I just got the great news that my fusion has taken very well and the C5/C6 area is now one bone! My Operation was only a little over 2 months ago.
11) NO PAIN AT THIS TIME.
I wish everybody luck and hope their surgery is a success like mine. To think I can ski and ride my Harley again.... off to the sunset.
Last edited by NYD; 10-24-2006 at 06:07 PM.
I had numbing in my feet. Not a lot of pain.... but numbing. To be honest I don't recall what the NS said about the numbing feet???? My only area that was fused was C5/C6. Full blown cord compression. I think I'm very lucky not to have more lingering issues. I realize that this is still early in game, but at this point I feel great. I have some sore spots in my neck muscles after PT, but I get no Arm pain and no feet numbimg.
While a very serious surgery, I can't believe how quick the recovery was. I don't want to give anyone false hope, but I'm the other side of the coin that rarely get's talked about online. It's unfortunate but most internet sites only have negative feedback. I glad to state that there is some success as well!
I will continue to take it easy for another 6-12 months and then get on with my skiing, skating, tae kwon do and riding my Harley. A funny story. Prior to my surgery I had my 1989 FL 80 Harley chromed and painted. I had the gas drained and brought the bike into our living room. I used the bike and riding again, as motivation to get better and carry on with things i love.
I wish you and eveyone else the best of luck.
NYD - great news on the fusion and glad to hear you're feeling so good.
Quilter58 - I had numbness/tingling in my lower shin and ankle. My ortho told me that the leg numbness was not related to the neck problems, but funny how the leg stuff ALWAYS happened at the same time as similar arm numbness and tingling. Too much of a coincidence for me.
There are, of course, many other conditions that can bring about leg/foot pain or numbness, but I wouldn't completely rule out a relation to your cervical issues.
Congrat NYD on the great news! I had numbness/tingleing in my feet,legs, arms and occasionally face. It was that kind of falling asleep feeling. My legs would actually fall asleep within a minute of crossing them. I was told by a NS that the leg/foot feelings were not related to my c6-c7 spinal compression. Three weeks ago I had my disc replaced with an artificial one. Tingling is all gone. I actually took a nap the other day with my legs crossed and bent. When I woke an hour later, there was no tingling still! Besides the obvious neck stiffness, the only other problem I am having is a click/pop when I swallow along with some acid reflux. I'm going to call the NS tomorrow and talk to him about it.
I believe I am one of his first five. Therefore, I am part of a study. A "lab-rat" so to speak. His facility is one of twenty across the states doing this for Globus Medical. Kind of scarey, but I think I will be better off in the long run. I did a little research and found that they have been doing it for years overseas with great success. It's just a matter of red tape over here. We shall see.
I'd be intersted to what exersises PT have you doing?
I didn't drive for 7 weeks. It's not until I could wear the soft collar for a part of the day that I tried driving. I had no hardware so I was in the hard collar most of the time. You cannot drive with it on. You can't turn you head at all. I stayed out of the car as much as possible. If something traumatic was to happen, the car would be the place. The thought of getting in an accident with a bone, that close to my spinal cord.. was enough for me to jst take it easy. You could go Xmas shopping. Not a whole bunch...but some.
If you have to get it done, do it ASAP. There is never a good time. It's very easy to find reasons not to. I put mine off for a year. I didn't need to suffer that extra time. Having a serious operation hanging over you, being pain ect..
The people that love you will step up and help.
Last edited by NYD; 11-03-2006 at 10:20 AM.