Re: HEY??? fellow pains in the necks? how are you all feeling?

[Guest guest]

Rochelle - 

It would have been L2 -S1 if fused and the foraminectomy was also L2-S1 but I

believe one level did not need to be done once he got in there...but because of

the DDD if I had chosen fusion he only offered my entire spine after

consideration and additional MRIs...it would have been much like scoliosis

patients get because he was so sure the other disks would rupture, slip and/or

collapse if he started the fusion at any other level...I may still need that is

the disks get worse, but I am hopeful and holding out on having that done  :/

I DID have a cervical fusion on C4-7 two years ago and I actually have increased

motion in my neck because I was already not rotating my neck because of the disk

issues and osteophytes in my neck. If he had fused my spine I believe he would

have had enough bone...my surgeon takes a pencil sized core from your pelvis for

the bone graft...that is what he did for my cervical spine.  

You are right to worry about permanent nerve damage, that is exactly why my

surgeon said to have the surgery.  Also those traction decompression devices

work, but it is only temporary relief.   Also spinal injections can be okay if

done carefully and are only facet injections.  Epidurals are another thing as

they CAN or MAY lead to a terrible nerve fusion called Arachnoiditis that occurs

because the nerves react to the injections and then start growing into one

another - THAT has no relief surgical or otherwise at this time. I refused them

for that reason, plus the relief they provide is temporary if at all.  just my

two cents.

I think the Laminectomy and foraminectomies were somewhere around 2-3 hours

together.  The surgeon was complaining afterward because I have strong bones

and his hands hurt after removing so much bone. LOL.  

I have complete flexibility after the Laminectomy and foraminectomies.  Of

course it was not immediately, but after the incision healed and a limited

amount of PT my lower back is great.  It does not effect the flexibility at all

and in fact I believe flexibility is increased...I am now less than 6 months

post surgery for that and to be honest I really do not think about my lower back

at all compared to before ( but I also am dealing with the knee and hip so...who

knows... ).

The most important thing I can stress if she goes the surgical route is find a

surgeon that is highly recommended especially by nursing staff, ask a lot of

questions, and be sure the surgeon ONLY does spinal surgery  - it really is a

specialty!!

Mark

________________________________

From: Rochelle <rccoc1977@...>

neck pain

Sent: Friday, August 5, 2011 2:45 PM

Subject: Re: HEY??? fellow pains in the necks? how are you

all feeling?

 

Dear Mark,

I thought your decompression was non-surgical. (But with such extensive

stenosis, one area of spinal canal at 4 mm !!, non-surgical treatment wouldn't

have helped. You must have been in a lot of pain!!) There are machines out there

advertised as decompressing the spine that I guess " stretch " or put the spine

under traction, and the discs somehow are supposed to repair themselves? I was

hoping maybe these machines actually worked, though I doubt they do anything,

but I was hoping. My sister is looking for a nonsurgical alternative. She

already had one epidural that didn't help and has 2 more to go before her spine

surgeon talks to her about surgery. But at this point, her thigh muscle never

relaxes and it is a constant source of pain for the past 6 months. I'm worried

the motor nerve will be so damaged by the time she has surgery that it won't all

come back, especially if she goes looking for alternatives that don't work. She

limps as it is.

I'm so glad you got through such extensive spine surgery and had a successful

outcome as well as relief of your sciatic nerve pain. Was the laminectomy done

from L2-S1 like the formaminectomy? If you'd had fusions done, would it have

been almost your entire lower back, L2-Si? That's at least 4 fusions and your

lower back would be totally stiff.(Actually you probably could have been fused

because they take the bad discs out and replace with your own bone or cadaver

bone. But no one has enough extra bone for 4 large fusions like that. Would

have been horrendous.)

Do you have flexibility with the laminectomy?

How long did the surgery take? Laminectomy and foraminectomy?

My sister doesn't have as severe of problem, in that there's only 2 really bad

levels (L3-4, L4-5, as far as I know) although she has a fair degree of DDD in

all her lumbar discs and also her neck like I do.

Take care,

Rochelle

> >

> > From: and Dave <woody1014@>

> > Subject: HEY??? fellow pains in the necks? how are you

all feeling?

> > neck pain

> > Date: Thursday, July 14, 2011, 2:10 PM

> >

> >  

> >

> > Hey how is everone feeling and making out these days? i am no better? how

are you all doing? cindy

> >

> >

[Guest guest]

As long as I can do what I do these days. Most of my extreme pain is manageable

for the lumbar region. But I have a lot of nerve pain and problems. My neck is

impossible. Most days it hurts to look behind. Thank God for mirrors in cars.

But I generally try not to drive. There are days that there are parts of my body

I would like to cut off. But I have two types of arthritis and it is a bit hard

to know per day what is to blame. All I can say is: this hurts, that hurts. And

thats with taking a pharmacy of meds.

