Update/Question

steve55 · #1 (**permalink**) 05-03-2010, 03:57 AM

Hope Mark catches this post so I can get his input also. Im 7 months out from my 3 level ADR conversion to fusion at C4-C7. I was pain free for 4 months and then for the last 2 months, I started getting tenderness, soreness, and even some degre of nerve pain at what I thought was my C6/7. My medical massage therapist says the spots I am pointing out to her as being sore are t2 and t3. She is not a standard massage person, she is medically trained and knows the anatomy and was actually referred by the doctor, so Im sure she is correct. So, my thoughts are that the fusion is stressing my thoracic now? Its weird that T1 is not sore. Anyways, sounds like REALLY bad news if I am already suffering adjacent level stress. is this normal after a fusion and will just go away? Im not sure what this means or doesnt mean. Anyone else have this effect and ended up ok. My physical therapist says everyone has pain somewhere in some form or fashion usually up to a year after fusion, so my complaints are not abnormal. Im just wondering if my thoracic is going to blow now. If it does, maybe I get try the ADR again to stop the cascading. I know mark has thoracis ADR;s, Im wondering if thoracic is hard for the surgeons to do ADR on? . I know bertagnoli does the thoracic, but I thought I heard many surgeoins are unable due to hard to reach.

Thoughts?

PS- My range of motion is unnoticeably restricted, I can go far right and far left same as before I think, and almost as far up and down. My Doc says its impressive I can do what i can do after a 3 level

Katie · #2 (**permalink**) 05-03-2010, 12:22 PM

Steve, after all you have been through, I am so sorry to hear of this new development. I've followed your story since the beginning.

I hope someone can give you some more information. I had fusion on my L4/5, L5/S1 six weeks ago , as well as ADR on my C5/6. Absolutely no issues with the cervical, but I'm still having some pain issues with the lumbar, about half of what it was pre-surgery. I'm hoping it is just healing pain, or memory pain that will go away. The surgeon suggested I could have either or both. My mind goes crazy wondering if everything is OK after this big surgery. It is good to hear that there 'should be' some pain after fusion.

I wish I could give some feedback that would help you, but maybe someone else will be more helpful. Please keep us posted and good luck.

Maria · #3 (**permalink**) 05-03-2010, 05:45 PM

Have you spoken to your doctor regarding your symptoms? What does he or she make of it? Is it warrenting an MRI or other diagnostics or does it warrent just waiting and seeing ... ??

Hope it's not adjacent level syndrome and it's just some acting up of the surrounding structures tho I would guess that either more diagnostics or time will tell and / or both.

Good luck as you've been thru quite a bit with a 3level ADR conversion to fusion~ WOW! Hope you start to feel better somehow~ and hopefully Mark or someone else with cervical ADR and/or conversion to a fusion afterwards will have some helpful input. take care~

steve55 · #4 (**permalink**) 05-10-2010, 02:25 AM

No Maria, havent gone yet but things have gotten bad enough that I am going to find a doctor here ASAP to see what the hell is going on. Im ready for new x rays to see how the thoracic looks. My T2 and T3 are so extremely sore and bruised, its like someone punched me in the spine. SOmetimes I wince at just the touch of the bone at that location. As I recall, my T spine looked very healthy previously, so I dont know how it could be adjacent level degeneration so fast . Ive done a ton of research lately and everything Ive read is that adjacent level degeneration only happens in 1 of 5 cases and usually takes 10 years to occur. Most doctors seem to say they dont really think it has a significant impact as its more likely a continuation of the degenerative disease process. Im only 6 months out, how in the hell can my T spine be killing me like this! I have occasional forearm and hand burning on top of all this. I also have alot of nausea due to the new nerve pain. Im back on pain pills like I used to be. WTF? I cant believe all this. I was PAIN FREE for 4 months, and Im successfully fully fused, I should not be having such bad new pain again. This S*&% is getting old and PISSING me off. Am I just going to have a cascaded back syndrome and have to be fully fused like a washboard witin a few years? Dam it! ANyways, thanks for letting me vent.