Author Topic: I'm hurt, blown neck disk....anyone been through this? (Read 1306 times)

Rogue Ram · « **on:** April 10, 2008, 06:29:40 PM »

I can't type well, for no apparent reason the disk at C6-C7 in my neck ruptured and that crap is pressing on the nerve to my right hand. My first two fingers are numb, the initial pain in my arm was beyond anything I could ever describe. Doc had me get an Epidural Steroid Injection at the injury site......pain went away after 3 days.....but some has returned.......numbness still here. The pain meds and other stuff were making me have funny side effects including short term memory loss, waking up not knowing where I was, and other things worthy of telling but laughing hurts. Anyway they keep telling me the stuff that came out of the disk may just "dissolve", give it time, therapy, traction, etc......but the MRI shows a pretty big blob of that stuff....they sent me to an orthopedic spine surgeon whose only surgical remedy would be disk removal with fusion. I've been around the net and it appears that I really need to see a neurosurgeon who maybe can just clean the mess up with no fusion........

Anyone been through this with any pros cons etc??? Man alive anyone who has gone through this pain you have my complete sympathy. I hope I remember this post.....

Thinking no matter what fall hunting is likely out??? And I can't get answers yet as to how long I can go with numb fingers before damage is permanent, maybe doc will answer that on tuesday.........

Regards

RR

bighemidaddy · « **Reply #1 on:** April 10, 2008, 08:23:21 PM »

RR
I have the same thing bad disk and pinched nerve in the neck
and 2 bad disks in the back.never had any operation for it.
doc gave me 6 epidural shots 3 in the neck and 3 in the back,
worked for about 4 weeks.I had this for 5 years now,I take
a pain killer now and then,I live with it, still hunt and shoot
At some point I"ll have the operation done on my neck,they
go in through the front.hang in there.

bighemidaddy

RaySendero · « **Reply #2 on:** April 11, 2008, 01:59:48 PM »

Rogue Ram,

Sent u a PM today.

rebel49 · « **Reply #3 on:** April 12, 2008, 05:52:33 PM »

Rogue Ram
Sent you a PM today 4/12. Just got done having this with my neck.
Rebel49

torpedoman · « **Reply #4 on:** April 12, 2008, 06:27:45 PM »

fragmented a disc in lower back DO NOT DO FUSION. there was a procedure they were doing in bristol va/tnn were they sucked the material out and it was an outpatient thing (surgeons dont like that) rest and it may clear up it may not but if possible check out the guys in bristol. Thats were all the back injuries from the southeast coal mines go.They know what they are doing there.

.308 Win. · « **Reply #5 on:** April 12, 2008, 07:44:47 PM »

RR,
I had the disc at C6-C7 removed back in 1993. They went through the lower right hand side of the front of my neck and removed it. The numbness you describe I knew all too well. I could have lain those last two fingers on a table and smacked them with a ball pein hammer and I wouldn't have felt it. Soon as I had the surgery, that pain was gone. I did NOT have a fusion done and I wouldn't recommend that, either. Sometimes the part of the surgery where they remove your fusion bone from your hip is worse than the surgery on the neck. If you use a bone from a bone bank you might have a rejection of that bone as did my mother-in-law who nearly died when her throat completely closed off. By the way, insurance dictated she have this done on an outpatient basis, too, and she very nearly died or at the very least suffer brain damage from lack of oxygen. It was only a miracle she is normal today. Another thing, if the doctor suggests you have a diagnostic procedure called a myelogram, punch him in the mouth and leave. I live in pain every day but it isn't the kind of pain that I had prior to my surgery. I'd do it and let the vertebrae fuse with scar tissue rather than use a bone for it. They can open up the nerve channels on the sides of the spine to allow enough room so that those nerves aren't irritated by movement. Damn using that fusion technique.

snapcrackpop · « **Reply #6 on:** April 13, 2008, 03:58:12 AM »

PM sent.
snapcrackpop

Rogue Ram · « **Reply #7 on:** April 13, 2008, 10:17:25 AM »

I appreciate all the replies and the PMs guys. Yes I had one of those myelogram a few years ago........they were tilting me on that table to get the dye just up by the brain then you have your head up and try to tilt you down just before the dye hits your brain. If it does, OMG.......DEATH would be a relief. It hit me just as they tilted me up. That was about 5 seconds of something I couldn't describe if I had to.

2nd injection this week, so we'll see what that brings me. Maybe it will get complete but temporary relief and with therapy.....who knows. I'm hopeful!

Thanks again

R

OLD NAVY · « **Reply #8 on:** April 14, 2008, 01:39:26 PM »

Hi,I am a new guy,but I feel your pain.I had the same thing a few years ago.The pain is unbelievable and I started dropping tools from my hand because my thumb was numb.They went through the front of my neck and cut a bone from my hip.It healed Ok,but was painful in the hip area. I wish you luck,navy

PHATINJUN · « **Reply #9 on:** April 15, 2008, 01:00:30 PM »

I had my first fusion C4-5 in 1998 and the 2nd one C5-6 in 2003 nothing but good so far . Got some stiffness and lack of range but the pain and numdness is gone other than doing to much some times but it is managable. As far as I can tell at least for me anyway all them shots that hurt and burn like HELL are just prolonging the inevitable. Kurt

Rogue Ram · « **Reply #10 on:** June 04, 2008, 06:32:11 PM »

Here's the update:

Finally saw a neurosurgeon. After two epidural injections the pain went away for the most part, but the numbness has stayed in my hand and arm. Neuro pulled up the MRIs..... and went over all the options with me. He laughed at the ortho, who said the only cure was fusion. I did quite a search to find this doc, pretty well known, younger as opposed to older and super conservative. He specializes in micro surgery. So, C6-7 on the right has a big glob of the stuff from inside the disk sitting on the nerves for my right arm. AND, C5-6 has smaller globs on BOTH sides..... I knew the left side had it, given some pretty consistent but dull pain in and under my shoulder. Said micro surgery via a laminectomy would need to take place in at both levels. Said he'd certainly try this before fusing, he views fusing as last resort. Said to give it a month to see if improvement with therapy and chiro, but negative......strength loss approaching 30 percent or better in my right arm, left arm has issues to. So, Monday I get the knife.....or is it the dremel tool........

