Has Anyone had some vertebrae fused?

[Rowe]

I've been incapacitated for the past week with severe muscle spasms of my entire left back, neck and left arm. I have a nerve impingement at the c4 c5 vertebrae. I went to a neurosurgeon 3 years ago, had an MRI. Basically he told me I ruptured a disk at some point in time and now the scar tissue on the disc is rubbing against the vertebrae causing spurs on the vertebrae and between the disc scar tissue and the vertebrae spurs the nerves are getting squished causing constant pain and muscle spasms. I've been in constant pain for over 10 years but barely being able to move is new.

I was told the only solution was to go under the knife. Get cut in the front of the neck dig through to the vertebrae carve out some bone fill the hole with hip, rib or cadaver bone and then fuse c4 and c5 together. He said it will limit range of motion, but then again I was evaluated with about 65% range of motion of my neck anyways.

I am curious if anyone has had similar surgery and if so what was the recuperation time and did it really work? I can live with the pain but I am worried about range of motion when it comes to driving and I do still try to work out when I can.

[Guyverarmor]

I myself have never dealt with this, but I know my father has. He went into the Marine Corp with a broken back ( in the 80's, medical exam to get in wasn't really a lot to be dealt with). Over time, 26 years later his back barely healed ( three of his verta look like broken china pieced back together). His back kills him everyday,etc.

He went to his doctor, and the doctor did offer the fusion, but had a possibility of paralyzing him in the surgery ( any surgery close to the spinal cord or on the spinal column is always dangerous)

Really what comes down to it is either getting the surgery , and pain really go away, but chance of being paralyzed. Or, go the route my dad has gone and basically get pain meds for his back everyday. Your choice. I hope everything goes well for you though

[Rowe]

yeah the past week I had to get muscle relaxants and pain killers so I could get out of bed and walk around, and even then I couldn't stand up straight or turn my head to either side.

I hear varying reports on recuperation, some people say 2-3 weeks some say 6-8 weeks. That's what has me worried.

[Kuya]

Have you tried praying to several gods?

[Pirian]

My c2 and c3 are fused, but it's never caused me any trouble so can't really help you out Mine didn't fuse from a traumatic accident though, they fused together when I was a baby for some reason. Didn't find out they were fused until my mother took x-rays when I had a bad fall skateboarding in my teens, so needless to say it has never hindered me.

[sephir]

ask your doctor about the risks of the surgery. It will likely increase your quality of life, however, it will come at some risks. Honestly if it is as bad as you are saying I would have the surgery.

[Meresgi]

My mother had the surgery done a few years ago, as a result of it she has 2 other herniated discs now on her upper and lower back,and will have to have the surgery again. She's panicked because she said it was horrible, though she does have a tendancy to worry a lot, but from what she's told me there is a risk of being completely paralyzed for life if something goes wrong. Make sure to ask your neurosurgeon about the implications of additional discs being herniated down the road, because it can happen to you like my mother.

[Rowe]

I did talk to the doctor when he looked at my MRIs three years ago. He said he could do the surgery then, that he had done it on people with less pronounced spur/abnormality on their vertebrae but that he was amazed my left arm had the strength in it did and seemed to be as strong as my right arm.

He said any surgery has risks so, seeing that I am young and can tolerate the pain I should wait until the symptoms are unbearable, the position of the impingement creates pain in my left arm and chest. I was already having those 3 years ago.

Guess I just don't like the fact my body can't heal itself in this regard. I've never had any surgery other than wisdom teeth yanked in a hospital. I was hoping I could wait long enough for technology to progress past the point of fusing the vertebrae with titanium pins.

[Mizango]

Have you tried praying to several gods?

lol

[Mizango]

My mother in law had this surgery 13 months ago and had the same scar tissue problems. She is much better now but still can not lift anything over 50 lbs give or take, then again that could be because she weighs 130 lbs herself.

She stayed with us during recovery which turned out to be about a 3 month process give or take. Walking and getting in and out of the bed/couch were the biggest issues faced, even a month after having it done. Feel free to ask me here or in pm if you need something more detailed. Hope that helps and good luck with everything man.

[Rowe]

thanks for the feed back.

one good thing my Mom works at my primary care physician's practice so I had her look up my report from the neurosurgeon 3 years ago. I have the budging disc and Stenosis (the bone thickening around the nerve canal) so yeah the surgery is pretty risky. Getting a new visit scheduled, guess I'll see soon.

A bit of advice don't teach Judo/Jujitsu to someone who out weighs you buy more than 60lbs., be careful lifting weights and try not to get rear-ended twice within a 3 year period.

[kuronosan]

I fuse my girlfriend's vertebrae all the time, if you know what I mean.

Fused vertebrae suck. Speedy recovery, please and good luck. Surgery is never fun.