Neck Pain: Cervical
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November 7, 2009 - 11:08pm
Seeing the neuro surgeon on Wed.
and I can't wait. The pain, tingling and numbness in my right arm just keeps getting worse. At first it started in just my fingers, then my hand, then withing a week up to my elbow and now it's 2/3 of the way to my shoulder. If I turn my hear in a certain position to the right, I starte to feel it.
I also have extreme pain in my right upper back, and the back of my head on the right side up to about my ear.
I had an mri, and you can definitely see discs bulging in the areas mentioned on the previous xrays.
I know this is weird, but I hope he wants to do surgery. In the past, I have had tennis elbow and lumbar pain, and PT and steroids, both oral and injected, never did anything for me but give me horrible leg and foot cramps.
I just want it fixed, NOW!! I don't want to mess around with conservative methods because THEY DON'T WORK FOR ME. Hope I can convince him of that.
Any suggestions or good wishes would be greatly appreciated!
_____________
Sept 24, '07 L3-5 spinal fusion after trying every conservative measure available.
Diagnosed gastric and esophageal ulcers w/ metaplasia. 8/09
Diagnosed severe depressive & anxiety disorder 10/09
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Maybe if you can tell your surgeon just what you said here, you'll be able to convince him. I don't know where you live, but sometimes the speed that you get to surgery is dictated by insurance company policies...you know, hoops that have to be jumped through before you get to surgery.
However there are cases that are emergencies....maybe the surgeon will take you on those terms.
Wishing you good luck.
Gwennie
I have no medical training. Comments are based on personal experience and lots of research and reading.
PLIF @ L4-5 with Peek cage, rods and screws Jan 2008
Lami-foraminotomy L5-S1 Jan 2009
Fusion L3-S1 coming up -- 1 June
This is the same neuro who did my back 2 years ago, though I don't think he'd recognize me on the street. That is to say he had the bedside manner of a stump, but he did a good job, and that's all that matters.
Honestly, I think he's really very good (that's what I want to believe) or he just likes to do surgery for the money. Reason I say that is that about 3 months before I saw him, I saw a different neuro, who said there was nothing wrong with me. Well, when this new guy - one who did the surgery - took one look at the mri and said "I can fix this", I cried. Finally!!! Someone believed in my pain.
Like I said, sick as this sounds, I hope he wants to do surgery. I don't want to mess around w/ conservative measures that never worked before, why would they work now? Just get it done!
I'm embarking on a second career as a writer now that I'm taking disability retirement. I've already had 4 articles published online in just 2 weeks, and been asked to co-write 2 books. My arm goes numb when I type, and I have to stop periodically to shake it out.
Again, thanks for your response. It means a lot.
Sept 24, '07 L3-5 spinal fusion after trying every conservative measure available.
Diagnosed gastric and esophageal ulcers w/ metaplasia. 8/09
Diagnosed severe depressive & anxiety disorder 10/09
I know exactly what you mean Yasmina..I see the surgeon on Tuesday and am hoping for the same thing
. I do not have time to jump through a bunch of hoops..my FMLA time is up which means no job (or insurance)soon.
I did have the steriod injection 2 weeks ago but it did not solve the problem...
AND I also had a lumbar fusion (just 11 months ago) and this is the same surgeon.
Good luck on Wednesday
Tatiyana
41 yrs young, married w/ 2 daughters.
Work FT, District Sales Manager & International Dance Troupe member. Red Cross Volunteer.
C6/7 Herniated Disc
L4/5 Herniated Disc w sciatica....ALIF surgery Dec 2008
Fibromyalgia, Osteo Arthritis, Endometriosis
Hysterectomy 07
4 wrist surgeries - osteophytes impinging on nerve
I will not let pain control my life. I will stay positive & active & thank God for all that I have.
It still amazes me when us spineys say that "I really hope he want to do surgery." Only in the spiney world does a person rejoice at surgery because the alternative is much worse: horrid nerve symptoms, non-invasive measures that do nothing but make it worse, having a doc tell you there's nothing wrong with you when you can barely move from the pain, etc. etc. etc.
Yasmina and Tatiyana, I hope you both get your wish for a successful surgery. We all know what it's like and it's just no fun at all.
Yasmina, my surgeon is kind of like yours. He's not very personable, but the upside is that he's a brilliant surgeon and I love his PAs. To me, that's all that counts. Also, I'm interested in hearing how you starting your new writing career. Would you mind sharing that with me via PM?
As always, take care and please keep us posted.
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.