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Posted: 1/29/2015 10:09:29 PM EDT
This is what it looks like when you have a bulging disk pressing against the spinal canal and cord:
 Update 3/3: Surgery has been scheduled for the 31st of March. ACDF at C5/C6 and C6/C7. |
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Posted: 1/29/2015 10:10:37 PM EDT
[#1]
Prepare your throat.
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Posted: 1/29/2015 10:11:10 PM EDT
[#2]
Quote HistoryQuoted: Prepare your throat.  |
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Posted: 1/29/2015 10:12:03 PM EDT
[#3]
Damn. Prayers for you my friend.
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Posted: 1/29/2015 10:14:40 PM EDT
[#4]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
Yep. Quote HistoryQuoted:
Quoted:
Prepare your throat. I am guessing you are a larger guy too. Watch the weight gain. My meds were not kind to me. Neither was just lounging around. |
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Posted: 1/29/2015 10:15:00 PM EDT
[#5]
Been there. When they say surgery, you say yes please and how soon can I have it. Relief is immediate.
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Posted: 1/29/2015 10:15:15 PM EDT
[#6]
Been there, done that. You are in for a ACDF!
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Posted: 1/29/2015 10:15:39 PM EDT
[#7]
Been there, done that and have the hardware to prove it
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Posted: 1/29/2015 10:16:31 PM EDT
[#8]
Quote HistoryQuoted: I am guessing you are a larger guy too. Watch the weight gain. My meds were not kind to me. Neither was just lounging around. Quote HistoryQuoted: Quoted: Quoted: Prepare your throat. I am guessing you are a larger guy too. Watch the weight gain. My meds were not kind to me. Neither was just lounging around.  |
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Posted: 1/29/2015 10:16:54 PM EDT
[#9]
That sucks man. Common enough occurrence though, so getting a good doc who can fix it is easy.
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Posted: 1/29/2015 10:17:48 PM EDT
[#10]
Look like surgery on C5-7 in your future.
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Posted: 1/29/2015 10:20:53 PM EDT
[#11]
Quote HistoryQuoted: Look like surgery on C5-7 in your future. |
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Posted: 1/29/2015 10:21:05 PM EDT
[#12]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
Yeah. Pain has kept me inactive and I gained back a bit of the weight I lost. The inactivity sucks. Get the stuff ready. Stool softener and plenty of water. The meds will dry you out, which means constipation. You don't want to be grunting. Also, look at a diet that will help you go regularly. I have never had bloating issues in my entire life. I made fun of the wife and other females about bloating and them complaining. After the various meds, I was sentenced for being mean to them. |
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Posted: 1/29/2015 10:22:56 PM EDT
[#13]
Quote HistoryQuoted: The inactivity sucks. Get the stuff ready. Stool softener and plenty of water. The meds will dry you out, which means constipation. You don't want to be grunting. Also, look at a diet that will help you go regularly. I have never had bloating issues in my entire life. I made fun of the wife and other females about bloating and them complaining. After the various meds, I was sentenced for being mean to them. Quote HistoryQuoted: Quoted: Yeah. Pain has kept me inactive and I gained back a bit of the weight I lost. The inactivity sucks. Get the stuff ready. Stool softener and plenty of water. The meds will dry you out, which means constipation. You don't want to be grunting. Also, look at a diet that will help you go regularly. I have never had bloating issues in my entire life. I made fun of the wife and other females about bloating and them complaining. After the various meds, I was sentenced for being mean to them. |
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Posted: 1/29/2015 10:23:02 PM EDT
[#14]
Granted, I know nothing about your case, but... Don't let them operate on that.
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Posted: 1/29/2015 10:24:24 PM EDT
[#15]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
I'm very familiar with pain meds. I've had two knee surgeries, two back surgeries, gall bladder removed and collar bone resected at the shoulder joint. Then this surgery will be cake. |
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Posted: 1/29/2015 10:26:28 PM EDT
[#16]
Quote HistoryQuoted: Granted, I know nothing about your case, but... Don't let them operate on that. |
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Posted: 1/29/2015 10:27:59 PM EDT
[#17]
Quote HistoryQuoted: Why is that Doctor? Quote HistoryQuoted: Quoted: Granted, I know nothing about your case, but... Don't let them operate on that. |
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Posted: 1/29/2015 10:28:07 PM EDT
[#18]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
Granted, I know nothing about your case, but... Don't let them operate on that. How long have you been in practice, Doctor? |
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Posted: 1/29/2015 10:28:18 PM EDT
[#19]
Does this mean your throat is tighter form blow jobs?
