Four Level Fusion ACDF C3 C7: 4 weeks post-surgery update

[@Seer-cw9lu]

I wish the very best to you. Success over a long period of time would be extremely meaningful to me. I’ve heard too many stories where people have a time where everything is fine and then over time not. But I pray your surgery lasts forever 🙏🏽

[@LearnAtMyExpense]

Thank you. As you can see from my more recent videos, I've continued to progress well.

[@honeygrown756]

Thank you for sharing I'm in my fourth week of recovery with a hard collar for 8 weeks

[@LearnAtMyExpense]

You're welcome! Around week 4 is when I got pretty depressed and VERY tired of having to wear the collar but more so not being able to drive anywhere as a result. Hang in there!

[@valeriethomas1775]

Hi I’ve just come across you currently in bed due to not being able to walk & my headaches I’m having my pr op next week so surgery is imminent it’s given me a little piece of mind listening to you I’ve deteriorated so much so hopefully things will get better soon I’m obviously nervous about op but it has to be done thank you for taking the time to tell your story & hope you carry on improving x

[@ThirdhandFilms]

I’ve been watching your vids along with many others on this type of procedure. They’ve all been very insightful and helpful. I have degenerative cervical discs and stenosis at c3-c6 and I had a similar experience, although my symptoms haven’t been as severe as yours, despite dealing with it for over 10 years. Went to 4 different docs, got 4 different surgeries suggested. Based on what you have disclosed I’m guessing your surgeon was Dr. Harrop, who is a renowned neurosurgeon. He was Dr. #3 for me. Interestingly, he wanted to do a posterior laminectomy and 3 level fusion on me with rods and screws. I’m instead going with Dr. #4, another renowned neurosurgeon, and a 3 level acdf, which as you noted, is much less invasive and actually removes the bone spurs instead of essentially rerouting the spinal cord. As both our medical journeys prove, you have to be proactive and educate yourself along the way. Glad to see you had a good outcome.

[@LearnAtMyExpense]

Yes - Dr. Harrop was my surgeon! Good on you for getting multiple opinions and finding good surgeons. Sounds like you're making the right decision - a laminectomy is certainly a much more invasive and lengthier recovery. Related to this - Jefferson and the neuros who also affiliate with Rothman are both quite reputable but one thing that bothers me is they have a reputation for defaulting to the "Rothman Special" i.e., ACDF with rods and screws posteriorly. It works, but it's often way overly aggressive. There is a podcast sponsored by the National Association of Spine Surgeons. On one of the pods they discuss a scenario for cervical spine surgery and one of the surgeons I met for an opinion, who recommended the ACDF+rods and screws posterior was on there. He even mentioned "Rothman Special" - the other surgeons said that is overly aggressive in the scenario discussed. Good luck to you and report back!

[@rnoe1986]

Steve, who was your surgeon? What surgery did you finally have?

[@ThirdhandFilms]

My surgeon is Dr. Mark McLaughlin of Princeton Brain, Spine & Sports Medicine. I haven't had the surgery yet. Scheduled for June 15. ACDF C-3 - C-6. One of the subtle differences vs. other surgeons is he'll be using PEEK spacers instead of donor bone grafts. Less risk of infection, rejection and non-fusion

[@magdalena5808]

Thank you for sharing! I'm 1 week post op and my surgeon actually didn't even want me to wear a collar. I did get one to prevent turning my head too abruptly when I'm walking or outside as a precaution. But I have not slept in one or anything at all and I feel good. He told me to move my head as tolerable to the left and right. Than all the other restrictions you got as well. But the no collar had been great. Any neck is not stiff or sore. Glad you are doing well and sleepy rest of your recovery!❤

[@LearnAtMyExpense]

That's great to hear you're doing well! This video is quite old - I'm now 1.5 years post-op and doing very well.

[@RDA8191]

They didn't give me a collar or even bandage me up. Just super glued the incision closed

[@LearnAtMyExpense]

@@RDA8191 how many levels? In the USA it is typical practice for 3+ levels to be prescribed a collar, though the research I've found on it doesn't really support the use of one.