Hopefully back in a week............

See ya

RR

DalesCarpentry · « **Reply #11 on:** June 05, 2008, 10:35:40 AM »

Good luck and I hope he can fix you. I do understand the pain all to well. I have very serious lower back problems and take pain meds everyday just to be able to funtion. Dale

oldandslow · « **Reply #12 on:** June 05, 2008, 10:46:28 AM »

Good luck on your surgery. I had the epidural procedure on my lower back about six weeks ago. In my case it has worked great so far.

Rogue Ram · « **Reply #13 on:** June 05, 2008, 05:59:17 PM »

Thanks guys. Them pain meds.........wow.....they gave me some stuff called "neutronin" before I had the epidural. In my case, don't laugh, but my short term memory went, I woke up at night not knowing where I was, and, well, we'll leave the other side effect out of here, I'll just say it was "embarrassing".

The oxycodone pills really messed me up; was taking 2 every 4-6 hours. Thank God the epidural worked these last couple months. I just paid the bills for those, I cannot believe the cost involved (insurance covered most of it thankfully). I have a whole new appreciation for folks like you Dale who have pain that doesn't go away. I don't know how yall do it.

Hang tough my friend.

RR

DalesCarpentry · « **Reply #14 on:** June 06, 2008, 05:03:57 AM »

That is what I take oxycodone. I take 4 a day. Sometimes more if I have a real bad day. When it is cold and wet or raining I hurt worse and have to take an extra 1 or 2 to get through it. The problem with that is I run out early and can't get them filled till the 10'th of the month. When that happens I go through pure hell. As far as it messing with your mind I know what you mean. I am used to them now and no longer have those mind clouding effects. When I first started taking them they would make me a little high but no longer. Dale

Rogue Ram · « **Reply #15 on:** June 12, 2008, 10:30:49 AM »

I'm back...... doc did laminectomy and foraminotomy (did I spell that right) X 3.... couple interesting things. Doc went in all three places. The one where we were sure there would be herniated disk goo had none....it had dissolved. The disk was bulged in that area, making it tight. He drilled out plenty of space around all three nerve roots. Left arm symptoms pretty much seem gone. Right arm....hand still numb but maybe better, might have a bit of pain or maybe nerve use coming back? The soreness and stiffness is unbelievable. Swelling pretty bad too. So, back to them oxys, and my chair. Hopefully in time my hand will recover. I would imagine you can't tell anything really until all the swelling is gone as that has to create problems figuring out if it all worked. Here's hoping......

Regards

RR

dw06 · « **Reply #16 on:** June 12, 2008, 02:15:17 PM »

RR, Keep us updated and we all wish you the best!

Tencubed · « **Reply #17 on:** June 12, 2008, 02:34:38 PM »

RR:

Had something similar to your problem to my lower back, legs numb and all that. Avoided the fusion route at the urging of a very good back Dr. Took a year and a half for the numbness and pain to subside to a manageable level but now, some 15 years later, I no longer take any pain meds and only stumble if I get really tired.

Hang in there brother and don't give up on it. It takes time but for most of us it does get a lot better. There are support groups that you can join that have lots of good information and advice on how to do things so you heal quicker. You need to think about joining one of these groups, it's kind of like going to school to learn how to live thru the injury.

Drop me a PM if I can be of any assistance.

Mike

snapcrackpop · « **Reply #18 on:** June 20, 2008, 08:39:27 AM »

Another option for pain control is a TENS (transcutaneous electrical neurostimulator). It is portable electric stimulation (looks like a pager).

I know of several people with chronic or intense back pain that were able to cut their pain meds in half after using the TENS unit.
They cost between $100 and $1000 depending upon who you get them from.

Dale, have you tried one?

DalesCarpentry · « **Reply #19 on:** June 20, 2008, 10:39:45 AM »

Quote from: snapcrackpop on June 20, 2008, 08:39:27 AM

Another option for pain control is a TENS (trans electrical neurostimulator). It is portable electric stimulation (looks like a pager).

I know of several people with chronic or intense back pain that were able to cut their pain meds in half after using the TENS unit.
They cost between $100 and $1000 depending upon who you get them from.

Dale, have you tried one?

No I never even heard of one. Dale

Tencubed · « **Reply #20 on:** June 20, 2008, 12:51:11 PM »

TENS units work wonders for some folks. I've seen instances where it made the difference of a person being able to enjoy life or just being relegated to living in a drug induced haze. Some folks get very little or no relief from them, for others they are manna from heaven. They did not work for me but I have a friend that used one for a few years while healing up. Worked wonders for her. Find one of the back pain support groups and listen to the different options out there. Drugs and/or surgery are not the only ways to deal with the loss of mobility and pain resulting from a spinal injury. Simple things like how to negotiate steps, how to survive using the toilet or what kind of chair to use can keep you from continually irritating, read that as re-injuring, your back.

Most surgeons want to cut, general practitioners want to give you pills and holistic healers want you to drink tea. Maybe not quite that simple but you get the idea. You got to get out and find the cure for your injury, nobody is going to bring it to you and most medical professionals don't want you to be cured or helped by someone that doesn't agree with their way of thinking so they won't point you in the direction of other methods.

Just my experience and please do with it as you see fit.

Mike