Surgery soon. Nervous.

[Hogmauler]

Just keep the picture in your mind Glenn of you coming out on the other side of this surgery doing just fine. You’ve made it this far with pain for a longer period of time.

[SJP51]

Don't know about back issues. But I do know about a "10" level pain. Do what you have to do to not go there again as I'd rather be dead than have 5-minutes of that.

Hang in there!

[cajuntec]

Thanks everyone. Greatly appreciate the comments.
All the best,
Glenn

[cajuntec]

I too have degenerative disc disease. I had a L3 - L4 360 fusion about 11 years ago and it changed my life for the better. You’ll never be 100% but you’ll get your life back. I won’t lie, it was a painful recovery but the reward is worth it. Do get a recliner. I slept in mine for 6 weeks and it took a while to get used to the titanium cage feel inside your body. It’s an absolute must once your at the stage that you’re at. It’s only natural to feel nervous but keep the positive thought of how you’ll feel in a few months. Also, make sure that the nurses and yourself keep the cuts clean and covered. I ended up getting an infection from the lack of care during my hospital stay and that left a nasty scar on one of the three cuts. Stay positive and think of way your quality of life will be soon. If you have any questions, feel free to shoot me a PM.

Thank you. I did get a recliner. Funny how things work out. I missed about a half dozen manual recliners that were inexpensive, and I was getting frustrated. Then a electric one popped up locally. Texted the lady and she said to come over, so my wife and I headed to her place. Super nice family. They let me sit in it and showed me all the controls, which I could reach in any position without stretching. Then her husband says, “Let me show you how to disassemble it”. I didn’t know they even came apart like that! He not only disassembled, but then he walked me through the reassembly, because he wanted to make sure I knew how it fit together. While we are talking, my wife is chatting with his wife, and the subject of why we were buying it came up. His wife turns to her husband and says, “Don’t let him carry it. I don’t want him to hurt himself further”. Then her husband just snatches up the bottom piece and walks it out to my truck. I’m following him, and as I turn, his wife is behind me with the top piece. He even insisted on strapping it down for me! I felt old and helpless, but at the same time, extremely grateful for that couple. My son and wife bought it in and it works great. So I’m set for after surgery sleeping arrangements!

All the best,
Glenn

[JES]

I need to ask more questions. He was explaining it to me, but it was a lot of technical stuff and I should have asked more questions when he gave me the opportunity. I know they are going in from the front (cut in my throat area, which caught my attention and kinda freaked me out). He mentioned removing old material and sending it out to be tested, using “grown” material / cadaver bone to “cage” (I remember him using that term). It’s my C5/C6 and C6/C7.

He said the biggest difference between what he does and what Portsmouth Naval Hospital would have done is traction. He said that hurts, and he doesn’t do that. He uses a different procedure.

I felt rushed, but in reality, he did tell me, “If you have ANY questions, just ask. I want you to feel comfortable making this decision.” I have a Pre-Op on June 3rd. I’m going to ask further at that time, and write everything down.

I was just happy when he told me the pain relief results stats, and that his procedure didn’t hurt anywhere as much as the PNH procedure would have.

All the best,
Glenn

That’s fusion, doing two levels you may not be a candidate for the disc replacement.

All cervical fusion work is done through the throat. You’ll be so happy you did it once you are awake. It may not be instant, depending on how long the nerve has been impacted, but you should have a significant reduction in the nerve pain.

Good luck and stay positive. The constipation is the worst part of any of these surgeries, you won’t be able to push real hard...so do everything you can to keep it soft!!!!

