snap sees a neurosurgeon

[snapdragen]

:eek:

It's not a good thing when your new doctor says your MRI films are impressive. At least I finally have confirmation that the problems with my hands, wrists and arms are related to the trash pile that is my neck.

I'll be getting a new MRI, my other one is almost a year old. From there it may be more therapy, epidural or surgery. Holy carp. I did not expect to hear the 's' word.

He also gave me drugs - Neurontin (sp?) to see if that would take care of the symptoms in my hand/arms/ etc.

I'm a touch freaked out. Guess I'll go walk six miles tomorrow........:)

[salsabike]

I have a friend who took Neurontin for neck-related pain--I think it helped quite a lot, and the side effects were livable for her.

Go, Snap!

[Wahine]

Neurontin is a very effective drug for nerve mediated pain so it should help. The epidural injections are low risk and also can help a lot. Obviously surgery is never a desired outcome but it can be very effective in treating this type of thing and I've seen plenty of patients do very well after this type of surgery.

Snap - I'm happy that things are getting taken care of. You've been suffering from this way too long and I know what's coming is scary but you need your life back and this is a step in the right direction. (((((Hugs)))).

[maillotpois]

Yowza!!!

I hope the drugs help. What Wahine said - you need your life back. And I am confident you will get through this.

Have a great training tomorrow. Go bobblehead!!! :D:D:D

[teigyr]

It's scary but since now they know what it is, they can start fixing it. I know you've been dealing with this since I came to the forum and that is a long time to be dealing with the unknown.

I think you will be fine. The "s" word is horrifying, I know! But whatever makes this better, is worth it. It sounds like you have options and this will be resolved one way or the other.

Heck yeah you should walk tomorrow :D

[OakLeaf]

(((((snap)))))

Sure hope the meds do the trick. But if not, you have a plan, so that's good. Hang in there kiddo!

[Trekhawk]

I hope things are starting to move towards a pain free time for you Snap.
Keep us up to date with how you are getting on.

[Pax]

Snap - Glad you finally have a doc who can give you some solid answers and a plan!

[snapdragen]

Had the follow up visit today, the narrowing in my spinal column is not going to get better, and will probably get worse. I'll be having surgery at the end of October. Doc wanted to do it sooner, but I told him I had no intention of missing the Nike marathon. I've worked and trained too hard to miss it!

His one request is that I be careful. No bike riding, no tightrope walking, no skydiving. I must give up my daredevil lifestyle until after surgery, or risk permanent damage to my spinal cord, should I have an accident. :eek:

He said he can't say that all my neck pain will be gone, but it will lessen a great deal. The big difference will be in my arms and hands. That was pretty much all I needed to hear.

[crazycanuck]

Snap, I guess this means you can't join the circus :p You can get a spin bike & do evil coach troy stuff at home..(???)

I'm glad there will be some relief from pain after the surgery!! :D

[maillotpois]

poo


Not much else can be added. We love you....

[salsabike]

Snap, I hope it will be of some comfort for you to know that I have a good friend whose husband had this surgery this past summer, is well on his way to recovery, and is intermittently a bit euphoric about not being in severe pain anymore...it'll be okay, kiddo. AND you will still get to do your marathon.

[OakLeaf]

wow... (((((snap)))))

not sure exactly what surgery you're having, but like Salsa, I've known a number of people (my dad, and clients) who've had neck surgery for nerve root impingement, and every one of them said that even with the surgical pain, they were in less pain IMMEDIATELY following the surgery than they had been before.

Wishing you all the best ... with the pre-surgical anxiety, the surgery itself, and the recovery.

[Trek420]

((( snap ))) I can't say it better than anyone else has. :o

subliminal hint, and she's soooo close to another sweatshirt ;) $1,945.00 of $2,500.00

[Pedal Wench]

I know someone who also just had that surgery. PM me if you want to chat about it.

[teigyr]

Oh Snap, I am sorry that you have to go through this. I think it will be so nice to have it be over and I bet you will feel SO much better after. Kudos for your determination and doing this after the marathon. Be Careful!!! I suppose this means your career as a base jumper is over, for now.

I've never been involved a surgery like this but I've had other ones. What I can say is the period before is ALWAYS worse than after. Before is the unknown. When it's after, you can focus on recovery and then you realize it wasn't as bad as you thought it would be.

I will keep you in my thoughts.

