Question regarding cervical spinal fusion & WLS

[Djmohr 6,965]

I am 7 months post op following RNY.

I have been having terrible spine problems since the early 90's. I had my lower lumbar fused at L5/S1 in 2001. In 2003 I started having severe pain in my neck and shoulder. I was told then that I had severe arthritis in my cervical spine at C6/C7. Of course I went to PT and have had epidural injections several times per year to deal with the pain. Well, the injections stopped working about 1 1/2 years ago. Since my RNY the pain in my neck and shoulder has gotten much worse.

I had some tests done and now I have 3 levels that would require fusion. C4/5, C5/6 & C6/7. After having that lower lumbar fused which was a very brutal surgery and recovery I am really concerned about having my neck fused but the pain is becoming out of control.

I have done a lot of research on this surgery and of course I am not seeing a lot of success stories out there. Sometimes people just take the time to tell the negative stories and it is hard to come by positive stories.

I am also worried that if I have this surgery it is going to set my progress backwards on my weight loss journey. That in itself has me very very concerned. You see I am very active now and I don't want to lose momentum.

Has anyone had cervical spinal fusion? Has anyone had this surgery post RNY? What were your results and do you have any advice for me?

I am really struggling to decide what to do here and I need to make a decision in the next week or so.

Thanks so much!

[Miss Mac 6,261]

I had a sleeve done in December of 2015 and had an Anterior Cervical Dissection and fusion at C3 C4 C5 done in February of 2014. My neurosurgeon was hoping that losing 100 pounds would delay the need for L5S1, which so far has been the case. I have thoracic radiculopathy, with a total of 17 herniated discs. My spine was literally colllapsing under my weight.

To answer you question about recovery from cervical spinal fusion: Wearing the collar for six weeks was inconvenient, but overall the recovery was not painful. My boyfriend had to do his smoking outside, but he obliged very nicely. My exercise and movement was limited, and I slept in my lift recliner for those six weeks, as I could not lay flat with the collar. Some people do not have to wear the collar at night.

There is a exercise video I have by David Stamps called Exercise for the Bedfast, which I wish I had at the time. I use it on orthopedically bad days rather than my other more active or vigorous ones. He also has several styles of exercise that can be done sitting in a chair.

So, you won't have to be a mummy (we even managed to get frisky - but making sure my neck was supported).

[Djmohr 6,965]

@@Miss Mac, thanks for the info.

Was your pain resolved with this surgery? I am really worried I will go through all of this and will still have that searing pain down my neck and left shoulder.

With my lumbar fusion it took 3 years before the nerve pain finally subsided.

[Bandista 7,466]

PEEK cages saved my husband's life -- his were installed in a third back surgery in the same place over a twenty-year period filled with pain, epidurals, alternative therapies, PT, pain clinics, etc. His issue was L4 L5 S1 but we know a few people who have had cervical PEEK cages installed, our dental hygienist for one. Getting out of pain can be life-changing. (PEEK stands for polyetheretherketone). I hope you get the help you need! Another resource that has helped us a lot is Mackenzie Technique physical therapy. He is a Kiwi (New Zealander) and has authored several inexpensive books such as Fix Your Own Back, Fix Your Own Neck, etc. Many PTs get Mackenzie training now -- it's pretty much the opposite of traditional disc work. Good luck with all and of course your WLS will help everything in the long run. Best wishes.

[Recycled 2,182]

fusion is one option for treatment of pain, but is limiting in post surgical mobility and can promote future complications. Have you looked into disk replacement. My wife had the Bryan disk replacement instead of fusion when she injured her neck. It was performed by a fantastic surgeon named Dr. Scott Katzman. He is renowned for this type of surgery.

http://www.spine-health.com/treatment/artificial-disc-replacement/cervical-artificial-disc-replacement-technologies

[Miss Mac 6,261]

Yes, my arm pain and numbness resolved immediately. As far as my lumbar issues, I was having the epidural steroid injections every three months for several years. Last October, I finally had an ablation done on three nerves affecting sciatica and leg numbness in my right leg. It's been all good until last week (six months out). I will hold out as long as I can. The procedure lasts six months to two years before the nerves regenerate, but it feels like I am there already.

[Djmohr 6,965]

@@Recycled, for me it is severe arthritis which has caused bone spurs putting pressure on the nerves as well as the disks in two levels are almost completely gone. It is structural and needs to be stabilized.

We did ask about disk replacement and were also told because it is 3 levels they would have to do fusion in this case.

I am not at a point where I have to be fearful of being paralyzed but I am concerned about the progression. When it first started in 2003, there was only one level that I needed to worry about, now I am looking at 3. If I wait too long I could cause more damage.

I am mostly worried about it slowing or completely reversing all the hard work I have done to get more physically healthy. I work out almost every day for a hour. Afterwards I have to ice my neck and shoulder for a hour and it just burns. When I try to use my neck and shoulder the pain takes my breath away. Then of course I get those nasty headaches that creep up the back of my neck and cause a full on Migraine.

On Monday they are going to do a CT Mylogram so they can get a closer look at the nerves and spinal cord. Then after that they will give me their detailed plan for surgery.

[Djmohr 6,965]

the other issue is mine is in my neck and a lot of the artificial replacements are for lumbar. I wish they had those when I had my lower lumbar done in 2001.

That surgery was a bear! It is now why I have such a high tolerance for pain.

[Oregondaisy 2,019]

I am having a fusion of L4 and L5 on 8-18 and I am so scared. I am so much worse than I was before when I had a laminectomy there. It made things 100% worse.

[Djmohr 6,965]

Update:

I am 8 weeks post op now and doing pretty good. They ended up fusing all 3 levels and actually removing my c5 vertebrae completely. They put in a strut graft using a cadaver's fibula bone. Sounds gross but immediately following surgery the nerve pain, weakness and tingling in both arms is resolved.

I am still in the Miami j hard collar that I have been wearing since surgery. As of Thursday I can take it off for short periods in the house when I am sitting or eating. Hoorah! It has been driving me crazy.

I did have a pretty serious complication. Apparently a major nerve has been either damaged or irritated. It is the nerve that Impacts heart rate and blood pressure. My blood pressure and heart rate drop so low that I have passed out and end up in the ER for X-rays. The room goes black on me everytime I stand up or sit up so I have to take it very very slow.

Of course I still have a significant amount of pain if I get active as well. I believe most of that pain is muscular in my neck, shoulders and mid back.

I also don't tolerate longer car rides well.

Things are getting better everyday and the good news is, although my weight loss slowed and I had a 28 day stall, I have still lost 12lbs since surgery! That makes me very happy!