for recovery if you are up and about and running errands on day 2 post-op. Please take it easy.

Unlike I did... listen to your body. If you start to feel like you are pushing the limit... stop and rest.

After all the post-op issues have faded, I look forward to an inventory of your pre-op and post-op symptoms. Seems like it will be great news!

All the best,

Mark

[jchebert1979]

I am having to find the balance between resting and being up and moving. I would love to just lay around and take it easy but the remaining pain still prevents me from staying still too long. I am trying not to think about the possibility of lower herniations causing the pain, but it is really difficult.

With the complete relief of the head pain I just can't stop wondering why the other pain has not resolved if it were related to the same disc. I know it is counterproductive but it's not something I can control.

Hopefully tonight will bring some sound sleep and I will have a clearer head tomorrow.

[jchebert1979]

5/31/09

I hope I am not rambling and posting too much for everyone but writing it down really helps me deal with the constant anxiety that I am having.

Last night was really rough. I could not get into a position that did not put pressure on my lower neck and upper back. This is not something that pain medicine would help either. Once my neck flexes to a certain point the pain stops me from moving any farther.

What was interesting is how many times I urinated last night. I don't remember drinking any more liquid than normal, yet I had to urinate 4 times last night. Also the volume was quite large each time. The best thing about it was they actually felt relieving. For so long any type of valsava manuever would cause immense head pain. This includes breathing too deeply, bending over, urinating, defacating, or moving too quickly. For the first time in two years it was not painful in my head to pee.

I feel myself struggling with a lot of anxiety now. This anxiety is different than what I had before the surgery. Before it was like my body was stuck in fight or flight mode. Sounds, smells, movement, tastes, and any emotion would cause this radiating electricity shocking pains from my neck into my chest and throughout my whole body. I could not feel any emotion good or bad because it would cause my body to physically react. Eating caused massive pain. My thoughts were an endless loop of fragments because any stimulus set off pain. Every day was like waking up to a nightmare and the absolute worst was not being able to feel any type of relief in any way. For example, if you are up on your feet for a while and you sit down, you will have a small feeling of relief. I could not feel that. The pain had taken over all senses and feeling that makes one human.

Now that disgusting feeling of non-relief is fading slightly and it is being replaced by anxiety of it coming back. Even with this anxiety I have another feeling that I have not had since my pain started. It is hope. For two years I was incapable of feeling it and to be honest the only reason I am still alive was the thought of what it would do to my family if I died. I can remember praying to be depressed just so I could feel something besides pain.
I know I still have a long journey ahead of me and it will not be easy, but I think now that I can actually feel hope, I will be able to make it.


The day after surgery


Three days after surgery

[dshobbies]

Hey man, you need to relax. Stress is a killer, especially when complicated by your other health problems/concerns.

It's perfectly normal to worry about every little thing. We all do and will probably be concerned until living in a small urn or 6 feet under but living this way constantly will get you to that urn much faster.

If you don't know relaxation techniques, I suggest you learn them very fast. Try slow deep breathing while thinking about your body parts and relaxing them. Go to your happy place.

I realize how difficult it is to try to change your reactions to life but I truly believe you have no choice. Putting forth a daily effort will effect change. Two ideas that have helped me are; 'Don't sweat the small stuff' and 'if it's not important five years from now, it's probably not important now'.

Your mental health is just as important as your physical health. You're very intense and though perhaps justified, stopping to smell the roses is too. Try smiling or laughing at the ridiculous.

BTW, glad your mom's back in Alabama. She seems to push your buttons. and don't worry about the rambling. It paints your picture and we're all good listener.

Sending you calming vibes, Dale

[Maria]

I'm glad you're posting as much as you are. I can identify with the anxiety of fearing something that was once dreadful will return.. I mean with relationship to pain and my past experience with many years of low back problems.

I had very high anxiety and I absolutely refused to recognize and/or take any medications for it.. I did work out on a regular basis as much as I could before my 2nd spine surgery but after that and the results of that surgery I had to learn a new way to deal with my new set of problems at hand (mostly horrific nerve pain).

I used diversion at first when every moment I could hardly stand being alive due to the pain. I had so many coins that need wrapping so I took them out and started counting them and wrapping them.. amazingly it helped me to focus on something other than my pain, depression and anxiety.

Learning to involve myself in an activity that was still rather restful yet taking my mind off the very negative feelings/thoughts I was experiencing helped me greatly to just "get thru"

It was also a way of *getting thru* without working out physically and while not as healthy for one at least it seemed to save my sanity.

