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Posterior Cervical Fusion W/ Foraminotomy 5 Months Post Op

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Posted 12/17/2019 5:53 PM (GMT -7)
Hi, I’m new

Quick History

ACDF 2003 C5/6
ACDF 2018 C4/5 - Failed
PCF 2019 C4/T1

I’m 5 months post op and doing pretty well but I would like to hear from others who have been through similar mainly posterior approach. i found the posterior surgery extremely painful, my surgeon was very upfront about the pain.

I wore a hard collar for 6 weeks and was on opioids for 6 weeks as well, I had 4 days of withdrawals coming off the oxycodone. After 5 months my nerve pain in my hands is gone but I still have residual numbness in my hands mostly the right thumb.

My back and shoulders still hurt quite a bit, my arms and hands a very weak and I get exhausted after a few hrs of activity. As I sit here and write this post i’m fairly comfortable but when I go to get up from the chair I can barely do it because my body hurts so much.

Everything seems to relax when I go to bed, no problem sleeping and when I wake up I feel great. But, by the end of the day I feel like i’m 90 yrs old.. I’m almost 63 yrs old and prior to this last surgery the only discomfort I suffered with was hand pain.

I’ll send my 6 month x-ray to my Doctor in Manhattan next month in January , I live in Florida I did develop positional vertigo after surgery but resolved that recently w/ PT. So anyway, from what i’ve read my recovery seems pretty much normal, what say all of you kind folks?

I’d love to hear from others and what it’s been like for you!

Thanks - Rob
Posted 12/18/2019 7:04 AM (GMT -7)
Hi Rob & welcome to the forum. Another mod here, WhiteBeard had posterior surgery, hopefully he will see your post & comment. I remember his surgery & yes, it was a brutal one. It's like comparing apples to oranges when talking anterior versus posterior surgery.

From what I am remembering from his surgery, the 6th month mark he began to make some progress. I know when he was pushing through he kept thinking it's the end results with a successful result that is the most important.

It sounds like you are on the right track, keep up the great work. Healing from this surgery can sometimes feel like a long slog, but you will get there.

Please keep checking back. Take care.
Posted 12/18/2019 9:10 AM (GMT -7)
Thank you Susie!
Posted 12/19/2019 12:41 AM (GMT -7)
Hi Rob Welcome to the Forum!! Yes! that posterior approach is a rough surgery!!!! I had 2 ACDF's (first one C6/7 in March1985 and the 2nd one C5/6 in September 2009) done prior to having the posterior articular joint fusion done at C3/4 November 2010. By the way I was 59 when I had that done. With that surgery they put in rods and pins on both sides. That definitely made the ACDF's seem like a walk in the park! It took many many months and physical therapy to get back to any resemblance of being normal and no pain! The surgery did immediately relief the pain I was experiencing prior, in my upper neck and lower part of the back of my head. ( and that was the main goal of having the surgery) But it took a very long time to recover from that surgery! My neurosurgeon told me in advance that the surgery (from his stand point) was pretty straight forward and relatively easy but for me as the patient it would be a very painful and difficult recovery !! He wasn't wrong about that! But I never regretted having it done! And it was definitely worth it in the end!

Rob, your still in the healing phase, and will be for some time yet! So please be patient with yourself, and although this might sound a bit "" corny "" but be gentle with yourself and don't over do it, or do anything that might injure or in any way strain or compromise your surgery. I can definitely relate to what your going through! I wish you well! And Good Luck to you!

White Beard
Posted 12/19/2019 12:55 PM (GMT -7)
Thanks WB

Wow the pain, when I woke up in recovery the pain was unbearable I remember demanding pain medicine and they obliged. My first three weeks were the most difficult, at 6 weeks I learned from the doctor that a full recovery was months away.

I never realized how much we depend on the nerves in our bodies, it took almost 3 month before I had fairly good use of my hands. I’ve always been a hardworking pretty strong guy, being so weakened by the surgery has been difficult to say the least.

The hard part is chilling out for so long, i’m used to being able bodied and active. I spend winters in Florida so I will take your advice and relax...Thanks for touching base man, I appreciate it!

