Greg..
thanks for your reply.. I will respond later, just wanted to thank you for
now for taking the time, I so appreciate your generous and kind response to
my questions and my worry.

have a good day, be back soon!
KD

-------Original Message-------

From: Gregory Nail
Date: 06/18/09 1:52:22 AM
To: Cervical_Spondylosis@yahoogroups.com
Subject: RE: [Cervical_Spondylosis] New to the group but not to the disease




Hi KD,

I am sorry you seem to be getting the run around on diagnosing your ailments
and getting help for them. You raised many points. Neurontin helps me for
ALL the same symptoms you described. It helps to calm the burning, tingling,
numbness and stumbling. Without it I could not walk. At first (for about 2
weeks) my body felt drunk, but I adjusted to it. It is the only thing I��ve
ever found that helps. Other medicines can help stop tremors but you have
neuropathy.

I too have problems up and down my spine, including a herniated disk and an
annular tear in my sacrum but it is the cervical area that contains ALL
nerves for our legs, arms, organs, heart, lungs etc. If you or I are in
terrible pain in our lumbar area, the surgery requires cutting through a lot
of bone and the nerves affected are only ones that branch out at that level,
I.e. to the waist and legs. But the cervical area contains ALL nerves. The
nerves branch out of the spinal cord as they go down the spine close to
whatever they control. The cervical receives so much attention, in spite of
lower back pain, because the nerves to your organs, limbs and all working
parts below the face can be severely damaged if you have stenosis in the
cervical area. Your heart could stop your arm, legs, bladder, bowels, etc.
One can die if the cervical area is not treated in one fashion or another.
You can only be in severe pain, a sore ass from sitting (riding in a car or
on a horse!?!?!) or have difficulty walking��but not die, cause permanent
organ damage or any of the previous from a cervical issue.

I am sorry about the MG issue. Sometimes I fear they will come to me and
tell me I now have MS. I do not mean to make a joke of that as MS is
certainly no joke. I��ve read so many people in this group say that doctors
chased down one avenue or another when all along we said it was our neck or
our back. We seem to know our bodies best.

I knew a dear sweet friend who suffered great pain. She got so bad she could
not hold a job. They eventually diagnosed it as Fibromyalgia. She got shots
in ALL the trigger points but she never got better. Neurontin was the only
thing that really seemed to help much. Three to four years later an MRI
taken at the height of her pain showed a herniated C3 disk. The whole time
it was a disk issue. It was just that the disk tended to move and previous
MRIs did not capture it at the ��proper�� time. She had an ACDF of C3 and
today she is off disability and leading an active life again. I am not
trying to suggest that Fibro does not exist but sometimes it may be disk
related. My aunt was misdiagnosed with Fibro when she also had a disk issue.
My aunt has the exact same symptoms you described and was just given
Neurontin. I do not know of a drug that does the same thing. It also helps
prevent my seizures, so for me it serves two purposes. I could not walk or
deal with the neuropathy I have without it though. It is a lifesaver for me.
I wish you could get it to work for you. I assume you slowly took a little
at a time over several days to weeks until reaching your final dose to let
your brain adjust to it.

Do not have a surgery unless it is necessary. But do not do nothing either,
allowing it to get worse and worse and cause permanent damage. Surgery (and
especially fusion) sucks, you will not be able to drive for a few months
after the surgery. Even if you think you can��if you get into an accident
wearing a collar, you will lose as any attorney will state you were
negligent and could not see as you could not have full range of motion with
the collar. No disrespect, but you would be stupid to drive without a collar
(given the choice) as it is your ONLY protection. But if a surgery is
required��find the best.

I mentioned the above because you said your biggest fear was having surgery
make you worse��it can. Thus find the BEST��IF��you need one. If you have
fusion, studies have shown that fused disks place pressure on the disk above
and below the fused disk(s)��thus causing possible harm to them as you worry.
But permanent organ damage or death due to putting off a badly needed
surgery is not the solution in comparison. Explore all SAFE options first.

I hope some of this helped. KD, regarding pain medicine, sadly many doctors
are afraid to prescribe narcotics for fear of their licenses. Let them go
through this kind of pain and just apply het or cold. Hmmm. My oncologist
has people on pain meds until they die (but so do some neurologists) so he
had no problem seeing my obvious pain and related high blood pressure and
offering to manage my pain. I am blessed with a few really good doctors.

