If you find my content helpful and you’d like to buy me a cup of coffee, here’s the link. www.buymeacoffee.com/vs6ouqdrix I do enjoy a good cup of coffee❤ Thank You.
Just to let you I got my clearance from my doctor to do what I want.. I can move my neck very well. My incision is only about one inch long on the left side of my neck and you can barely see. I have no.pain anymore. What a relief !
My biggest asset is I was very optimistic. Look for small positive steps. I was in such pain for so long, I was so looking forward to be on the other side of the surgery. Take your time with recovery and do what they say to do. Much of the discomfort is muscular, so don’t be afraid to take muscle relaxers. They helped me more than the pain killers. I’m here to help, so feel free to reach out anytime.
Thank you for all this information regarding dizziness! I really appreciate it very much! I will be seeing my PCP on Mar. 21st for a yearly physical. I will bring this information up to her then. Have a nice evening!
Hey Barry. Started PT last week. I’m still dealing with trapezius soreness and tightness and between shoulder blades. I’m at 3 months now and I’m just curious if you still had this at the 3 month mark. Still had this discomfort before PT started and now doing PT it has been enhancing it even more. I know in your 6 week recovery video you said you had alot of soreness in those areas and expected that to be for awhile. I just wonder if this is normal at the 3 month marker. Thanks again for all your good information. Hope all is well. 😊
Yes, that area has been stretched out with the addition of those replacement disc/spacers. So, the good news is you're actually incrementally taller than you were before. The bad news, is all those muscles, ligaments, and tendons need to stretch out. Are you out walking? Walking is so good and just let those arms relax and swings. Also, your upper back may still be 'guarding' meaning those muscles are firing and tightening due to the years of issues in your neck. Focus on relaxing that area. Somatic Tracking as taught in "The Way Out Book", can help. Also, if you don't have a hydrocollator yet, you may want to get one. Warm moist delightful heat...and lastly, the massager I recommend (I still use that one to this day) Go to this link, and click on where it says "and 9 more links" for shortcuts to all the stuff that really helped me. Also, if you order via the link, it doesn't cost you anymore and Amazon sends me a few pennies. th-cam.com/channels/uex2ryYtXD1LDA5hAsNk3A.html
Yes to all of the above. Walking every day. Got the hydroculator , do my PT exercises but I guess I just expected by 3 Mths the muscles and all would be healed. My occupation aggregates it do I’m constantly using a heating pad in my shoulders I warm up in micro. I hoping it starts to diminish soon. I’m still occasionally taking pain meds and muscle relaxers. But extremely occasional. Have you had anyone else reach out to you this far out form their surgery? Mine was November 15 2023.
Stay positive, ask a lot of questions so you know exactly what you’re in for, and follow other peoples journeys as well. I tend to be a positive person so I was counting every little improvement as a big win. I was in pretty horrible shape before and now I am getting parts of my life back that I had missed. Physical therapy is really helping me as well. Especially the deep tissue massage part.
Thanks for making this video I'm having a C5-C6 disc replacement in about two weeks at the hospital for special surgery in Manhattan, I just hope my recovery is quick without much soreness, being a motocross racer for many years I've had my fair share of fractures and surgeries, but operating on my neck freaks me out a little bit.
HSS is the best! I had Dr. Sandhu. For me the discomfort during postsurgical recovering was mostly from ligaments and muscles being pushed around and stretched. So more general muscle soreness than actual pain. Muscle relaxers and pain medication I relied on the first few days and then I weaned off of them. It really was not bad at all. I hope yours is similar in that it has a low degree of discomfort. If you’ve had injuries in the past your threshold for pain is probably a bit higher than the normal person so I think you’ll get through this no problem. Who is performing your surgery?
@@BarrysRecovery Dr Iyer is doing my surgery , he had students in the room while he assessed me so I guess if HSS has him teaching students he must be pretty good , besides the recommendation I got to see him. I really only want to take Advil after the surgery since that works better for me than Percocet and Vicodin but he had said no Advil initially be cause it increases the risk of bleeding so I guess only Tylenol for me, which muscles relaxers did you take.