Diversion therapy is it called? I don't know however that and a really good shrink when I had a crisis period was incredibly helpful.

It sounds like you've had mixed physiologic and psychologic components as most do tho perhaps yours has been much more intense as it seems every waking moment provoked some stimuli leading to pain.. that had to be tough and it's easy to understand the fear or anxiety of it returning even if you're now feeling better postop.

I hope besides stress alleviating types of techniques perhaps you've someone good in your back pocket re psych help/scripts tho I think I read that you're sensitive to many medications .. so perhaps being chemically sensitive has made it much more difficult to utilize pharmaceuticals to help w/anxiety/other *stuff*.

Ok, now I"m rambling.. well, you look good at least and sounds like the pain alleviation is a huge plus in your road to recovery.

Let the ol' bean relax a bit if able.. do you enjoy comedy? One of the things that helps me greatly with relaxation is being amused or laughing. Comedy re movies. I also love foreign films as listening to French, Italian, Spanish and many other languages is quite soothing to me.. I'm a good subtitle reader as well and that in itself can occupy me well. I just have to be careful not to overdo with TV/lights flashing as I get migraines and now neck pain rather easily with uncomfortable positioning.

I hope you find things that do soothe your mind and lessen the anxiety.

[mmglobal]

J... make sure that your doctor's office knows what you are experiencing. They will know which symptoms are important and what the appropriate response is. I don't know what your doctor's protocol is, but I'm not sure that testing range of motion just a few days post-op is OK. We are typically waiting until osteo-integration of the prosthesis, when the bone grows into the coating on the plates, before putting undue stress on the system.

I'm having a good recovery, but at 8 weeks post-op, I'm still having ups and downs. You are just a few days out... please take it easy... keep your doc informed... and be patient. You can not expect immediate bounce-back. We see that once in a while, but not everyone gets that amazing recovery we all hope for. Not having it does not mean anything about long-term success.

Please keep us posted. All the best,

Mark

[jchebert1979]

Mark, I don't mean that I am flexing my head intentionally. The pain happens when I am for example sitting down and resting my head against a head rest. It is not when I look up, as I can do that with ease, it is when my head moves back.

I finally recieved the radiologists report for the latest MRI's (which the doctor has not seen yet) and of course there are new herniations that werent on the other MRI's and the herniations that were on the other MRI's aren't there.

Newest report shows:

1. Prominent posterior bulging at c6-7
2. Posterior bulging at T1-2
3 Posterior central protrusion at T3-4


The T3-4 herniation was picked up on the first MRI back when the symptoms started. Just like everything else I was told that it was too small to be causing symptoms, but the pain that went away in my head after the surgery, is the same pain I still feel in my back and chest that makes it hard to breath and causes the heart palpitations. I can tell what is surgery pain and what is pre-surgery pain.

The nausea, heart palps, shortness of breath, etc are all symptoms of thoracic herniations. I am even willing to bet that the tachycardia upon swallowing that I experienced in the hospital was a result of irritation of the thoracic herniation from the position of my body for surgery.

I know everybody means well and that they are incapable of really knowing what I am going through, but I am just getting so sick of people telling me to relax. Relax is just not something anyone could do when they are in such severe pain. At least once a day (sometimes more) there is point where I think the pain itself is going to kill me.

I am so grateful for the relief of the head pain that I have gotten from this surgery. I also am willing to accept that I may never be able to do the things I once did and that I may never be pain free. I just cannot accept living with constant levels of pain that makes you wish you were dead. I wish that some doctor could share this sense of urgerncy. I've hung on to this ledge white knuckled with all my might for so long, I just feel like I can't hold myself up anymore.

[runner]

Jcherbert,

If you are in that much pain, you need to call your doctor and tell him what is going on. Hey, if you need stronger pain medicine, then you do.
Don't suffer in pain because it is hard for your body to relax (not just you) and get about the business of healing when it is in spasms, etc...
I wouldn't read anything into the MRI results or how you feel now. You just had surgery and it takes time.
Since i am a lumbar chick, I don't know as much about necks, but it takes a long time to recover from surgery. I don't care how old you are, how much in shape you were, etc...
My heart rate was tachycardic after my operation and staying up above 90-100 beats per minute for some time. It is maybe in 70-80's now and that is after more than 12 months post-op. This is a recent development. When i first hurt my back in 2007, i had a resting heart rate in the 50's.

