Fusion and ProDisc ADR 5 months ago - traded pain for pain
 

I'm five months out from having a ProDisc ADR. I'm not sure which model of the ProDisc I received. Good news is that the pain in my right arm has mostly gone away. Pain in my left arm has started last week.

I have had a permanent headache since the surgery that never goes away, just varies in intensity.

My thorasic spine area has been in pain ever since the anesthesia wore off. I have been to a month worth of physical therapy and had a thorasic spine MRI that showed everything is fine. This pain sometimes radiates out into my chest area. Is this from the ADR or is this common from a fusion at such a low level.

Questions:

Has anyone ever had a fusion or ADR at the level C7-T1. Isn’t that an unusual level to have a fusion at?

It is my understanding that the thoracic spine joints don’t move because the rib-cage prevents it. So if C7 and T1 are fused, C7 must also now not move. So doesn’t this mean that the artificial disc at C6-C7 would move more than it is supposed to?

I used to think that an artificial disc above a fusion was unusual till I found this site and read about “Cervical Hybrid Surgery”. I would like to hear more from people who have had that surgery. Sounds similar to my situation except that I had it done in two separate surgeries on the same day.

Has anyone had trouble with Acid Reflux as a result of having C-spine surgery?

What has been people’s experience with permanent headaches after ProDisc-C implant?

Has anyone had mid-back pain after c-spine surgery? Clear down at level T6-T7 area?

My doc has me banned from NSAID's till I reach the six month mark and x-ray has verified the fusion is complete. Since I don't want to take narcotics while I am working that only leaves Tylenol which I understand can ruin your level if used for a long period of time. What are other's experience in this area? My doc gave me a week of a steroid which was great for a week, but by the next week all the pain came back. I don't go back to see him for another month which will be the six month mark for me where I am hoping my fusion will be at 100% at that point.

Has anyone ever had a fusion or ADR at the level C7-T1. Isn’t that an unusual level to have a fusion at?

I just met with my NS yesterday. He said that not everyone is a candidate for C 6-7 ADR because the surgeon must be able to see the area clearly on X ray to verify proper placement of the device. He said some people's shoulders sit so high that it's hard to view C 6-7 or C7-T1.

it can be hard to image the lower cervical vertebrae - often the patient's shoulders have to be pulled down and/or they have to do what's called a swimmer's view w/ the arm over the head to see C7/T1. not sure they could do that during surgery...

In two weeks I have an appointment to have my ADR and fusion x-rayed by a new doc. In after surgery check-up visits, they have had me hold sand bags (while standing) in each hand while taking the x-ray in order to pull my shoulders out of the way. But I do wonder what they did during surgery. I did have a huge yellow bruise on my left arm and I wonder if it is from them pulling my shoulders down. They must have pulled them down even just to get to the area to operate that low.

Why does my mid-back hurt is my biggest mystery. Why do I always have a headache? I am wondering, after reading other people's posts, if my ADR is not positioned correctly.

Douglas, it sounds like you have not exercised your right to obtain copies of your medical records -- is that right? It's easy to do... :o

Hi Douglas,

I love your avatar!! Mid-back pain is common for pre-& post-surgical cervical patients especially starting w/C5-6 herniations and on down. For it still to be a factor 6 mo out my guess is its either morphed into a chronic myofascial pain syndrome w/triggerpoints (chronic muscle tension due to sympathetic nervous system overdrive) or possibly due to disc placement. Some patients that just have fusions can have similiar symptoms, but the constant HA also leaves me wondering.

Have you seen a PT person or massage therapist that can help you identify whether you have any triggerpoints in your trapezius muscle. They could maybe help w/releasing those muscles if that is your problem. HA's can also come from triggerpoints.

If not getting any better, or getting any good answers, I'd start consulting to get other opinions in the next month, or two, or sooner, depending on how uncomfortable you are. It's a hard call - some people heal slower than others, but w/continuing symptoms, I'd keep asking questions.

Thanks for the suggestion Harrison. I think I will get a copy of my medical records.

MeggieLynn - Ya, I chose that avatar because I feel like a robot ever since receiving an ADR.
Also, thanks for all of the info, you make allot of sense. When I was in PT, the exercises they were having me doing were right in the area of the trapezius muscle so it makes sense.