@@davidcugno5457 Yeah, they don’t want you take anything that can make you bleed. I took cyclobenzaprine as a muscle relaxer. Worked great! Also, I hate opiates. They make me feel horrible. He gave me something called tramadol. It worked really well. They also had me taking stool softeners and something for constipation. Important to keep those bowels moving along lol.
Hi Thank you for making these videos. They have been incredibly helpful. I am 7 weeks out and still have that pain that you described behind the neck and the muscles between the shoulder blades. Did this resolve? I have the option of PT and I am curious if this may help with these symptoms. Thanks for any comments.
Hi Mark, congrats on your surgery and start of recovery. It takes a while for those muscles, Tendons, and ligaments to stretch out. I highly recommend doing physical therapy. Especially if they will give you a massage at the end to work the knots out of those muscles and help to relax them and lengthen them. Hydrocollator helped me greatly too, as did walking and focusing on letting the arms and shoulders relax and swing naturally. These two items were a godsend for me. amzn.to/3LO6aA4 and amzn.to/3IpYW4L
Thanks for tips! One last question that I forgot to ask. Did you experience any "snap, crackle, pops" in your neck when moving or rotating? Thanks again.
I’m getting the surgery at the end of the month. Single level fusion. I suspect I have more bone spurs than showed up on my scans also. The neck pain is constant and only has gotten worse over the last five years since the car accident. I tried all the conservative treatments out there. I’m really hoping the surgery helps because I am a father and an artist.
I had a TON of bone spurs that he found once he was in there. He used the bone spurs in the disc replacement to help encourage bone growth. But, the spurs probably explained the horrific burning sensations I had. Thankfully those are a distant memory for me. I hope you recover swiftly and completely.
Question: were you dizzy before or after this surgery? Because I have had dizziness before and after this surgery on my right side. The whole room spins when I lay on my right side or try to get up on my right side. I tried ear drops for 3 days before this surgery. They didn't help. I was just wondering! Thank you!
I don't have numbness or tingling since my surgery. Just tremors in my hands. Do you have a. Solution that could help me? Because it's.hard to write, hold a glass with liquids? Or write on my tablet. My hand s you shakes to much! Thank you for your help! Bernadette
Bernadette, I’m so sorry you’re going through this. Tell me again what levels you had done? Also, did they do a foraminotomy? Is it both hands or just one? Was there an issue with your hand prior to fusion (if so, what)?
Have you had to deal with the throat issue called globus sensation? It's the feeling of something in your throat. I'm 4.5 months post ACDF 3 levels and a discectomy. I wore a hard brace/collar for 8 weeks. PT and massages aggravate my throat issue so I am looking for anyone with some helpful tips on handling it.
I had swallowing issues for a while. The way I dealt with it was to take small bites of food or soft foods, like applesauce, pudding, and work my way up. For me, it lasted a couple of weeks and then began to subside.
I would suggest you start with a good ENT. Get a complete hearing study done they can also run vestibular tests. Dizziness can be easy or very difficult to diagnose. I have been dealing with episodes for over four years now. I’m planning on starting all over again in my quest for a cure. I’ve had MRIs, MRA, been checked for acoustic, neuroma and schwannoma, all comes back normal or close to normal. I really can’t help too much with dizziness, and I’m still struggling too. On the easy side, it could be as simple as BPPV in which a maneuver called the Epley maneuver can help resolve. Lastly, you could have something called Ménière’s, which is a hypersensitivity to sodium which causes balance issues and dizziness. I know enough about dizziness to be slightly dangerous.LOL
ONE MORE QUESTION: How long until you could swallow meat or lettuce? Just wondering! All I can eat is soups, puddings, protein drinks, yogurt, macaroni & cheese.
@@bernadetteward716 it takes a while to lose the lump in he throat feeling. I found starting small with little sips of water, and then working my way up, really helped. It’s almost as if you have to retrain that muscle to work together again. Small sips of water, small bites of food and continued swallowing. You might want to try a hard candy once in a while to continue that swallowing motion to work out those muscles.