I wish you and everyone else good health and happiness.

Best regards,
Greg

Sent via BlackBerry by AT&T

Reading your post is like reading about myself, J haven't had any recent
surgery.  I too describe myself as walking like Frankenstein. I drag my right
leg as I walk. My lower- lower rear end hurts a lot. The only thing that helps
the pain is the epidural injections, One injection a month for three months.
The pain relief lasts a couple months. Thia morning I am going back to my VA red
team doctor to see if I can get another set of epidural injections.
I tried going to non VA doctors but my medicare doctor appointments are like 5
minutes long

I used to enjoy walking and 10 speed bike riding. My legs hurt to much now.
Without that exercise I am gaining a lot of weight. I use a walker off and on.

Thanks for writing.

Bob
Dewey,Az

Hello, I would love some opinions on cervical osteoarthritis. Years ago, I had a
car accident and it has left me, at 58, with osteoarthritis in my neck and
myofascial pain syndrome. Along with that, are two slightly bulging discs ( that
are actually fine, now), but I have arthritis symptoms from my neck, especially
with weather changes-headaches, some tingling and pain and muscle related
discomfort . However, I am very fit and work out at a gym which has really,
really, cannot emphasize how much, helped my neck problems. My question is this,
I am a former horse rider, who had ridden all my life before the accident and
have been sidelined, as I have built back up...can the movement of riding worsen
osteoarthritis? I can't get a clear answer from my doctors on this, they seem to
say to go ahead and live your life and deal with whatever pain may result. I
just don't want to increase/make worse the problem I do have so that I would
have constant pain...just now, it is finally, after years, mostly weather
related, so for the most part, I can not take medication, preferring to just
tough it out. I have made my life without horses, am able to be active and fit
and would never want to jeopardize that. Suggestions? Thoughts? Any other riders
out there? Incidentally, I was a dressage rider...so, for those that know, all
of the sitting trots, along with the whiplash car accident took it's toll.
Thanks for any help. Karin

I wonder if there is any way to stop the osteophytes returning? Diet? Gentle non
impact exercise?

Ant

--- In Cervical_Spondylosis@yahoogroups.com, "g.nail@..." <g.nail@...> wrote:
>
> Hello All.
>
> My name is Greg.  I was diagnosed with Cervical Myelopathy, myelomalacia,
cervical stenosis, spondylosis, hypertrophy facet disease, degenerative disc
disease, etc.  I have been battling the symptoms and dealing with the effects of
the disease and the surgeries since 1999.  I've had 4 cervical spinal surgeries,
but I have pain and problems throughout my entire spine.  Like most I began
having tingling in my fingers, I began dragging my right side & hunching over
like Quasi Moto dragging my right leg.  The more tired my body was the worse I
dragged around.  My legs felt heavy.  I lumbered around like Frankenstein.  At
the time it was unknown to me but cervical stenosis at the C3-C6 level had
gotten so bad it permanently damaged the signals sent & received between my feet
and brain.  What that did was make me fall when the grade of the sidewalk leaned
to the side, forward or back.  I would lose balance and stumble, often times
unable to get my footing back before I fell.
>
> I was seen by several neurosurgeons and even 2 of the surgeons suggested a
particular surgeon for this job.  Both said and my neurologist agreed that he is
the best in the area for this type of surgery.  I went forward with him and had
an ACDF (anterior disectomy & fusion) of C3 - C6 which worked great for about 6
months.  My symptoms were all returning.
>
> By month 8 my neurosurgeon was suggesting a second surgery to C7 and to clean
up osteophytes that had grown back in the C3-C6 area.  His suggested method was
to do it from the backside, a laminectomy.  I told him the solution was not to
have a surgery every 8 months.  After postponing a several months, due to
several reasons, I became as bad as or worse than I was originally.  During this
delay time the neurosurgeon identified that C7 was severely herniated.
>
> To make this story a little shorter, the surgeon failed to correct C7.  I got
worse and worse.  The surgeon did everything in his power to avoid letting me
know that C7 had NOT fixed.  My next choice surgeon leveled with me what had
happened by requesting and studying an MRI.  He requested a myelogram but the
stenosis at C7 had gotten so bad that the contrast could not even get past the
area.  I now had proof and he admitted only working on C3-C6 but now denied C7
needed any attention (although previous MRIs said differently).  He told me
there was nothing else he could do for me.
>
> I did not want to sue I just wanted to get fixed.  I contacted 4 neurological
groups around the country known for fixing "botched" surgeries.  I was told I
had 60 to 90 days to live due to my situation which now included the vertebrae
tearing apart.  Only 1 group of surgeon would accept my case.  They were and are
awesome.  They did the final 2 corrective surgeries back to back on Sept 9 & 10,
2002.
>
> Once again I am beginning to have my problems return but at least they saved
my life and bought me 7 years with relatively stable conditions.  Now I am
beginning to have problems to the point I am having MRIs taken and sent to them.
>
> I wish all of you hope and help.  If I can be your friend or a sounding block
I will.  I certainly understand how difficult it can be as I have been at every
stage from feeling fine to unable to hold things without dropping them, walking
upright to walking with cane, in a wheelchair, walking upright again to using
Loftstrand crutches to keep from falling again, etc.
>
> I hope everyone's tests and procedures come out well.  I wish you luck and
great doctors.
>
> Your friend,
> Greg
>