Two weeks from today I have an appointment with a new surgeon and I plan to make sure he checks the placement of my ADR. After reading other threads on this site and the comments here, it is sounding like my ADR might be out of place.

Good luck with your appointment. Hopefully this new surgeon will help to sort through your various symptoms and be able to pinpoint the problem. It may not be obvious with just x-rays and getting other imaging post-ADR can be problematic. Your situation is a little bit different in that it is a hybrid, but the constant headaches, dizziness, & tingling in fingers with head positioning is a concern and no physician/surgeon or pain management MD should turn you away with those symptoms. Have you've been following Jarrod's posts (2 cervical M-6's)? - had EMG's, & was suggested to him to have an ESI to try to r/o nerve root compression. Just some ideas to prepare/bring to your appointment.

ML

Hi Douglas,

Sorry you're not feeling well. Brighter days await.

Harrison had a really good idea about gathering up your medical records; I'm doing the same right now in anticipation of diagnostic appointments. The last dr. asked me for complete records of injections, when, what, and exactly where was it injected into me. I could not tell him. Woops 8-)

MeggieLynn's ideas to try (1) to do an EMG will test your muscle performance and help diagnose and (2) to try ESI (Epidural Steroid Injection) can help, too. I've had a lot of ESIs, but they were not guided by a fluoroscope. A lot of the literature recommends that ESIs be guided by fluoroscope (live x-ray, so they get the medicine to the exact point they're going for). Having fluroscope guided injections helps them know exactly where the pain is coming from. If the injection helped, they found the pain.

Nerve conduction studies, too, if you have not had them can help diagnose; this one's got a mild electric shock though; not too bad. Just some other thoughts.

Hang in there! 8-)

I'm sad to hear about this as I lay in bed wondering why I let the doc cut this pro disc in me.

i'm just going to say this once - focus your efforts on whether the device is in right, whether there were other unidentified pain generators, and what you can do moving forward. the prodisc has worked well in many, many people. all of you signed informed consent prior to having surgery.

to dwell on the disc, imho, is a waste of energy and will only make you feel worse. there is a HUGE mind-body connection that is not well understood, but well known by medical professionals. focus on moving forward and you will find you have spent your energy in a more productive fashion.

Douglas,
 

I hope the Headaches stop soon, it is not much fun to be in alot of pain. I have one prodisc I am making my peace with and getting ready to fix my c5 with an M6, I hope this works, and I hope you find the cause of your pain.
Sincerely,
Christine

Douglas how are you doing?

My new doctor has ordered a CT scan. He is going to verify the fusion at C7-T1 has completed and he is going to see what is wrong at C6-C7 where the ProDisc is. I'll post back after that is complete.

It has been a while since I have posted here. There hasn’t been much progress or change, just allot of waiting - until now. Sorry for the long post in advance.

The CT scan revealed that my fusion had not fully healed eight months out. (CT scan wasn’t till the end of December) Before this my new doctor had talked about removing the AD. Now he changed his tune completely and decided that the headaches, confusion, and mid-back pain was all due to my fusion not being complete and it was moving. He said there is a surgery he can do where he can place rods to stabilize it. He said to come back and see him in mid-April which would be about a year out from surgery and he would check the fusion status then.

I went home and started drinking milk and taking calcium supplements religiously. I did not want another surgery. I was keeping the pain at bay with Naproxen. It wasn’t eliminating the pain but it was taking the edge off.

For the next weeks it was difficult to do my job as a computer programmer. My headache would get progressively worse throughout the week where it would be at its worse by the end of the week. It would start with pain between my shoulder blades that at its peak would radiate out into my chest. There is always soreness in my neck area. Then this would seem to radiate into my head and culminate in a headache in the top of my head. Then there was difficulty concentrating and sometimes blurred vision and muffled hearing. Note that this has been the case ever since the anesthesia wore off from the surgery.

February came and I got stomach flu that lasted weeks. I couldn’t keep anything in me let alone Naproxen. My pain got out of control. By the weekend my headache was so off the charts that I was going crazy. I was taking 220mg Naproxen, two in the morning two at night. This was more than the label allowed but my orthopedic surgeon said that was how much he would prescribe so go ahead and take that much. It wasn’t enough. This lasted a month.