I am actually retired. However once you’re off the painkillers then it is probably OK to return to work if you don’t do anything to physical. Your doctor will definitely let you know.
Hi. I am almost 5 months PO. I had C4-T1 ACDF and PCDF a day apart of each other. Man o man this recovery has been a rough one. I finally started pt about 3 weeks ago 2x week. and acupuncture as well. If does seem to help. But I still have real bad pain looking up and down and turning my head right to left. And after doing things around the house. I need to rest my head quite often. I am just frustrated it’s been so long I thought I would be feeling better by now. I still haven’t returned to work either. I have a desk job and the Constant looking up and down for a while kills me. I do not want to go backwards. I do not want these surgeries again!! But like I said I’m just very frustrated.
Cheryl I’m so sorry your still in pain. I’m sure the PCDF was particularly uncomfortable as they have to cut muscles in your back. I learned that much of the rotation of the head happens at c1/c2, same for nodding. With that said, you may want to focus your pt therapy on increasing rang of motion specifically at that area. I’m not a Dr, just a recovering patient…but happy to share whatever I have learned. Where exactly is the pain when you look up and down? Upper or lower part of neck?
@@BarrysRecovery I keep think that there is something going on at those levels C2 and 3 because I have some bad pain under my ear it actually feel like an ear infection but pt said that it’s part of the nerve. As far as the pain in my neck when I move certain ways is in the middle of my neck and the base of my neck. Friday at pt my therapist said that I’m not ready to go back to work yet. I should be able to move more without pain and everything is so tight still. I see Dr this coming Friday. I’m really not sure what to do.
@@Tweety402010 has your doctor or physical therapist recommended supplementation of B vitamins? B vitamins help with nerves. A couple of years ago I had Bell’s palsy and half of my face was paralyzed. B vitamins definitely helped expedite the healing process and the nerve repair. It’s just a thought but certainly no harm in trying some quality B complex vitamins to see if that can help expedite the nerve healing. Also, you had a lot of work done. It’s gonna take some time for your body to adjust to everything being in a “new“ position. What I found helped me, greatly, was taking walks. I would have to really focus on relaxing my upper back, arm muscles, neck muscles, etc. often times I caught my self unintentionally tightening up muscles in a defensive manner and I had to learn how to relax everything. I think that definitely helped expedite the healing process for me.
@@BarrysRecovery I do take vitamin B12 is this different than the one your talking about? When I have gone on walks I tightened up a lot even when I’m in the car either driving or as a passenger. I try not to drive much just for that reason. I know I had a lot of work done everyone has said that. It’s just frustrating. I read a-lot of post on Facebook of people recovering so much faster, it just makes me feel I’m weak. I do have a question have you heard of the pain under your ear it feels like you have an ear infection?
@@Tweety402010 if your talking about that little soft spot just under your ear behind your jaw….I know the spot your talking about. That spot was incredibly painful for me when I had Bell’s palsy. There’s a nerve right there…..that nerve goes to your face, from eyes to mouth on that side. The b complex I took helped all that heal for me.
If you find my content helpful and you’d like to buy me a cup of coffee, here’s the link. www.buymeacoffee.com/vs6ouqdrix I do enjoy a good cup of coffee❤ Thank You.
Thank you for your reply: regarding eating different foods! I greatly appreciate it.
One more thing: I've enjoyed watching your videos also. Thank you!
I’m glad you found them useful.👍
Just to let you I got my clearance from my doctor to do what I want.. I can move my neck very well.
My incision is only about one inch long on the left side of my neck and you can barely see. I have no.pain anymore. What a relief !
That is such fantastic news! I am so very happy for you👍♥️😀
I’m watching all your videos I’m going in for surgery the end of this month it really helps me going in with more confidence thank you.
My biggest asset is I was very optimistic. Look for small positive steps. I was in such pain for so long, I was so looking forward to be on the other side of the surgery. Take your time with recovery and do what they say to do. Much of the discomfort is muscular, so don’t be afraid to take muscle relaxers. They helped me more than the pain killers. I’m here to help, so feel free to reach out anytime.
