Re: RA and Cervical Fusion

[Guest guest]

My surgery is scheduled for next week on the 18th. Is there anyone

of the list who has had this surgery? Would you share your

experience? Thanks.

>

> I'm not sure if I have posted on this list yet. I have read and

> learned a lot, though!

>

> I would like to known if anyone else on this list has Rheumatoid

> Arthritis that has effected their cervical spine? Okay, I've also

> over the years I've been in a couple of auto accidents, etc. So I

> have bone spurs, disc herniations, narrowed foraminal space, etc,

> etc. and that's just on my cervical area. It's the pinched nerve

> that is causing me problems and has for a number of years. I can't

> use my right arm and hand without suffering for days after. So

after

> trying PT and the epidurals, my doctor suggested surgery.

>

> I am scheduled for Anterior Cervical Discectomy with intrumentation

> on my C3-4 and C4-5, Cleaning out the discs, bone spurs, putting in

a

> donor bone, and plate and screws to hold things together.

>

> Anyone else with RA who has had fusions? What is the long term?

And

> any suggestions for recovery time from other would be greatly

> appriecated.

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

Spina Bifida Myleomengocele (repaired) L4-5

Tethered Spinal Cord (repaired but MRI shows it could be retethered)

Degenerative Disc Disease

Degenerative Joint Disease

Bone spur C2-3

Syringomyelia (1.4 cm craniocaudad 1mm diameter) C4-7

Cervical Disk Fusion with hardware at C5-6

Vertebral hemangioma C5-6

Disc bulge C6-7

Disc desiccation C6-7

Disc bulge L3-4

Narrowing of L3-4 and L4-5

Annular disc bulge with facet hypertrophy spinal canalis patulous L4-5

Bilateral facet hypertrophy L5-S1

Possible Chiari Syndrome (5mm herination of cerebral tonsils)

Yes I have RA (or DDD/DJD) and had a cervical fusion. It wasn't so

bad compared to other procedures I have had. Good luck to you!

> >

> > I'm not sure if I have posted on this list yet. I have read and

> > learned a lot, though!

> >

> > I would like to known if anyone else on this list has Rheumatoid

> > Arthritis that has effected their cervical spine? Okay, I've

also

> > over the years I've been in a couple of auto accidents, etc. So

I

> > have bone spurs, disc herniations, narrowed foraminal space, etc,

> > etc. and that's just on my cervical area. It's the pinched nerve

> > that is causing me problems and has for a number of years. I

can't

> > use my right arm and hand without suffering for days after. So

> after

> > trying PT and the epidurals, my doctor suggested surgery.

> >

> > I am scheduled for Anterior Cervical Discectomy with

intrumentation

> > on my C3-4 and C4-5, Cleaning out the discs, bone spurs, putting

in

> a

> > donor bone, and plate and screws to hold things together.

> >

> > Anyone else with RA who has had fusions? What is the long term?

> And

> > any suggestions for recovery time from other would be greatly

> > appriecated.

> >

> >

> >

>

[Guest guest]

I had c5-c7 in May. Pretty much the same thing you're having. The fusion has

gone really well. I have no restrictions as far as the doctor is concerned but

I can tell when I have overdone it a bit and slow down for a while. I have

quite a bit of nerve and muscle damage which is going to take quite a while to

come back. Some muscles in my hands will probably never make it all the way

back. I have balance problems as well. My wife and I got a Wii game system for

each other for Christmas. It has a Wii Fit program that works on balance as

well as a lot of other things.

I have RA for which I was on Plaquinil, MTX and Naproxen The surgeon took me

off of the Naproxen because it inhibits the fusion process. Turns out I didn't

go back on it. I take Tylenol arthritis 2X 650 a day.

Hope this helps. I have never questioned my decision to have the surgery.

Jere

[Guest guest]

,

Sorry to hear you are having surgery, I don't have rheumatoid

arthritis, but I have arthritis everywhere. Mine was from C3-6 with

titanium. I had a long time getting diagnosed, so by the time I did

have my surgery I felt so much better. Pain was better, numbmess,

ect. I went from over 300mg of morphine a day down to 30mg every one

to three days, and soon after dropped most of my other meds.

When I was discharged I was told I could be a passenger in a car

after two weeks, and my sister was out for a visit from out of state,

and my dog needed to see a vet for an ear infect. so she took us. And

when I was getting in the van I smacked my head. That upset me for

quite a few days. When I told the doctor, he was asking me " why were

you in a car so soon!? " So whoever told me that was wrong. Otherwise

I would not have been in a car.

