Anyone have c-spine surgery?

Hi Klambert and welcome to CP. Sorry to hear about your issues and potential for upcoming surgery. First and most importantly get another opinion! We never encourage anyone to undergo operations especially cervical without constant pain based on one Dr suggesting it. Doesn't matter how long you have been a patient or how much you trust your Dr its just that different drs see things from different prospective. Preferably see a board certified neurosurgeon and go from there.

Many here have had one or the other area's done and some like you have had more than one. The outcomes differ vastly. Cervical is more complicated than lumbar merely due to the amount of nerve roots originating there. It is a good deal of preparation for and a slow recovery process and we find Drs tend to air on the short side when handing out post op time lines for returning to any and all activities.

If you see the above pinned post CP101 in it we have gathered from those who have undergone cervical procedures some very important planning tips to help you be prepared for post op recovery. Also many of our members have documented their experiences post op and you can find those threads by using the search feature also at the top of this page and entering cervical fusion and laminectomy. I think you will benefit greatly by others words who have been where you are now and you will be where they were in the future.

Good luck and please don't hesitate to ask any questions you might have.

Hi
Thanks for the information. At this time I have no idea what type of surgery I will be having. I made an appt. with a top rated neurosurgeon in my area. I don't go until next month. I know for my lumbar spine it will be a fusion...with my neck I will have to wait and see.
Right now the only pain I'm having in the neck is from degenerative disk disease and osteoarthritis. I am however, noticing pin and needle sensation on the bottom of my foot. I really am not for sure if my symptoms come from fibro or the other. That's the bad part.
Thanks again for the help!!
Karen

Hi Karen, You know age has got very little to do with whether you need to have disc surgery or not, I was only 34 years old when I had my first Anterior Cervical Disc Fusion at C6/7 back in 1985, since then I have had two more fusions in my cervical area. I also have had a Foraminotomy in my lumbar spine L2 through L5. The surgeon had told me that the disc at L5 was shot but as of to date I have not had a discectomy and fusion done there yet! But I did get an implanted pain pump to control the pain that is caused from that area.

The ACDF Anterior Cervical Discectomy and fusion is the easiest for the surgeon to do, and usually has the fewest complications. And usually also has the best success rate. Have you had any nerve conduction studies done? Do you have any numbness and tingling or pain in your hands or forearms? Or problems with your reflexes in your hands and arms? ( allot of time these are symptoms of cervical disc problems.) Any major narrowing of the space around the spinal cord and the possibility of impingement of the spinal cord is of immediate concern, and that might be why the surgeon wants to do the cervical surgery first???? You should ask him why he thinks that needs to be done before your lumbar area?? Might be he sees something that would warrant the surgery sooner. Just remember the higher up in the spine the problem is them more problems it can cause! Example major problems with paralyzes such as quadriplegic is usually caused by damage in the cervical spine. Where as injury or damage caused to the lower spine such as the lumbar area, might only cause paralysis in the legs or feet. But discectomy and fusion done in the Lumbar area of the spine is a difficult surgery and patients will often have more pain and problems after this surgery! Recovery is often difficult and sometimes this type of surgery even fails to relieve the original pain.

There are no easy answers for most types of spinal surgery! I think getting a second opinion is an excellent idea! I do wish you well and please keep us all in formed of your progress!

Good Luck to you Karen!

White Beard