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Posted 7/23/2014 2:44 AM (GMT 0)
I am having acdf c4-7 in 4 weeks. ..im scared and anxious~ i just want the pain to go away. I have migraines, pain in my shoulder blades, bicep, elbow,wrist,thumb,hand. ....the list is long. I am a certified nursing assistant ans was told i could return to work in 3weeks? Doesn't sound right to me. Could i have some advice on what to expect . This is a workers comp case and i am afraid they are rushing me.
Posted 7/23/2014 4:21 AM (GMT 0)
Welcome!
Your instinct is correct. There are several of us here now who have had similar surgery. Just look at the names of threads and also use the search for cervical fusion. There are also some here who can advise you about the workers comp case.

This is a great place to get support. Others will be along to help you. Being scared is understandable but gathering more information will make it easier for you.
Posted 7/23/2014 6:22 AM (GMT 0)
3 weeks sounds a little too quick to me...they wouldn't let me drive for 3 weeks after C5/6 fusion. However, the radiating pain in my arm did go away immediately after surgery (it was 3 weeks post-injury; that matters). Ten days after surgery I returned to graduate school and even went out for drinks after class.

Things I wish someone had told me prior to ACDF:

1) Quit smoking; it interferes with healing
2) Prop your head up to sleep in the days following surgery because your throat will be swollen and it may cause temporary sleep apnea.
3) Tell your family/support about your post-op care in case the hospital staff is inattentive. Mine were :/
4) Try to get any Betadine off your skin around the surgery site...it will eventually start itching.

The first 24 hours aren't a picnic but you will sleep through most of it. The recovery room is the worst part but there is someone right there to manage your pain. I got sick from the anesthesia but a nice night nurse helped me get up every couple of hours to vomit, then eat crackers, take another pain pill and go back to sleep.

I hope that's not TMI. If your injury was recent, you will probably feel significant relief from the radiating pain soon after surgery.
Posted 7/23/2014 12:45 PM (GMT 0)
Let me go back to February of this year. I was in a car accident where someone turned in front of me ..i was doing 45Mph and i had no time to hit the breaks...i hit her then a huge snow bank.from February to April i felt discomfort in my traps.never thinking about it...im a cna and my job is vey physical. In april i was doing patient care. And felt extreme pain in my left arm around my elbow/bicep area. I went to a workers comp dr and she sent me for a mri .it showed moderate bulging in c4-5 severe herniated disc c5-6 moderate bulging c6-7..i went for pt about 6 weeks with no progress. I was sent to pm and had 2 epidural injections with little relief. Started to a chiropractor and while i was there they did ultrasound massage. Felt good while they were doing it but didnt last long.went to spine dr and discussed surgery. My pain is about 6-7 at the most,and a constant 3.i have looked at changing professions because of it being such a physical and demanding job.i will speak my mind to the wc dr and ask him bluntly if i will ever be able to do my job again .i am 41 and love my job but cant go on with tge physical part.thanks for your support

Post Edited (scared 24) : 7/23/2014 6:59:45 PM (GMT-6)

Posted 7/23/2014 3:36 PM (GMT 0)
Welcome to the chronic pain forum scared. So sorry to read what is going on with your health right now.

I encourage you to read through the first 3 pages here at the forum because you will find either quite a few folks that either have just had cervical fusions or they are scheduled soon to have surgery. By reading their posts you will get the big picture as to what to expect, what not to expect & what you need to be doing to get ready for surgery.

No, it is not reasonable to think you will be healed well enough to return to work in 3 weeks. A surgeon can only do so much, what the patient does after surgery determines how good of a result they get from the surgery. In other words you have a huge role in your outcome.It is usually a good 6 months for a person to heal, things may look healed on the outside but that does not mean its healed on the inside. The fusion has to become solid & that takes time.

Since this accident was caused by someone else, you really need to speak with a board certified personal injury atty. They will not charge you for a consult, their fees are on contingency. Basically you have two claims, worker's comp & a personal injury claim. I just hope the adverse party has more than a minimum insurance policy. You can also file under your own auto insurance if you have Personal Injury Protection coverage. That is a no fault type of insurance that we pay extra for. You can look on your dec sheet to see if you took it out or rejected it.

Keep us posted on how you are doing.
Posted 7/23/2014 7:01 PM (GMT 0)
No problem, I think she was trying to help but it just did not come off that way. Regardless, every person's needs are different & you have to do what you need to do, bottom line.

I forgot to add above, since you are dealing with worker's comp & we know what a pain that can be, try not to stress too much, easier said that done, lol. If this is state worker's comp there should be an agency you can contact that can give you info on what your rights are under worker's comp. If the employer is self insured then its something totally different, same as federal worker's comp has its own set of rules & guidelines. Each state has different laws & guide lines for state worker's comp.Hopefully you will not have a lot of grief out of them.

I am on my husband's laptop, totally different than mine, its awful, it is like I do not know how to type, lol. My grandson is busy on mine.