Hello All.

My name is Greg.  I was diagnosed with Cervical Myelopathy, myelomalacia,
cervical stenosis, spondylosis, hypertrophy facet disease, degenerative disc
disease, etc.  I have been battling the symptoms and dealing with the effects of
the disease and the surgeries since 1999.  I've had 4 cervical spinal surgeries,
but I have pain and problems throughout my entire spine.  Like most I began
having tingling in my fingers, I began dragging my right side & hunching over
like Quasi Moto dragging my right leg.  The more tired my body was the worse I
dragged around.  My legs felt heavy.  I lumbered around like Frankenstein.  At
the time it was unknown to me but cervical stenosis at the C3-C6 level had
gotten so bad it permanently damaged the signals sent & received between my feet
and brain.  What that did was make me fall when the grade of the sidewalk leaned
to the side, forward or back.  I would lose balance and stumble, often times
unable to get my footing back before I fell.

I was seen by several neurosurgeons and even 2 of the surgeons suggested a
particular surgeon for this job.  Both said and my neurologist agreed that he is
the best in the area for this type of surgery.  I went forward with him and had
an ACDF (anterior disectomy & fusion) of C3 - C6 which worked great for about 6
months.  My symptoms were all returning.

By month 8 my neurosurgeon was suggesting a second surgery to C7 and to clean up
osteophytes that had grown back in the C3-C6 area.  His suggested method was to
do it from the backside, a laminectomy.  I told him the solution was not to have
a surgery every 8 months.  After postponing a several months, due to several
reasons, I became as bad as or worse than I was originally.  During this delay
time the neurosurgeon identified that C7 was severely herniated.

To make this story a little shorter, the surgeon failed to correct C7.  I got
worse and worse.  The surgeon did everything in his power to avoid letting me
know that C7 had NOT fixed.  My next choice surgeon leveled with me what had
happened by requesting and studying an MRI.  He requested a myelogram but the
stenosis at C7 had gotten so bad that the contrast could not even get past the
area.  I now had proof and he admitted only working on C3-C6 but now denied C7
needed any attention (although previous MRIs said differently).  He told me
there was nothing else he could do for me.

I did not want to sue I just wanted to get fixed.  I contacted 4 neurological
groups around the country known for fixing "botched" surgeries.  I was told I
had 60 to 90 days to live due to my situation which now included the vertebrae
tearing apart.  Only 1 group of surgeon would accept my case.  They were and are
awesome.  They did the final 2 corrective surgeries back to back on Sept 9 & 10,
2002.

Once again I am beginning to have my problems return but at least they saved my
life and bought me 7 years with relatively stable conditions.  Now I am
beginning to have problems to the point I am having MRIs taken and sent to them.

I wish all of you hope and help.  If I can be your friend or a sounding block I
will.  I certainly understand how difficult it can be as I have been at every
stage from feeling fine to unable to hold things without dropping them, walking
upright to walking with cane, in a wheelchair, walking upright again to using
Loftstrand crutches to keep from falling again, etc.

I hope everyone's tests and procedures come out well.  I wish you luck and great
doctors.

