I am new here. (L4-L5 herniated disc / C5-C6 disc replacement)

[ShanB]

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?

[Harrison]

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).

[ShanB]

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.

[Ewhales]

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.

[ShanB]

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.

[Cheryl0331]

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.