Mid-March I knew I couldn’t wait another month till my ortho surgeon visit so I called in and demanded to be seen sooner. He took an x-ray and said the ADR hadn’t moved and my other vertebrae were still at normal height so nothing had changed. The fusion had made progress and he thought that in another month it would be complete. He said the bad news was that there was nothing he could do for me and this was as good as it was going to get for me. He wanted me to come back when I was supposed to in a month for one final x-ray where he fully expects the fusion to be complete and then he would get me into a pain management program. He prescribed a six day taper of steroids, Dexamethasone, and a month of Celebrex.

What a relief that I don’t need surgery I thought. But this is as good as it’s going to get? This is the rest of my life?

Steroid side effects are brutal. I’ve been on them before. I get all the old familiar ones. This time however I just about fall over from dizziness right in front of a supervisor at work. I ask to leave early and drive home dangerously dizzy. The next day, same thing, every day more and more dizzy. Three days after completing the steroid, still dizzy, I call into my ortho’s office and the lady won’t pass a message to my doctor. She instead directs me to go see my primary care doc. I get in there that day. They do blood and urine tests and come back and says “good news, you’re not diabetic.” They determine that I am having a “severe reaction” to the steroid and it must still be in my system and to go home. They tell me that if it persists for a few more days to go straight to the Emergency Room.

When the dizziness comes I have difficulty concentrating. My vision starts to blur and my hearing is less acute. It feels like someone is dripping ice on top of my head, down my back, down my legs, and down my arms. I experience random pain all over in my knee, feet, arms, legs. When the dizziness subsides, my good old friend the headache comes back to replace it.

Two days later, still as dizzy as ever if not more, I go to the ER. This is five days since finishing the steroid, seven days of dizzy. They do a barrage of tests. They do an EKG. They take vital signs standing, lying, and sitting. They do blood and urine tests. This all culminates in a head MRI. Everything comes back normal. The only comment on the MRI is that they can’t see the vessels down below where my artifacts are. They conclude that five days out I am still having a “severe reaction” to the steroid and maybe the Celebrex, but not likely the Celebrex. I point out that I have been on steroids three or four times before without this reaction. They suggest maybe they were different ones. I go home and check, I have been on Dexamethason before, at a much higher dose.

I ask them if there is any way this could have anything to do with my neck and they assure me that there is no possibility of that. They say the nerve that goes to the inner ear doesn’t even go through my neck. It is anatomically impossible they tell me. The headache could be, but not the dizziness. They refer me to a “hearing and balance clinic” and send me home with nothing to help relieve the dizziness.

Finally after begging the lady that answers the phone at my ortho’s office she finally gets me an appointment with my ortho’s assistant. I get in there ten days out from finishing the steroid, twelve days of dizzy. I’m told by the assistant “Sir, we don’t deal with this here. We do back surgeries here. Take another week off of work. This is just a reaction to the steroid.” I ask him if numbness in my feet and hands are caused by steroids, what about headaches for almost a year, what about chills in my head and everywhere. He finally says let’s refer you to a neurologist. And while I’m standing there, holding onto the counter so I don’t fall over, waiting for checkout my ortho doc walks by and looks surprised and says “what’s going on here”. So this is the first he’s heard of it. So a doctor prescribes a medicine, I have what has been called by my primary care and two ER doctors a “severe reaction” to it and after several calls into his office, this is the first he has heard of it. He simply agrees that I need to go see a neurosurgeon and says “that is an unusual reaction to a steroid.”

My symptoms are worsening. Both of my feet are constantly tingling now. It used to only last a few minutes. Now it seems here to stay. The dizziness gets brought on with neck movement such as a car ride. Lying down in bed for hours will calm it down. Sitting at a computer for a long period of time brings it on. I’m getting dizzy about now from typing this. I’m simply waiting now to go see a neurologist and a hearing and balance center. This is because I’m told the two couldn’t possibly have anything to do with each other. The neurologist isn’t even scheduled yet and the balance center can’t see me for over a week. I can’t drive a car and wonder how I can work. I’ve only worked two half days in the past two weeks. I don’t know what I’ll do after this weekend. I’ve tried going three days without Celebrex and still get dizzy.