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Posted: 1/29/2015 10:29:38 PM EDT
[#20]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
Been there, done that and have the hardware to prove it Same here...they locked down C6-7..I have 3 others herniated..gonna mess with me for life.........oh and OP..sometimes surgery doesn't help.... |
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Posted: 1/29/2015 10:32:06 PM EDT
[#21]
FInd out if the doc is planning for anterior or posterior discectomy. If anterior, with or without fusion.
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Posted: 1/29/2015 10:41:28 PM EDT
[#22]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
Then this surgery will be cake. Quote HistoryQuoted:
Quoted:
I'm very familiar with pain meds. I've had two knee surgeries, two back surgeries, gall bladder removed and collar bone resected at the shoulder joint. Then this surgery will be cake. Yep, I had two neck surgeries almost 15 years ago and back surgery 3 months ago. The back was much worse. 
Pic of my back 
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Posted: 1/29/2015 10:47:16 PM EDT
[#23]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
Yep, I had two neck surgeries almost 15 years ago and back surgery 3 months ago. The back was much worse.
Pic of my back <a href="http://s251.photobucket.com/user/jmadonia/media/side.jpg.html" target="_blank">http://i251.photobucket.com/albums/gg290/jmadonia/side.jpg</a> Quote HistoryQuoted:
Quoted:
Quoted:
I'm very familiar with pain meds. I've had two knee surgeries, two back surgeries, gall bladder removed and collar bone resected at the shoulder joint. Then this surgery will be cake. Yep, I had two neck surgeries almost 15 years ago and back surgery 3 months ago. The back was much worse.
Pic of my back <a href="http://s251.photobucket.com/user/jmadonia/media/side.jpg.html" target="_blank">http://i251.photobucket.com/albums/gg290/jmadonia/side.jpg</a> WINNER..... |
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Posted: 1/29/2015 10:49:46 PM EDT
[#24]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
Yep, I had two neck surgeries almost 15 years ago and back surgery 3 months ago. The back was much worse.
Pic of my back <a href="http://s251.photobucket.com/user/jmadonia/media/side.jpg.html" target="_blank">http://i251.photobucket.com/albums/gg290/jmadonia/side.jpg</a> Quote HistoryQuoted:
Quoted:
Quoted:
I'm very familiar with pain meds. I've had two knee surgeries, two back surgeries, gall bladder removed and collar bone resected at the shoulder joint. Then this surgery will be cake. Yep, I had two neck surgeries almost 15 years ago and back surgery 3 months ago. The back was much worse.
Pic of my back <a href="http://s251.photobucket.com/user/jmadonia/media/side.jpg.html" target="_blank">http://i251.photobucket.com/albums/gg290/jmadonia/side.jpg</a> And here I've been complaining about a fractured L5.....Good God that looks like some fucked up shit there! |
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Posted: 1/29/2015 10:54:03 PM EDT
[#25]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
Yep, I had two neck surgeries almost 15 years ago and back surgery 3 months ago. The back was much worse.
Pic of my back <a href="http://s251.photobucket.com/user/jmadonia/media/side.jpg.html" target="_blank">http://i251.photobucket.com/albums/gg290/jmadonia/side.jpg</a> Quote HistoryQuoted:
Quoted:
Quoted:
I'm very familiar with pain meds. I've had two knee surgeries, two back surgeries, gall bladder removed and collar bone resected at the shoulder joint. Then this surgery will be cake. Yep, I had two neck surgeries almost 15 years ago and back surgery 3 months ago. The back was much worse.
Pic of my back <a href="http://s251.photobucket.com/user/jmadonia/media/side.jpg.html" target="_blank">http://i251.photobucket.com/albums/gg290/jmadonia/side.jpg</a> My girlfriend's got about 3ft of titanium rod and a whole box of screws in her back. She's 24 and does Zumba and goes jogging. She hasn't let it slow her down. Every time I'm feeling a bit stiff or have some aches and pains, I just think about how much of a trooper she is. |
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Posted: 1/29/2015 10:55:43 PM EDT
[#26]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
Yep. Quote HistoryQuoted:
Quoted:
Prepare your throat. More details? |
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Posted: 1/29/2015 10:59:48 PM EDT
[#27]
Same problem here
. Took about 12 years to get bad been avoiding surgery as the doc feels I'm too young but the pain meds suck. Damned if you do damned if you don't situation from what I understand.
