Hi Jessica!!

Welcome, fellow cervie---

Looks like you've already grabbed the bull by the horns and sent your case to some of the best experts available. That's a really good start.

It also sounds like life is pretty miserable, so I guess I'm wondering A)who recommended/ why the 6 month-wait; and B)what is the definition of spinal cord distress symptoms?

Your last two questions are very, very difficult to answer, and the former depends largely on you and what you can deal with--and then what you and a competent, trusted doctor figure out together.

Prior to my 2003 fusion of C6-C7, I experienced loss of fine motor function and weakness in my left arm, and was on high doses of morphine for the pain. The entire side of my body didn't go numb, but I often experienced a 'slithering' sensation and lots of muscle twitches and spasms.

My fusion was perfect; I didn't ever notice a restriction of movement or 'stiffness', and I was back to my sports very quickly. Completely pain-free.

Unfortunately, the fusion did worsen existing problems in C5-C6, and here I am now facing ADR in C5-C6--but with far fewer symptoms than yours. I've been advised not to wait by ProSpine and my own NS, and to have it done before it got any worse.

Then again, my problem is no longer a hernia; it's nerve compression due to osteophytosis and foraminal stenosis.

Do the doctors who have seen your case feel that 6 months more will bring a real chance of spontaneous healing of the impingement/displacement due to the hernia? Or do they feel it's a long shot?

I'm not a doctor and so it's hard to compare our cases, but the symptoms you describe really have me amazed and sorry they can ask you to remain this way for so long unless there's really a good chance of a good recovery without ADR.

If you 'truly believe ADR will probably be the best option for you', maybe it might be worth trying to see about having it sooner??

Dunno, just throwing thoughts out there...in any case, pleased to meet you here and looking forward to 'cervie talk' with another sis

Hang in there,

Trace