Neck Pain: Cervical
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March 9, 2010 - 12:35pm
My ACDF
I am home and recovering from the surgery last Tuesday.
My surgery was nearly 4 hours. I don't know what was found or why it took so long he had told me it should take about 1.5 hours. I had a nice reaction to the IV antibiotic in the pre=op. They call it red mans sydrome (not sure if that was a joke or not). I was itching like crazy on my head.
I felt pretty good as soon as I woke up. I am sure they gave me better pain meds and anti nausea meds while I was still coming out of it. So the first couple of hours I was up and about. When those meds were out of my system the trouble started. I was given a morphine pump and I was throwing up all night. The night nurses were not so good. Here I am crying and puking and asking for them to call my doctor for new meds and I got nothing but an empty smile amd a "yeah we might have to".... My IV blew out, so they had to put in another one. They didn't read my chart so they didn't know that I have allergies to certain adhesives... I recieved a reallt nice rash from the new IV.
The power for my bed kept going out so I had the maintenence man in my room every few hours... It was truely aweful. OH yeah the TV kept loosing cable service as well.
I cried uncrontolably for a couple of hours around shift change. Thankfully the new nurse took pitty on me. I had stopped using the morphine pump due to nausea so she hooked me up with a powerful anti nausea med that helped me sleep and some percocet and valium. She was a great nurse. Aftet a couple hours of sleep I felt much better. I asked to be discharged and came home with Percocet and flexerile.
I am not using a collar and my neck doesn't hurt too much. The muscle spasms are the worst. I actually feel like I have more range of motion than I did before. My throat is a little sore still, I also get some weird pains in my shoulders but all of the nerve pain is gone.
I have been sleeping in my bed. Last night I think was the best night so far. I think I actually slept for 6 hours straight.
That is it in a nutshell.
Julie
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I am not a doctor, my opinions are not meant to be medical advice. Just opinions from my personal experiences dealing with multiple spinal issues.
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So glad you are home and doing OK. I am going tomorrow for my ACDF so we will see how that goes. I just got the call that I got pushed back to 2 so that should be fun. Right now I cant even think, I am more nervous now than with my lumbar fusion,lol.
Take Care of yourself!
Hugs,
Shell
36, Occupational Therapy Assistant, Kids 13 and 15, step-sons 22 and 24, 2 grandbabies.
PLIF L5-S1 8/21/08
3/09 dx'd RSD, Fibro
3/10/10 ACDF- c5-c6, Peek cage and plating
Archnoiditis, Epidural Fibrosis, Syringomyleia T level, Failed Lumbar Fusion in need of revision due to non union and hardware issues.
Julie,
Sorry to hear about the troubles you had during your stay. But now the good news and your home and on the road to recovery, just take it easy and follow the surgeons restrictions and hopefully soon this will all be behind you. Take care.
Shell,
Good luck tomorrow on surgery as well and post when you can with a update.
I'm sorry you had such a hard time in the hospital but i'm glad that your feeling better now.I remember after my surgery standing up for the first time without all the nerve pain.I remember thinking my surgeon was a miracle worker.I gave him the biggest hug ever,it was like he had saved my life.Isn't it wonderful not to have the pain anymore.I hope you continue to feel better as time goes on. Please let us know how your making out.
c4,5 c5,6 and c6,7 ACDF with titanium implants spinal stenosis and bone spurs april 16/08.herniations at T7,8 and T11,12 also L4,5and S1.car accident october 28th/08 whiplash.rearended hit and run. mri 2009 L2-3 posterior bulge,L3-4moderate posterior bulge,lateralizing to the right.Right lateral recess has moderate stenosis and left lateral recess has mild stenosis.L4-5has moderate posterior disc bulge.Moderate left,and right stenosis.Mild bilateral foraminal stenosis.L5-S1 disc bulge touching right S1 descending nerve root in right lateral recess.No significant foraminal or spinal stenosis.
You've been through so much recovering post-op. Nice to hear you're sleeping better at home in your own bed. Take care and hope you heal completely from your surgery. Charry
Any answers I have is not medical advice only a Doctor can help you with that. Just sharing my personal experience as a fellow Spine Health member only. Mild DDD of complete lumbar area with recent healing of L5-S1 HD and annular tear.Leg &foot weakness nerve compression L4-L5.Mod. disc changes C5-C7 nerve impingement sore elbow and numb hand. Sept. 2011 MRI L4-L5 disc bulge and L5 facet joint and narrowing. Meds-Oxycontin 80mg,Cymbalta,Lyrica, Flexeril,Naproxen,Serax. Platinum Infrared heating pad. ER and Oncology trained and Cardiology RN on Disability. Keep the faith.
