ACDF SURGERY: 1.8 yr post ACDF SURGERY C4-C7 (TW! at end)
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- Опубліковано 20 вер 2024
- #TW: Mention of Suicide at end ....
Blah..... not the best mood but still pushing forward.
Just recently bought these 2 cushion supports to help with my lower back pain as all I do is sit on my couch and needed more support and OMG I wish I bought these sooner
Lumbar: amzn.to/3NqW5Zb
Tush: amzn.to/39xyEid
Some Aids that have helped:
Body Pillow - wish I bought this last year: amzn.to/3G5U42k
Beastie Ball: amzn.to/3wwD9Bi
Tiger Balm: amzn.to/3PzUSkg
Patches: amzn.to/3sPQK5N
Trigger Point Cane: amzn.to/3PzWp9K
Bands: amzn.to/3wDJwDd
Protein Shakes due to no Appetite: amzn.to/3LuSM1N and amzn.to/39D5Xk6
Kettlebell: amzn.to/3lrZyux
Heated Blanket -- omg for back and snuggles: amzn.to/3wvqbFi
The ONLY Coffee: amzn.to/39CLXxI
Squatty Potty: amzn.to/39AiFjq
Cervical Trigger Point release: amzn.to/3G20sr0
Please send me any specific questions you have about my journey on this thread and I will make a concerted effort to write them down and give personalized replies
I hope you all are well and I am so thankful for all your support :)
National Suicide Prevention Lifeline
800-273-8255@
Crisis Text Line
Text HOME to 741-741
suicideprevent...
www.nimh.nih.g...
I am exactly where you are. I know what it's like to lose hope because it just adds up and you feel like you've never gotten any relief and it just continues to degenerate out of control. You feel like you can't get a straight answer from anybody and you wonder who's right and who's not. You just wish you could find a solid answer and honesty, and you wish it didn't take so long or that you didn't have to jump through so many hoops, appointment to appointment specialist after specialist, referral after referral only to never get a straight answer or relief. We can't spend the rest of our life in surgery and recovery. Each surgeon and surgery causes other problems and seems it's a snowball effect. I'm so sorry, but I want you to know that I totally understand where you're at, and the effects it has on your mind daily. It's overwhelming and oftentimes defeating. I'm still trying to sort it out and figure out what to do. Add cervical fusion and dystectomy, with my back totally degenerating waiting for back surgery. I'm pretty certain that I had failed acdf. Daily skull headaches, migraines, I feel like my throat is always full, I feel like I have to be cognitive to hold my own head up. Burning neck and shoulder pain, numb hands are in pain. Too much to list here. I was looking for anybody out there that was going through the same thing and I found you. Thank you so much for making these videos, because I needed to hear what you had to say. Just to know I wasn't going crazy. Please know you've got a friend.
Wow. It’s so interesting how you and a few other people that have commented on my video seem to always be in the same position. I hadn’t made another video but I just saw the results of my x-rays and the first disc from C4 to C-5 didn’t fuse. So that on top of needing C2 to see four fused or potentially a disc replacement, is what is possibly causing a lot of my issues. I know what you mean about the headaches. Even when I move my Jolla certain way it hurts my neck. But I hear what you mean about never ending. I hope you get some relief though and thank you so much for messaging me here. I think it’s important for people to see everyone stories
Hang in there 🙏 i have been having vertigo along with all the other stuff . 3-19 acdf 3-7 . your hair looks good !! praying for you 🙏
I follow you as I am to have c5-c7 surgery next month. I am 53. And I am scared and wonder if I should just wait as long as possible. You are beautiful and strong. I’m sure you will be great. I cannot watch the last video which is disappointing as I have been waiting to see how you are doing.
Oh no. Why won’t it load ? And thank you. I think you have to go with your gut on whether to wait or not. Lmk what you decide
Don't let it beat you.
Like I’m sooooo glad I seen your videos ! Doctors trying to fuse my C4-C7 also!!! There is no way-
Definitely think about it and talk to a few different specialists
I had ACDF surgery in December of 2021 and so am just coming up on 5 mos. I was fortunate to find your videos before my surgery and they were important to me for perspective as I considered my options. I appreciate your courage in posting these personal statements of your experience. I just want to say that I had a range of opinions prior to my surgery. Three surgeons expressed preference for three different approaches. One surgeon changed his mind between the first and second visit as to the preferable approach. I don't have a problem with that either, as I think he took in more information with each visit. But I think it points out how challenging these cases are for surgeons to react to. I'm doing better now but also been dealing with vertigo issues that physical therapy has helped me to mostly move past.