You cannot tell how things are going to go until you have had sufficient time to heal. Hopefully your symptoms you have now will get better, but it is too soon to tell.
Your doctor will look at your MRI results and see if there is anything significant.
i think the most important thing is to get your pain under control. You are right, people can not function in severe pain.

Besides the pain, if you have any other unusual symptoms, please call your doctor with that information.

Runner

[jchebert1979]

Hey runner, I understand what you are saying about the pain medication, but if IV fentanyl does nothing for the pain then I don't think there is any other medication that will help.

I don't think you guys really understand. As far as I'm concerned I have gotten all of the pain relief I am going to get from this surgery. It was the same way with the brain surgery. I knew instantly from both surgeries what pain was really gone and what was going to remain. If I am going to get more relief it will not be from the intense pain that I keep explaining.

The soonest my doctor will see me is the 19th. My plan of action will be to call him and make sure it is OK and then getting a CT myelogram of the thoracic and cervical spine while I wait. I have always avoided a myelogram because of the complications that could arise with my Chiari. That is no longer an issue so hopefully this test will help us get a better picture than the MRI's. I will then try and hold out the best can until the appointment and hopefully we can come up with a solution.

[jessmith07]

J-

I have suffered from an anxiety disorder for my entire life, although it was only finally diagnosed about 8 years ago. Since then, I've been on medication (currently 60-90 mg of Cymbalta) that has helped me get back to "normal". There are certain times and/or events that cause increased anxiety (like my recent surgery and the months leading up to it) that cause the need for me to increase my daily dosage for a while, then once the crisis passes, I am able to go back down to my usual dose. I also have another medication (Xanax) that helps with accute anxiety attacks. There is a nice side-effect to the Cymbalta, and that is that for some reason, it helps reduce chronic pain. Also, before my laminectomy in September 2008, I was having severe sciatic nerve pain and was on 200-250 mg/day of a drug called Topomax. I originally started taking this medication at 50 mg to help prevent very frequent migraines, but after researching the drug, I found out that at higher levels, it helps reduce chronic nerve pain. I had to work my way up to that dosage, increasing by 50 mg every few weeks. But it helped! I went from barely being able to move to walking 15-20 miles per week relatively pain free.

I know that anxiety alone can be debilitating, but adding the stress of severe chronic pain on top of that can be mind-boggling! And people have the best of intentions telling you to relax, but they just don't understand that, for someone with this condition, it's usually impossible. My anxiety attacks consist of heart palpatations, shaking, heat flashes, then feeling freezing, nausea/vomiting, and all of the associated abdominal distresses. I know what you're feeling around this...have you seen a psychiatrist? They are professionals in dealing with this and have a great knowledge of how to treat you with medications and/or therapy. You really don't have to suffer with this particular condition, especially with all of your other health problems.

Wishing you all the best,
Jess

[Katie]

Don't worry, I am not going to tell you to relax. Jess gave you some great information, and I hope if it fits your situation that it may help.

Also, regarding pain....I have been given some various pain medications that should have dropped a horse, with no effect. Only one helps...straight short acting morphine. There is no rhyme or reason to this, except one of my friends is a doctor and says that people with the gene for red hair often have very different reactions to medications. That is certainly the case with me. If they don't work, than many make me extremely ill...I never know which And I only have the slightest tinge of red...not full flaming Eric the Red locks

There is a chance that this may be what is happening to you. I'm sure that many doctors do not know or believe this tidbit of information, but since she has the same problems, she has investigated it a fair bit. Might be something to think about and try another medication. What else has helped or not helped?

It's just a thought...I really hope that something breaks for you and you get the relief you need so badly.

[jchebert1979]

Thank you everyone, I know you mean well and I appreciate the support.

I was once referred to what I thought was a pain management doctor by my neurologist. He did some trigger point injections then and that was it. I called back today to see if he could help me and turns out he is a sports medicine doctor and not a pain management doctor.

I asked his nurse who he would recomend and she gave me 4 names. I called all four and even with a referral none could see me sooner than August. I called my surgeon's office back and after 5 minutes of her telling me to be patient I asked to be referred to a PM. She said she would ask the doctor after he got out of surgery later today.

He sent me home with 10mg lortabs and I have taken 4 so far today since 9:00am (it's 12:30 now) with not even a 1 point reduction of pain. I have a few left over fentanyl patches from my brain surgery, but those didn't work then either. Besides, after all of the hydrocodone, I can't use one today anyway.

[dshobbies]

Katie,

I never heard the red hair connection before but it sure explains a lot. I often have weird side effects to drugs and some exact opposite reactions to what they're supposed to do. I do know we heal differently and in my case, bruise easily. Good to know there's another connection there.