You are going to have some recovery time, so take it easy, don't try

to do anything like dishes, sweeping, etc. I was told NO house work.

Gosh, imagine being told no housework, every womans dream huh?? lol

That one wasn't hard to follow, I could tell that was the wrong thing

to do. But I did walk to far once when I could, and that was quite

painful. But keep in mind your posture could be different,(neck

straighter) so be careful getting into vehicles so you don't hit your

head. If I remember correctly once I got home the pain wasn't so

bad.. The first couple days after surgery were probably the worst.

Just ask your doctor to order extra pain meds or something for if you

are not comfortable. Best of luck to you.

Sue

> >

> > I'm not sure if I have posted on this list yet. I have read and

> > learned a lot, though!

> >

> > I would like to known if anyone else on this list has Rheumatoid

> > Arthritis that has effected their cervical spine? Okay, I've

also

> > over the years I've been in a couple of auto accidents, etc. So

I

> > have bone spurs, disc herniations, narrowed foraminal space, etc,

> > etc. and that's just on my cervical area. It's the pinched nerve

> > that is causing me problems and has for a number of years. I

can't

> > use my right arm and hand without suffering for days after. So

> after

> > trying PT and the epidurals, my doctor suggested surgery.

> >

> > I am scheduled for Anterior Cervical Discectomy with

intrumentation

> > on my C3-4 and C4-5, Cleaning out the discs, bone spurs, putting

in

> a

> > donor bone, and plate and screws to hold things together.

> >

> > Anyone else with RA who has had fusions? What is the long term?

> And

> > any suggestions for recovery time from other would be greatly

> > appriecated.

> >

> >

> >

>

[Guest guest]

Thanks to everyone who responded to my email. The really bad pain

comes and goes for me, right now it's my lower back causing problems.

(I have pinched nerves in the Lumbar area too.) But fix one thing at

a time huh?

Thanks again! You're the best!

> > >

> > > I'm not sure if I have posted on this list yet. I have read

and

> > > learned a lot, though!

> > >

> > > I would like to known if anyone else on this list has

Rheumatoid

> > > Arthritis that has effected their cervical spine? Okay, I've

> also

> > > over the years I've been in a couple of auto accidents, etc.

So

> I

> > > have bone spurs, disc herniations, narrowed foraminal space,

etc,

> > > etc. and that's just on my cervical area. It's the pinched

nerve

> > > that is causing me problems and has for a number of years. I

> can't

> > > use my right arm and hand without suffering for days after. So

> > after

> > > trying PT and the epidurals, my doctor suggested surgery.

> > >

> > > I am scheduled for Anterior Cervical Discectomy with

> intrumentation

> > > on my C3-4 and C4-5, Cleaning out the discs, bone spurs,

putting

> in

> > a

> > > donor bone, and plate and screws to hold things together.

> > >

> > > Anyone else with RA who has had fusions? What is the long

term?

> > And

> > > any suggestions for recovery time from other would be greatly

> > > appriecated.

> > >

> > >

> > >

> >

>

[Guest guest]

So, how did it go? Can you tell me some of your problems and concerns? I just

had my

Cervical Disectomy/Fusion on Monday, 1-5-9 and look to learn about recovery.

> > > >

> > > > I'm not sure if I have posted on this list yet. I have read

> and

> > > > learned a lot, though!

> > > >

> > > > I would like to known if anyone else on this list has

> Rheumatoid

> > > > Arthritis that has effected their cervical spine? Okay, I've

> > also

> > > > over the years I've been in a couple of auto accidents, etc.

> So

> > I

> > > > have bone spurs, disc herniations, narrowed foraminal space,

> etc,

> > > > etc. and that's just on my cervical area. It's the pinched

> nerve

> > > > that is causing me problems and has for a number of years. I

> > can't

> > > > use my right arm and hand without suffering for days after. So

> > > after

> > > > trying PT and the epidurals, my doctor suggested surgery.

> > > >

> > > > I am scheduled for Anterior Cervical Discectomy with

> > intrumentation

> > > > on my C3-4 and C4-5, Cleaning out the discs, bone spurs,

> putting

> > in

> > > a

> > > > donor bone, and plate and screws to hold things together.

> > > >

> > > > Anyone else with RA who has had fusions? What is the long

> term?

> > > And

> > > > any suggestions for recovery time from other would be greatly

> > > > appriecated.

> > > >

> > > >

> > > >

> > >

> >

>