Today I took just Tylenol and drove my daughter to see Alice then we went to Wallyworld and wasted money. This was a very short trip. I started out with my soft collar (NS for driving only). I took it off when we got to the movies.
All in all it was maybe 7 mile round trip with 2 stops. When I got home I took a Norco & flexerile. My neck feels sore but much better than it was
I see my NS tomorrow for the wound check and I am going to ask him why I am partially blind in my left eye. The lid has been swollen all week, eye is red, I have limited vision now and it is blurry. I can only wonder what they did to my eye?
I am still not sleeping GREAT, but it seems to get better each night.
Peace,
Julie
I am not a doctor, my opinions are not meant to be medical advice. Just opinions from my personal experiences dealing with multiple spinal issues.
I'm glad to hear you're feeling better but am worried about your eye. I'm anxious to hear what the NS says about it.
I think you're doing GREAT considering how soon you're out from surgery. I'm very happy for you, but please don't overdo and give yourself a setback. It's easy to do when you're feeling good and the meds are working.
Please let us know what the NS says. I'll be keeping my eye on this post.
Cath
~ October 21, 2008 - ACDF, 3-level (C4/5, 5/6 6/7), with hardware and eight screws. All fused and hardware is stable.
~ January 6, 2010 - TLIF at L4/5, two rods and four pedicle screws.
~ July 2010 - New CT and MRI on cervical shows further problems above fusion at C2/3 and worst at C3/4.
I am in no way affiliated with the medical profession. Any recommendations I make are based on my personal experiences only, so do not take my comments as medical rules.
I only was seen by the nurse yesterday. They removed my bandage and I was surprized that there was no stitches under it. I don't think I will have a scar at all.
I also picked up my STD paperwork - the nurse faxed it with NO DATES in January? I just know they will require that I get the paper work redone. The nurse added some of the dates while I was there, but specificially left out some portions. Do you think I should fill them in?
The NS says 6 weeks of no work, and then he says PT work after 6 weeks> confused yet? I am.
The good news was I went most of the day yesterday with no meds. The bad news is today is a bad pain day. I think I need to just stay home and rest but unfortunately my husband needs me to go shopping with him for a few things so he is dragging me to Costco shortly.
My left arm is sore and my left shoulder hurts (not like before). I am still having trouble sleeping comfortably and I am waking up hurting. I think I need to set an alarm at night to wake me evry 4 hours for meds.
Feeling better, but not out of the woods yet.
Peace,
Julie
I am not a doctor, my opinions are not meant to be medical advice. Just opinions from my personal experiences dealing with multiple spinal issues.
glad you aree doing good. please dont over do it. thata frustrating with the dates, every time i ask get different answers fromthe docs too. i cant seem to get past the heartburn. this is going to drive me crszy. i choked on tea, seems all i get down ok is smoothie consistancy. does that sound right?
hugs,
shell
36, Occupational Therapy Assistant, Kids 13 and 15, step-sons 22 and 24, 2 grandbabies.
PLIF L5-S1 8/21/08
3/09 dx'd RSD, Fibro
3/10/10 ACDF- c5-c6, Peek cage and plating
Archnoiditis, Epidural Fibrosis, Syringomyleia T level, Failed Lumbar Fusion in need of revision due to non union and hardware issues.
My numbness and all of my discomfort was gone as soon as I woke from surgery. I am less than 3 weeks out. I do have a lazy eye (Horners Syndrome) now but they tell me it may get better or I can have it fixed. I also get muscle spasms and mechanical pain when my meds wear off and I over do it. I am taking 10 mg of Norco and 10 mg of Flexerile every 4-6 hours- subbing extra strenght tylenol when I have to. I have been driving lightly (with out meds) and trying to resume some aspects of my life almost daily. My NS ended up working on me for nearly 4 hours to remove the disc material in my spinal canal (I am thinking he did a pretty good job). I was given a soft collar but rarely use it. I feel like I have more range of motion now than before.
I am not a doctor, my opinions are not meant to be medical advice. Just opinions from my personal experiences dealing with multiple spinal issues.