Thank you for all this information regarding dizziness! I really appreciate it very much! I will be seeing my PCP on Mar. 21st for a yearly physical. I will bring this information up to her then. Have a nice evening!
Hey Barry. Started PT last week. I’m still dealing with trapezius soreness and tightness and between shoulder blades. I’m at 3 months now and I’m just curious if you still had this at the 3 month mark. Still had this discomfort before PT started and now doing PT it has been enhancing it even more. I know in your 6 week recovery video you said you had alot of soreness in those areas and expected that to be for awhile. I just wonder if this is normal at the 3 month marker. Thanks again for all your good information. Hope all is well. 😊
Yes, that area has been stretched out with the addition of those replacement disc/spacers. So, the good news is you're actually incrementally taller than you were before. The bad news, is all those muscles, ligaments, and tendons need to stretch out. Are you out walking? Walking is so good and just let those arms relax and swings. Also, your upper back may still be 'guarding' meaning those muscles are firing and tightening due to the years of issues in your neck. Focus on relaxing that area. Somatic Tracking as taught in "The Way Out Book", can help. Also, if you don't have a hydrocollator yet, you may want to get one. Warm moist delightful heat...and lastly, the massager I recommend (I still use that one to this day) Go to this link, and click on where it says "and 9 more links" for shortcuts to all the stuff that really helped me. Also, if you order via the link, it doesn't cost you anymore and Amazon sends me a few pennies. th-cam.com/channels/uex2ryYtXD1LDA5hAsNk3A.html
Yes to all of the above. Walking every day. Got the hydroculator , do my PT exercises but I guess I just expected by 3 Mths the muscles and all would be healed. My occupation aggregates it do I’m constantly using a heating pad in my shoulders I warm up in micro. I hoping it starts to diminish soon. I’m still occasionally taking pain meds and muscle relaxers. But extremely occasional. Have you had anyone else reach out to you this far out form their surgery? Mine was November 15 2023.
Great to see you are doing so well! Got my surgery scheduled and looking forward to the other side of this. Again, I appreciate you sharing!
Stay positive, ask a lot of questions so you know exactly what you’re in for, and follow other peoples journeys as well. I tend to be a positive person so I was counting every little improvement as a big win. I was in pretty horrible shape before and now I am getting parts of my life back that I had missed. Physical therapy is really helping me as well. Especially the deep tissue massage part.
@@BarrysRecovery hola llevo dos mese y povo y todavia no vi mejora es normal?
@@carmencarrillocarrillo7888 English?
How long after surgery did you start PT? Did you do PT for 6 months or 1 year ?
I started my PT 3 months after surgery, and did it for a few months. I really liked the massage part at the end, that helped me greatly!
Thanks for making this video I'm having a C5-C6 disc replacement in about two weeks at the hospital for special surgery in Manhattan, I just hope my recovery is quick without much soreness, being a motocross racer for many years I've had my fair share of fractures and surgeries, but operating on my neck freaks me out a little bit.
HSS is the best! I had Dr. Sandhu. For me the discomfort during postsurgical recovering was mostly from ligaments and muscles being pushed around and stretched. So more general muscle soreness than actual pain. Muscle relaxers and pain medication I relied on the first few days and then I weaned off of them. It really was not bad at all. I hope yours is similar in that it has a low degree of discomfort. If you’ve had injuries in the past your threshold for pain is probably a bit higher than the normal person so I think you’ll get through this no problem. Who is performing your surgery?
@@BarrysRecovery Dr Iyer is doing my surgery , he had students in the room while he assessed me so I guess if HSS has him teaching students he must be pretty good , besides the recommendation I got to see him. I really only want to take Advil after the surgery since that works better for me than Percocet and Vicodin but he had said no Advil initially be cause it increases the risk of bleeding so I guess only Tylenol for me, which muscles relaxers did you take.
@@davidcugno5457 Yeah, they don’t want you take anything that can make you bleed. I took cyclobenzaprine as a muscle relaxer. Worked great! Also, I hate opiates. They make me feel horrible. He gave me something called tramadol. It worked really well. They also had me taking stool softeners and something for constipation. Important to keep those bowels moving along lol.
