I agreed to surgery today
 

For the last few weeks, I've been having having a new symptom that is very scary. I will be using my hand and it will suddenly cramp up and become twisted and paralyzed until I am able to force it open. It lasts just a few seconds, but each time I am frightened that it won't stop. Luckily, I made an appointment last month to see my surgeon to set up surgery. Today was my appointment and I am now scheduled to have a three-level laminectomy at C4-7. My surgery will take place in July at Cedar Sinai.

KL, I have discussed cramping with Dr. Baumbach many times. He says that cramping and be relatively innocuous... something we all experience... but he also says that cramping (like what you describe) can be a form of spasticity... can be myelopathy.

I'm sorry that you are needing surgery, but am glad that you will be moving forward in resolving your problems. I recently saw a client of mine who had a 5-level french-door cervical lami at cedars a couple of years ago. Big smile on his face!

Good luck... please keep us posted.

All the best,

Mark

re surgery
 

Your symptoms sound scary in terms of occurence and duration. I hope that surgery will relieve this and please keep us updated. Are you having surgery with Dr.Regan if you don't mind me asking?

Making the decision to move forward with surgery is nerve wracking all by itself, in this case complicated by this new and scary symptom. I wish you good luck and my fingers are crossed.

Dale

No, Dr. Regan is not on my Worker's Comp list. I will be having surgery with Dr. Samudrala at Cedar Sinai. And the strangest thing happened. I was getting my hair cut today in Orange County and was talking to this woman about selling houses. She is actually going to come and look at my house before we put it on the market. I told her I was going to be having surgery and she asked what kind. I explained and she said she had had lumbar surgery two years ago...with Dr. Samudrala. What are the chances??? She had only very positive things to say about him.

As for the hand spasm thing, I think it's a sign of myelopathy, Mark as I have Hoffman's sign too.

That is scary, KL. I wake up with fuzzy fingers sometimes and figured it was from things getting worse in my neck.

It's interesting that you are, in the end, having a laminectomy rather than fusion or ADR. Did the surgeon explain his reasoning?

Good Luck.

Best of luck to you. - Allan

I am not having an ADR because I have facet problems at C5-6, the worst level, but also due to insurance and WC complications. I have decided to go the laminectomy route to avoid a fusion. I have issues at four cervical levels: a two-level fusion at the two worst levels would ultimately cause the other two levels to need to be fused.

Thanks for the good wishes. I still do not have WC approval for the surgery.