My C-Spine has begun to spiral....Help!!

[sahuaro]

Have to agree with phylly--you need to call your surgeon and let him know what you are experiencing just to make sure this isn't something other than your spine. If it does turn out to be your spine, then go ahead with that conversation Dale suggested!

[Maria]

Cindylou,
I think sometimes the way we have to care for one part of our spine can effect the way another part of our spine reacts and I'm just wondering if your c-spine is reacting to the care of your recent lumbar spine surgery and the effect this has had on you?

Now suffice to say that if this feeling were worsening and unrelieved by any medication, any position or any arsenal in my already loaded medication/spine care bag I'd probably bring myself bare minimum to an Urgent Care center for evaluation if not an ER depending on how severe the symptoms are and whether there was any relief in sight.

Even tho all I have that seems significant on an MRI is a small C5/6 bulge my neck got so painful last night that I felt nauseated, couldn't turn my head w/o pain or look up or down or move it really, had pain into my right scapula first, then into the left side, and basically paraspinally into the upper thoracic spine. I also had a whopper h/a going on ...

When lying down on my back with my horseshoe pillow around my neck to sleep I couldn't breath right or felt I had to gasp for breath and I had so much occipital pain I was up all night last night..

2 Fioricets and a Skelaxin later and many position changes in bed I finally got 3 hours of sleep last night and woke up with less spasming I guess because there was less pain...

I'm hoping you've either found some relief from the symptoms you wrote about here earlier or were seen or talked to your doctor. Please let us know~

[Cindylou]

Talked to Mark last night and my doctor. My doc didn't get how things could spiral so fast. Made me feel like he didn't believe me. He gave me name of a neck guy. Haven't called yet, obviously. Mark was much more comforting and understanding. Gets how things can go south fast. I found an old soft cervical collar from my MVA years ago, and put that on. Seemed to help some. I think I might have been in major spasm? A muscle relaxer helped some, as did laying on my back with my legs up on ottoman, putting my neck in neutral w/ no weight bearing on it. Really thought I was headed to ER. Thank God didn't have to. Sick of ER's. I totally agree with you Maria. I think part of (all of?) what brought this on was/is the coddling of my lower spine, which compromised my cervical posture big time. Not sure what else was going on? Didn't sleep with soft collar but put it back on this morning. Will probably call either doc's neck guy recommendation, or more likely, my current neck doc, and make appt. I'm pretty sure I had a recent MRI or Cat Scan that included my neck when I started going to Pain Management Clinic. Isn't that awful? I can't remember. Not sure what this soft collar is actually doing, but it seems to help, whatever it's purpose is. Ok, thanks everyone. Will keep you posted. My SI joint recovery is just going awesome. Unbelievably great. My cup is more than half full in that regard. Now just gotta get these demons at bay on #!*@ ing neck issues!! Will keep you abreast on this. Thanks a ton everyone. BTW, Maria, I hope you also get resolution to your similar sounding cervical issues.

Cindylou

[Maria]

CindyLou,
I wonder if an IM shot of Toradol 60mg would have released spasming right away for you. It works for me, cervical or lumbar.. good stuff I find. Trying to just use the oral Skelaxin tho and it works too but then I find myself typing away here in a slumping position or jutting my neck out and creating pain for myself.. worse thing is talking on the land line and holding the phone between my shoulder and chin while washing dishes or doing whatever multi-task idiot thing I'm trying to do.. Worse yet is with teenytiny flat cell phone (same positioning) and walking dog!

Oh well, I've been deemed *non surgical* by a fast talking fast moving young spine surgeon over at Long Beach Memorial. He pretty much brushed me off as *go to PT and it will resolve*... been there, done that .. didn't happen.

Ok tho back to you~ get a consult and meanwhile keep your neck in neutral position or a good position and if that means wearing a collar or using a cervical roll/pillow then do that for relief even while sitting and watching TV.

So glad to hear your SI joint surgery is coming along so well! Could be that once you're back to pretty normal functioning your neck stuff will be cleared as well as long as there are no real structural probs~ hope that's the case tho getting it checked out seems like a wise thing to do as well.

[Cindylou]

Again, Maria, I think you are dead on. Hopefully, when I get back to full functioning, my whole spine will normalize. I do have my appt., at least, with my neck guy, about a week and a half out. And some current x-rays I can bring. The muscle relaxants and pain meds are sort of keeping it in check. I choose to believe this is just a glitch, because my SI joint surgery is going amazingly well. Unbelievably well. I know it is early days, but I can't say enough good things about it and about how my body is responding to this surgery. I am exceedingly thankful. I have been praying like a nun who is fasting at a convent, for relief. Maybe my prayers are being answered? Keep watching my posts you guys...especially those of you who think you may have SI Joint issues. I will continue to post about this recovery as honestly and frankly as I can. Enjoy the weekend everyone. Our nice weather here in Minnesota has turned unseasonably cold again. Please Spring, come back.

Cindylou

[Kathy]

CindyLou,
I pray that all that is wrong is some improper mechanics you used while recovering from your lumbar problems. I am so glad that your lumbar recovery is going so well, that is AWESOME news! I know you and your family must be so happy that this seems to be the one. I don't know if you saw a post of mine earlier; but to recap... when my hubby asked if I felt my old back pain and I said no, that I didn't think so, he started crying (tears of joy, of course). I then heard him over and over on the phone telling people about it. It was really sweet and just went to show how much my pain was affecting him as well as me. I can only imagine how much your family is ready to see you relieved from your pain. How's the grandbaby? Probably growing to quickly!

[Terry Allen Blackburn]

CindyLou:

I am imagining that you will be having the storm before it hits us tonight and tomorrow. We have a severe snow warning for tonight and tomorrow. One inch tonight and four to six inches tomorrow of the heavy, wet stuff. My neighbor has been kind enough to blow our driveway out most of this Winter. He has saved my poor spine tremendously.

I hope you are feeling better soon and I am happy for the results on your SI joint surgery so far.

Terry Newton

[Justin]

Originally Posted by Kathy Earhart

CindyLou,
I pray that all that is wrong is some improper mechanics you used while recovering from your lumbar problems.

I agree with Kathy...I hope you feel better soon CL.