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Posted: 1/29/2015 11:01:53 PM EDT
[#28]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
More details? Quote HistoryQuoted:
Quoted:
Quoted:
Prepare your throat. More details? They go in from the front and push everything to the side. Not the most enjoyable experience I've been told. |
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Posted: 1/29/2015 11:02:55 PM EDT
[#29]
Please, please, please have a Neurosurgeon do the operation. There are far too many orthos out there doing these.
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Posted: 1/29/2015 11:05:43 PM EDT
[#30]
Quote HistoryQuoted: How long have you been in practice, Doctor? Quote HistoryQuoted: Quoted: Granted, I know nothing about your case, but... Don't let them operate on that. How long have you been in practice, Doctor?  Clivus is good people.... He knows what he's talking about. |
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Posted: 1/29/2015 11:06:47 PM EDT
[#31]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
Please, please, please have a Neurosurgeon do the operation. There are far too many orthos out there doing these. I would say just do some research. There are good and bad orthopedic surgeons and good and bad neurosurgeons. Make sure you find a good one. |
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Posted: 1/29/2015 11:07:39 PM EDT
[#32]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
How long have you been in practice, Doctor? Quote HistoryQuoted:
Quoted:
Granted, I know nothing about your case, but... Don't let them operate on that. How long have you been in practice, Doctor? IIRC, clivus is a neurologist. |
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Posted: 1/29/2015 11:08:19 PM EDT
[#33]
I have had two anterior discectomies with plating and fusion.
The relief was immediately noticeable as soon as I awoke. The sore throat was unpleasant. The giant collar was not comfortable. I cannot turn my head from lock to lock as I used to, but otherwise am very pleased with the outcome. |
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Posted: 1/29/2015 11:08:26 PM EDT
[#34]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
They go in from the front and push everything to the side. Not the most enjoyable experience I've been told. Quote HistoryQuoted:
Quoted:
Quoted:
Quoted:
Prepare your throat. More details? They go in from the front and push everything to the side. Not the most enjoyable experience I've been told. It's not fun for sure..pure misery.............I was on the table for just shy of 4 hours..thought I was gonna die at any minute(and praying I would) for the next 5 weeks..then it got a little more bearable over the next 3 weeks..and thats where it stopped..that was over 6 months ago..and I don't know what the future holds, but I suspect more surgeries........ |
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Posted: 1/29/2015 11:08:32 PM EDT
[#35]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
Ignorance. Quote HistoryQuoted:
Quoted:
Quoted:
Granted, I know nothing about your case, but... Don't let them operate on that. Umm... lol? ETA: neurologists... what the hell could they possibly know anyway? 
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Posted: 1/29/2015 11:09:01 PM EDT
[#36]
Quote HistoryQuoted: IIRC, clivus is a neurologist. Quote HistoryQuoted: Quoted: Quoted: Granted, I know nothing about your case, but... Don't let them operate on that. How long have you been in practice, Doctor? IIRC, clivus is a neurologist. Ding ding ding... I know this is GD, but damn people...
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Posted: 1/29/2015 11:11:29 PM EDT
[#37]
I had C5C6C7 fused pain relief was immediate. Wore rigid Cervical collar for 6 weeks and a soft neck collar for another month. Surgery done by Neuro. Been been 5 months everything seems to have worked.
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Posted: 1/29/2015 11:12:09 PM EDT
[#38]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
Ding ding ding... I know this is GD, but damn people... Quote HistoryQuoted:
Quoted:
Quoted:
Quoted:
Granted, I know nothing about your case, but... Don't let them operate on that. How long have you been in practice, Doctor? IIRC, clivus is a neurologist. Ding ding ding... I know this is GD, but damn people... Welcome to GD "I have no idea what I'm talking about, so i'll just tell everyone else that they have no idea what they're talking about to sound smarter to the rest of the internet strangers that have no idea what we are talking about." |
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Posted: 1/29/2015 11:15:02 PM EDT
[#39]
Quote HistoryQuoted: IIRC, clivus is a neurologist. Quote HistoryQuoted: Quoted: Quoted: Granted, I know nothing about your case, but... Don't let them operate on that. How long have you been in practice, Doctor? IIRC, clivus is a neurologist. You guys should petition GoatBoy for a little Caduceus icon.
 |
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Posted: 1/29/2015 11:18:08 PM EDT
[#40]
Sucks man! If you're in the Bay area lets go make brass. My MRI is set of end of March.
