My c-spine acting up again... (discography results)

mmglobal · #1 (**permalink**) 09-02-2008, 02:55 AM

Dinosaurs didn't wander so efficiently. There were 2 different types of T-Rex's. The big ferrocious ones were prone to DDD... that's why they were so angry all the time. The others evolved into Barney.

ans · #2 (**permalink**) 09-02-2008, 04:16 AM

I'm sorry to hear this. Of course I have no experience of considering such decisions.

How about a six-year pain remission.

Maria · #3 (**permalink**) 09-02-2008, 06:26 PM

Giraffes.. they're still around... 7 cervical very elongated vertebrae with highly flexible joints and some muscles that anchor the neck for the movement. Had to google it as I had no idea...now I'm interested ..

fuzzy · #4 (**permalink**) 09-02-2008, 06:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mmglobal

Dinosaurs didn't wander so efficiently. There were 2 different types of T-Rex's. The big ferrocious ones were prone to DDD... that's why they were so angry all the time. The others evolved into Barney.

LOL,

But seriously, you are such an expert at these matters and at the same time you struggle with this decison like all of us. That shows how difficult this is. I myself am very concerned about my own neck. It is constant amd simply is not getting any better and I don't know where the point is when it is "nessesay" to do a surgery. I doen't hurt much these days but I got all these probs in my feet that are triggered by my neck and embellished by bending of my lower back. Europe says sugery. USA says nothing. Actually I just got denied (again) an office visit at a usa neurologist ???? It seems they don't want to touch me these days? Why, because I went to Europe? Because of the ADR, they won't tell me the reason.

Cheryl · #5 (**permalink**) 09-04-2008, 12:08 AM

All I can say is that I feel your pain.

Thanks for sharing!!! I'll be following your story as I am not far behind you. I do not even consider myself functioning.

Keep us posted.

mmglobal · #6 (**permalink**) 09-10-2008, 12:51 AM

I've taken the next step and have asked for a surgery date. The kicker for me was on going to see Dr. Delamarter with a client. Flexion/extension xrays of my client's c-spine showed that all of the levels involved in the DDD were moving as a unit... basically looking like a long fusion and clearly overloading adjacent levels. Along with the still elevated neuro symptoms... it all ties into the "what am I waiting for... better chance of success earlier rather than later... this won't get better on it's own..."

If the surgery is a success, I'll be kicking myself for not doing it years ago.

If the surgery is not a success, I'll be kicking myself for doing it while I can still function so well.

Results will probably be somewhere in the middle???

Based on what I've seen with clients' cervical surgeries in situations like mine, I'm much less afraid of the surgery than I would be for big multi-level lumbar. While I need 3 levels, I consider it a 4-level surgery because it spans 4 levels. We did not test the healthy looking disc in the middle... now I wish we had... I don't know if I'll repeat discography... certainly not at bad levels... they are proven and now obvious... but that seemingly good level in the middle.... better to have 4 done, than leave one in the middle??? I don't know. My guess is that Bertagnoli will want to leave it alone.

Maybe December???

I'll keep y'all posted.

Mark

ans · #7 (**permalink**) 09-10-2008, 02:21 AM

Mark, I wish you well in this decision.

I never thought of levels with DDD moving in tandem and don't quite get how this is deleterious. No matter. I admire your courage and quick decision-making ability. And of course, let this be your last surgery ever needed.

Allan

sahuaro · #8 (**permalink**) 09-10-2008, 02:34 AM

Mark:
Wishing you all the best in your decision to move forward and hopefully get some good resolution. It is some cruel irony that you are presenting a unique situation!
Which disk will you be getting?

mmglobal · #9 (**permalink**) 09-10-2008, 02:47 AM

I'll get ProDisc-C

ANS, search for auto-adjacent level degeneration... I wrote about this around the time of Diane's surgery. The biomechanics are dorked up with collapsed or immobile segments, causing overload of adjacent levels... so they may be on the way out before we even get to ADR... that is why there are so many 2 and 3-level cases with there being a very clear pecking order... this one went first, then the next, then the next.