It is distressing to hear how much difficulty you're facing now and I hope you can get to a better place than where you are as of this last share. One other point I have heard in your videos is your concern that you caused some problem by lifting something too heavy too soon. It is true that there are typically recommendations about lifting more than light weight as you heal--especially on lifting anything over your head after neck surgery. But I believe that is mainly about protecting the fusion--i.e. you either damaged the fusion or you didn't. I suspect that the challenges you are facing now having nothing to do with lifting bags of dog food or anything else you have related. There are lots of reasons why a fusion will or will not take especially across multiple levels, and it sounds like you will have more direct evidence on that soon from imaging. I'm hoping my fusion takes well, and I hope too that yours healed solidly and at least that you can put that behind you. Again, really appreciate your sharing. As others are saying here, you are a great help.
Wow. This was a great post. Thank you. The vertigo and headaches suck. Never had these issues before. I hope you’re doing well.
Thank you for your update, Kim! I have started having symptoms at the same time when you had your surgery, so I have been following your journey for some time. I was thinking, and I would discourage you from having more surgeries unless you are facing real paralysis. In the country where I am coming from, that is Poland, they do the surgery only in these extreme cases. Ever since my first symptoms, I have gradually started having problems in all of my joints. They are cracking, making sounds. I have cartilage degeneration in my knees and my jaw, but I am sure I have it elsewhere too. I can see you have a good mobility, you can use your arms, make gestures. So it’s good. And your hair looks great! I turn 41 this year, so I understand all the age-related issues you’re having. The anxiety and too much body awareness is also bothering me. Hope for another update to mark your 2 year anniversary.
I'm local to you (KOP) and was diagosed a couple of months ago with cervical stenosis, multiple herniated discs, and my spinal cord is pinched severely in two places. I'm 50 and up until the diagnosis was extremely active (yoga multiple times per week, other gym classes, etc.). One day at the gym I felt some arm pain and it didn't go away. A relative convinced me to try a chiropractor, and I made the mistake of doing it mainly because my insurance paid for it. Four weeks later the pain was way worse. Went to a sports med doc who tried oral steroid - didn't work - so then she said next step is an epidural steroid injection, but to get that I'd need to get an MRI. Got the MRI, two days later she called and said it is bad, that I'll need emergency surgery and she would be referring to a spine surgeon immediately. I see a surgeon a couple of days later at Penn Med - he recommends a hybrid surgery:
C6/7: Fusion
C5/6: Disc replacement
C4/C5: Skip this level (this is apparently not common to do)
C3/4: Disc replacement but if too arthritic will have to be fusion (determined during surgery)
I go to Rothman a week later for a second opinion and the doc there recommended a 4 level fusion (front AND back with screws+rods via back). I was floored. I then called a friend who is an anesthesiologist for a recommendation. He recommended a surgeon at Lankenau. By then, thankfully, the immense pinched nerve pain had mostly gone away, though it comes and goes to a much lesser degree. I told the third surgeon I was there to get his opinion on which of the prior two surgical approaches was best for me. He reviewed my MRI and everything and told me if he were to do a surgery he'd do neither - that the other surgeons recommendations were way too aggressive, that he'd just do C5/C6 and C6/C7. And then he shocked me by saying, "But I don't recommend surgery at all for you." I coulnd't believe it. He wants to monitor it and come back in a few months but everything I'm reading, I'm a ticking time bomb in terms of the stenosis (really cervical myelopathy) eventually progressing to loss of balance and eventual paralysis without surgery. To make things more confusin, the Penn doc called me last Friday and asked how I was doing. I told him the pain was mostly gone and that the 3rd surgeon recommended just monitoring, no surgery. He said when I presented to him I was in severe pain (I was) but since that is no longer the case he agrees - just monitor by coming back in 3 months. But I am very concerned this will get worse and the first two surgeons insisted once it does surgery won't correct it.
After researching (as best as a layman can) more I found two top surgeons - one at Cornell in NYC, and another who is local at Jefferson are both apparently top specialists. I'm set to get the opinion from the Cornell guy this week (he does it remotely via imagery etc.) and the Jefferson guy I couldn't get an appointment until late June.
May I ask which surgeons you have dealt with? I don't want to name the ones I saw here but happy to share via private message if you like. Hang in there and stay strong, and thanks for doing these videos!
wow... I would Love to hear how you make out. Yeah- I had ACDF c4-c7 = 3 levels
now they want to go through the back. the pain recently has been bad and I feel like the top part of my spine above the fusion is unstable or something. Sleeping sucks. I hope when I do PT - maybe they can work on strengthening my neck muscles to see if that stabilizes things.
I went through Rothman - both orthos and then jefferson i think and he was a neuro
please let me know how you make out
Any updates ?
