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New Member Introductions If you just joined, please introduce yourself here. Please add a signature describing your spinal history (use the "User CP) and ask us how we can help you get started.


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  #1  
Old 08-06-2019, 05:50 PM
ShanB's Avatar
ShanB ShanB is offline
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Join Date: Jul 2019
Posts: 3
Default I am new here. (L4-L5 herniated disc / C5-C6 disc replacement)

Hi all.

I began my back pain journey in 2011 when I herniated L4-L5 while moving a patient in a medical setting. The herniation presented with intermittent back pain, leg pain, and foot pain and numbness.

Since the original injury I have had several epidural steroid injections and multiple rounds of physical therapy. My symptoms never resolved, but I have found them to be mostly manageable.

In late 2018 I started having intermittent neck pain, arm pain, and hand numbness. Because it never lasted long, I dismissed it as "not a big deal". A couple months into 2019 I realized that it was a bigger deal than I originally thought. The pain and numbness became constant and over the next several weeks I had progressive weakness and loss of fine motor function in my left hand. I had an epidural steroid injection and physical therapy, but my symptoms continued to worsen.

I had cervical C5-C6 disc replacement using a Prestige LP artificial disc on Friday, August 2, 2019. For the most part, I feel way better than before surgery, even just a few days out. My arm and hand pain are gone. My numbness is gone. My fine motor function in my left hand has returned.

My only real complaint is that I feel like there is significant pressure on my throat. I am curious about the experience of others here. Did you have the feeling that something was squeezing your throat? If so, how long did it last?
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2011: L4-L5 disc herniation w/ left leg and foot pain & numbness
2018: C5-C6 disc herniation w/ left arm and hand pain, numbness, and weakness
2019: C5-C6 disc replacement w/Prestige LP
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  #2  
Old 08-06-2019, 07:13 PM
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Harrison Harrison is offline
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Join Date: Oct 2004
Posts: 7,018
Post

Welcome and thanks for posting.

For more than 12 years now, I've been ringing the bell on the importance of NSAIDS after cervical ADR. This can drastically decrease inflammation and pain. Perhaps more importantly, it can reduce the chances of heterotopic ossification.

What NSAIDs were prescribed? Dosing? Frequency?

Also, pls search using those terms:

http://adrsupport.org/forums/search.php

I don't mean to suggest HO is an issue for you, but the NSAIDs should help you. And has, many people do complain about this after cervical ADR (perhaps moreso with keeled devices).
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"Harrison" - info (at) adrsupport.org
Fell on my ***winter 2003, Canceled fusion April 6 2004
Reborn June 25th, 2004, L5-S1 ADR Charite in Boston
Founder & moderator of ADRSupport - 2004
Founder Arthroplasty Patient Foundation a 501(c)(3) - 2006
Creator & producer, Why Am I Still Sick? - 2012
Donate www.arthropatient.org/about/donate
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  #3  
Old 08-06-2019, 07:33 PM
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ShanB ShanB is offline
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Join Date: Jul 2019
Posts: 3
Default

Thank you for your response Harrison. The only thing I took for pain at the hospital was Naproxen. Since I have been home, I have taken Ibuprofen twice a day. My surgeon did say that taking NSAIDS would be beneficial to me. My pain is super well controlled. It is just this pesky pressure that is driving me crazy. My surgeon did prescribe Naproxen for home use. I haven't picked it up yet, but perhaps I should. I was only considering it from a pain perspective.
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2011: L4-L5 disc herniation w/ left leg and foot pain & numbness
2018: C5-C6 disc herniation w/ left arm and hand pain, numbness, and weakness
2019: C5-C6 disc replacement w/Prestige LP
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  #4  
Old 08-07-2019, 03:10 PM
Ewhales Ewhales is offline
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Join Date: Jun 2019
Posts: 4
Default

Hello ShanB. Glad to hear your doing well. I had my C6/C7 done 3 weeks ago. I definitely experienced what you described. For about 2-3 days it felt as if I was being strangled. I think I mentally worked myself up due to this symptom and thought I couldn't breath as well. That wasn't real though. For me it passed in just 2-3 days. Right now, all my throat symptoms are gone and I can eat, turn my head just fine.

Hope this helps. Keep looking forward as it will pass.
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  #5  
Old 08-07-2019, 10:27 PM
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ShanB ShanB is offline
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Join Date: Jul 2019
Posts: 3
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Hi Ewhales. Thanks for your response. It is helpful to know that it is not just me and to have hope that things could be back to normal soon. As the visible swelling goes down, the feeling lessens. I still have the squeezing sensation, but it is much less today. Hopefully it is even better tomorrow.
__________________
2011: L4-L5 disc herniation w/ left leg and foot pain & numbness
2018: C5-C6 disc herniation w/ left arm and hand pain, numbness, and weakness
2019: C5-C6 disc replacement w/Prestige LP
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  #6  
Old 08-14-2019, 03:08 PM
Cheryl0331 Cheryl0331 is offline
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Join Date: Dec 2010
Posts: 890
Default Mine was swallowing

When I would swallow even water, my throat made a funny gurgle noise for a week or so. It also made me cough for a while.
I had some distraction pain too.
Everything has long since pasted.
__________________
54 yr old female 5'7" 147 lbs. non-smoker conservative treatments failed
2007 fusion @ C4-6 peek cages, failed due to long term use of cox-2 inhibitor
2008 revised C4-6 donor bone, plate & screws
2009 fusion with Roi-C @ C3-4
2015 MRI & CT mjr ddd @ C6-7, segmental kyphosis at C7-T1, 2-level M6-C prosthesis by Dr. Clavel Barcelona Spain
2019 H.O. formed behind M6-C @ C6-7 left nerve rt & in spinal canal.
2020 Revision C6-7 to a CP-ESP prosthesis by Dr. Schmitz Dusseldorf Germany
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