Anyway, hang in there & check out the posts about cervical fusions here. Also, a very good reputable website devoted to the spine is called SpineUniverse.com, you may want to read about your condition there. The better we educate ourselves the better off we are. One thing I will tell you, when a dr says a patient can go back to work within a couple weeks of surgery that is nothing but text book talk out of a dr. That just burns me when one of them pops off & tells a patient that.

Take care.
Posted 7/23/2014 7:18 PM (GMT 0)
Thanks again Susie! I need all the info i can get.alot of what i read has been positive i dont want to give up my job and love the surgeon im seeing and my work has been pretty good wi the appointments and therapy i have been going to .i try to "suck" it up and deal with the pain aa much as possible, but sometimes its just too much. I feel like im taking pills all day and that's no fun. I have off work today and havent taken any meds,but i am starting to feel it creep up my neck and a headache is starting. Thanks again!

Post Edited (scared 24) : 7/23/2014 7:01:37 PM (GMT-6)

Posted 7/23/2014 9:07 PM (GMT 0)
Hi scared 24, and let me also Welcome you to Healing Well Chronic Pain forum! I can understand you being apprehensive about your up coming surgery! It is no picnic! And everyones experience is different, and what yours will be??? Well Hopefully it will be good! Most people do find relief to their arm pain fairly quickly after the surgery! Now the surgical pain  and post-op recovery is another story!   I will tell you as many others have, that what the doctor and surgeon tell you ( as far as when you can expect to go back to work) and when you really can are two different things! Especially if your a Nurse or CNA and work on a unit, in a hospital setting! Especially being a CNA and having to work with patients, on a in patient hospital unit,  there is just no way you will be able to do that, that soon! I have worked as a CNA for a while before going to nursing school and while in nursing school, it is very hard physical labor! And if your not physically fit to do the job, ( and you won't be that soon after surgery) you not only put yourself at risk but also the patients your working with!

Will you ever be able to go back to working as a CNA after your surgery???  That is a million dollar question, and it will all depend on how your body heals, and how you deal with it! And a whole bunch of other things!  Hopefully you will be able to do the job. but your having allot done, and it will take allot of time for your grafts to take and heal! So the best advice I can give you, is don't do the "what if mind games that allot of us find our selves doing" ( it just screws us up! LOL) be gentle with yourself and don't rush to do things! Just give yourself plenty of time to heal!  Come here for support, and vent your frustrations, ( we have all done that here from time to time!)  There are allot of really good, caring people here, that will listen and give you what advice and support as they can!

You will get through this!  As many of us have, just know that your not alone in this!

Again I Welcome you to the forum!

White Beard

Posted 7/23/2014 9:46 PM (GMT 0)
Thanks white beard! I work in a nursing home in healthcare, ..very demanding!
Posted 7/23/2014 11:31 PM (GMT 0)
Scared, if you will click on my name to the left, my email address will pop up in my profile. If you will shoot me a quick email I have a bit of info for you. I was going to email you but you did not put it in your profile.....Thanks
Posted 7/24/2014 3:24 AM (GMT 0)
Scared you are absolutely right working in a nursing home as a CNA is extremely demanding and from my experience allot harder than working on a hospital unit! I have worked both before becoming an RN!

Right now try not to worry or even think about your job and working after your your surgery. What will be, will be! Just try not to do anything that will make your condition worse before your surgery! Afterwards follow your post-op instructions to the Tee, and even though you might feel allot better,don't over due it, or do anything to put strain and stress on your fusion!

We are all rooting for you!

White Beard
Posted 7/25/2014 1:14 AM (GMT 0)
Is it normal to have a pain level of about a 3 one day and feel half decent and then a pain level of about 7 the next and you try to medicate but it doesnt help ? Thats how i feel today.....nothing I'm doing is alleviating the pain.
Posted 7/25/2014 1:18 AM (GMT 0)
Im going to be on a 3 week no driving ,.with that said...my employer read the dr note about me being out for 3 weeks and they assume that means i will be back to work after that 3 week post op visit. ...im not going to "rush" back just to satisfy my employer. LoL...

quote="dreamsong_29"]3 weeks sounds a little too quick to me...they wouldn't let me drive for 3 weeks after C5/6 fusion. However, the radiating pain in my arm did go away immediately after surgery (it was 3 weeks post-injury; that matters). Ten days after surgery I returned to graduate school and even went out for drinks after class.

Things I wish someone had told me prior to ACDF:

1) Quit smoking; it interferes with healing
2) Prop your head up to sleep in the days following surgery because your throat will be swollen and it may cause temporary sleep apnea.
3) Tell your family/support about your post-op care in case the hospital staff is inattentive. Mine were :/
4) Try to get any Betadine off your skin around the surgery site...it will eventually start itching.

The first 24 hours aren't a picnic but you will sleep through most of it. The recovery room is the worst part but there is someone right there to manage your pain. I got sick from the anesthesia but a nice night nurse helped me get up every couple of hours to vomit, then eat crackers, take another pain pill and go back to sleep.

I hope that's not TMI. If your injury was recent, you will probably feel significant relief from the radiating pain soon after surgery.

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