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Laminectomy/fusion, with plates, rods and screws recovery

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Posted 5/4/2015 5:48 AM (GMT 0)
Any one know how long for Laminectomy/fusion, with plates ( front neck ), 2 rods and screws ( back neck) recovery? I have this surgery since 10/20 2014 and still have a lot of neck pain after surgery. different type of pain I think the muscle spasm, around the two rods cause gave me a lot of headache, tiredness, need to lay down rest frequently. MRI looking good, all the spinal cord pinched area are decompressed. Please let me know if you experience same type of problem after surgery?
Posted 5/4/2015 8:56 AM (GMT 0)
Welcome DD to the CP forum at HW. You can find an abundance of information about recovery and post-op for fusions by using the search option at the top of the page here,just enter your criteria. You are likely going to get a lot of reading but I can say what you are describing isn't all that unusual for us to see. If people like you had hindsight and researched prior to the decision to go ahead with surgery and found us or even other online spinal forums the results post-op may be so much different. The honest truth of the matter is there's those who take the surgical route only to find themselves not a lot better off and some worse. This is not to say that all fusions are failures but rather the approach to surgery,the surgeon and choices of actual hardware and procedures used,and the post-op recovery all play very realistic parts in the success or not of these procedures.
Posted 5/4/2015 10:07 AM (GMT 0)
Welcome to Healing Well,

As Vickie said there is an abundance of information here. I just put the words 'laminectomy fusion' in the Search box and got lots of results. One of them is my own story of having C3-C7 fused about 16 months ago. At 6 months post op I was still having pain, needed to rest frequently, spent lots of time in my recliner, used ice packs for relief. I felt much better at 1 year finally and better still at 16 months, although I'm still very much aware of the fusion and can easily over exert myself, but I recover faster now.

So many who have this surgery go back to work and find that's just too difficult. I did not have to do that and I hope the same is true for you. What we do after this surgery will have a lifetime effect so it's worth taking it slow and easy and allow the healing to happen. I'm glad to hear your MRI looks good. Does it show any fusion yet? What levels did you have done? Do I understand correctly that you had incisions in front and back? Are you taking muscle relaxers? I had constant pain where I think one of the rods is for over a year. Finally I noticed that pain was gone!

THINK FUSION is the motto for our group. Welcome!
Posted 5/4/2015 5:25 PM (GMT 0)
Thanks Vickie and Abilene. great info from both of you make me feel better. I will read more as suggest by Vickie. I still on disability due to my right arm lost upper motion and got very weak right after surgery. I m working with PT since surgery and left arm motion getting better but very slow. My surgeon told me it may take another year for recovery. My most suffering daily is my neck pain and I have to take 2/3 Oxycodone pill at least 1 a day when pain come up ( taking a lot of water to flush my system with this med daily). I do take muscle relaxing pill but not help much but very sleepy. I have Anterior cervical decompression and fusion 4 levels C3-C7. Posterior stabilation and fusion c3-c7

The procedure call: Cervical discectomy w cervical fusion, anterior technique posterior cervical laminectomy w fusion.
A lot of hard wares. 9 hours surgery. Doctor said, all well monitored during surgery, all went well. Xray, MRI all looking good, all spinal pinching are decompressed. I am very happy with the result but suffering with neck paint, swallowing and left arm motion daily. Just want to know that I m not alone with this problem and know that this neck pain will be gone soon or latter and I will be happy. Just ok to do house works and limit driving as much as possible. Sorry for my English writing not too good!

Thanks
Posted 5/4/2015 9:58 PM (GMT 0)
Hello & welcome to the forum. As the ladies above said there is a lot of info here about this type of surgery. Everyone heals so differently, but one thing we all know is overdoing will kick you every time. Then trying to make the comeback from overdoing takes at least twice the normal amount of time.

Since you feel that the muscle relaxers are not helping you all that much except for making you sleepy have you told your dr this info? There are many different good ones out there, its a mater of getting the right fit for you. Everything needs to be tailored to the patient, its not cookie cutter thing at all. Muscle relaxers are vital to someone that has had spinal surgery & can actually help lower the pain levels somewhat if they are working for the patient correctly.

When reading on those older threads we ask that you not post any questions on those threads. We like to keep the older threads off of the main page. You will get a much better response by asking your questions here on the main page where everyone will see them.

When you say things are looking good, how is your fusion coming along? It takes quite a while for a fusion to become solid. I know the dr is checking the hardware out to make sure its where its suppose to be.

Take care & welcome aboard.
Posted 5/7/2015 11:38 AM (GMT 0)
Thanks Susie, I keep complain about my pain in the back of my neck. My surgeon just tell me to me patient, he told me this pain and arm motion will well take another year for recovery. he never mention about recheck my fusion. I never wear hard neck collar after 9 hours in the operation room. Amazing and surprise for me. but he said my posterior two rods support are very durable, stable and strong to support my neck fusion.very small chance for fusion problem. so no need for hard neck collar. it is good!
I think I get better and better but very slow! it is good news.
I' m currently working with my arm doctor and PT for my arm condition and Pt for both arm and neck and also keep update to my surgeon for my post surgery status every 2 or 3 months. It thing getting worse I will notify my surgeon right away.
Posted 5/7/2015 1:33 PM (GMT 0)
We've had others here who were told the same about the rods were enough support for their neck. I only wore my collar for 2 weeks, then was told to just wear it when I felt I needed protection. I did that when I was going to be in a crowd or around people who did not know I'd just had surgery. I didn't want any bumps or even hugs-they sometimes hurt too. They don't hurt now. I didn't drive for many months after surgery but that was my own decision. The doctor said I could. It still is not something I do much.

It sounds like you are doing well. PT on my shoulder and neck helped a lot also. My dr did x-ray every few months and he got excited because he could see a fuzzy area that he said was fusion. I just had to take his word on that.

Your English is just fine, I can understand it all. What is your first language? I have grandchildren who were adopted from Russia so their English speaking is sometimes hard to understand. Writing has got to be much harder.

I'm sorry you have the additional problem with your arms, but at least that is making you protect your neck and let it heal. We have several here who have tried so hard to go back to work and be more active. I'm afraid they are paying a life long price for that eagerness. I'm kind of lazy and that works better for this recovery. :)

Your surgery was more extensive than any other that I've read about here, being anterior and posterior. What problems were you having before?
Posted 5/9/2015 8:41 PM (GMT 0)
Your English is fine, did not realize that you were not here in the states as none of us could tell any difference, lol. Like Abilene said, here they do check the fusion by regular xrays to make sure the fusion is taking place. You sure had a pretty tough surgery.

I don't know, perhaps if this were me I would just ask the surgeon to give me a muscle relaxer. I realize being in another country things are done differently, however, that would not be an unreasonable request & this is something that even your primary care dr can prescribe to you.

Yes, overdoing is how so many people get in trouble. The think if they push harder they will heal quicker & get back to normal & that is just not true at all. It hinders the healing effects greatly & then they end up with like Abilene said, life long problems. Had they done it correctly to begin with they wouldn't be suffering as they do. Learning the limits & listening to your body is important.

Take care & keep us posted.
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