@@KimWright Hi Kim. I hope you are doing well. Nothing new. The Cornell doc has reviewed my imaging/reports and they scheduled me for a consult....in late June. Which happens to be the same week as the other appointment with the surgeon at Jefferson. Once those are done I will make a decision. I did develop some temporary weakness in my right arm but it seems to be coming back. I started back taking yoga classes and aside from the transition from plank to the mat it's no problem. Nerve pain comes and goes but when it is there it is very minor now. Curious to see what these final two surgeons say.
I had my surgery a year ago and I have followed you prior to my surgery and you have helped me along the way. I hope you feel better. Stay strong and positive!
Thank you. I assume you’re doing well?
Yes but my hand grips are not the same.
Thank you so much for your time Kim, I really need this time, im suffering from pain in this moment and you helped a lot.
Thank you and please continue doing this.
You've been a great help.
Thank you. Have you had any improvements or new reviews ?
Thank you for sharing. Damn, I'm sorry to hear about progress of your issues. I admire your strength and optimism. I hope that sometime in the future, medicine will progress so that there will be more permanent options about this shitty conditions.
Fingers crossed
Thanks for the update! I'm going in June for C6/7. Your videos have been very helpful!
I followed you because I had the same surgery. My Doctor was Dr Wang at USC. One of the things he told me was the upper discs can be affected from the fusion. I have issues with dizziness (vertigo) from time to time and an odd feeling at the base of my skull that will radiate to various places on my head. Oddly, I have the same issue with my left hip but I was diagnosed after my cord was being crushed and basically I had lost balance and bladder control at times and was knocking on deaths door. One important thing is to realize what you were before, you’ll never be again. I know, it sucks and I have depression because I mourn the loss of the person I was as I navigate who I can be. I can’t do the things I did before and the good days are rare for me. I am 7 months post o p and I still have issues with pillows and sleeping and I use a soft collar at night when I sleep for stability. I also have PCOS a narcissistic husband and my son moved thousands of miles away. So lots on my plate as well. Vertigo and the headaches and pounding is from the Vagus nerve instability from the neck. Strengthen the neck muscles to help with stability. I have the same issues and I’m gonna do a second round of PT.
Oh my gosh you do sound very similar. I know that the question of when is it going to stop is always on my mind. Or what’s next is always on my mind. I probably will keep you guys updated even though I feel like it just ends up being a complaining video and me laughing at myself. But thank you for giving the feedback and I’m hoping PT does something to improve my situation. I haven’t slept yet because last night I was in so much pain and could not get comfortable in the cervical spine or even in my thoracic spine. So I slept without a pillow. Yay for a couple hours asleep lol I hope you have a great day.
@@KimWright Make them anyway! It was such a relief to know, I’m not the only one who is having issues. I thought maybe I was too sensitive or this thing broke me in ways that no one else could understand and I should just throw in the towel. So don’t worry about complaining because you’re speaking my language.😂
Love your videos honey ,very inspiring, plz continue making its , wishing you a complete recovery
I am in a very similar situation as you. For you to have so many issues with your spine. Have you seen a rheumatologist for possible ankylosing spondylitis diagnosis?
I have not. IDK if I want to go down that path.. :(
KIM I went thru with acdf 1.5 years ago was is the same shape as you so had pcdf L2 thru L7 1 6 weeks ago due to non fusion I am much better but post surgical is pretty rough the first month but most systoms are gone except for knife pain due to all the muscles they cut. it was well worth the surgery I was at the point of sucide or surgery.
kim also all my headaches are gone since he fuzed l2 l3
That sounds hopeful. L2-l7 is a lot. Any cervical ?
@@KimWright Kim I meant c3 thru c7 I see you live in Texas what doctor did your first surgery
Hi Kim hope you feel better soon, do you have spinal cord compression or
Hello. I had some. I have a lot of stenosis throughout the whole spine
HOW DID YOU WASH YOUR HAIR THE FIRST WEEK AFTER SURGERY?
I didn't lol
I washed really well before surgery.
then I had my friend wash it for me and dry it. .. but honestly... that was the last of my concerns. . i think i have a video the day i got my first shower on here lol
Did you get left shoulder pain thankz
More trap pain
You look great i feel so much pain too take care love your videos we gotta smile dear
How is your pain now?and all flexibility of neck motion?
It comes and goes. 😔
Ok I have watched you and I think your problem is you need to fix who you are working with Tommorw call dr deauk in Melbourne fl send him your m.r.i I hope you listen to me on this dont waste any time and do this get fixed and get on with your life .and it is a bumpy ride when you are not working with the best of the best. And recovery is a breeze my channel comes out in a couple weeks good luck I hope you make the call.
I will call this week. Do you have a contact number? And what “channel”?
@@KimWright my surgery was preformed live and currently is on UA-cam but I'm getting ready to link it to my personal channel soon let me know if I can help in anyway have a blessed week.
Try cbd.it helps for pain and anxiety