Viewing 6 posts - 13 through 18 (of 34 total)
  • Author
    Posts
  • Jellyhall
    Participant
    Post count: 91

    Dr Corenman,
    Thank you so much for the generosity of your time and skills. It is so helpful to have an expert open to our questions and willing to give answers and your opinion.

    I wanted to let you know that I have scheduled a 2 level ACDF for November 5th. On Wednesday next week, I am having an MRI scan done so that my surgeon has up to date information. I will let you know how I get on!

    Donald Corenman, MD, DC
    Moderator
    Post count: 8660

    I think it is important to let us know how you do. It is important for readers to know that these surgical procedures are not as intimidating or problematic as they have been thought to be in the past.

    Dr. Corenman

    PLEASE REMEMBER, THIS FORUM IS MEANT TO PROVIDE GENERAL INFORMATION ON SPINE ANATOMY, CONDITIONS AND TREATMENTS. TO GET AN ACCURATE DIAGNOSIS, YOU MUST VISIT A QUALIFIED PROFESSIONAL IN PERSON.
     
    Donald Corenman, MD, DC is a highly-regarded spine surgeon, considered an expert in the area of neck and back pain. Trained as both a Medical Doctor and Doctor of Chiropractic, Dr. Corenman earned academic appointments as Clinical Assistant Professor and Assistant Professor of Orthopaedic Surgery at the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center, and his research on spine surgery and rehabilitation has resulted in the publication of multiple peer-reviewed articles and two books.
    hohman1118
    Participant
    Post count: 8

    That is really reassuring Dr. C. thank you!!!

    Jellyhall
    Participant
    Post count: 91

    Well, I had my 2 level ACDF surgery on 5th November.
    I am home again and doing well. I do have a hoarse voice and sore throat, especially when swallowing. I am struggling to swallow and sometimes choke on things, so am eating soft foods and taking very small mouthfuls. Strangely water is very difficult to swallow and causes me to make some very strange ‘croaking’ type of noises. When I got home from hospital, a speech therapist phoned and gave me some tips to help. She feels that my problems are due to swelling rather than nerve damage.

    Any idea, Dr Corenman how long these swallowing issues will last? I did have a lot of swelling of my neck after the surgery that has gone down somewhat.

    Mostly, I am doing very well. My surgeon said that things were very tight in there and it needed to get the pressure off the cord and nerve roots. I am on high doses of Gabapentin at the moment so can’t be sure how much help I will get, but things seem better. I have had some more of the stiffening spasms as I get up out of bed or a chair though, but not the back arching spasms in bed. Time will tell. At least if I am left with my symptoms, I didn’t wait any longer for them to get even worse.

    Thanks so much for your help and advice Dr Corenman, as I told you, your opinion finally made me decide to go ahead with this surgery. You are very generous with your time.

    Donald Corenman, MD, DC
    Moderator
    Post count: 8660

    Swallowing difficulties after an ACDF are not uncommon. Thin liquids like water are difficult to swallow in some patients initially. You will find that more viscous liquids like kefir or yoghurt are much more easily swallowed. Milk shakes and smoothies are welcomed by recent surgical patients. In more significant cases, oral steroids can be helpful to reduce swallowing difficulties.

    Hoarseness is more concerning. Did you have a right or left sided approach to your ACDF? There is a small filamentous nerve called the recurrent laryngeal nerve that can be stretched especially during a right sided approach. This may take some months to recover function.

    I m unclear as to why you are on high doses of Gabapentin after surgery. Were you on high doses prior to surgery?

    Please keep the forum informed regarding your recovery.

    Thanks

    Dr. Corenman

    PLEASE REMEMBER, THIS FORUM IS MEANT TO PROVIDE GENERAL INFORMATION ON SPINE ANATOMY, CONDITIONS AND TREATMENTS. TO GET AN ACCURATE DIAGNOSIS, YOU MUST VISIT A QUALIFIED PROFESSIONAL IN PERSON.
     
    Donald Corenman, MD, DC is a highly-regarded spine surgeon, considered an expert in the area of neck and back pain. Trained as both a Medical Doctor and Doctor of Chiropractic, Dr. Corenman earned academic appointments as Clinical Assistant Professor and Assistant Professor of Orthopaedic Surgery at the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center, and his research on spine surgery and rehabilitation has resulted in the publication of multiple peer-reviewed articles and two books.
    Jellyhall
    Participant
    Post count: 91

    I had a right sided approach for my ACDF. My swallowing of food, (and especially smoothies and ice cream!) is definately getting easier but liquids can still be a challenge. I try to hold my breath, take a sip of water and swallow, and then breath out. This does seem to stop anything going down my trachea. I do still make these strange noises like a croaking frog though! I hope I am not left with that!

    There is definately more swelling on the right side of my neck. My drain did fall out before it should, so I wonder if I have some blood there. I imagine it will all be absorbed by my body with time. I think that my voice is improving a little bit today, so hopefully it is all just temporary.

    I am not sure why I am on the Gabapentin. I was taking Nortriptyline for nerve pain before my surgery. Then when I woke up, they stopped that and put me on Gabapentin instead.

    I did tell the anaesthetist and surgeon just before my surgery, about some spastic stiffening spasms that I would regularly get. Sometimes they were so strong that they would cause my back and neck to arch up off the bed. I was very concerned that if this happened after surgery, it would harm the surgery, and that it would be very painful. I would get them every day. Perhaps this is why I was put on it.
    Do you think that could be why?

    Also, as I woke up from surgery I was tossing around in pain. When the anaesthetist asked me where my pain was, it was in my lumbar spine (I have problems there too and have had a lumbar fusion.) They adjusted the bed to raise my legs and that felt much better. I think I had been lying flat, which is always uncomfortable for me, for just too long during the surgery. Perhaps they thought the Gabapentin would help that.
    What do you think?

    After the surgery, for the first few days, I didn’t have any spasms at all, but the last couple of days, I have had the leg stiffening when I get up out of bed or up out of a chair. I haven’t had any of them while in bed though, so I am hopeful there will be some improvement.

    I am feeling very good, and have been for a short walk outside holding on to my husband today.

Viewing 6 posts - 13 through 18 (of 34 total)
  • You must be logged in to reply to this topic.