Posts
5916
Joined
4/29/2008
Location
Virginia Beach, VA
US
Edited Date/Time
5/22/2018 7:44pm
Had a C5-C6 right side cervical microdiscectomy yesterday. Got to the hospital at 1:00, wheeled into OR at 3:45 and discharged at 6:30 the same day.
The whole thing started 7 weeks ago... I'm still not sure what caused the injury which no one understands due to the severity of the ruptured disc. The first week I went to the Chiropractor for about 10 visits over 4 weeks with little or no help. Finally went to my doctor and she ordered a prednisone pack (5 day quick taper steroid) and an MRI. Lucky for me I'm friends with a Radiologist that has his own business and got a call an hour after I had it done. He's laughing telling me how pretty my neck looks and I'm a big faker. He keeps this up for minute or so then says uh-oh, wait a second, I see something here.... Then he gets serious and tells me to call the doc and get a referral to a neurosurgeon he recommends. So I get an appointment which is 3 WEEKS LATER - CRAPOLA MAN! My wife calls the neuro's office last week and asked if there's anyway to get me in earlier and low and behold they call back and tell me the doctor can see me Friday, that's last Friday. I go to the doc and we look at the MRI films together and he's like oh yeah, you're freaking hurting, huh? Yes sir and since me and narcotics don't get along I've been on a diet of motrin, ibuprofen, and tylenol. Anyway, he starts talking about all the options.. Injections would give a little relief but it'd still be there and require something more and all the while the nerve is suffering more and more damage. Then he starts talking about a fusion and that was very depressing. Then he brings up Minimally Invasive Spine Surgery which I had never heard of and it sounded almost too good to be true. I told him sign me up and then he says June is all booked up maybe the first week in July we can get to it. I guess the look on my face and tears welling up in my eyes struck a nerve in him because I can tell he's thinking and then he says I tell you what, how about next Tuesday at 3:00. Wooo Hooo I'm in. My original 1st appointment with the neuro was supposed to be today.
Here's a good video of the surgery. Watch the first minute or so then fast forward to 4:20 for a good look at what it's all about.
https://youtu.be/8wK--N7nKVE
It's truly amazing how good I already feel! My index finger and thumb were totally numb but not anymore. And the pain in my right arm was so bad I sometimes would have been ok with it being sawed off. Very little pain in my arm and it should get better as the nerve heals. Little bit of pain where they went through the muscle and they had to put my head in frame and bolt me in so there's a little pain where the screws were but altogether I'm just amazed at how well I feel already. Back to work on Monday.... Fusion would have been weeks and I've heard so many horror stories about them.
The whole thing started 7 weeks ago... I'm still not sure what caused the injury which no one understands due to the severity of the ruptured disc. The first week I went to the Chiropractor for about 10 visits over 4 weeks with little or no help. Finally went to my doctor and she ordered a prednisone pack (5 day quick taper steroid) and an MRI. Lucky for me I'm friends with a Radiologist that has his own business and got a call an hour after I had it done. He's laughing telling me how pretty my neck looks and I'm a big faker. He keeps this up for minute or so then says uh-oh, wait a second, I see something here.... Then he gets serious and tells me to call the doc and get a referral to a neurosurgeon he recommends. So I get an appointment which is 3 WEEKS LATER - CRAPOLA MAN! My wife calls the neuro's office last week and asked if there's anyway to get me in earlier and low and behold they call back and tell me the doctor can see me Friday, that's last Friday. I go to the doc and we look at the MRI films together and he's like oh yeah, you're freaking hurting, huh? Yes sir and since me and narcotics don't get along I've been on a diet of motrin, ibuprofen, and tylenol. Anyway, he starts talking about all the options.. Injections would give a little relief but it'd still be there and require something more and all the while the nerve is suffering more and more damage. Then he starts talking about a fusion and that was very depressing. Then he brings up Minimally Invasive Spine Surgery which I had never heard of and it sounded almost too good to be true. I told him sign me up and then he says June is all booked up maybe the first week in July we can get to it. I guess the look on my face and tears welling up in my eyes struck a nerve in him because I can tell he's thinking and then he says I tell you what, how about next Tuesday at 3:00. Wooo Hooo I'm in. My original 1st appointment with the neuro was supposed to be today.
Here's a good video of the surgery. Watch the first minute or so then fast forward to 4:20 for a good look at what it's all about.
https://youtu.be/8wK--N7nKVE
It's truly amazing how good I already feel! My index finger and thumb were totally numb but not anymore. And the pain in my right arm was so bad I sometimes would have been ok with it being sawed off. Very little pain in my arm and it should get better as the nerve heals. Little bit of pain where they went through the muscle and they had to put my head in frame and bolt me in so there's a little pain where the screws were but altogether I'm just amazed at how well I feel already. Back to work on Monday.... Fusion would have been weeks and I've heard so many horror stories about them.
Glad it worked out for you.
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Sorry you're still suffering man, I sincerely feel for you. People just don't understand the pain that's involved. Are you seeing a pain management doc or do you just suffer and live with it?
I too hope I'm done! One thing sure is I'm 43, 6' 2", and weigh 235 and completely out of shape. That is one thing I will change to give myself the best chance of something like this not happening again.
The cool thing about people sharing this stuff is that it takes the Scariness out of it.
I have been an avid mountain biker for the past three years, but bought this SS last fall, and it has been an entirely different experience and workout.
Operated on at 7 am left 12 hours later
Zero pain no meds needed just a cervical collar for a few weeks
Felt 100% immediately
Now my lumbar fusion did not go well and in fact the pain is worse. ( different doctor did my lumbar)
My cervical doctor said “ yeah i see allot of HIS patients to fix things”
So i will be seeing him in the fall to fix my lumbar.
This is my cervical fusion
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