1. < Spine Health

Excruciating pain

Posted by 5thnecksurgery @5thnecksurgery, Feb 26, 2023

I had excruciating pain after a C7 -T1 cervical anterior fusion done 8-10-22. The MRI done before the surgery showed a pinched nerve. I was in so much pain I was admitted to the hospital several times to get the pain under control. A second MRI was done and revealed a crushed nerve. The doctor said we would have to go through the back this time, a Posterior cervical decompressive laminectomy with fusion from the back of C6,C7, T1 and T2. Now I had already had C3,C4, C5, C6 and C7 plated and fused from previous cervical anterior fusion surgeries done years before. So we did the posterior cervical decompressive laminectomy 9-27-22. I am having more pain numbness and tingling today then I had before my first surgery still today. The doctor says it could take up to one year to completely heal because nerves take some time to heal. I had an EMG done which shows I still have problems in my neck at the C7/T1 level. My question is should I wait until a year to get a second opinion, my thoughts are even if it does take a year to completely heal, I would think it should be getting better not worse! Still six and half months out I am still on Oxycodone 10-325. This doctor that did these last two surgeries is one of the best around. He was also the doctor that did my cervical anterior fusion of C3,C4 and C5 in 2017. What would you do?? Would you wait to get a second opinion?

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Mentor
Jennifer, Volunteer Mentor | @jenniferhunter | Feb 26, 2023

@5thnecksurgery I see you are a new member and welcome to Connect. I understand the dilemma you face after 2 surgeries and still being in pain. I think another opinion elsewhere with a top surgeon is a good idea.

Your surgeon makes the point that nerves take a very long time to heal. New imaging could revel if anything on the hardware may have been displaced or could be a source of pain.

One other source of pain can be from scar tissue from the surgeries that pulls on the fascia. There is a therapy called myofascial release that can loosen the tight fascia. With your extensive surgery, the scar tissue involvement could be a lot in triggering your pain. I have done a lot of MFR work and it has really helped me.

Here is a discussion that you may want to read through and meet other members who have used
MFR — Myofascial Release Therapy (MFR) for treating compression and pain: https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/myofascial-release-therapy-mfr-for-treating-compression-and-pain/.

Have you heard of Myofascial Release Therapy?

REPLY
2 replies
Moderator
Colleen Young, Connect Director | @colleenyoung | Feb 26, 2023

Hi @5thnecksurgery, I'd like to add my welcome. Please note that I removed the images that you uploaded with your post because they contained personal identifying information. Feel free to upload them again without your name, date of birth etc.

REPLY
1 reply
5thnecksurgery | @5thnecksurgery | Feb 26, 2023
In reply to @jenniferhunter "@5thnecksurgery I see you are a new member and welcome to Connect. I understand the dilemma..." + (show)
@jenniferhunter

@5thnecksurgery I see you are a new member and welcome to Connect. I understand the dilemma you face after 2 surgeries and still being in pain. I think another opinion elsewhere with a top surgeon is a good idea.

Your surgeon makes the point that nerves take a very long time to heal. New imaging could revel if anything on the hardware may have been displaced or could be a source of pain.

One other source of pain can be from scar tissue from the surgeries that pulls on the fascia. There is a therapy called myofascial release that can loosen the tight fascia. With your extensive surgery, the scar tissue involvement could be a lot in triggering your pain. I have done a lot of MFR work and it has really helped me.

Here is a discussion that you may want to read through and meet other members who have used
MFR — Myofascial Release Therapy (MFR) for treating compression and pain: https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/myofascial-release-therapy-mfr-for-treating-compression-and-pain/.

Have you heard of Myofascial Release Therapy?

Jump to this post

No I have not heard of MFR therapy. Thanks you so much for your reply and for the link on MFR therapy. I will read the thread that you have linked. I am willing to try anything to ease the pain, numbness and tingling! At one point I thought that I was going to lose the use of my right hand!

REPLY
5thnecksurgery | @5thnecksurgery | Feb 26, 2023
In reply to @colleenyoung "Hi @5thnecksurgery, I'd like to add my welcome. Please note that I removed the images that..." + (show)
@colleenyoung

Hi @5thnecksurgery, I'd like to add my welcome. Please note that I removed the images that you uploaded with your post because they contained personal identifying information. Feel free to upload them again without your name, date of birth etc.

Jump to this post

I did notice that and I appreciate that you removed them. I have some images with that info removed that I will upload!!
Thank You

REPLY
5thnecksurgery | @5thnecksurgery | Feb 26, 2023

Here are the images taken 1 month after my posterior cervical decompressive laminectomy with fusion surgery 9-27-22. BTW I am a 68-year-old male. This pain, numbness and tingling is really starting to affect my life and my attitude! It is hard to have a positive attitude when your pain, numbness and tingling never goes away, even with the pain medication!! Yes it eases up, but if I miss one pill or am very late taking a pill I am in serious pain. I take 10-325mg oxycodone 4 times a day and 800mg of gabapentin 2 times a day and 1600mg of gabapentin at bed time! I am hoping and praying for some relief because I do not want to be on pain medication for the rest of my life!!
Thank You
REPLY
bearmiller03 | @bearmiller03 | Mar 1, 2023
In reply to @jenniferhunter "@5thnecksurgery I see you are a new member and welcome to Connect. I understand the dilemma..." + (show)
@jenniferhunter

@5thnecksurgery I see you are a new member and welcome to Connect. I understand the dilemma you face after 2 surgeries and still being in pain. I think another opinion elsewhere with a top surgeon is a good idea.

Your surgeon makes the point that nerves take a very long time to heal. New imaging could revel if anything on the hardware may have been displaced or could be a source of pain.

One other source of pain can be from scar tissue from the surgeries that pulls on the fascia. There is a therapy called myofascial release that can loosen the tight fascia. With your extensive surgery, the scar tissue involvement could be a lot in triggering your pain. I have done a lot of MFR work and it has really helped me.

Here is a discussion that you may want to read through and meet other members who have used
MFR — Myofascial Release Therapy (MFR) for treating compression and pain: https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/myofascial-release-therapy-mfr-for-treating-compression-and-pain/.

Have you heard of Myofascial Release Therapy?

Jump to this post

I have a different question. I am taking Lyria for nerve pain. I guess it's helping some but now my hair is falling out. They think it's just from surgery and I understand that does happen but they don't know my history. I was prescribed Topamax 7 years ago for migraines and it made my hair fall out. I actually had to take the hair in a baggie to show them before they would believe me. So I took myself off that medicine gradually and started spironolactone which has helped. I'm still on spironolactone but my hair is falling out at the rate it was before. I'm worried before Lyrcia is a seizure medicine and that's what Topamax was for. I guess I need to make an appt. Have you ever heard of this?

REPLY
jenatsky | @jenatsky | Mar 8, 2023

Lyrica is additionally classified as an analgesic and a fibromyalgia agent too. Is your hair loss in the pattern of normal male pattern baldness from the center outward?

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