@@davidcugno5457 Do not take Advil, inhibits bone fusion
Hi Thank you for making these videos. They have been incredibly helpful. I am 7 weeks out and still have that pain that you described behind the neck and the muscles between the shoulder blades. Did this resolve? I have the option of PT and I am curious if this may help with these symptoms. Thanks for any comments.
Hi Mark, congrats on your surgery and start of recovery. It takes a while for those muscles, Tendons, and ligaments to stretch out. I highly recommend doing physical therapy. Especially if they will give you a massage at the end to work the knots out of those muscles and help to relax them and lengthen them. Hydrocollator helped me greatly too, as did walking and focusing on letting the arms and shoulders relax and swing naturally. These two items were a godsend for me. amzn.to/3LO6aA4 and amzn.to/3IpYW4L
Thanks for tips! One last question that I forgot to ask. Did you experience any "snap, crackle, pops" in your neck when moving or rotating? Thanks again.
@@Mark-jn4tq yes! For a bit there was some Rice Krispies snap, crackle and pop. They say it’s normal👍
@@BarrysRecovery thanks again!
Except: my fingers are shaking a little. But they told me it could take up to a year to heal thIs.
Did you have this problem?
My numbness immediately was fixed.
I’m getting the surgery at the end of the month. Single level fusion. I suspect I have more bone spurs than showed up on my scans also. The neck pain is constant and only has gotten worse over the last five years since the car accident. I tried all the conservative treatments out there. I’m really hoping the surgery helps because I am a father and an artist.
I had a TON of bone spurs that he found once he was in there. He used the bone spurs in the disc replacement to help encourage bone growth. But, the spurs probably explained the horrific burning sensations I had. Thankfully those are a distant memory for me. I hope you recover swiftly and completely.
@@BarrysRecovery Thank you
Question: were you dizzy before or after this surgery? Because I have had dizziness before and after this surgery on my right side. The whole room spins when I lay on my right side or try to get up on my right side. I tried ear drops for 3 days before this surgery. They didn't help. I was just wondering! Thank you!
Yes, both before and after. I’ve had dizziness for almost 5 years. I also have tinitis in my right ear.
I don't have numbness or tingling since my surgery. Just tremors in my hands.
Do you have a. Solution that could help me? Because it's.hard to write, hold a glass with liquids?
Or write on my tablet. My hand s you shakes to much!
Thank you for your help!
Bernadette
Bernadette, I’m so sorry you’re going through this. Tell me again what levels you had done? Also, did they do a foraminotomy? Is it both hands or just one? Was there an issue with your hand prior to fusion (if so, what)?
Have you had to deal with the throat issue called globus sensation? It's the feeling of something in your throat. I'm 4.5 months post ACDF 3 levels and a discectomy. I wore a hard brace/collar for 8 weeks. PT and massages aggravate my throat issue so I am looking for anyone with some helpful tips on handling it.
I had swallowing issues for a while. The way I dealt with it was to take small bites of food or soft foods, like applesauce, pudding, and work my way up. For me, it lasted a couple of weeks and then began to subside.
Thank you for your comment! I have tinnitus in my right ear also. Would the neck cause these problems by chance? Thank you!
I would suggest you start with a good ENT. Get a complete hearing study done they can also run vestibular tests. Dizziness can be easy or very difficult to diagnose. I have been dealing with episodes for over four years now. I’m planning on starting all over again in my quest for a cure. I’ve had MRIs, MRA, been checked for acoustic, neuroma and schwannoma, all comes back normal or close to normal. I really can’t help too much with dizziness, and I’m still struggling too. On the easy side, it could be as simple as BPPV in which a maneuver called the Epley maneuver can help resolve. Lastly, you could have something called Ménière’s, which is a hypersensitivity to sodium which causes balance issues and dizziness. I know enough about dizziness to be slightly dangerous.LOL
Did you have to wear a neck brace to bed? And also for 5 weeks?
I had a soft collar. I wore it to bed for the first month or so.
