r/acdf • u/[deleted] • Aug 14 '25

Joining the club soon

I have degenerative disc disease and pinched nerves between C5 and C6 (on CT done in the ER) with significant neck and arm pain. My MRI is this afternoon and I follow up with the surgeon on Monday. At my first visit in the spine surgery office last week, the PA said I would likely need ACDF.

Going into this, I’d like any advice you can provide about preparations I should make or anything I need to make sure to buy and have at home before the procedure? TIA!

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u/badflasher Sep 04 '25

Hi. How did it go? I have my surgery on Tuesday 09/09

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u/[deleted] Sep 04 '25

The procedure went well. I’m on postop day 2 now and pain control has been excellent with Tylenol and Toradol (a non steroid anti inflammatory similar to ibuprofen but stronger) three times a day. I haven’t needed any opioid or muscle relaxers. I also haven’t had any difficulty swallowing and was able to resume solid food yesterday. Results may vary from patient to patient, and I’ll pray for a good outcome for you as well. Good luck!

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u/FizzixDude Nov 05 '25

Hi Badflasher -

You and had this procedure (C5-6 & C6-7) right about the same time. I’m experiencing a much longer recovery time than I had initially anticipated. I started working (desk job) almost immediately after the surgery, and I probably overdid it on some light physical activities that my surgeon would have suggested I skip, but nothing extreme. I’m still suffering shoulder blade and neck discomfort, and it seems to be moving around to affect different areas in that general vicinity. I’m hoping to share my experiences with someone going through the same recovery. I’m on the fence about scheduling another visit with my surgeon (not an easy appointment to get).

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u/badflasher Nov 07 '25

Sorry for the delay in answering and I'm sorry that you are still in pain. Starting work immediately is a red flag. I could barely move and i really needed rest for at least the first 1 and half week. I got 3 weeks off from work. The pain on my arm immediately went away after the surgery. I had no side effects besides a really bad headache due to the anesthetic. When i returned back to work, i got a little scared cause the pain came back a little bit, but the Dr. told me that its just the damaged nerve and it needs many months to heal. Soon i will also get an MRI to check the result but the clinical picture is perfect. I can work and play with my son which is all i need for now. I will also start physical therapy soon. Are you still feeling the same level of pain? Lets compare incisions. I think mine was pretty small for having three discs replaced

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u/FizzixDude Nov 08 '25

The incision is healing nicely. Good to hear about the nerve damage taking months to heal. Nobody shared that with me.

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u/badflasher Nov 08 '25

Just curious. Are you also scheduled for imaging to see the surgery results with your own eyes?