@covenantdga
Thank you for responding! You are dealing with a lot, too. I anticipate being in a wheelchair at some point, too, and also struggle with exhaustion and extreme fatigue with little exertion. I am in bed or on the couch for most of the day which makes it very hard to get much done. It makes me very depressed to not be able to do much or work anymore but my faith is what I hang onto. Jesus gives me hope and spiritual strength and I ask God to help me each day.

I am taking Gabapentin 100 mg only at night, fluoxetine and bupropion for depression, omeprazole for gastritis/esophagitis (took too many nsaids for pain over the years), and used Salonpas lidocaine pain patches which helps with nerve pain. I also take alpha Lipoic acid for small fiber neuropathy (pain/numbness, burning, pins and needles in my feet). My balance and dizziness seems tied to my neuropathy and my gallbladder stopped working (biliary dyskinesia) which may be due to autonomic nervous system dysfunction.

Did you ever get tested for small fiber neuropathy? I had a punch biopsy of upper thigh and calf which confirmed nerve damage. My large fiber nerves seem affected in my hips and legs where it is hard for me to walk at times. I also have weakness in my arms/hands and drop things. I seem to have flares where my symptoms and difficulties walking/pain increase and decrease but not sure why (also have low grade fevers).

I pray you get answers on whether surgery could help you. Especially if the hardware is dysfunctioning or loosening. Did they tell you which sections of your spinal cord and nerve roots were being pinched or damaged that warranted so many layers of laminectomy/fusion? Did they tell you how the surgery would help lessen the nerve pain and damage? Have you had a MRN which maps your central nervous system and peripheral nervous system function/damage? I am hoping to get a MRN to see how my cervical spondylitic myelopathy damaged my spinal cord and peripheral nerves and where there is permanent damage. I am hoping to prevent further damage, if possible. I was told at one point that if I fell, I could be paralyzed. I did fall 2 times before I had surgery and haven’t fallen since (but have been close due to balance/dizziness issues). I have a cage and screws in my neck now and feel a bit like a cyclops. 😉

I’ll pray for you to get help and answers to get some relief. The numbness in your back where you had incisions may not come back. I had a C-section and have numbness where the incision is and had my son 14 years ago. The only way to prevent permanent damage is to find the source of the problem and whether it is mechanical or something else neurologically going on.

God bless!