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My wife has had neck pain despite having injections and ACDF surgery.
Spine Health | Last Active: Feb 7 10:06am | Replies (8)Comment receiving replies
I have had 4 cervical spine surgeries in the last 4 years. My first being in May 2020. That time was thru the front of the neck. I was fused, and laminectomy @ C5-6 & C6-7. March of 2021 was my 2nd one, and again thru front of neck. This time it was my C3-4 & C4-5. Then in August of 2022 I had my 3rd fusion, this time thru the back of the neck. ( Way more painful, like Waaay worse. This time it was due to nerve compression, bone spurs at Every level of Cervical spine and failed fusion at C4, C5-6, C6-7 with spinal chord compression Then 5months later ( Jan 2023 ) I suddenly felt 3 pops in my neck & a ton of pressure. I went to ER and scan revealed that 3 screws had come out, And I had a fluid filled cyst, and nerve compression at C-3 with a muscle collapse at C5,6, and 7. They also saw that I now have Leva ( or Levo ) Scoliosis. Which they said needs to be watched cause it can be dangerous?? They took out all of hardware and Re-did all of it. I just had nerve ablation there a few days ago. It's been 2 years and I still have constant pain, my muscles are like rocks. Now I have Herniated L4, 5-6 and sometime S6 or S1 ( I forget ) I am only 50. I'm on disability, I also have Rheumatoid Arthritis. Now there saying I need that fixed. I have severe Degenerative Disc Disease, RA, and severe Osteoarthritis. I also had to get left hip surgery for a 100% ( complete tear) of Gluteus Medius Tendon ) at the greater trochanteric joint, and they removed bursa( chronic bursitis) and also took out calcium build up from hip joint. My grandfather died from Arachnoiditis. I also developed Klebsiella pneumoniae from the breathing tube in last some surgery. Now I have Gastroperesis, I've had recurrent Keratitis in my eye as well as recurrent pink eye, right after that I had a stone in my Parotid Gland which I passed thru inside check ( was like grains of sand that tasted salty, then suddenly developed small fluid cysts on Thyroid. It's been a crappy couple years. All diagnosis came after spine surgery. They had me tested for MS a couple years ago. First said I had it, then said no the brain lesions they saw were a prior stroke. I can't help but feel like there's something these docs are missing. I feel it's all related. Any help? Info? Advice? I'm negative for Lupus. I also am pre-diabetic, Anemic, poorly controlled high blood pressure ( it's either too high, or way too low ) have trivial tricuspid regurgitation, and mild mire valve regurgitation. My resting heart rate has been running high as well ( around 105 ). I've had low potassium at times, low sodium, monocytes are always high, Recurrent U.T.I's, Migraines, and my labs always show something ( can't think of name of test ) but it means my Red blood cells get released prematurely. Again, any help, advice? I've heard I should be tested again for MS, get tested for Sjorgens, and another doc mentioned getting tested for Psoriatic Arthritis. Please help. Thanks, Sherry
Replies to "I have had 4 cervical spine surgeries in the last 4 years. My first being in..."
@sherrib
P.S. I have many of the issues you are struggling with. They tested me for MS a couple times due to my symptoms only to be told it is negative. I’m glad I don’t have MS but still have many symptoms. I just had an EMG/nerve conduction study and told I may have hypermobile Ehlers Danlos syndrome which can cause hypermobility and instability in your spine. I was told at age 42 I had the spine of someone 25 years older than me. The hypermobility may be behind this. I had hip pain and had MRI’s and told I had bilateral gluteal tendinopathy and bilateral partial hamstring tears (have no idea how this happened but it is painful and causes weakness in hips/legs when walking, standing up and using stairs).
Here is a link with information about cervical instability.
https://caringmedical.com/prolotherapy-news/cervical-spine-instability-pinches-arteries-disrupts-impedes-retards-blood-flow-brain/
Go see a neuromuscular neurologist get tested by emg/nerve conduction testing peripheral neuropathy along with biopsy for small fiber neuropathy.
Sjogrens I went to ENT had a biopsy for sjogrens they remove four glands and went to the eye doctor had to test. My cornea is scratched up and the glands tested positive for Sjogrens. Small fiber neuropathy can cause cardiac autonomic neuropathy where your blood pressure is too high or to low.It can also cause your heart to beat to slow aka bradycardia or too fast aka tachycardia. To be diagnosed for cardiac autonomic neuropathy aka called CAN. I had a one month holter monitor test and a tilt table test. I see a cardiology and electrophysiologist along with a rheumatologist. Diagnosed with neuropathy in 2002 have had ACDF surgery, four left hip surgeries actebulum fracture o I had an orif on my left hip due to avascular necrosis ( bone dies lack of blood flow) caused from neuropathy. Right hip replacement due to the same problem. Lower back laminectomy, SI problems so I have had a SI rhizotmy.
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@sherrib
I am so sorry you are dealing with all of this at 50. I’m 55 and on disability, too, due to a long list of health problems like you. It is not easy.
Do you have family and a support system around you? What doctors and specialists are you currently working with? Have you been to an endocrinologist, neurologist, rheumatologist, cardiologist, and hematologist to help you with diagnosis and treatment? Are you taking any medications or getting any treatments or therapy beyond the surgeries you have had? Have the surgeons redone MRIs to check your spinal cord to ensure it is not still compressed? Spinal cord compression (myelopathy) is spinal cord injury and it can cause a whole host of problems with blood flow and spinal fluid flow to and from your brain/spinal cord. Have you read all MRI reports to see what is shown? Have you been tested for small fiber neuropathy by a neurologist with a skin punch biopsy? Small fibers affect sensory and autonomic systems (like involuntary heart rate/blood flow/breathing, digestion, etc.). It would be good to make a list of all current symptoms, medications, diagnoses, abnormal blood test results, your questions to review with your doctors/specialists at every appointment and advocate for yourself to get properly diagnosed and treated.
Have you tried steroid/lidocaine pain injections for release of knots/stiff muscles and does anything you have tried helped give you any relief?