Multilevel ACDF

Hi,
I was released from the hospital on Saturday January 4th. My surgery was Thursday January 2nd.

I did not have long to prepare for the thought of surgery, as I went in after my 2nd epidural injection to the cervical spine, with no improvement, in fact I was starting to stumble around.

The surgeon said an operation was the only option as this was a anatomical issue, pressing on my spinal cord ( myelopathy).

The normal wait time, and they were very busy, was 3 months, so I had time to get my mind wrapped around it. I got a call the next day for a pre-op visit and surgery in one week!

It has now been 4 days post Op. The collar is optional, I had a multi level ACDF, C5/6 & C6/7. With Depuy Bengal cages & DePuy titanium UniPlate hardware. Apparently the Surgeon said there was nothing but bone spurs left where the discs should be.

I use the Collar (soft) only at night, to help,remind myself to not twist my neck at weird angles during sleep.

The improvement has been great! Fine motor skills are back...I can sign my name and write with a pen again. The shooting stabbing pains in my right and left arm are gone, as well as intermittent numbness in my feet.

There is only soreness at the operation site, and then only when the medication begins to wear off.

I'm already walking about a mile, and doing some hand exercises (one of those gripper apparatuses).

Swallowing was tough only for about 3 days, my voice is back after 3 days.

This was my first surgery ever, and it has overall been a great experience with great results!

I will not know what the incision site looks like until the 2 week post Op check up, unless the bandage falls off before then, but there is absolutely zero pain at this point.

I am thinking I will only be off work for 2 weeks max, as I'm doing do well.

Thanks, Ranger, for posting your experiences. It's giving me a push to see if I can get something done too.

I've had continuing hand problems, possibly from having a burst disc removed and a bunch of bone spurs left in place, although a broken one was removed. My case is not the same as yours but I don't think things are what they should be more than 5 months post-op.

After my neck op I have numbness in the neck above the incision. The incision was put in a crease and is invisible. I use the neck brace when my neck gets tired. My swallowing and voice are not back to normal still. That's what happens when they push everything out of the way to do the surgery.

Hello Ranger & welcome to the forum. It is always great to read about someone that has had surgey & feeling well. While recuperating stick with whatever you surgeon has recommended. Sometimes people tend to over do & the set back from that is just not worth it.

Talk to your dr about the type of work you do. I have not ever heard of anyone going back to work that quick after surgery. What type of work do you do? Things may look healed on the outside but I doubt they are healed on the inside. Just try to be patient.

Anyway, wanted to pop on & say hello.....Susie

Hi Ranger and Welcome to Healing Well Chronic Pain Forum, you have been given some excellent advice mainly just follow your doctor orders and try not to rush things. I noticed that you mentioned that you had swallowing and voice problems right after your surgery. I had the same problems but mine lasted close to 4 months after my surgery. And I have permanent nerve damage to my right vocal cords, as even now they are partially paralyzed from my first ACDF at C6/7.
Anyway the main thing I would suggest, is that you avoid any heavy lifting or doing anything that would possibly put a strain on your cervical spine instead of bending over and picking up objects, squat down and reach for thing to pick up. Avoid straining your neck or upper spine. Let your spine, and all the soft tissues and nerves, have time to heal and the graft time to take. the hardware helps but is not meant to be a replacement for the actual bone graft, that fuses the vertebra together. And that can take a considerable amount of time before the graft is complete.

As good as you might feel now, and I know how great it is to not have the arm pain and to get movement back in your hands right after having the surgery. But please be cautious, and don't over due it, it is just not worth the risk. Especially since you had a multiple level fusion done at one time! There is allot more to heal with a multilevel fusion. I had mine done one at a time, my first ACDF at C6/7 done in 1985 ( no hardware, and bone graft taken from my pelvis) and then the second one at C5/6 done in 2009 just about 25 years later with donor cadaver bone and all the hardware. So I am some what familiar with what it is like.

Anyway again Welcome to the forum, and I wish you all the best in healing! Good luck to you!

White Beard