Re: Having a rough day

[Kiwi]

I'm sorry to read your post and hope by the time you read mine you will be feeling a little better.    At this stage my OPLL is mild I think - stiff shoulders, tingly feet but am managing to forget about it most of the time.    I had a laminoplasty c2-C5 back in 2009 and that relieved the loss of feeling in my hands.

At the moment I use Panadol and am looking forward to the warmth of summer.   Take care. 

 

On Sunday, 23 September 2012 05:07:07 UTC+12, iowaopll wrote:

Hello, I just had surgery on Sept 13th 2012. Fususion from c3 to t1. I am struggling with the pain and the heaviness in my neck. I was in the hospital for 4 days. Am taking morphine, oxycodone and something for muscle spasms. Any advice you could give me I would really appreciate. thank you 

[Pamela Brockus]

To Iowaopll, I am also sorry your are going through the after effects of spine surgery. I had a  laminoplasty and partial lamenectomy surgery from c2-c7 in 2006. I remember having a lot more pain in my neck, back of head, shoulders, upper back. My head felt so heavy it was a struggle to hold it up. I was also in a lot of pain for the first several weeks. But, with time it eventually got better. I think the first 6 months were rough, however, I think I went off Oxycodone around 3 weeks after surgery. I don't know if it did so much for the pain, but it made me bedridden from being out of it. I tried taked Hydrocodone after going off the Oxy, but the Hydorcodone nauseated me so much, I just started taking Tylenol and suffering with the pain. I sure wish I could take Hydrocodone, I would probably take it sometimes now, but the nausea is about as miserable as pain. 
I hope you start to feel better and better  as the days go by. I know how miserable it is, but it should get better with time. You were not in surgery very long ago at all. I would say it is expected to be lousy for the first few weeks. If you don't improve then I would suggest you be talking with the Surgeon who did surgery on you, to have them possibly xray and do MRI's to check on your hardware in your neck and make sure every thing looks good. I think after my surgery, I kept complaining to my surgeon about my pain, so they did the MRI and Xrays and all was good. This spine surgery is BIGGGGGGG surgery. I hope you have help at home during this very rough time.
Pam from Kansas
 

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Date: Sun, 23 Sep 2012 15:18:04 -0700
From: jane.r...@gmail.com
To: opll_di...@googlegroups.com
Subject: Re: Having a rough day

[rockdoc]

Hi Lisa - 

Hang in there.  I had my surgery (laminoplasty c1-c4) about three years ago and am doing much better now.  I still have some off days but in general, I can do most of what I want to do. Give your body some time to deal with the surgery and hopefully you will be much better off than before. As for me, I'm about where kiwi is - stiff shoulders, a bit tingly, but otherwise ok.  Stay in touch and let us know how you progress.

Cheers......

BrianS

[Big George]

Hello iowaopll, 

  I also have had fusion from C3 to T1 in 2007.That is one of the toughest surgeries to go through. It takes time to heal, and I found a good recliner to be the most comfortable way to sleep and sit. I am allergic to morphine and oxycodone, but Vicodin and time helped me. I know it seems to take forever, but know you will be feeling better and get used to your new supports in your neck. I had a post-op infection that set me back, but 2 months of IV antibiotics let me get better. I was weak, but worked on increasing my activity a little each day. Eventually you are gaining strength and feeling better. Sleep when you are tired, and eat healthy food- your body needs time to heal itself. I am having problems in my thoracic spine. I have weakness in my legs by midday. I recently had MRI's, and I'm waiting 6 weeks to see a new neurosurgeon- but in the same group. I try to walk, but my leg muscles don't want to cooperate. I will keep you in my prayers, and hope your recovery is speedy.

Sincerely,

Big George

[Pamela Brockus]

Big George, Sorry to her you are having weakness in your legs. Sorry you have to wait 6 weeks also to talk to the Neurosurgeon about it. Please let us know what you find out after you see the surgeon. I am praying for all of us on here, as we all can sure us them!!! By the way I just turned 53 years old. My friends are going on a motorcycle trip this weekend to another State and wants my husband and I too go along. I can't even begin to wear a helmet with this neck, and the ride would cause to much pain anyhow, so of course we aren't going. This is on my I will never be able to do again since i was 46 year's old list. Oh well, I can still walk some, and it could be much worse. I hope something shifts in that spine of yours George and you stop having weakness in your legs!!! Take care and God bless!
Pam

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Date: Tue, 25 Sep 2012 12:16:07 -0700
From: emer...@fuse.net

To: opll_di...@googlegroups.com
Subject: Re: Having a rough day

[Deb]

Lisa - I'm sorry to hear of your diagnosis.  Hope your pain has subsided to at least a manageable level.  Be sure and let us know how the dr visit goes on Oct 1.

