Post ACDF and nervous

T

Think 1st

New member
Hi, i am new to the board. I had ACDF 3 and a half weeks ago. Overall, I am feeling pretty well and don't regret the decision at all. But, I am scared because I did something stupid... My husband has been watching me like a hawk so I would follow all of the rules. However, I feel like I can do more. When he went out earlier I tried to get 2 boxes off of some shelves up high. I didn't think they weighed that much, but they were probably 20-25 lbs. Well, dropped them and stuff started falling everywhere. So, now I had to bend to clean up the mess and put the boxes back before he came home. I know I did a very stupid thing... But, I can't take it back now. Now I am terrified that I could have done damage. I am now feeling some neck pain. Any feedback would be appreciated. I was just trying to find a Christmas present that I bought for him, so that I could wrap it while he was gone.... Thanks!
 
are you in a collar? hopefully your surgeon is one of the ones who actually recommends it,it just gives YOU more stability in that neck area while those bone ends try and fuse together. while bending over wont usually "do' too much as far as cause prolemas to your healing neck,the boxes falling? did they happen to knock your neck at all on the way down? knowing if you are in a collar or not would help alot.

chances are that this didn;t actually 'do' anything to your neck,but if your pain increases or you suddenly feel different symptoms,or some you felt before surgery,i would most definitely contact your surgeon,just to let them know what occured. they can always do an x ray just to make certain there is still good alignment. the thing you want is for those bone ends to keep in contact so they can fuse together eventually. if there is not contact,you wont get a good fusion. did your fusion also include hardware or was this "just' a fusion? if you don;t have an actual hard collar to wear,i really would ask your surgeon about getting one,its the "splint" that is holding everything all in the right places. it just keeps you from overly moving your neck the wrong ways too. just keep a close eye on things and see how the next few days go. if anything seems odd/new,call your surgeon. hopefully all is still well up there. please keep me posted. FB
 
Thanks for your response! I am only in a soft collar for comfort. But I wear it most of the time. My surgeon does not believe in collars. The PA gave it to me in the hospital. When I wore it for my first post op appt. she said to start leaving it off more.

The boxes did not hit my neck. But I spent a lot of time bending over picking up the tons of stuff that fell out. And it was a pretty high reach to get them back up on the shelf. I feel so stupid that I did that...

I am due to go for an x ray on Monday and see my surgeon for a follow up on Wednesday.

I am just scared I messed things up... I have three small kids and I don't want to have to go through this again. I have missed so many of their events in just the few weeks since my surgery.

Thanks again and I'll keep you posted!
 
hopefully that x ray will show good solid alignment. i honestly really have a problem(this is just my own personal opinion based upon alot of peoples fusion sucesses without collars and even with collars)with surgeons when they are not placing any hardware,to leave that area so vulnerable. that hard collar is the 'splint' that just holds everything in all the right places to increase the chances of a good well aligned fusion. i don;t get why some just 'don't believe' in them when they just do a very important job for the patient. we move our necks passively,even when it causes pain,many many times a day. with that hard collar in place,it just keeps you from 'over flexing" or overly moving too much to one side? you know what i mean? even with that collar,for alot of different reasons,my fusion did not take and i had to have a hardware placement done 9 months after the first surgery. i did everything i was supposed to do too. its kind of hit or miss i think,espescially when you are not using your own bone,which i also did not do. too painful watching my husband go thru that part,so we did the bone bank thing. just so you know,that soft collar really doesn't 'do" a whole lot foryou as far as holding your neck solid and in the right posistion. i am sure when you put it on,you can notice just how much real 'play' can still go on in your neck area?

this was not ment to be a lecture on the use of hard collars. i just have heard and seen so many people who did not get a good well aligned fusion without it(and the chances even using it too). or the fusion took but the bone plug had moved and it fused in the wrong places. you just need to be really careful,you do not want to have to go thru this surgery again,trust me.

i would actually ask your surgeon just what his overall success rate is with fusion without a collar. i would also ask him to get you a fitted one, this is YOUR c spine and you will be the one to deal with what may occur after the fact,you know what i mean? this is simply a precaution for you,not him. they kind of suck to have to wear,but they DO act as that nice solid splint to hold things in the right spots so there can be fusion. without that constant contact,the chances of full fusion go down since the endplates just keep moving from the base of the bone graft. you DO have the right to ask for this if you feel you need one. i personally would go with it myself having gone thru what i did.

like i mentioned above, this is just my own personal opinion based on others success rates and my own with and without collars. its just one of those better safe than sorry type deals,ya know? please let me know how things go with the x ray. i do hope nothing is wrong. if you are not having any new symptoms or regaining old ones you had pre op,then things are more than likely okay. that x ray will show the alignment for you at least. i do wish you luck with this. take care,and have someone else take boxes off of shelves,K? lol, just be careful hon,FB
 
Dear Feel Bad,

Thank you for spending so much time responding. I truly value your opinion and insight.

I agree with you and feel more support would be helpful and necessary. I will request this when I go to my appointment next week.

I will surely behave myself from now on. It is just so hard with the holidays approaching and having three children. There is so much I want and need to do. By the way, did I mention that my husband had his 7th foot surgery 5 weeks before my surgery and is still on crutches? I just feel so bad doing nothing... Thank goodness Santa can shop online!

Thanks again FB! I'll keep you posted!
 
sorry for all you are dealing with. sometimes timing really sucks,believe me, been there done that one too. but i really would speak to your surgeon about getting a "fitted' collar,hard collar. this way,and orthotics person will find the right and the most comfortable fit for your neck personally. just tell your surgeon your neck feels too vulnerable without some support there. he should be able to do this for you. TELL him you want one. this really IS the very best way to go for you,honestly. once you do have one,you really will be able to tell just how much you have been moving your neck once you simply can't in certain ways. it does matter,alot in some cases for the well aligned fusion to take hold. its kind of a pain in the butt(or neck?)but its a small price to pay for a good fusion and not having to go thru this surgery again to add hardware when the original one doesn;t take.

like i mentioned before,i really cannot for the life of me figure out just why any really knowledgable surgeon would allow any patient to go without that splint there ya know? as busy as you have been and what is coming up soon,you just need that level of protection to keep you from doing something inadvertantly that could compromise your c spine/fusion.

good luck with the surgeon. please keep me posted,and be careful too,k? FB
 
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