[@magdalena5808]

I didn’t get a collar either. My surgeon was against it. You’ll be fine without it. And my incision also had no stitches. Healed up pretty well. No worries. They did everything properly. Just be mindful of your head movements, what I mean is no abrupt movement. Other than that you’re fine. I’m no expert just speaking from experience.

[@bzb2932]

Thanks for sharing. I haven't had this surgery yet. Kinda peeking under covers to see what's in store for me. Thanks.

[@jjohnston6645]

I glade to see you're healing, I'm at 4 months PO 3 stage ACDF, just 3 days ago I was reclinging my chair back with the back of my neck and felt a loud pop, I hope it was muscles not the fusion, it causing me some set back, they say it takes a year to heal, don't push with the back of your neck no matter how good you feel, bad habits from pre surgery

[@LearnAtMyExpense]

Sorry to hear this and hopefully the pop is nothing serious.

[@furballbear]

That sounds really scary! Are you in any subsequent pain?

[@magdalena5808]

Please be careful I'm 1 week post op I was told it takes UpTo 18 months for everything to fuse properly. Hope all is well ❤

[@ronaldm.mcdonald2196]

I have mine on Wednesday.. thank you!

[@cindyjohnson3054]

Thank You. I had anACDF 11/23/2022. I am out of the collar unless my neck/upper back feels tired. I started PT I month post op. Went to work Monday 1/30/2023. But my surgeon told me to use Moderna and I have little to no scar

[@bstephens600]

I'm having a two level in November and have to wear a hard collar for five weeks and totally dreading it. I'm having an orthopedic surgeon and wonder if thats why the hard collar is needed. Thanks for sharing. Hope you continue to improve!

[@LearnAtMyExpense]

Hi Bruce. I've done quite a bit of reading about this and it seems that the majority of doctors now who prescribe hard collars are either neurosurgeons OR orthos who were trained at a more established hospital/program. I will say that, of the five surgeons I consulted with prior to my surgery, two of which were extremely reputable and well published, insisted on hard collars. My opinion, for what it's worth: they can't hurt, but I was curious and had lots of time on my hands during recovery so I researched it and found there is no evidence that they actually are beneficial - there are meta studies out there on that subject you can easily find. I wouldn't be too concerned about the hard collar - it really wasn't that bad. I was dreading it as I'm claustrophobic but when I woke up with surgery with it on I was surprised to find it wasn't bad at all. When I met with my surgeon I was told I'd have to wear it for 6 weeks. I assumed that meant 24 hours a day, but the day of my discharge from the hospital they issued me a soft collar (along with a waterproof shower collar) and told me I only needed to wear the hard collar when standing or moving. In other words, when sitting or sleeping, I was in the soft collar. That made it easy for me. The time goes fast. Just make sure to walk, walk, walk every day and you'll do great!

[@tammyhotchkiss9165]

I have this surgery on January 5 and they told me today at pre op tests that a single fusion is usually a soft brace and more than one level always ha a hard brace🤦🤷🙏

[@llelle4484]

I’ve had two fusions-both 2 levels so 4 levels total. Cervical C3-C7. My doctors did not believe in collars. One was an Ortho and the other a Neurosurgeon.

[@frankiegee5260]

I suffer from nerve pain that radiates from the base of my neck down into left arm and fingers.

[@joshrichert1606]

Having this done in a week, my c4 through c7, kinda freaked out about it but lost the ability to use my right arm and hand more or less with constant numbness and tingling, severe spinal stenosis is the reasoning.

[@LearnAtMyExpense]

Best of luck to you. Stay positive and you will get through this and get back to enjoying life!

[@juliadonley5563]

Did you lose your voice? My husband had surgery same levels on 12/14/23. Now 3/7/24 and still hoarse. Anybody else have this issue?

[@LearnAtMyExpense]

I vaguely recall I did have some hoarseness for a few weeks. Four months is a long time though - I would check with his surgeon about it and see about having an ENT look at it.

[@ryanmcloughlin8674]

Hi, thanks for your video. Very encouraging to see you make progress. Are you able to go to gym at all or do any other exercise?

[@LearnAtMyExpense]

Yes - see my most recent video (1 year update). I exercise daily. Way too much pickleball though : )

[@ryanmcloughlin8674]

Are you able to lift weights in a gym or anything like that?

