all cervical people your opinion please!!!!!

[tweety00]

Bad boy yes I agree pt isneeded first ...this doctor gave pt even before he had seen the new mri...of neck ... Yes ivebeen doing my research looking for alternatives ...knowing that surgery you cant undo it

[Bad Boy Bad Boy]

Tweety, it's better knowing what is wrong, then going for years of not knowing. I know how it feels at first to get the word first hand. But trust me, it's better to know, and move forward, staying positive. If you fall, we will pick you back up.

I had to go through what you said about the surgery issue and damage 2 or 3 times. I remember the last time, driving home with tears in my eyes. Yes, it wasn't easy. I know, but that was when I first had to have the plate and screws replaced from the front, wait till it healed, do PT, and then go back in, remove the plate again, sew that up, flip me over, having 2 neurosurgeons work on me, shave the back of my head, cut me from half way up my skull, to half way down my back, to have the rods and screws placed in me from C3 to T1, 6 level fusion, with a demanded Implanted Stimulator, that then had to be removed 1 year later. Went through PT for years, and 3 or 4 old fashion FCE's till I paid for the Computer Operated one. The worst part of the last fusion, was knowing I then only had a 20 % chance of living. That was rough tweety. I would have the one your having a thousand times over what mine was like, both mentally and such. Trust me, even if your's failed, just being the one disc, it can be repaired. Where if mine fails now, I don't know the results, other than it won't be good.

[tpm]

tweety00 Wrote:cervical fusion thanks for all of your insite ..... Do you still have neck pain and arm pain ..

See I don't have pain (major) i just have tingling thats worse laying down .... neck feels like i have this huge pile on the back of neck feels like I have this muscle spasms going on ........... legs that tingle and burn when i lay an either side ...So im scared to make it worse not better!

Well if it makes you feel any better I believe you will have a higher success rate of ridding the tingling with surgery. I had and unfortunately still have a very bad weighting feeling on my neck. The pain changed somewhat with the surgery but it is still very intense. My tingling in my fingers hasn't come back .
Good luck to you and I honestly believe surgery has more pluses (+) then negatives (-)

Edit: Wave out to you MJC

[tweety00]

TPM thanks for all your information..... so are you still a vollie too ? do you go for the meeting yet ? I so miss going on calls but my chief says that he understood and I dont think he wants this becoming a problem for the dept ..Yes I do have arms fingers and legs all involved ..... I thought the biggest problem was inthe lumber area so I was shocked when dr says "lets start in the neck first "

[tweety00]

Bad boy yes you are so right Look this in the eyes and get it done .... well at this time it wont be before july from his scheudule .I just wonder what w/c could try anything to stop this or hinder it (employer ) I see that happening in the future.

[Bad Boy Bad Boy]

Tweety, I too have L1 and L2 Lumbar problems, I also have TOS, top rib movement, pinching a nerve when it moves. I have a damged C8 nerve, never to heal. Tingle and wierd stuff in right hand. Pain, sure I have pain, all depends on the day, and what part of the body will hurt me that day is all. Sorry, but I'm trapped in all 3 locations of body pain, Knees, Lumbar, cervical TOS Top Rib. What can I say, other than I look forward to the next morning waking up is all. never knowing what the day will be like, so it's fine. I walk, I talk, I look normal to people, they can't see my pain, so life is ok that way. people will never understand anyway, for if that can't feel it, they will never know...

[tpm]

tweety00 Wrote:so are you still a vollie too ?

Yes Tweety I am. Hoping to get back into it by the summer, it's been 2 years come May. I doubt I will be able to go back as an "interior" fireman but being 51 years old it is almost time anyways.
My son just joined so I'll be able to watch him do the things I can't. I'm the dep't driver trainer so I'm driving and pumping most of the time anyway.

[Cervical_Fusion]

Tweety I still have pain across the shoulders and down over the shoulders and in to the arms. I still have ocassional spinal headaches to. When they did my c5-c6 surgery with hardware.. they also took off a couple bone spurs on other disc and widen the area for some of the nerves. and like the other poster said about the over the door traction unit. I to have one of them and right now I am having traction done 3 times a week in the dr's office. Friday will be my last visit this round. After today thearpy treatment the pain was better and I was holding my shoulders back better. then went to work and the pain went from my shoulders and move down to my tail bone area. and shooting sharp pains were shooting up my lower back and then they moved agian this evening to going across my lower lumbar area.. and 3 hours later they moved to up around the L1-L2 area. but i also need a 4 level fusion from the L3, L4, L5, and S1 area. which the surgeon want do. So my next move is a spianl cord stimulator as they say i will be worse after the surgrey if i were to hvae this one... and another thing I have an issues with is arm extension, so i try not to extend them out too much. like with driving i use the lower part of the steering wheel and at work I try my best not to lift over my shoulders as he has me on a 15 lb weight lifting. and I was given a 25% Permenant Whole body rating by the state dr's on my neck. even after 4 from the surgrey I still have my issues with it, as all of can tell you it affects each and every one differently. But I have been through numerous therapy treatments and still getting them, but each time I get a set approved by WC I do get some improvements from them. Good Luck with our decision. I have decided on my lumbar that I will not let them cut me and fuse me as One Dr told me it would be like some one shoved and Iron pipe up my but, and that is waht i would feel like after the surgrey so god knows i don't want to feel that way. so my choice will be try the spinal cord stimulator for the lumbar area, My POR told me I have been approved to see Pain Management Dr's by WC to see if I would be a canadiate for it, just waiting on those Pain Mgnt dr's to call and schedule my appointment, been waiiting for close to 2 weeks now. guess they are not in any hurry to help me. will have por's office call them this friday after i go for my last therapy appt. this time.
Good Luck

[chrischris]

Hi Tweety, I hope you now get the surgery you need and that others that have had this surgery have been an encouragement to you.

I have cervical herniations (3 levels) as part of my injury, but for now, surgery is not an option with the RSD. All I've done for spine is PT and Epidural Injection. Maybe surgery someday later if things ever calm down.

Is there any chance your employer will eventually pick this up as WC Injury? Do you have a lawyer or anyone helping you with legal issues?

Take care and keep us posted on what's going on. ok?

[MJC]

Tpm,
Thanks for the wave....sending one back to you right now. Hope you are feeling better. You may want to start another thread but I would like to know how your PT is coming along. Please update me. Take care, friend.
Cajun Hugsssssssss,
MJC