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Posted: 1/29/2015 11:18:50 PM EDT
[#41]
Quote HistoryQuoted: Sucks man! If you're in the Bay area lets go make brass. My MRI is set of end of March. |
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Posted: 1/29/2015 11:22:57 PM EDT
[#42]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
Can't shoot. Half my hand is numb because of this. Quote HistoryQuoted:
Quoted:
Sucks man! If you're in the Bay area lets go make brass. My MRI is set of end of March. Huh. I got nothing man. Best of luck, get the docs to fix you up proper! |
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Posted: 1/29/2015 11:38:25 PM EDT
[#43]
Bad photo of my neck. Yes, it hurts.
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Posted: 1/29/2015 11:38:33 PM EDT
[#44]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
Can't shoot. Half my hand is numb because of this. Quote HistoryQuoted:
Quoted:
Sucks man! If you're in the Bay area lets go make brass. My MRI is set of end of March. Sorry to hear of this brother.
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Posted: 1/30/2015 12:31:48 AM EDT
[#45]
To further elaborate, I am anti surgery in most cases. I admit my bias as I see the patients that these butchers have butchered. The surgeon does the surgery and you come out no better or god forbid, worse. The surgeon scratches his head and says, wow I can't understand why you aren't better. Then he punts your case to pain or neurology and rides off in the sunset.
I'm far more tolerant of neck surgery. The outcomes seem to be much better, but I still wouldn't let them fuse C5-6. They could operate on C6-7 but I would go minimally invasive first (cervical epidural etc) and forgo the fusion if at all possible. Even then I would prefer a discectomy before any hardware. As for symptoms, I wouldn't let them operate unless your symptoms and hopefully EMG synched up with the C7 root. I do not believe you are myelopathic from that lesion (stiff gait, poor bladder control, hyperactive reflexes, Babinski responses) but myelopathy is a clinical diagnosis not a radiographic one. I don't see any cord signal change indicating frank damage to the cord but it's only one image. If you are myelopathic or there is cord signal change, have the surgery. Your scan looks bad but I'd bet there is CSF present behind the cord on the axial images. It's pinched and displaced but that not displaced. I agree with the general idea that neurosurgery>orthopaedics when it comes to spine. However I see butchers of all fields. For all the posters that are encouraging you to have the surgery, how many of you are on chronic opiates? How many are fucked up for the rest of their life? would you be more or less fucked up if you hadn't had the surgery? And lastly, to answer your question I'm a board certified neurologist and I hung the MD off my name 10 years ago. |
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Posted: 1/30/2015 12:44:00 AM EDT
[#46]
Quote HistoryQuoted: To further elaborate, I am anti surgery in most cases. I admit my bias as I see the patients that these butchers have butchered. The surgeon does the surgery and you come out no better or god forbid, worse. The surgeon scratches his head and says, wow I can't understand why you aren't better. Then he punts your case to pain or neurology and rides off in the sunset. I'm far more tolerant of neck surgery. The outcomes seem to be much better, but I still wouldn't let them fuse C5-6. They could operate on C6-7 but I would go minimally invasive first (cervical epidural etc) and forgo the fusion if at all possible. Even then I would prefer a discectomy before any hardware. As for symptoms, I wouldn't let them operate unless your symptoms and hopefully EMG synched up with the C7 root. I do not believe you are myelopathic from that lesion (stiff gait, poor bladder control, hyperactive reflexes, Babinski responses) but myelopathy is a clinical diagnosis not a radiographic one. I don't see any cord signal change indicating frank damage to the cord but it's only one image. If you are myelopathic or there is cord signal change, have the surgery. Your scan looks bad but I'd bet there is CSF present behind the cord on the axial images. It's pinched and displaced but that not displaced. I agree with the general idea that neurosurgery>orthopaedics when it comes to spine. However I see butchers of all fields. For all the posters that are encouraging you to have the surgery, how many of you are on chronic opiates? How many are fucked up for the rest of their life? would you be more or less fucked up if you hadn't had the surgery? And lastly, to answer your question I'm a board certified neurologist and I hung the MD off my name 10 years ago. I have a referral to neuro, just waiting for it to clear my insurance.