Now do you want to hear my theory? How about low blood flow to the brain? Let me explain. I think the ADR is flexing too much. My new ortho has never taken a flexion x-ray. That’s one from the side with my head bent all the way forward or all the way back. The previous one had and I saw it. My neck bends like a 90 degree pipe elbow. Ok, I may be exaggerating a little. Let’s just say it gave me nightmares for days after seeing it. He said “that looks normal” and my jaw dropped to the floor.

I think it bend so much that it puts pressure in not only my spinal column but also blood vessels. This causes headaches, trouble concentrating, and dulled vision and hearing. Why did it become more acute and add dizziness when on the steroid? This is because the steroid reduces blood flow in smaller blood vessels which enhanced the problem. I’m no doc but this is what I got from googling and finding “cervical vertigo” and reading about Dexamethason. I don’t like self-diagnosing with google, but what are you going to do after going to so many doctors with no answers?

I tested this theory yesterday by wearing my neck brace when I was up and about. No dizzy - just headache. I’ll go without today to see if the dizzy comes back.

What I’ve learned is that I should have gotten into a neurologist much sooner. Furthermore I need to describe all of my symptoms, every one, even the little ones when I’m talking to a doctor. I have so many that I usually just go in and point out the most major. For example I’ll go in and just say “I’m dizzy.” I need to say “I’m dizzy, having difficulty concentrating, with blurred vision and hearing.” That, along with all my neurological symptoms.

I've debated long and hard about telling you all this. There is a MAJOR part of my story that I have been leaving out.

I went into the Operating Room to have C6-C7 fused. They woke me up and said "oops. We accidentally fused C7-T1." But they had a present for me. Four hours later I rolled back into the O.R. and received an artificial disc at C6-C7. They had removed the only healthy disc in my neck.

I have left this out because the first thing everyone asks me is "are you going to sue?" I do not wish to discuss that. My number one focus is to get better. Please don't ask me about it, I will not answer. Do not ask me if, who, or where.

I'm sorry for not mentioning it sooner. I did not mean to deceive anyone. I just want the focus to be on what is now wrong with me. Going back and reading my first post I can see where I had it in there but I edited it out and didn't do a good job of it.

laid up doc - I have taken your advice to heart. By the way - my ADR has been verified to be installed correctly with a 2nd opinion. Whether the device is a good device is a subject that is well debated elsewhere on ADRSupport.org. Here is what I think my unique problem with the ProDisc ADR is:

The thoracic spine does not move. The rib cage prevents it. My thoracic and cervical spine have literally been fused together. My C7 vertebrae is like a tree stump poking out of the top of my neck. The ADR on top of that is being over worked.

My Orthopedic surgeon, the 2nd one, has commented that it is very unusual for my fusion to not be complete after 11 months at my age of 38. Is this because it is under stress? Transferring this stress up into the ADR? Does this explain the pain between my shoulders?

Is the ADR flexing so extreme that it is not only touching my spinal cord but also restricting blood flow to my brain causing headaches, difficulty concentrating, dizzy spells with blurred vision and impaired hearing? Exasperated when put on a steroid?

Maybe the ProDisc can't handle this configuration. It has nothing to limit its movement other than my anatomy as far as I can tell. Other discs look like a car's front end C-Joint with a boot and seem to have mechanism to limit the deflection in my opinion.

PS - I don't know which version of the ProDisc I received.

"Clicking" Sound Mobi-C
 

Hello everyone, my name is Charlie. My Mobi-C disc started "clicking" when I move my head a certain way five weeks after surgery. Sometimes I'll have pain and I can move my neck to where it "pops" and I feel a release. My recent x-rays look good with no disc migration but my neck is sore by the end of the day every day and I'm wondering if anyone else has experienced this.

had 5-6 6-7 done in Germany
money done properly residuals matter left bt the doctor at the surgery

doctor evaded me for months till i send a clear massage

all doctors that inspected after were firm that fusion was the right way and excution of adr was extremely poor