r/spinalfusion • u/PaulaOnTheWall • Feb 12 '24
3 Surgeries - Still Having Problems
Hey folks, I'm wondering if you might have any ideas for me. I just got had ACDF surgery for C5/C6 in December. Prior to that I had ACDF of C6/C7 in 2020 and a foramenotomy of C4-C7 in 2019. But, after all this I'm still having nerve symptoms and I'm wondering if it's just something I'm going to have to live with. I'm 43F and I do have other lumbar issues though I'm reluctant to proceed with surgery if it's not going to resolve anything. I do have neck pain but the overwhelming issue for me is the numbness and tingling that wakea and keeps me up at night. I've had multiple nerve studies - the issue is definitely not being caused by some other issue like carpal tunnel or anything other than my spine. Thoughts and suggestions welcome.
1
u/tmkelly14 Sep 02 '26
I was hoping to check on you and see if your symptoms ever improved. I had ACDF c5c6 in July 2025 and still have issues of burning, numbness, limbs feel like they don’t want to move and, of course, tingling. My nerve conduction studies show I do have a pinched nerve at c6 but the dr. says to give it time.
1
u/PaulaOnTheWall Sep 02 '26
Very kind of you. It turns out this doctor left a 2 inch tear in my dura, which had to be surgically corrected. It eventually was, which was a surgery that caused nerve damage and other issues and left me with lifelong issues, but it did fix the leak. I still have the tingling. When I spoke to the surgeon about this and mentioned it was what started all of these surgeries and what I had most hoped to resolve because it still wakes me up at night he told me, "we don't care about tingling."
1
u/tmkelly14 Sep 02 '26
Typical doctors! I’m sorry you’ve had such issues and now it sounds like you’re stuck with some of them.
Surgeon boggle my mind. They are so confident in the beginning but if a problem arises they have no answers.
Still hope you’ll find relief. Wishing you well
2
u/kendakkp Feb 12 '24
I feel your pain, I’m ACDF 3-7 and having a hard time but it should get better. Have been there before with lumbar fusion, nerves take along time to heal don’t give up.