Insight for a 7 Level Posterior Cervical Thoractic Laminectomy and Fusion

BUY the chair! You will need it much longer and enjoy it forever! Just keep that phone nearby...you can hold it up high to see. Also learn to use any voice features it has-much easier.

I'm so glad it seems you are able to wait for your preferred doctor.

Counting down the days with you!!

It sounds like you have bought the crucial items & are prepared as much as you can be. You will be very glad that you prepared. Only other thing I can think of is ice packs, have those on hand you will need them. The dr or nurse will put the neck brace on you right after surgery. It sounds like you have 2, just take them both, lol.

We will be thinking of you. Keep us posted!

It sounds like you’re very well prepared, mslesalee. Will you have help at home after your surgery? Try to rest as much as possible. And what I’ve found is to take your pain meds when your pain starts kicking in - don’t wait until it’s bad. Most pain meds take 30-45 minutes to kick in so it’s much easier when you keep ahead of the pain.

Know that I’ll be thinking of you and sending healing big vibes your way on May 29th. You’ll do fine! It’s amazing how far medical expertise has come. Hugs!

I came to the forum to get more insight. I keep thinking "I can't do this'. I am a sole parent in my 50's of a 9 yr old. I am set to have surgery in the end of April or early May. I could not commit to a surgery day mentally at the doctors.

I was injured falling in a pot hole and the disks were pushed in to my spinal cord in 6 & 7 I need no fusion, just the removal of the lamina. This incident was 2 years ago, and I thought somehow I could escape having surgery. Sunday I had a new MRI Monday the N.S. reviewed MRI and it was clear that I now have significant changes to my spinal cord and this has to be fixed or I face real imminent danger if I do nothing.

My mom is in her late 70's and will be coming out to stay with me for a month, she has her own limitations. My fear is beyond reason regarding specifically the pain during my recovery. I thought reading a forum would be helpful, but my anxiety and fear is a 10 right now.

I can not take morphine or much of any pain med without throwing up. My doc will give me dilaudid for the first few weeks. I had to convince him and get him to commit to a better option than basic pain meds that make me very sick and constipated. If someone can give me some insight with meds, I would be very grateful. Anyone use dilaudid or meds they can discuss with me?

I had a muscle cut when I had melanoma removed from my upper arm in 2003 (5 inch wrap around incision ) I thought "If you can die from pain, Im gonna die". I had a surgery on my head and I sat in a chair for 4 days & nights unable to do anything. My head seems to have a very low tolerance for pain. Yet I was bitten by a snake and has severe nerve/myelan sheath issues, and nothing was as bad as the head. natural fusion of my tailbone and spine and I dealt with this well. My head is ultra sensitive to pain.

I ordered a lift chair. I have a low bed and a high bed, I am thinking the high bed is best. I will have a booster toilet seat...all the stuff I have read I will be buying or borrowing. Bought some comfy pj's with buttons, flip flops. Are slippers better? Some people seem to have had horrific pain, some not so bad?

Can I please have some real conversations with you about the pain and length of time before things feel less painful?
I feel so very alone and scared. I dont want anything sugar-coated, I want to know how its been for you and what you did to get past the worst parts of recovery, length of time.

I am very healthy, dont smoke cigs or drink, eat great and have a great amount of supplements, use plant medicines as injestible THC and CBD . Can you recommend things to help speed along the wound healing? I am considering a Bemer or Omi EFT pad but that is a major investment. Has anyone used this for wound healing?

I hope to hear from you.

Grateful*

Hello Susie,

Your reply is truly so kind, I am very grateful to hear from you. I hear you are saying that the laminectomy is less of an intensive procedure. This is good news. I will look for a forum about laminectomies too.

yes the slippers are for home. Flops for leaving the hospital. Thank you for explaining laxatives verses stool softeners. I will be prepared with the correct one.

Good news to hear your husband is doing well after his surgery.

Again, Thank you*

Jade

Ocean Fisher,

Thank you for your post. These little things have become so important to me. I am not having fusion,,so I am going to post here, but on just laminectomy sight too. I am an island girl Ocean Fisher*

Im not sure what I am reading on your member info, but if I am correct you are dealing with so much.

My first NS said my spinal cord is so depressed that he fears the surgery will not help or make it worse.
I am applying to be seen at Mayo clinic. I need a better prognosis than that one.

I am the sole parent to a young child. I need this fixed*

I felt like a drug seeker when I asked for Dulaudid, its crazy how a dr. can tell you this will be the worst pain I will feel, but here, and we are concerned to give you medicine that will make you loopy. Can I please be loopy??? just for a few days or weeks? he said no pain medication will fully help the pain. I just have to get through it.

I know fusion is much more intense. I am havnig (at this piint) c3-7 done.

I am eager to hear your thoughts.

