Neck surgery

[Someonesmother]

Been for my pre-admission for the neck op and I will get in sometime in March. I so hope it is early March as I just want to get it over and done with and hope it works. Such a balancing act with all the different meds I am on for different issues, but I think the plan is sorted. Just have to make sure I do all the right things at the right time prior. Hahaha my memory is shot so I think a few alarms may be in order with reminders!

[allanah]

I had mind done and it was not too bad. I know the feeling about the meds. I might need an op in March too and have to stop my biologics one month before and dmards one week before and increase steroids.

So I think we will have to be in this together!!!

[Someonesmother in reply to allanah]

Yes stopping the biologic is the worst as even by week 4 I start to feel very fatigued, painful and get ulcers in my mouth. No steroids for me, it increases the risk of infection. My other drugs are more the blood thinners to stop having any more strokes, so that is the tricky one to remember to inject clexane for the correct amount of days prior. Others are easy as I just don't take them that morning. I am really hoping it works well to stop the pain and numbness in my arms and hands. I am not sure it will fix a lot of the pain in my neck though. Time will tell. Good luck for yours.

[Hidden]

Hope it all goes well. Not there yet myself. Disease ‘inactive’ currently, as measured by standard hand exam.

Not the most accurate way to assess but that is how it is still done here in the UK.

Looks like you and Allanah can sympathise and compare! 🙂

[Someonesmother in reply to Hidden]

Thank you. How do they know by hand exam. Is that squeezing a joint and if you don't scream in pain it is inactive? How bizarre. Yes looks like Allanah and I can recuperate together. 4 weeks at least at home is going to drive me spare.

[Hidden in reply to Someonesmother]

My hands were scanned using ultrasound. No sign of RA swelling or inflammation.

But bones are permanently damaged by RA eating into them.

Blood work showed no RA activity either.

But as it is a systemic disease, and many studies have backed this up, and modern medicine has no cure, the disease is merely in drug induced suppression.

They say it is OA now attacking many joints. Lucky me!

Anyway, take care. 🙂

[Someonesmother in reply to Hidden]

Ahh I see. So in a type of remission from the drugs. Yes it is systemic. Seems to have attacked my heart as well and yes I have OA as well adding to the issue in my neck and in my left hip and knee. Such a fun life. Well I am glad that you have a remission of sorts and that it may stop doing any more damage.

[Ruth12345]

Wishing you both the speediest of recovery. This sight is great at least the two of you will understand what each other is going through. As yet I have not been in your position. Take care.

[Someonesmother in reply to Ruth12345]

Thanks Ruth12345. Hopefully it will be around the same time so at least we can chat to each other to kill the boredom of being trapped at home. Mind you I am in Oz so the time difference could be an issue, but I don't sleep well now so maybe not. hahahah

At least it is only supposed to be 4 weeks off work. I had to do 6 when I had rotator cuff repair. I nearly went spare!

[Amy65]

Can I ask is the surgery for neck pain caused by cervical spondlittis.

[Someonesmother in reply to Amy65]

Yes it is. Bone spurs and squashed discs so he is going to do Anterior cervical discectomy with fusion. So take out the disc, file down the bone spurs and put a bone graft in, then fuse the whole lot with titanium plate.

[Amy65 in reply to Someonesmother]

Thankyou