Rob
Posted 12/19/2019 2:04 PM (GMT -7)
Hi all,

I have been away for awhile but wanted to come back and say hello. I agree the posterior approach is worse pain wise and recovery time. I however wonder in the long run if it makes any difference. I had a two level fusion three years ago but after six month my neck and upper back started hurting again. Now I need another fusion above my already fused area. The surgeon has a new device which allows adding fusions to already fused areas.

I was not one of the lucky one getting relief with my first surgery. Now I wish the dr had just fused four levels and been done with it. I also have osteoporosis and wonder how much that has to do with it all.

I wish you a speedy recovery RV Hauler. I totally get feeling like a ninety year old person. I hate pain.

dmo
Posted 12/19/2019 4:43 PM (GMT -7)
Thank you!
Posted 12/21/2019 2:45 AM (GMT -7)
One of the things they usually don't mention about having fusions done, (and my one neurosurgeon told me this just before doing my second ACDF ) that it's pretty common for the disc either above or below the fused area to go bad within 10 years of that fusion. He said I was lucky I went 25 years before the disc above went bad and I had to have the C5/6 ACDF.!!! Now I'm just hoping that the disc at C4/5 will hold out forever, as the C3/4 posterior fusion was done, going on ten years ago and C5/6 and C6/7 are also both fused! . Even after all these years I still have some problems, I can still only sleep in a semi reclining position ( I have an adjustable bed so I can sleep in a bed instead of the many many many years I slept in my recliner! ) Anyway when ever I try sleeping on my side ( with the bed completely flat or slightly reclined or any other position) within 15 minutes both hands and forearms go numb and start burning like crazy! I guess it's just something you learn to adjust to and put up with over the years!

RV Hauler did you have any swallowing or choking or gagging problems after your ACDF's? I lost my voice for over 3 months after my first ACDF at C6/7 in 1985 and had and still do have swallowing problems but the voice came back. Found out in 2009 when I had my second ACDF at C5/6 that my vocal cords on my right side was still partially paralyzed due to nerve damage from my first fusion 25 years earlier.! Which according to the ENT doc explains the swallowing problems!

I understand what your talking about! It's hard to do nothing and just relax for long periods of time when your used to doing stuff and being active all the time!! But it doesn't take to many times of over doing it and then ""paying the piper"" afterwards that giving in to a more easy life style is the better way to go!! Even if it is only temporary!! LOL

RV Hauler Enjoy that winter Florida sunshine and heal and recover! Good Luck to YOU!

White Beard
Posted 12/21/2019 4:18 PM (GMT -7)
WB

First ACDF went fine only a sore throat for a week, the second last year I barely had a sore throat but the fusion failed. My hand pain was misdiagnosed in Florida and I wound up having three unnecessary trigger finger releases UGH.

Back in CT I had an MRI last march and was diagnosed with a crushed C8 nerve root at C7/T1 that was on top of the failure at C5/C6. The first surgeon I saw showed little confidence in the posterior approach which he first suggested and did not do that method routinely so I passed on his services.

I found a cervical spine specialist at NewYork-Presbyterian Och Spine Hospital in Manhattan, this doctor does nothing but cervical spine work and has a stellar resume so I chose him. Though I still hurt in many ways its more muscle or arthritic type pain not the severe nerve pain we all know so well!

I started sleeping flat with my collar on day 3 at home after surgery, I'm very fortunate I suppose that that's not a problem for me. However, just sitting here looking down while typing makes my neck pretty sore. If I fall asleep in the recliner and my head tilts one way or the other my arms and hands will go numb and hurt or, if my arms and hands get cold at night when I'm in bed they will get real stiff and hurt especially my hands.

I try to avoid taking anti - inflammatories like Advil so not to slow down the fusion process which as you know is pro inflammatory. That kinda sucks because Advil is my pain medicine of choice, Tylenol does nothing for me at all. I'll be happy when my hands work again, I'm a guitar slinger and I miss playing!! I appreciate the chit chats its helpful to speak to others who have been there!!!

Best Regards

Rob
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