Many Blessings

Miss Jade,
As I understand it, a laminectomy is the removal of the back part of the vertebra bone so that the spinal cord has more room. I am in no way implying anything terrible may happen to you if you choose this route. You also said you wanted the facts with no sugar coating. Having been around people having had this procedure and talking with people who have had both this procedure as well as fusion surgery, I know both have their downsides.

Unfortunately some people have laminectomies and then have to have fusions as their first procedure was ineffective. I am a good example of what happens down the road with fusion surgery. The levels above and below take the brunt of movement and as a result they decay and collapse. Your procedure will include many levels so I cant help but believe your recovery will be challenging. I was in a hard cervical collar for four weeks and honestly my pain never went away. I have been in pain management since surgery and my dr said I would never go off pain meds. That is quite a sobering comment to hear. That being said I will take my meds each and everyday as it gives me some relief from the constant pain in both my cervical and lumbar spine. I suffer from osteoporosis which has also caused me problems. I have suffered fractured vertebra bones just from lifting a sewing desk. My wife picked up her end and I picked up my end as we were moving it across the room. When I lifted my end I heard and felt a pop. Off to the surgeons I went where he diagnosed me with a fracture T12 vertebra. I now deal with both disc pain and bone pain with no real end in site.

Miss Jade, please keep a positive attitude and work with your dr for the best possible outcome. If you are still in pain after your procedure then find a good pain management dr as this person will help you so much.

Any questions I can answer for you would be my pleasure.
God bless

Miss Jade,
I consulted with two orthopedic surgeons and one neurosurgeon before deciding to go with the neurosurgeon. You have to be comfortable with your choice. Your case is indeed difficult in that you may not see improvement after your surgery.

In my situation I did not want fusion surgery but had no choice as nerve entrapment was causing the loss of function of my left arm.

One thing I have learned is when faced with daily chronic pain--you look for any way to reduce the your suffering. I know I just got tired of feeling so much pain everyday. It was almost like grasping for straws. In the end I received more pain relief through pain management then I ever did through surgery. As we travel the road of life I am convinced every person on this earth will be confronted by chronic pain caused by the aging process. My own search for pain relief is ongoing. I have good days and bad days. I am thankful for the meds I take each day. Without them my life would be just be to painful to endure.

Miss Jade I know you are a single parent and have much responsibility on your shoulders. I will say a prayer for you. Please keep us informed on what you decide and how you are feeling.

God bless you

Hi Susie,

Thank you for your kind and wise insights. I somehow did not know that this post was here! I was going through my email notices and saw I didn't open this, I apologize. I read it a few times, how thought-filled*

New news, (If insurance allows) I am going to have this done in another state and the procedure will be an ACDF not a post-lami. I have come to see that it is very common to have a N.S. use the post-lami procedure instead of an ACDF. I am seeing a top spine surgeon that is recognized for his success with my situation.

I do have 2019 and 2021 MRI's and he has gone over them with me and feels this will be a 'slam dunk' (his words). Other than the standard risks. I have dealt with a lot of push back from others saying that I must use a NS. My dear friend, same age, same level of dire state of spinal cord issues, we have both seem NS & SS and we have both had the same experience with prognosis and procedures. She will get hers done in AZ and I in CO both by Spine Surgeons and we feel very at ease after much dismay with NS issues and prognosis.

I am mentally very fuzzy. Life feels extremely heavy at this time, but with so much hope and optimism* Having so much pain and pressure on the cord is like being fully zapped of all I have constantly. I am so eager to be repaired!

I am very grateful for your support too*
xoxoxoxoxoxox

Jade, if your insurance approved your consult with the SS surely they will approve the surgery. I hope you have a good insurance plan, it's not uncommon for a patient to go out of state treatment. I do know that a lot of people with HMO's run into huge issues when seeking care out of state, however, they are restrictive anyway. Do you have family or friends in Colorado that you can stay with for a while?

I truly hope all of this works out for you, your confidence level seems to be so much better with this dr & that's extremely important. We have had some members in the past use SS for their fusions. SS have extra training versus a regular orthopedic surgeon.

Please keep us posted on what you find out.

Medicaid is different state by state on what they will or will not allow. Having surgery involves many different medical providers besides the surgeon. Even though it's a different procedure I wouldn't put any faith in that. I would still be looking for a SS in my area or closest large city in the event this gets turned down. I don't understand why the SS didn't get prior authorization to see you before the phone appt, regardless if you were self pay or not. That would have taken the guess work out of this.

As far as steps, they do like for patients to avoid them if possible, but not everyone lives in a one story home. Personally, if this were me I would not have surgery & plan on getting in a car for a 5 hour trip a few days after surgery. While I realize it would be costly to stay in a condo for several weeks, I would try to find a place to stay for at least 6 weeks. Who in your city will be managing your after care? One of my biggest concerns in this situation is if I got in trouble, who is going to care for me medical wise? Drs are notorius for not wanting to get involved with patients that have had surgery by another physician right after surgery. You really need some good firm back up plans in place if you opt for surgery in Colorado.

Keeping my fingers crossed this all works out.