[katie29]

Hello! My name is Kate, and I'm trying to learn all I can right now about both fusion and Adr surgery. I have been going through this ordeal since February, when I hurt myself at work lifting heavy bags and over my shoulder. My MRI report says I have at c5/c6 "large left central, and mostly left subarticular disc extrusion, flattening the left anterior margin of thecal sac and spinal cord, severely narrowing the left lateral recess, severe stenosis of left proximal intervertebral neural foramina and likely radicular impingement." It also says c6/c7 level is dehydrated with tiny bulge. I was first treated for muscle spasms that made it unbearable to turn my neck. I'm not sure what all that means, but my biggest complaints right now are not pain, just weakness/numbness. I get little lightning bolts of pain across my shoulder when I do things like chop vegetables, fold laundry, but it is tolerable. The scary part to me is the feeling like I have a big hole on my left side; my left arm is definitely weaker, it's also always colder, and turns blue if I don't hold it up. They tell me that's just nerves but I've never read about anyone else whose arm turns blue, and I wonder if anything else is wrong with me. I feel pressure not unlike a blood pressure cuff around my upper arm almost all the time, and when I try to play my guitar for more than 5 minutes, I go numb.

Also little things like shuffling cards or sorting papers have become difficult with my left hand, and I drop things out of my fingers. So I go to physical therapy 3 times/wk, do traction at home at least every day, massage, have had 2 epidural steriod injections, and now my doctor (this is my 2nd opinion doctor btw) is telling me to make decision about surgery in next two weeks (this is worker's comp) or he will stop seeing me and if I want to continue conservative treatment to see my family doctor. When I asked about ADR, he referred me to a neurosurgeon, and that's who my next appointment is with, so I'm glad to at least have a third opinion now, but I'm still not sure about this surgery.

I can't stop thinking that I'm only considering this to save my job. If I go back to work and can't do my job (consistent lifting 50-70 pounds all day) after surgery was already recommended, that puts me in a difficult position. Thanks for this forum to both vent and research.