OP
irwin
Veteran Member
My doc thought I'd better wait until they got a good look at the damage, so he had me cancel the appt.
Cervical Radiculopathy (pinched nerve in neck)
- Thread starter irwin
- Start date
My doc thought I'd better wait until they got a good look at the damage, so he had me cancel the appt.
truckdiagnostics
Platinum Member
Why so long to get the MRI?Its been what a month? Understand they are not cheap, but a month. hang in there, there is an end to it. To be honest after everything, and if you need surgery, that is going to end up being the easy part...... was for me anyway, took 6 months to get to that point. What I am finding is that the doctors can't look beyond there specialty. Before my neck surgery was was getting the tingling in the arms and legs. I believe he thought i was making things up, because i should have only had it in my arms based on what he saw. Come to find out and 6 months latter had something going on in lower back also. And I wasn't making things up, he however couldn't look beyond his area.... (if it walks like a duck, talks like a duck, chances are its a duck!) best of luck to you.
OP
irwin
Veteran Member
Thanks for the concern Steve.
I'm just now getting to the point of accepting the truth.. I can't do anything to help around here. Not really my style..don't get me wrong I like to relax, but enough already.. anyway, like I said I'm accepting the truth...
I'm kinda shocked at how uncomfortable this is..thankfully everyone around me has been great and supportive..means a lot.
OP
irwin
Veteran Member
MRI impression note:
C6-C7 disc space demonstrates a moderate sized osteophytic disc complex in left foramen, resulting in left neural foramen stenosis.
in other words, the nerve bundle doesn't have enough space..... possibly causing some pain..yes, and loss of feeling..a little, pins and needles..yes, numbness..yes
Appointment with different doc.. a specialist on the 25th..
Everyone I've dealt with has been empathetic, and helpful.
C6-C7 disc space demonstrates a moderate sized osteophytic disc complex in left foramen, resulting in left neural foramen stenosis.
in other words, the nerve bundle doesn't have enough space..... possibly causing some pain..yes, and loss of feeling..a little, pins and needles..yes, numbness..yes
Appointment with different doc.. a specialist on the 25th..
Everyone I've dealt with has been empathetic, and helpful.
truckdiagnostics
Platinum Member
No surprises there...... sounds like your primary care doc is just repeating what the radiologist said, so..... take it with a grain of salt. Hopefully the specialist is a neuro surgeon and they can stop the dancing around. My suggestion would be to starting doing your research on neuro surgeon and go to that one first. Some health plans make you pay for second opinions. this is a slower time of year for surgeries, so don't be surprised if the surgeon wants to schedule right away. You are further down than where mine was. I was at 3,4,5 and they fused three levels. Only thing I notice as a side affect is turning head looking for traffic, end up moving whole body. Biggest issue was swallowing, its really different. For me they went in through the front and they have to push all that to the side. One night stay is typical, I was in two we couldn't get control of the pain. First night at home sucked. Then after a week it was no big deal, swallowing sucked, but over all wasn't bad. I was in neck brace for 6 weeks and that was it. I guess my point, when you know you need the surgery sign up and get it over with, what you are going through now bites.
gwstang
Platinum Member
Mine got so bad that I started dropping lots of things from my left hand. I work in a lab setting and use lots of glassware. Glass shatters when it's dropped suddenly from not being able to control that hand. I had to have mine fixed...right away. Helped very much. Like I said before, now the one above and the one below are bulging....fun...fun...fun. Feels like needles in the left hand and the right now. Bonus! Two for one....lol. Not looking forward to getting this fixed...again! When I got the last MRI, the lady said the titanium plate would not cause any problems in the machine. Baloney! They don't mention the SS screws that are used to hold the plate on. Started getting very hot inside. Not comfortable at all, besides being scrunched up inside that dang tunnel. Ugh, big hate of tightly enclosed spaces. Panic usually starts in when they announce that there is only 5 more minutes in there. Yeah, right! They are lying at that point, it is more like 20 more minutes. 
gwstang
Platinum Member
..."Only thing I notice as a side affect is turning head looking for traffic, end up moving whole body. "
Ain't that the dang truth!!! Even hard to turn around to look behind a tractor!
Ain't that the dang truth!!! Even hard to turn around to look behind a tractor!
hawkeye08
Elite Member
Ask questions, do your research... best wishes!
truckdiagnostics
Platinum Member
What gwstang has going on is an unfortunate, long term out come of the surgery. My best guess is his original fusion was down lower where irwin is looking at now, hence the issue in only the left side. As you move up you get it in both arms. Mine at 3,4,5 had it in both. The bulging or pinching that gwstang is getting is higher now so that is why he is getting it in both arms now?. This is only an observation, I have had an MRI since my surgery, and did not have any issues with what was in my neck. However, gwstang was done a while ago, so..... better stainless? Also, qwstang had his at a young age, mine was done when i was 52. As, long as i don't over head weld for a living, we are hoping i am dead by the time i need it again. Irwin, they can do injections into your neck, they are doing that on my lower back and it helps, if they go that route it is no big deal. Don't think that is going to be a long term option. they may try it to see where it is coming from, but since you are dropping things, its pinched and not a swelling issue. I have found it is better to not know what is going on until afterwards. Research the surgeon and not the surgery! As long as your over all health is good this is not that bad. The surgery is actually a relief!
oldpilgrim
Elite Member
30 years ago I had 3 vertebrae in my lower back fused, with great success. Now at almost 70 yo, I'm having tingling/numbness in my hands/fingers. Went to the chiropractor, had xrays and he says the opening in the spine is getting smaller, typical of age.
I started getting spinal manipulations twice a week. It was like night and day. Then I went to once a week, then to biweekly. I've recently started go 'as needed' which is about once a month and I can see it being even less frequent.
Some people scoff at chiros, but my experience has been very good. Maybe I just got a good one, I don't know.
I started getting spinal manipulations twice a week. It was like night and day. Then I went to once a week, then to biweekly. I've recently started go 'as needed' which is about once a month and I can see it being even less frequent.
Some people scoff at chiros, but my experience has been very good. Maybe I just got a good one, I don't know.