Newbie,,,short notice need answers

[PepsiDoodles]

Hi all, a quick breakdown,

have an emergency situation, been in ER all day just to get STAT MRI ordered by neurosurgeon from UC Davis spine center Dr Panchal is my neurosurgeon there, I had the MRI done in Fairfield by where I live, will be picked up by ambulance and taken to UC Davis for surgery if that is what he says is best..

I have several spinal problems, 1. syringomyelia with chiari malformation 2. severe spinal stinosis of the c-spine with herniation's and other bad things, degeneration and so on, many pinched nerves 3. he did a “flick finger test” on my middle finger and said it was positive and made sure the other 2 doctors in the room wrote it down, did that test 10 times to be sure

the past week I have had paralysis complete left side of body from head to toe, mouth so numb feel like shot full of Novocain, most of the bad numbness has somewhat subsided but still comes and goes, teeth staying numb,,,

I am praying it is from the srynx at my c-7, my c-1 through c-5 are severely unstable, his concern is it can paralyze me for life if the surgery not done to correct it in time!

He mention a fusion type of surgery, all was a blur to me, he asked me to stay and have testing there, but had to get ride from insurance and they had a time schedule to keep so I told him I had to go home and he made me promise to go to ER today and I did, took all day to get the MRI done, and by then he had gone home, so hope to talk with him in morning. Had to catch last bus home, and still had not got results from ER doc, so told him I needed to catch the bus or would be walking home over 10 miles, and no friends or family here to help me not even a neighbor

I have spasms so bad they pull my ribs out and have to be put back into place 1 to 2 times a week and horrific pain in neck today along with bad back spasms between shoulders, have ice on both

Allergic to EVERYTHING! All opiates thrown at me so far make heart palpitate,,,, Tylenol is only pain med I can handle, scared as hell the pain of this surgery will kill me! Sad smile or leave me paralyzed from neck down, if nothing done the disc will paralyze me he said, and eventually the srynx will to but least it is slower and it is not operable and a bone spur growing right into the middle of the dam thing to top it off, so srynx look like a peanut shape, like an 8, it is 9mm by ?? don’t know the latest but last yr was 9mm, yr before was 3 x 5 mm, so growing fast.


My esophagus no longer works, so will have g-tube for the surgery and recovery am sure,,can get soft foods down now with lots of water...

Dr Panchal is the best of the best for this type of surgery, he does what most will run from that I do know, he came highly recommended from the foundation of my disease, as well he studied under my main specialist and did his residency under him and excelled all that I have been to so far, except Dr Nwealt at OHSU...love him..but feel Dr Panchal is very qualified and if anyone to do this he is the right one...just so scared, very very scared

Last April he was talking full c-spine laminectomy, and a cranial decompression an some other scary stuff, then a pre op meeting he said I was to young for it yet, actually praying a fusion if thar all he is talking about now, like I said my mind went on fog state his lips were moving but I did not hear much of what he said, just was in such shock

So sorry to throw this on everyone being new hear an all but don’t know what to expect or where to begin, found the what to take to hospital an so on, great list...but with no pain control,,,,do not know if I will be able to handle this, any of it having hard time managing it now, getting epidurals every 2 months and the last one went terribly wrong in so many ways, can’t even get started on that mess,,will if I live through this, it is a scary story for sure, dumb ass doc that thought he knew what he was doing did not look at my MRI BEFORE the dam procedure an so on, gets worse! Still feel last epidural doc hit through disc or something? Herd bad neck bone cracks for days after it, never had that before either...

And after the last 2 epidurals had heart palpitations from the lidocaine

Also, get some relief from cort trigger injections, best relief 2 to 3 weeks most ribs do not go out at least..but can’t get those that much either

SO, I guess I need emotional support, and any advice you seasoned c-spine patients have to offer as I am at a loss right now

Thank you in advance!

[Maria]

emergency surgery or pretty close to it.. I don't know that there's anything to say other than if you had time to get a 2nd opinion and the only one I could think to recommend would be Dr. Frank Coufal in La Jolla CA.

Sometimes we think too much and let things get beyond a stage that's repairable and I'm just concerned that while the pain management part of what you're talking about is probably huge especially to those of us that have been on pain meds (like myself for 12 years) the likelihood of being paralyzed would outweigh the other concerns to me and probably degree of multiple spinal concerns you that necessitate a rapid decision.

I hope someone with much more expertise than me that will read this will reply to you.. I have had lumbar problems for 30 years and my C spine has some "stuff" but not enough to say that I've had much experience with this area so I do hope others with c spine injuries and surgeries will reply to you.

Please keep us posted and I wish you well with everything. Look forward to hearing how everything goes. Maria

[PepsiDoodles]

Thank you, yes, was awake all night reading up here, wish today were not a holiday, so will stay in bed, meanwhile the pain is intense, keeping it iced on an off, called spinal surgeon on call at UCD, and she said same, Dr still waiting on CD in order to get the best perspective on the full surgery in his chart notes, but that surgery will be done no matter what and was written in his chart it will be scheduled as an emergency.

Just worried, scared all the above. I have been told I needed surgery since 2002, and been to the 6 top notch surgeons in the country for this, ALL threw their hands up and said not with a 10 foot pole basically..this Dr was just nicer about it,,but it is at a point where it is the only option, and no, no time for another opinion, besides the fact am not to move but to go to the bathroom and get a little food and that is it, not many choices

I am glad for the information I have found here, I will need the bone density simulator am sure of it, have osteoporosis, as for the meds, found out will be pumped full of antihistamine then given duladid for post op pain, still will not know all details until hear from doc could be today, doubtful, but tomorrow for sure, have bag sort of packed, and most arrangements in place.