Your friend,
Greg

--- In Cervical_Spondylosis@yahoogroups.com, "Linda" <lcroft@...> wrote:
>
> Well I have been newly diagnosed with cervical stenosis. Certainly the web is
an informative place.Well I have to admit scary place. I first learned of it
when I went to the walk-in clinic complaining of arm numbness and dizziness. It
took them about 15 minutes of questions and initial touch you nose kind of tests
and they call an ambulance. They wanted to rule out heart. I kept telling them I
think it's just a pinched nerve. I have a "bad neck" anyway. Well they did a CAT
scan and told me I have severe cervical stenosis. They referred me to a
neurosurgeon. By the second day my left leg was going feeling very heavy./ It
made it hard to walk. And the dizziness is persistent. First visit she said it
look like I have been in a accident many years ago. Nope... Well the problem
area are the C5/C6 joints. Last weekend I had my MRI. They even gave me a copy
to look at on my own computer. Tomorrow I have EMG.  Wish me luck!!
>
> Linda
>


I wish you lots of luck Linda!! I was new to all of this in 2007 being diagnosed
with both Cervical Stenosis and spondylosis. It is scary when you first  learn
everything about it and now as time goes on I am use to the dizziness but just
get frustrated when a new "symptom" pops up .
I have a very good life but sit and remember some of the things I could do just
2 years ago and I can't stop this condition.  Please let us know how your tests
go... Good Luck : )

Well I have been newly diagnosed with cervical stenosis. Certainly the web is an
informative place.Well I have to admit scary place. I first learned of it when I
went to the walk-in clinic complaining of arm numbness and dizziness. It took
them about 15 minutes of questions and initial touch you nose kind of tests and
they call an ambulance. They wanted to rule out heart. I kept telling them I
think it's just a pinched nerve. I have a "bad neck" anyway. Well they did a CAT
scan and told me I have severe cervical stenosis. They referred me to a
neurosurgeon. By the second day my left leg was going feeling very heavy./ It
made it hard to walk. And the dizziness is persistent. First visit she said it
look like I have been in a accident many years ago. Nope... Well the problem
area are the C5/C6 joints. Last weekend I had my MRI. They even gave me a copy
to look at on my own computer. Tomorrow I have EMG.  Wish me luck!!

Linda

--- In Cervical_Spondylosis@yahoogroups.com, "norrisoh" <norrisoh@...> wrote:
>
> Hi I just joined this group. My husband went from a full range of motion to
walking like a drunk to falling down then a wheelchair in a few months time. He
had been having numbness in his fingertips and was getting checked out for
carpral tunnel. He ended in a sports doctors office and the doctor saw how he
could barely walk with holding on to me. He checked out his balance and
something clicked for him. He sent my husband for a MIR of his cervical area and
back to a neurologist. She read the pictures and immediately sent us to a
neurosurgeon who saw the damage. We were told that the damage to the spinal cord
that was already done probably wouldn't get better. But his spinal cord would be
stabilized. We have been through so many crazy things with this illness. He had
a staph infection that postponed surgery for 6 weeks. His left foot was swollen
for months before and after surgery. He has hyperreflex in left foot with
burning and tingling. He went from taking no meds to a pill box. It now appears
he has something going on in his lower back.We are learning to get around in a
wheelchair in a house not built for a handicap. At least there are people out
here that know about what we are going through. I am thankful for finding you.
>

Hi  and welcome to the group. I am so sorry to hear how fast  this effected your
husband. Anytime you need to talk or vent  we are here.  my name is Lauri and I
found out two years ago that I had Cervical Spondylosis and  Stenosis.  It's
hard when something all of a sudden changes your whole life.

Hi I just joined this group. My husband went from a full range of motion to
walking like a drunk to falling down then a wheelchair in a few months time. He
had been having numbness in his fingertips and was getting checked out for
carpral tunnel. He ended in a sports doctors office and the doctor saw how he
could barely walk with holding on to me. He checked out his balance and
something clicked for him. He sent my husband for a MIR of his cervical area and
back to a neurologist. She read the pictures and immediately sent us to a
neurosurgeon who saw the damage. We were told that the damage to the spinal cord
that was already done probably wouldn't get better. But his spinal cord would be
stabilized. We have been through so many crazy things with this illness. He had
a staph infection that postponed surgery for 6 weeks. His left foot was swollen
for months before and after surgery. He has hyperreflex in left foot with
burning and tingling. He went from taking no meds to a pill box. It now appears
he has something going on in his lower back.We are learning to get around in a
wheelchair in a house not built for a handicap. At least there are people out
here that know about what we are going through. I am thankful for finding you.