J,

Ok, no more preaching about relaxing. A friend of mine, unrelated to spine issues, had several health issues and was eventually referred to an endocronologist. Working with her own bodies reactions, they were able to form a med regimen that worked for her. You might consider looking into this, especially if meds are a part of your future.

As far as suggesting this, that and the other, we're really trying to help and don't mean anything insulting. Truly, your pain is our concern and someone, somewhere has been through what you're now going through. If they don't happen upon this forum, it's simply and try this and that situation but there's a solution out there too. Keep us informed and we'll do our best.

Please don't give up on us, Dale

[jchebert1979]

I was finally able to get an appointment with a PM after someone cancelled. It will be this coming Monday.

I am more convinced than ever that the remaining discs are and have been my problems all along. I am disgusted in the entire medical community and have nothing but contempt and distrust. It took two years, over 25 doctors, possibly an unnecessary brain surgery, and over 250,000 dollars in diagnostic tests (not treatment) to get this far when the very first test run diagnosed the problem. It just seems fitting that now when for the first time there is no doubt as to the cause of my pain I may be left without the means to treat it. I was so blinded by my pain that I accepted the first offer for an ADR when it is now very clear that I have multiple pain generators. If it would have not happened to me, I would have never in my life believed that the very people who were supposed to care for me have taken everything from me.

I will not be posting on this blog anymore as my prodisc-c surgery was a complete success. It completely alleviated the pain coming from my c5-6 herniation. Thank you everyone for your support.

[fuzzy]

I have been going through this for more then 10 years until the german doctors not only gave me a chance but promised me more then one problem. At least they were telling me the truth and they were right. My ADR was a sucess but obviously there are more parts in my spine failing at the same time. Now its wait and see for my neck surgery but after yesterdays MRI I feel I am pretty close. I too am an anxiety case and the pain plus the anxiety would send my heartrate into the sky, I went on beta blockers, it was the only way. Well I still am on the betablocker even thought I felt quite a bit better without the pain attacks coming form my lumbar spine but one out of 3 days I am limping due to stong legpain. I really hope that that too comes from my neck. It seems like it sometimes as strange as it sounds. In the MRI machine I got a lot of strange feelings, very tingly numbish feet and pain all over. After the test i could not get up the leg pain was real bad. When I walked in I had no leg pain, it was the vibration messing with my discs pushing on my spinal chord, I am sure of that. I am over due for a post to try to describe what is going on with me but it is complex rather then simple it seems. The kind they don't like to deal with in the US medical system, thats a fact.

[jessmith07]

J-

I hope that when you say you aren't going to post on this blog anymore, you just mean this particular thread.

I know that you're going through such a difficult time, and being in extreme pain for so long definately takes it's toll. And the one's you're counting on to take care of you aren't doing their job; it's not right and it's not fair!

But please don't give up on having a support system in place...even if you don't find what you need from us, please keep looking until you find the right "home" for you; your continued medical problems are exhausting and frustrating, and it really does help to have a good group of people that understand what chronic pain is like. Please hang in there, and keep us posted.

Very Sincerely,
Jess

[Maria]

I agree that I can't understand what is going on w/you. I'm sorry that you are experiencing any symptoms that are still greatly perplexing or aggravating.

The thoracic herniations are a mystery to me altho I think I might have something going on there myself .. not really wanting to find out tho may have to.

I am interested to hear how things progress with you, what will be found, diagnosed and how things will be handled.

I hope you will continue to share that information with us as we can all stand to learn about something new and different.

thanks for continuing to post and update...

[dshobbies]

J,

I couldn't agree more with Jess. The old adage, 'it takes one to know one' is so true. Everyone posting here has severe spinal pain and no one on the outside can begin to understand. If we found solutions by ourselves, we wouldn't need the caring and support we found from others. Bad choices, bad doctors, bad advice has plagued most of us.

We're not medical professionals but we have walked in your shoes. If we have stepped on your toes, believe me, it wasn't intentional. We all have needs and feeling a connection to the world is at the top of the list. You don't have to feel alone, we're with you, through good but especially through bad.

Glad you're about to see that pm. Perhaps he'll provide long sought after relief. I wish you every luck,

Dale

[jchebert1979]

Believe me, the last thing I wanted was to make anyone feel like I do not appreciate the support I am recieving. If anyone felt like that because of my posts, please accept my apology.

