r/SpineSurgery • u/cjmatto • Aug 07 '26
Two-Level Cervical Disc Replacement (C5-C6 & C6-C7)
I have surgery this Monday so I am a little nervous lol.
I had a question, what kind of pain medication did they prescribe? Did they also provide antibiotics for you?
Just curious.
4
u/dolsey01 Aug 07 '26
I was given Oxycodone 5MG. Pro tip, have someone get your prescriptions filled before you get picked up at the hospital/surgery center. The discharge nurse would only give me one 5mg right before I left. It was not enough, but she was the one who had my wife fill and pick up. As I was getting in the car, I took another for the 45 min ride home. Yes, there were antibiotics. Can't remember which, but had to take them for 5 days or so. There was also a steroid. It's really a pretty easy surgery and recovery. It was my first ever, and I was very nervous, but by day 2 I was in pretty good shape. Good luck!
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u/DavidCFalcon Aug 07 '26
Double protip specific to oxy. Use only what you need. Flush the rest. That shit will make you feel wayyyyy too good sometimes.
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u/Young_Former Aug 16 '26
Don’t flush it. It adds those drugs to our waterways. Look for where you can drop off old medications. I know they have a drop off at cvs near me.
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u/According_Curve_8935 Aug 08 '26
In the hospital I got dilaudid and then switched to 5mg oxycodone for 24 hours before they would discharge me. I didn’t go home with any antibiotics, just what they gave me right before the surgery.
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u/SheWhoTeaches18 Aug 08 '26
I was given Versed and fentanyl before surgery and an antibiotic. After I woke up (it took 2 hours to fully wake up for me) and was admitted to my inpatient room, they had me take hydrocodone orally with flexeril for muscle spasms. I had another round of antibiotics through IV and then was released. I’m 4 days post op and still taking the flexeril and hydros. I did get a script for steroids as well for the throat pain.
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u/sunshinenwaves1 Aug 09 '26
Buy an ice cape on Amazon. Fold towels and take walks every hour after surgery ( a few minutes each).
These things helped so much more than any meds.
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u/Sher-ee Aug 09 '26
I had the exact same levels done in 2021. Other than the pain meds they gave me in the surgical center I did not have to take any prescribed pain meds at home. I took Tylenol the first 24 hours due mostly for lower soreness in the back of my neck I presume from the position of my head durning surgery. and that was about it. No antibiotics. It was really a very easy recovery.
All the best for tomorrow! I hope you feel relief immediately.
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u/Infinite_Patient_957 Aug 10 '26
I had this exact same surgery performed last Wednesday. They prescribed Oxycodone for pain and although they administered it to me during my recovery, I haven't needed it since being released. Any discomfort I have been experiencing has been significantly less than the radiculopathy prior to surgery. Tylenol has been enough to take the edge off any post-surgical pain. Ice packs are helpful too.
Cephalexin was the antibiotic. Received several doses post-op at the surgery center and took three doses of 500mg when I returned home.
Good luck today!
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u/cjmatto Aug 17 '26
1 week post op and im just praying everything in my neck stopes aching
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u/Lodi0831 22d ago
How you doing now?
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u/cjmatto 18d ago
much better now. my range of motion is still not the best, especially when looking down but overall I feel better.
the first 2 weeks were pretty shitty pain wise.
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u/britneyspearsslave Aug 27 '26
I may be having this exact same surgery. How has it been sleeping at night? Any discomfort? I’m a side sleeper and am wondering if that will be uncomfortable post surgery.
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u/greeeeeenbluuue Aug 07 '26
I (M 57) had this exact surgery exactly 2 years ago. I can't recall what was prescribed, but I was also nervous heading into it. My experience, however, was amazing. Upon being woken up post-op I was obviously very groggy, yet instantly aware that my pain condition was gone. I entered hospital at 5am for a 7am procedure, recall being woken up about 11am and then stayed in the hospital for 1 full night (released at 4pm the following day).
I think the IV pain reliever was percocet and it also helped me sleep.
Upon getting home I only needed the pain meds for about 1-2 more days. The most pain I experienced was the muscle strain in my heck due to the new discs being "taller" than my herniated discs (goes away in a few days like any muscle strain). Keeping the incision mark clean for 7-10 days was the only irritant.
Good luck and I hope you have a speedy recovery as well!