[neilmc70]

I went through this five years ago. Started with pain in left shoulder then started losing feeling in fingers. Tried steroid shots and chiropractor but didnt help much was torture. Started getting pain in shoulder blade so bad that I couldnt work or even drive to work. Same thing C5/6 disc I was nervous as well but had fusion and felt better as soon as I woke up. I wore neck brace for 3 weeks after couldnt lift much for a few months. Wish I wouldnt have waited so long but was trying to avoid surgery. No problems since just went to dr had xrays and everything is still good. Hardest part to me about surgery was the anistesia from surgery. Get some drinking straws will need them for a few days and will be tough to swallow at first. Dont worry yourself over it I did that already just be glad you wont have to feel that pain anymore! Good luck take care!

[DRT]

I'm headed there too. They keep doing the injections and I still get relief but they told me it will be diminishing returns as well.
May God bless your care team and you.

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[El Paisano]

Get the best neurosurgeon in the area. Don't just get the first one available, like I did. There is a reason they were available. With a good surgeon, there is nothing to it.

[Bisch]

I know what you are going thru!!!! In 2016, I had a pinched nerve in my neck that basically paralyzed my left arm and hand. When it first happened, I was in such pain that I went to the ER and told the DR I didn’t care if he fixed it right then as long as he gave me strong enough meds to make the pain go away! There was something about driving that made it worse. For a couple months after, the pain would come on so strong while driving a car that I would have to stop on the side of the road and get out to make it subside. I couldn’t hardly pick up a gallon of milk with my left hand for months. The only diagnosis I ever got was degenerative disc disease, and was told by my DR that I did not want neck surgery unless it got to a point that that was the only option left.

Mine finally started getting better, but to this day I still have slight numbness in my left hand, and some pain in my neck almost all the time. I can see this at some point coming back and ending a lot of the things that I love to do! [emoji2959][emoji2959][emoji2959][emoji2959]

Good luck with your surgery, and I hope you get the pain managed.

Bisch


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[stickbow]

if you are in san antonio get opinion from don hilton he is neurosurgeon that i have personally had do mine and many other patients i have referred him and i am a doc as well. not everyone needs a fusion but that is what the standard is. sometimes minimally invasive surgery is better option and don invented the retractor system they all use. It might be worth it if he verifies that is what you need if not might save you some misery. i was back at work 2 days later and poling my skiff in 2 weeks with no brace and my stenosis was bad. just fyi

[cajuntec]

if you are in san antonio get opinion from don hilton he is neurosurgeon that i have personally had do mine and many other patients i have referred him and i am a doc as well. not everyone needs a fusion but that is what the standard is. sometimes minimally invasive surgery is better option and don invented the retractor system they all use. It might be worth it if he verifies that is what you need if not might save you some misery. i was back at work 2 days later and poling my skiff in 2 weeks with no brace and my stenosis was bad. just fyi

I’m not. I moved to VA.
All the best,
Glenn

[cajuntec]

Follow up, post surgery:

Everything went well. I had a fusion of two levels. Titanium plates and screws.

Great advice from you all, including:

Asking a lot of questions to my surgeon
Getting a recliner to sleep in
Getting drinking straws
Using stool softeners (I have Mirilax and Collace, and I am having no problems at all)

For others having this type of procedure, I’ll add:
Stock up on soups (Campbell’s “Sipping” Chicken Noodle with Stars works well)
Stock up on pudding, applesauce, jello, etc...
Keep a ziplock bag handy to put over the front lip of the neck brace (chin area) so when you brush your teeth, it doesn’t get the brace pad wet, and when you eat, food doesn’t get on the brace pad.

Had the surgery yesterday. Feeling great today. The sore throat is the worst pain, but the razor burn / cut someone gave me is right up there on the annoyance scale. I don’t know who shaved the top part of my chest, but they cut the heck out of my skin!

On Percocet and Gabapentin, taking the minimum recommended dose. Even with the annoying sore throat / razor burn, I’m feeling better than I have in years. So happy I had this done!

All the best,
Glenn

[Bisch]

Good to hear! Hope you have a full recovery.

Bisch


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[BlackHogDown]

Glad to hear it. Good luck with the recovery.

[bigjohntex]

Good news. You will be so much happier without all that pain!