Joined Dec 2004
L10: Grand Master
Forum Thread
ACDF surgery - anyone have this and can share your experience?
September 5, 2025 at
05:52 AM
in
Health & Beauty
Seems my insurance is going to get another workout. Blah
My neck has been in bad shape since 2006. Surgery wasn't recommended back then and I did over 20 epidural steroid injections over the course of about 8 years. They don't like to do more of those and they were having trouble getting the needle through the last time or two.
So I've just been pretty careful with it, but I no longer can put off surgery.
A piece of disc broke off and slipped down between the disc below it and the spinal cord. Plus there's a lot of calcium build up, spurs and other fun crap going on in there causing major pain flare ups in random places. Just this last week it's been my right side. Was feeling like someone was stabbing me in the right kidney. Some months it's my left side or strictly in my neck, shoulder and upper back and arms.
I was having everything checked aka had a whole abdomen ultrasound..
So, now that I know it's likely all tied to my neck crap I'm trying really hard to look at this as a good thing to get through.
But truthfully I'm kind of panicking about the length of recovery, the stupid hard neck brace I'll have to wear for 6-8 weeks ( feeling claustrophobic already), and having to depend on and ask for help. I already feel badly for Loki. I'm not sure how much my neighbors can help walk him but we'll see. I do have great neighbors.
I'm not sure how much screen time I'll get since they discourage it but I'm rigging things to help hold my phone.
Apparently sleeping in a recliner for the first couple of weeks is recommended.
The drs note read as though they will remove part or all of C5, do some clearing of the pathway through c4-c7 and lock it all in, sigh.
I might be here looking for distractions again... I might have trouble interacting and when I do I might be a bit incoherent (loritab autumn jr??).
Or this could end up being just another stupid update in my medical saga.
Second surgery since retirement and 4th since moving back to MI
I think this is #18.
If anyone has had this experience and has any tips for the recovery period I'd love to read it, thanks.
My neck has been in bad shape since 2006. Surgery wasn't recommended back then and I did over 20 epidural steroid injections over the course of about 8 years. They don't like to do more of those and they were having trouble getting the needle through the last time or two.
So I've just been pretty careful with it, but I no longer can put off surgery.
A piece of disc broke off and slipped down between the disc below it and the spinal cord. Plus there's a lot of calcium build up, spurs and other fun crap going on in there causing major pain flare ups in random places. Just this last week it's been my right side. Was feeling like someone was stabbing me in the right kidney. Some months it's my left side or strictly in my neck, shoulder and upper back and arms.
I was having everything checked aka had a whole abdomen ultrasound..
So, now that I know it's likely all tied to my neck crap I'm trying really hard to look at this as a good thing to get through.
But truthfully I'm kind of panicking about the length of recovery, the stupid hard neck brace I'll have to wear for 6-8 weeks ( feeling claustrophobic already), and having to depend on and ask for help. I already feel badly for Loki. I'm not sure how much my neighbors can help walk him but we'll see. I do have great neighbors.
I'm not sure how much screen time I'll get since they discourage it but I'm rigging things to help hold my phone.
Apparently sleeping in a recliner for the first couple of weeks is recommended.
The drs note read as though they will remove part or all of C5, do some clearing of the pathway through c4-c7 and lock it all in, sigh.
I might be here looking for distractions again... I might have trouble interacting and when I do I might be a bit incoherent (loritab autumn jr??).
Or this could end up being just another stupid update in my medical saga.
Second surgery since retirement and 4th since moving back to MI
I think this is #18.
If anyone has had this experience and has any tips for the recovery period I'd love to read it, thanks.
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The hematoma that formed inside my neck combinded with mucus caused me to not be able to swallow and be sick to my stomach caused so much pain that it sent my BP and HR pretty high. Had a whole team in my room doing EKG several blood tests and then the CT scan that showed the hematoma.
Got it all under control and I'm home now.
My SIL is staying the night just to keep an eye on me
We just watched a bunch of episodes of The Diplomat.
Thanks for the well wishes and listening to another one of my sagas.
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