 

'aquila no capit muscas'

[Guest guest]

Lori,

I have a panoramic rearview mirror that helped me a lot. And I added a little

convex mirror for my side view mirror to check the blind spot when switching

lanes. There was a time I couldn't turn my head at all. Truly miserable.

What are the 2 kinds of arthritis you have?

Rochelle

>

> As long as I can do what I do these days. Most of my extreme pain is

manageable for the lumbar region. But I have a lot of nerve pain and problems.

My neck is impossible. Most days it hurts to look behind. Thank God for mirrors

in cars. But I generally try not to drive. There are days that there are parts

of my body I would like to cut off. But I have two types of arthritis and it is

a bit hard to know per day what is to blame. All I can say is: this hurts, that

hurts. And thats with taking a pharmacy of meds.

>  

>

> 'aquila no capit muscas'

>

>

[Guest guest]

Thanks for the info on the mirrors. I have rheumatoid and osteo arthritis.

 

'aquila no capit muscas'

From: Rochelle <rccoc1977@...>

neck pain

Sent: Saturday, August 6, 2011 2:24 PM

Subject: Re: HEY??? fellow pains in the necks? how are you

all feeling?

 

Lori,

I have a panoramic rearview mirror that helped me a lot. And I added a little

convex mirror for my side view mirror to check the blind spot when switching

lanes. There was a time I couldn't turn my head at all. Truly miserable.

What are the 2 kinds of arthritis you have?

Rochelle

>

> As long as I can do what I do these days. Most of my extreme pain is

manageable for the lumbar region. But I have a lot of nerve pain and problems.

My neck is impossible. Most days it hurts to look behind. Thank God for mirrors

in cars. But I generally try not to drive. There are days that there are parts

of my body I would like to cut off. But I have two types of arthritis and it is

a bit hard to know per day what is to blame. All I can say is: this hurts, that

hurts. And thats with taking a pharmacy of meds.

>  

>

> 'aquila no capit muscas'

>

>

[Guest guest]

Hi all - the coming of Hurricane Irene to land is causing me lots of pain in

all my many arthritic body parts, not the least of which is my neck and lumbar

spine...How are you all of you in Irene's path doing with it today? I hope all

are doing well and mostly pain free...

Mark

  

________________________________

From: Mark R Hardin <gilachub@...>

" neck pain " <neck pain >

Sent: Wednesday, August 3, 2011 3:25 PM

Subject: Re: HEY??? fellow pains in the necks? how are you

all feeling?

 Hi - I am 2 1/2 years post cervical fusion C4-7 and most of the problems from

before the  surgery were corrected by the surgery and are still gone...I am

starting to get some tingling in my fingers, some weakness in my hand again, and

neck pain again so I fear the disks above and below are starting to act up now -

but it does seem to come and go at this point so I am going to be positive

thinking on this one and hopeful.

I also had Lumbar decompression about 9 months ago and that has been great!

Unfortunately I need a knee replacement and hip replacement so that is precedent

right now...UGH.

Thanks for asking...

bionic mark

From: and Dave <woody1014@...>

Subject: HEY??? fellow pains in the necks? how are you all

feeling?

neck pain

Date: Thursday, July 14, 2011, 2:10 PM

 

Hey how is everone feeling and making out these days? i am no better? how are

you all doing? cindy

[Guest guest]

Hi all - the coming of Hurricane Irene to land is causing me lots of pain in

all my many arthritic body parts, not the least of which is my neck and lumbar

spine...How are you all of you in Irene's path doing with it today? I hope all

are doing well and mostly pain free...

Mark

  

________________________________

From: Mark R Hardin <gilachub@...>

" neck pain " <neck pain >

Sent: Wednesday, August 3, 2011 3:25 PM

Subject: Re: HEY??? fellow pains in the necks? how are you

all feeling?

 Hi - I am 2 1/2 years post cervical fusion C4-7 and most of the problems from

before the  surgery were corrected by the surgery and are still gone...I am

starting to get some tingling in my fingers, some weakness in my hand again, and

neck pain again so I fear the disks above and below are starting to act up now -

but it does seem to come and go at this point so I am going to be positive

thinking on this one and hopeful.

I also had Lumbar decompression about 9 months ago and that has been great!

Unfortunately I need a knee replacement and hip replacement so that is precedent

right now...UGH.

Thanks for asking...

bionic mark

From: and Dave <woody1014@...>

Subject: HEY??? fellow pains in the necks? how are you all

feeling?

neck pain

Date: Thursday, July 14, 2011, 2:10 PM

 

Hey how is everone feeling and making out these days? i am no better? how are

you all doing? cindy