[SadieKate]

Wait a minute. You know my thoughts about the surgery. But what about the drugs? And do they come in flavors? :D

[Wahine]

(((((((Snap))))))

You'll be so much better after you recover. I've seen many cases like this pre and post surgery and the quality of life change is amazing. Take care.

[Tuckervill]

My dad, my brother and I all had this surgery...(except mine was in my lower back and I wasn't fused). We all felt better immediately afterwards. My dad and brother both have a little stiffer necks than they had before, but their surgeries were precipitated by accidents, so who knows whether they're stiff from the surgery or the accident? They don't exercise, either!

Good luck Hoping for the best.

Karen

[ClockworkOrange]

Hey Snap, really sorry to hear about your back problem, I have not been on here very often, so somewhat out of touch.

Sending lots of good vibes from over the pond.

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3191/2830815947_445222df4c_o.gif Good luck with forthcoming op.

............well, back to this post after just posting on the Nike thread, :confused::confused::confused: yikes, I am confused! (now doesn't that sound terribly British)........:D

Anyway, you take care.

Hugs

Clock

[melissam]

Hey snap,

Sorry to hear about the latest development in your neck saga. I'm hoping for the best for you -- that the surgery goes well and that you're pain free afterwards.

- Mel

PS What's the surgeon's official position regarding lemon drops and your daredevil lifestyle? ;)

[snapdragen]

Thank you ladies....you are all so kind.:)

sk - stay away from my drugs. They're mine all mine!! Unless they are purple grape flavored, then you can have them all.

mel -- as teigyr say, no base jumping...... I will not give up the LemonDrops! I just have to put my "living life on the edge" on hold for now. :rolleyes:

Don't be confused clock! I'm postponing any surgery until after I finish the marathon in October. I may not be able to ride a bike, but I can walk just fine!

[SadieKate]

Thank you ladies....you are all so kind.:)

sk - stay away from my drugs. They're mine all mine!! Unless they are purple grape flavored, then you can have them all. . . . .!EWWWWW. No purple. How about the red? :p


I may not be able to ride a bike, but I can walk just fine!Her head only bobbles a little bit. It's not really noticeable.

Really. Not much at all. . . . .

[Dogmama]

I had a fusion of C4-C6 in December 2005. I was off the bike for a good six months. The hand/wrist/arm numbness took awhile to abate. My neck was pretty messed up, though. He took bone from my hip for the fusion & that made recovery better. Will you be fused?

Do your physical therapy religiously.

Stay off the bike until they tell you it's OK. I tried to ride with my cervical collar on. The vibrations through my arms to my neck were awful. BUT, cars REALLY gave me a wide berth! :p

[bmccasland]

((((((((((Snap))))))))))))

I hope you get to feeling much better soonly.

[Dogmama]

Snap, I hope you're wearing a cervical collar. In my case, the MRI didn't show the full extent of the damage. A vertebra was pushing into my spinal cord. A cervical collar will limit your neck motion.

[RoadRaven]

((((((((((((((((Snap))))))))))))))))))))

But just gently... I think biiig hugs might be trekking down the dare-devil line of risk...

So I guess you have to give up the kayaking over waterfalls, and your Indy500 attempt too? :p

Glad they have named the monster and the solution pathway.

You're a woman of grit and determination, you'll be back tight-rope walking (and maybe even cycling :rolleyes: ) before too long.

[snapdragen]

Dogmama, for me it's 5, 6 & 7 that are affected. I'm not absolutely sure what the surgery will be, but I suspect it will be a fusion. Dr B mentioned deciding whether to use my bone or cadaver bone. :eek: My MRI was super clear, vertebra is definitely pressing on the spinal cord.

RR - yep, no waterfall jumps or re-creations of the car chase scene from Bullit. Doctors can be such buzz kills......:)

[Dogmama]

I had them take the bone from my hip. I have lupus, so my body is keen to attack anything that looks foreign. My spine surgeon said that taking your own bone generally results in a better fusion.

[snapdragen]

DM-when you were recovering, did you use any kind of wedge pillow on your bed?

[Dogmama]

No, I slept in my recliner. I found that it supported my neck & back better because I could sink into it & not worry about turning over at night. I had a hard collar & the wrong position made it dig into my back.

The worst part was not being able to wash the hair for 10 days. :eek: I finally gave the doc my middle finger, put my head over the sink & washed it.