It is my belief that the last epidural the dr screwed it up so bad, as he said did you here that crunch to another dr, and I have had them before, not by him, and was in horrific pain right away from it, and he hit to close to a nerve and was only able to get a little of the steroid in...the swelling started next day over area that is bad at base of neck more right sided....anyway, it would be about the right time to feel all of this as what steroid was put in, would of helped keep some of the swelling and pain down thus making it somewhat bearable, but it has worn off and the swelling is what is causing the pinching of the nerve now as well no pain control left in the area...my neurosurgeon in fact suggested I should sue him, but right now not up to anything like that, just want to get through this alive and able to walk. That dr who did the epidural, I said to him, don't you want to look at the pics and reports from the dr who does this regularly for me as he is the director of epidurals at UCD and that is all he does day in day out and said was hardest one he had ever done...and the dr reply, oh I have done thousands of these, should be no problems...

Then after the epidural he called me at home every day for a week asking how I was, he knew he screwed up and I knew it to, just did not know how bad, will find out soon enough I am sure!

And 10 days post epidural he had me come in for follow up, looked at lump which is 3 fingers wide and round and said I thought you said it was huge,,,I said no I said it was large, asshole! He pokes fun at me at every visit, I hate him! But have no car an unable to get to another pain clinic so am stuck! I would of gone to UCD, but no one to go with me most of the time.

Then last Thursday the day I went to the ER, I get a call from that bad dr office saying how he is lightening his work load and I will now be seeing a new physician who will be working there..his way of getting rid of me, I hate him anyway no love loss there,,in fact when I was in the ambulance he was in his car right behind me and I waved and flipped him the bird Had to call his office per dr Panchal and tell them if I am sent to that ER and his office is called as they are on the "list" they are to send me to UCD..anyay,

Too stressed to finish my coffee even just crazy time, but am sure he did the main damage I am dealing with now

[PepsiDoodles]

still looking into why the middle finger flick test is so important, as he made such a big deal out of that

[PepsiDoodles]

and if it can't get any better (worse) pun intended! Just called to be sure CD was sent! IT HAS NOT LEFT THE FRIGGEN IMAGINING OFFICE YET! So my neighbor is going to get it today, so now the neurosurgeon will not get it until Wednesday at my appointment when he should of had it today or tomorrow, omg, can not believe how many irresponsible people there are in the dam medical field, including doctors! Could cry my eyes out right now

[Maria]

My earlier a.m. reply to you as one would think English not my first language with so many mistakes contained therein!

Wow.. that guy sounds like a real arse! I think 3 fingers wide of swelling on a neck is pretty damn large (I might be mistaken though I was thinking you're talking about cervical epidurals?) ... he sounds like he was trying to downplay his mistake and yes shoving you off on someone else because he's probably is afraid of either making more mistakes or not wanting to take the responsibility of his own actions.

I had two lumbar ESIs where too much fluid abutted a nerve and man that was outrageously painful and I screamed out both times. After the first doctor did that I never had another ESI with him and the 2nd time it happened was with someone I'd been going to for a while and he was super concerned and yet super honest about what happened and the pain abated within about 15 minutes. I used to get my lumbar ESIs without anything but a local anesthesia at the site but after that I decided I'd rather not know what's happening as I was afraid of tensing up and moving.. didn't have any probs after that and continued with same PM for years.

Have you checked out ChiroGeek's Home Page because he has a lot of tests on there that might explain what you're wondering about. mmglobal most likely knows as well what the significance of the test is..

I so hope that others persons with cervical surgeries will see your post and reply.

sending my best ~ Maria

That's pretty funny about you giving the bird to the doc while waving at him from the ambulance .. sounds just like something I would have done!

[PepsiDoodles]

thank you Maria, and yes it was a cervical epidural, will check out the link now thank you xxoo

[PepsiDoodles]

the flick middle finger test is called Hoffmans, it is used to determine rate of spinal cord compression and tells the surgeon what area of spine it is beginning point at, from what I could figure out after a brief read....

[PepsiDoodles]

ok, got report in hands, here is what it says,

Grade 1 anterolisthesis of c-2 upon c-3
Advanced degenerative disc disease throughout cervical spine
Cervical cord demonstrates region of T2 signal intensity at the c-7-t1 space

c4-c5 broad-based herniation, flattening of cervical cord

c5-c6 slight flattening of cervical cord

c-7-t1 advanced degenerative disc disease broad-based herniation, encroachment upon central canal with flattening of the cervical cord with srynx change or myelomalacic change

[theBadCormorant]

Originally Posted by PepsiDoodles

the flick middle finger test is called Hoffmans, it is used to determine rate of spinal cord compression and tells the surgeon what area of spine it is beginning point at, from what I could figure out after a brief read....

hmmm, I have just been trying that test on myself and I can't get any reflex reaction out of my thumb on either hand - I'm worrying now, didn't think there was anything much wrong with my neck...

I am curious about the mouth numbness you mention in the first post, as far as i know the facial nerves go no where near the spine, is there something else going on ?

And best of luck with your problems, sounds like you are going through hell. - what age are you ?

[Ringo]

I believe it is very positive sign for significant cord compression. I believe it is the line in the sand that says it is time to do something. You sound like you are in good hands. Just need to know how they will manage your pain or what the plan is.

My heart goes out to you. I am sorry you don't have someone close by. Maybe someone on the board that lives close by can hang out with you. I would But I am pretty far away.

You hang in there and I will keep you close in my heart.

Terry

Originally Posted by PepsiDoodles

still looking into why the middle finger flick test is so important, as he made such a big deal out of that