double cervical disc replacement - any ideas about post op nerve pain?

[kirsty]

Hi all,

I have read many of your posts on distraction pain and was wondering if anyone had experienced it post cervical op.

My pains have shifted to the opposite arm. I am not sure if it is coming back to life or if I should be worried. I am doing well - after only 12 days and am still taking it as easy as i can. I am feeling good and am in so much less pain than before it is incredible - felt like i would have a heart attack!!

I read some blogs online and am amazed that folk are back doing many things so soon. I am still sleeping in a soft collar and feel much better doing so. Sleeping has always been the issue as i tend to cut off the hand and arm during the night. Never a restful sleep.

would love to hear from those who have experience of the op - my levels are C56 and C67 with severe stenosis of the nerve.

thanks and hello from Phuket, Thailand.

kirsty

[trkdoc714]

Kirsty,

Distraction pain is to be expected with disc replacement, both cervical and lumbar. Most patients see a dramatic easing once the surgical swelling abates and over the following months, it decreases gradually.

Congratulations on getting to the other side of the pain. I hope your recovery goes well and is uneventful. Do what your surgeon tells you to do. A lot of patients have a tendancy of doing more than they should due to the reduced levels of pain after surgery.

Welcome to SPS!

Bob

[Cindylou]

Kirsty,

Distraction pain is to be expected with disc replacement, both cervical and lumbar. Most patients see a dramatic easing once the surgical swelling abates and over the following months, it decreases gradually.

Congratulations on getting to the other side of the pain. I hope your recovery goes well and is uneventful. Do what your surgeon tells you to do.A lot of patients have a tendancy of doing more than they should due to the reduced levels of pain after surgery.

Welcome to SPS!

Bob

Welcome Kirsty,

Bob really covered the most important things, especially what I bolded. Cervical adr recovery tends to move along a fair amount more quickly than lumbar, but that said, it is still a very invasive, major surgery, so be kind to your body and listen to it. Mostly, I just wanted to welcome you and say how happy I am for you that you are already experiencing such good levels of pain reduction. Cindylou

[jss]

Kirsty,

Congratulations on getting the surgery done! Fourteen years is a LONG time to live with that problem. And twelve days is a very very short time after surgery to be concerned about other issues. If you are lucky this will take several weeks to heal. So please try not to be too concerned until you get two or three months out. I know that it has to be terribly distressing that you're having symptoms in your opposite arm now, but try not to worry about it just yet. Your doctor was sawing on your bones and operating suctioning equipment in the immediate vicinity of the nerves to your opposite arm. While it would be ideal that you don't have symptoms there, it should be no real big surprise that you do. Nerves do not like being physically manipulated, and they will routinely complain for days, weeks and even months if they are disturbed. You may or may not have a new problem; but it is not abnormal to have these kinds of recovery issues.

While I had severe post-op pain for several hours after my double ADR, I still felt better than I did when they put me out. Before surgery I was in constant debilitating pain. After surgery all pre-surgical pain was gone. All new pain was due to the surgery. On doctor's orders I wore the soft collar for seven days after surgery, but didn't sleep in it. The only pre-surgical problems that have persisted are that my left hand is still mostly numb.

Everyone heals differently, so don't be alarmed that you are not recovering as fast as someone else. (be disappointed, but not alarmed) From your handle I am guessing that you are a woman? I have observed that women tend to have more difficult recoveries than men. I don't think anyone knows why.

Good luck, Jeff

[kirsty]

Thanks to everyone for answering. It is making it clearer and i think I have to be more patient. Unfortunately the nerve pain seems to be everywhere down my shoulders and my arms/hands, Typing and any minor motor controls in my hand (esp left) is really painful. Used to be the right that was painful but the left had the more seriously trapped nerve. Not to the extent of the pre op pain -- but no where near as good as immediately post op. It was amazing that when I came round the pains had lifted.
3 weeks in now and sleep is the time the pain is worst. Am always better when moving or walking.

thanks for the lovely welcome.
Kirsty

[kirsty]

i would really appreciate any help regarding post op - 9 months down the line..............it seems quite hard if you want to touch a mouse - unfortunate if that is your job!!! but it hurts!!

[jss]

Kirsty,

You are still having the post-op problems that you detailed back in April? That is not normal; you should be well on your way to a completed recovery by now. I do know of one double cervical ADR patient (female) that had a very problematic recovery, but did recover after 10 months. Has this been evaluated by your surgeon? Or another spine doctor?

Are you in Thailand? Or did you travel to Thailand for surgery?

Jeff