@@BarrysRecovery
ONE MORE QUESTION: How long until you could swallow meat or lettuce? Just wondering! All I can eat is soups, puddings, protein drinks, yogurt, macaroni & cheese.
and mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes & some vegetables.
@@bernadetteward716 it takes a while to lose the lump in he throat feeling. I found starting small with little sips of water, and then working my way up, really helped. It’s almost as if you have to retrain that muscle to work together again. Small sips of water, small bites of food and continued swallowing. You might want to try a hard candy once in a while to continue that swallowing motion to work out those muscles.
thank you!
Hi happy to hear your doing well who was your doctor?
Dr. Sandhu. www.hss.edu/physicians_sandhu-harvinder.asp
How long did it take for you to return to work?
I am actually retired. However once you’re off the painkillers then it is probably OK to return to work if you don’t do anything to physical. Your doctor will definitely let you know.
Hi. I am almost 5 months PO. I had C4-T1 ACDF and PCDF a day apart of each other. Man o man this recovery has been a rough one. I finally started pt about 3 weeks ago 2x week. and acupuncture as well. If does seem to help. But I still have real bad pain looking up and down and turning my head right to left. And after doing things around the house. I need to rest my head quite often. I am just frustrated it’s been so long I thought I would be feeling better by now. I still haven’t returned to work either. I have a desk job and the Constant looking up and down for a while kills me. I do not want to go backwards. I do not want these surgeries again!! But like I said I’m just very frustrated.
Cheryl I’m so sorry your still in pain. I’m sure the PCDF was particularly uncomfortable as they have to cut muscles in your back. I learned that much of the rotation of the head happens at c1/c2, same for nodding. With that said, you may want to focus your pt therapy on increasing rang of motion specifically at that area. I’m not a Dr, just a recovering patient…but happy to share whatever I have learned. Where exactly is the pain when you look up and down? Upper or lower part of neck?
@@BarrysRecovery
I keep think that there is something going on at those levels C2 and 3 because I have some bad pain under my ear it actually feel like an ear infection but pt said that it’s part of the nerve. As far as the pain in my neck when I move certain ways is in the middle of my neck and the base of my neck. Friday at pt my therapist said that I’m not ready to go back to work yet. I should be able to move more without pain and everything is so tight still. I see Dr this coming Friday. I’m really not sure what to do.
@@Tweety402010 has your doctor or physical therapist recommended supplementation of B vitamins? B vitamins help with nerves. A couple of years ago I had Bell’s palsy and half of my face was paralyzed. B vitamins definitely helped expedite the healing process and the nerve repair. It’s just a thought but certainly no harm in trying some quality B complex vitamins to see if that can help expedite the nerve healing. Also, you had a lot of work done. It’s gonna take some time for your body to adjust to everything being in a “new“ position. What I found helped me, greatly, was taking walks. I would have to really focus on relaxing my upper back, arm muscles, neck muscles, etc. often times I caught my self unintentionally tightening up muscles in a defensive manner and I had to learn how to relax everything. I think that definitely helped expedite the healing process for me.
@@BarrysRecovery I do take vitamin B12 is this different than the one your talking about? When I have gone on walks I tightened up a lot even when I’m in the car either driving or as a passenger. I try not to drive much just for that reason. I know I had a lot of work done everyone has said that. It’s just frustrating. I read a-lot of post on Facebook of people recovering so much faster, it just makes me feel I’m weak. I do have a question have you heard of the pain under your ear it feels like you have an ear infection?
@@Tweety402010 if your talking about that little soft spot just under your ear behind your jaw….I know the spot your talking about. That spot was incredibly painful for me when I had Bell’s palsy. There’s a nerve right there…..that nerve goes to your face, from eyes to mouth on that side. The b complex I took helped all that heal for me.
Thank you!?
The tremors are in both hands. But the numbness and tingling are gone that I had..
Correction I had my surgery on Jan. 24, 2023 on disks C4 & 5 and C5 & 6.
How are you now
I’m doing very well, thanks so much for asking. I’m thinking of making a follow up video soon.
I had levels C 4/5 and C5/6.
Definitely make sure the doctor knows about the tremors. Is it in both hands or only one?