Hi I just joined this group. My husband went from a full range of motion to
walking like a drunk to falling down then a wheelchair in a few months time. He
had been having numbness in his fingertips and was getting checked out for
carpral tunnel. He ended in a sports doctors office and the doctor saw how he
could barely walk with holding on to me. He checked out his balance and
something clicked for him. He sent my husband for a MIR of his cervical area and
back to a neurologist. She read the pictures and immediately sent us to a
neurosurgeon who saw the damage. We were told that the damage to the spinal cord
that was already done probably wouldn't get better. But his spinal cord would be
stabilized. We have been through so many crazy things with this illness. He had
a staph infection that postponed surgery for 6 weeks. His left foot was swollen
for months before and after surgery. He has hyperreflex in left foot with
burning and tingling. He went from taking no meds to a pill box. It now appears
he has something going on in his lower back.We are learning to get around in a
wheelchair in a house not built for a handicap. At least there are people out
here that know about what we are going through. I am thankful for finding you.

Hi,

Dont worry. Give some time and my advice is do not go for surgery unless it's
very necessary.

I have cervical spondylosis. I was fortunate enough to find someone whose family
tradition is siddha medicines and ayurvedha. He has asked me to take some of his
own medicines and ayurvedic medicines. 1st month the pain increased and then
decreased. Now it's been 2 months and i am almost pain free. He has assured me
that the problem will be cured forever as his medicines will open up the blocked
nerve between the vertebrae. I have to take those medicines for almost 9 months
to be cured.
Fortunately no pain killers or anti-inflammatory medicines to make things worse.
so wait for some time.

Regards
Rajeev

--- In Cervical_Spondylosis@yahoogroups.com, "surfcityflipper"
<surfcityflipper@...> wrote:
>
> Hi
>
> All
>
>
> I crashed on my dirt bike and had some pain down my arm and shoulder also my
fingers.My MRI say's I'm jacked up! C-3 through C-7 bulging annulus, bone spurs
and so on. My neurosurgeon said I may need surgery! I've asked physical therapy
so I start next week there going to do cervical traction have any of you done
this? If so how were your results?
>
> Thanks
>
> Jj
>

Thanks for your info and encouragement.I just saw my chiropractor and I start
traction Monday.I'm back in the GYM but I'm taking it easy on this fifty year
old frame!



--- In Cervical_Spondylosis@yahoogroups.com, Karen <karen43221@...> wrote:
>
> A surgeon always wants to do surgery, that is his/her job.� Crashing a dirt
bike will result in pain even if your disks are perfect.� Many of us have
herniated�disks and bone spurs, but we may be asymptomatic for a long time until
we get hurt or overuse some of those parts of the body.� That is when more pain
manifests.�
> �
> You may want to give you body a chance to heal, trying the traction and
whatever the physical therapist recommends.� Once you heal, you can better
evaluate�the need for surgery,� Increasing weakness and numbness in the arms and
hands, and even�problems walking or controling bowel/bladder functions�are more
indicative of the need �for surgery versus pain, especially post injury pain.�
> �
> I pushed and pushed my 50+ year old body to develop more and more muscle by
lifting more and more �weight, and just really aggrevated my C3-C7 herniations.�
It took several months to balance working out versus not hurting myself and
continuing with traction to get my upper body back.� My neck is not perfect, but
its far better that a neck fused together and can only move on a limited basis.�
> �
> Good luck!� And keep the patience!!
>
> --- On Wed, 5/13/09, surfcityflipper <surfcityflipper@...> wrote:
>
>
> From: surfcityflipper <surfcityflipper@...>
> Subject: [Cervical_Spondylosis] Physical Therapy
> To: Cervical_Spondylosis@yahoogroups.com
> Date: Wednesday, May 13, 2009, 12:10 PM
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> Hi
>
> All
>
> I crashed on my dirt bike and had some pain down my arm and shoulder also my
fingers.My MRI say's I'm jacked up! C-3 through C-7 bulging annulus, bone spurs
and so on. My neurosurgeon said I may need surgery! I've asked physical therapy
so I start next week there going to do cervical traction have any of you done
this? If so how were your results?
>
> Thanks
>
> Jj
>