It is not just the pain that affects me. My body is stuck in a fight or flight response. Sounds, lights, emmotions (good or bad), basicaly any stimulus sends electrical shocks through my entire body. Imaging not being able to laugh at a funny joke because not only the physical movements of laughter will cause pain, but the happiness itself causes pain. Imagine not being able to watch television because the stimulus sets off a pain reaction. Imagine not being able to even meditate. What most people can do to at least try and distract themselves from the pain, causes more for me. It is truly torture.

I have brought this up over and over to doctors and have been ignored, but I will not be any longer. There are areas in the thoracic spine that control the sympathetic (fight or flight) nervous system. There are also three areas in the cervical spine as well called sympathetic cervical ganglia (and some in the lumbar area). They however, recieve information up from the thoracic spine and not directly from the cervical spine.

I have herniations at T1-2, T3-4, and T6-7. Thoracic nerves are named for the top disc unlike cervical wich are named for the bottom ones.

T1 sends sympathetic innervation to the thyroid and heart
T3 sends sympathetic innervation to the heart, chest, pluera, bronchial tubes, and lungs.
T6 sends sympathetic innervation to the stomach and pancreas.

I have been through 3 cardiac workups for palpitations and tachycardia, have been diagnosed with gastroparesis (slowing of the stomach), and been worked up for pancreatitis. Every time I asked the doctors if this could be from the thoracic herniations and every time I was told no, given medication that I didn't need, and passed off. It was not until the pain relief of the surgery did I truly realise that I have been right all along.

I realise that thoracic herniations are rare and that the surgery is more dangerous but that is no reason to dismiss my symptoms. If anyone has any suggestions for surgeons that specialize in thoracic herniations, please let me know.

[Maria]

You certainly didn't put me off at all it's just that I realized I cannot possibly imagine what you've been going thru or are going thru and therefore I feel that I would prefer to hear further from you and hopefully perhaps someone here can give you some ray of light that might be helpful re your specific symptoms/case.

I'm glad you wrote a bit more in detail about what sets off your symptoms. That is something I can understand~ only because that is how I get people who are *normal* re the spine to understand my spine predicament when they think I *look* normal and cannot understand what's going on w/me or why I can't do things that seem so simple (like sitting).

I hope there will be a doctor that won't dismiss your symptoms and can be of further assistance to you re your current situation.

take care~ Maria

[JKDE302]

jchebert1979 are you glad you had the c5-6 done?

I know you have more problems below it but do you have any hope you can still get them fixed also..

[JKDE302]

Damn this thread has turned me off the pro-disc...Alot of negative bad news ...

[jchebert1979]

Originally Posted by JKDE302

Damn this thread has turned me off the pro-disc...Alot of negative bad news ...

I do not regret having that surgery one bit. The problem was with the diagnostics, not the prodisc. My regret is not having the discogram before the operation because it turns out that another level was the main pain generator.

I am still glad that I went ahead with it though since here in the states insurances will only approve one level. I got the level that has more movement with the prodisc and I have the fusion at C7-T1 which sees much less movement than upper levels so less risk of adjacent level degeneration.

[jentop]

J,

I just read the entire thread, from back early in the year. I can so relate to your comments about knowing your body and what pain is from where. I truly admire you! I experienced much the same reception from doctors when I questioned them about my various symptoms being related to my neck pathologies. I suffered with vertigo, nearly daily for over a year, as well as fluctuations in BP, heartrate, and balance, along with just not feeling right, etc. I received 2level (C5/6-C6/7)ADR with Pro-DiscC in Jan 09 by Dr. Bertagnoli and am for the most part very pleased. I do occasionally have some pain that is much like my preop pain, but much less intense. I also was told that I have very slight bulges, "nothing to worry about", in the top 3 thoracic discs. This MRi was performed in Germany the day before my surgery. What I found interesting about your last post is that I also have episodes of anxiety that I can think of no explanation for with similar increased heartrate etc. So, I'm interested in anything else you care to share on the subject of the thoracic spine.
You really do amaze me with your bravery. All that you have endured and so far triumphed over is a sign that you are indeed remarkable.
I wish nothing but peace for you.
Jennifer

[JKDE302]

Originally Posted by jchebert1979

I do not regret having that surgery one bit. The problem was with the diagnostics, not the prodisc. My regret is not having the discogram before the operation because it turns out that another level was the main pain generator.

I am still glad that I went ahead with it though since here in the states insurances will only approve one level. I got the level that has more movement with the prodisc and I have the fusion at C7-T1 which sees much less movement than upper levels so less risk of adjacent level degeneration.

Ok thanks alot for that info...