Here is what the doc summarized in the MRI report:
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Posted: 1/30/2015 12:45:34 AM EDT
[#47]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
For all the posters that are encouraging you to have the surgery, how many of you are on chronic opiates? How many are fucked up for the rest of their life? would you be more or less fucked up if you hadn't had the surgery? And lastly, to answer your question I'm a board certified neurologist and I hung the MD off my name 10 years ago. I wouldn't encourage anyone to have surgery, unless it was necessary. I went through 8 doctors before I found one I would trust. Most were pro-cutting and this doctor was all about doing everything else first (he was one of the 2 neuros I went to, as the rest were orthos). Sure, it cost me a bunch of extra money. In the end, he was the only one that noticed I had a chunk of disc blow out at a much lower level C7-T1. It attached to the nerve bundle and was being compressed through movement. He viewed every case as a challenge and nothing was routine. I went through 12 different epidurals. I had the pill pushers, the ignorant pain docs that ignored the doctor's testing requests, and so on. It was surprising to see how some pain centers would blatantly ignore that we were looking for the source of pain and not treating it. In the end, I am in pain every day. I am 80% better than what I was pre-op though. I just wish I found the right doc sooner. |
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Posted: 1/30/2015 12:52:45 AM EDT
[#48]
I have avoided surgery (so far) with physical therapy. C5-6 bulge (to the outside) in my case. Huge amounts of pain on my right side. Took me out of work for a few weeks.
PT docs had me do Mckenzie excersizes and prescribed gabapentin (nuerontin) for the pain. The gaba worked great for me. Much better than the Percocet and such. For me, it was a wonder drug. I still have a little residual numbness on the inside on my finger, and have to avoid hunching my neck. ETA: ortho doc wanted surgery. However he sent me to a pain management doc that knew his stuff and got me on a shot of cordisone and the gaba and knew the correct PT guys to send me to. Since then, I've been over a year now with no meds or anything else. Just need to keep up with the excersizes and stretches. |
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Posted: 1/30/2015 12:53:01 AM EDT
[#49]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
To further elaborate, I am anti surgery in most cases. I admit my bias as I see the patients that these butchers have butchered. The surgeon does the surgery and you come out no better or god forbid, worse. The surgeon scratches his head and says, wow I can't understand why you aren't better. Then he punts your case to pain or neurology and rides off in the sunset. I'm far more tolerant of neck surgery. The outcomes seem to be much better, but I still wouldn't let them fuse C5-6. They could operate on C6-7 but I would go minimally invasive first (cervical epidural etc) and forgo the fusion if at all possible. Even then I would prefer a discectomy before any hardware. As for symptoms, I wouldn't let them operate unless your symptoms and hopefully EMG synched up with the C7 root. I do not believe you are myelopathic from that lesion (stiff gait, poor bladder control, hyperactive reflexes, Babinski responses) but myelopathy is a clinical diagnosis not a radiographic one. I don't see any cord signal change indicating frank damage to the cord but it's only one image. If you are myelopathic or there is cord signal change, have the surgery. Your scan looks bad but I'd bet there is CSF present behind the cord on the axial images. It's pinched and displaced but that not displaced. I agree with the general idea that neurosurgery>orthopaedics when it comes to spine. However I see butchers of all fields. For all the posters that are encouraging you to have the surgery, how many of you are on chronic opiates? How many are fucked up for the rest of their life? would you be more or less fucked up if you hadn't had the surgery? And lastly, to answer your question I'm a board certified neurologist and I hung the MD off my name 10 years ago. That should have been your first post. Posted Via AR15.Com Mobile |
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Posted: 1/30/2015 1:21:02 AM EDT
[#50]
Not a doctor, but spine surgery is iffy at best. I would exhaust all the other possibilities first. I have watched my wife go through a cervical foraminotomy (did not relieve any symptoms,) and then a fusion. Still has daily pain and paralyzed vocal chords to boot. Her pain is much better, but has not been pain free since before surgery. We both work in healthcare, she had the best neuro in town from the start. It is a crap shoot with no sure solution unfortunately. I wish you the best.
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