Are you taking Baclofen for muscle spasms?  I started that In August and have seen some improvement.

Deb in KS

[Kiwi]

Hi everyone

 

It is really good to have this group active again and it is quite an amazing feeling to know there are others in the same boat around the world and we are sending each other positive thoughts.    A diagnosis of OPLL is such a scarey thing and when you read stuff on line about the possible progression you do wonder what life holds.   I  sometimes feel that as soon as one thing gets fixed another thing pops up ie a knee replacement in Jan 12 and now a bit more tingling coming along in the hands/arms and feet, especially one foot that goes numb after about half an hour of walking.   I wonder what will "break" or stop functioning next!!       Most of the time I can do what I want and have to remember that at just turned 65 some things would take longer and be more tiring anyway!!    I played 9 holes of - terrible - golf last Tuesday for the first time in 8 months.   Have been stiff around the neck and shoulders and 9 holes was about 2 holes too many but it was a great feeling to have achieved it.     I think that I am lucky my OPLL is fairly mild and I know I am - mostly - a positive person.   There are some down days but when the sun shines it makes life good.    It was a huge comfort to have contact with people like Big George and Brian and other folk on line  in the early days (late 2009) so let's keep "talking" to each other and sending those positive vibes or prayers or whatever you believe in across the world.    Thinking of you all and sending you some Kiwi sunshine - it is great that our summer is approaching and we have had some glorious winter and spring days.  

Warm thoughts from Kiwi.

[Nancy McInally]

For some reason my reply went to an old thread so here it is.

I'm still around also. I continue to struggle with my spine issues. Mostly pain, stiffness, loss of ROM and some foot drop. The last O.S. surgeon offered to give me a 3 level fusion but he said it was up to me weather I wanted to try it. I probably won't have another surgery until I have to. I also have a congenital fusion at C 5-6 that causes more complications. He wasn't very encouraging that surgery would reduce my pain. He said it might make it worse or I may not be able to continue working. So I continue to take meds. I am currently going to PT again. She said that my whole Trapezius muscle was the tightest She has ever worked on. I haven't tried Baclofen for muscle spasm. What is your experience? Orally or an injection? I have a new PCP who doesn't want to continue prescribing pain meds. to me. I am probably ready to try something new. I have tried so many meds over the years that I have been dealing with my condition that sometimes I forget which I have tried. I am 53 also. Sending a big gentle hug to all!

Nancy

[iowaopll]

Hello. Just wanted to tell how my Oct. 1st appt. Went with NS. Told me to keep wearing collar off and on for next 4weeks. Need to build up neck muscles. Only exercise is walking for right now. No longer have to wear bandage over incision. I go back to see him in 2 months and will have an xray just before apt. Told him I was having more weakness in arms and hands. He said there was a long name for that and we would wait and see how that was in 2 months. Have any of you had pain behind shoulder blade and down arm after surgery? Also I take diazepam for muscle spasms and hydrocodone for pain. Hope you all are having good days. Lisa

[rockdoc]

Hi Lisa and everyone -

Hang in there everyone. I saw everyone's notes from this week and I must say, it is encouraging to hear from everyone.  I tend to get lost in what am working on at the moment, and forget to write back - sorry. Today started off bad for me - I've been having more and more pain in my neck and shoulders, and started the day off with numb hands. Not a good thing when you are in the middle of writing four manuscripts and have to type all day. It got a bit better as the day wore on, but I make lots of mistakes typing and am slow. I hope the pain and numbness are not a prelude of things to come - I really don't want to slide back down to where I was pre-surgery. I am still pretty active - still do field work and fish, but I have noticed a big lack of strength in my arms, plus it is difficult to raise them over my shoulders. Forget about swiveling my head around - I can actually hear scar tissue and 'things' crunching around and popping when I do. Probably time to go see the neuro surgeon again. Regardless, I'm still going to buy a new fly rod for steelhead fishing this winter!!

BrianS