[@LearnAtMyExpense]

@@ryanmcloughlin8674 yes. Been lifting weights for many months (IIRC started lifting about 3 months post-surgery).

[@apollopettv3750]

How are you doing have you had any problems since your surgery???❤

[@LearnAtMyExpense]

Doing very well - see my most recent video for an update. I do plan on getting a new video recorded soon but work/life has gotten in the way : ) I'm now 2 years and 3 months since surgery and doing fantastic.

[@apollopettv3750]

@@LearnAtMyExpense glad your doing well I need c4-7 AC/DC because of accident 3 herniated disk that compressing my spinal cord. Very scary

[@LearnAtMyExpense]

@@apollopettv3750 Sorry to hear you have to go through this but stay positive, prepare as best you can, and follow your surgeon's guidance and you'll get through it!

[@beytullahgonulal6282]

I'm sorry i couldn't watch it fully. But my question is can you rotate your neck 180 degrees or how much can you turn?

[@bobheide]

Thank you for sharing your surgery and recovery experience. My doctor is telling me, I will need the same surgery C3 thru C7. Same as your surgery. Been so worried about it. Worried about losing range of motion. I hope to be just as positive as you are . . Question: Is your surgeon an orthopedic or neurosurgeon? They seem to be doing the same types of surgery. Thanks so much

[@LearnAtMyExpense]

Hi Bob. Sorry to hear you are going through this. I got opinions from 5 surgeons in total, 3 of which were orthopedic and 2 neurosurgeons. Usually when people ask this question, and it comes up a LOT in the facebook ACDF group, there are lots of strong opinions as to why one should never go to an ortho for spine surgery. I asked my surgeon, who happens to be a neurosurgeon. He said long ago there used to be a big difference in the level of training between the two, but that is no longer the case and it is really dependent on the individual surgeon's skill and experience and not whether they are an ortho or neurosurgeon. I will say, after getting the first 3 opinions, I spent quite a bit of time researching who the most reputable surgeons in the USA are for cervical spine surgery. Most of them are orthopedic surgeons. Dr. Watkins on the west coast, who did Peyton Manning's revision fusion that allowed him to go back to playing football, and on the east coast in NYC at Weil-Cornell there is a cervical spine specialist who is an ortho and is very reputable and who I met with for an opinion and I can say he is top-notch based on my experience. Ultimately I selected my surgeon based on two factors: reputation (both anecdotally from people locally who had a surgery with him, which is not all that helpful since most people don't know a lot of people who have spine surgery!), and how well published they are. By published I mean are they contributing to research on cervical spine surgery? As I performed my search I found two names popping up often, one being the ortho in NYC I mentioned, and the other being a neurosurgeon in Philadelphia. In the end I had to choose between an ACDF+laminoplasty (posterior) vs a 4 level ACDF and, since I'm located in the suburbs of Philly, I went with the latter and am very glad I did. But there are lots of good surgeons, both ortho and neuro for ACDF. A 4 level is not common. My surgeon has done thousands of surgeries and even he said he's not done many 4 level ACDFs. Usually they will insist on going in posterior or in addition to anterior for that many levels. A study I found pre-surgery said

[@dcg929]

Very well said. Thanks.

[@deborahalexander7349]

I know this is late to ask a question. But, could you tell me if your plate is straight? My x-ray showed my plate very crooked.

[@LearnAtMyExpense]

My plate is perfectly straight but that is not typical. By "crooked" I assume you mean screwed in at an angle. That is pretty common.

[@magdalena5808]

Hi. Just connecting through here as I see you posted fairy new. That's interesting I'm now wondering about mine I didn't know that can happen. I'm 1 week post op right now. Hope all is well with you ❤

[@deborahalexander7349]

Thank you, that makes me feel better..​@@LearnAtMyExpense

[@alessandranascimento3149]

Deus te abençoe

[@ebo7310]

Im almost 3 weeks post op. I went home with a hard collar and had to wear it and sleep in it. I'm 1 day after my follow up and was given a soft collar now. My issue is my throat and sometimes I feel like something is stuck in my throat but no sore throat. I'm starting p/t next week for my shoulder weakness/atrophy.

[@LearnAtMyExpense]

I had swallowing issues for about a week or two post-op but it's been so long now I don't remember how long it was before it was definitely resolved. Glad to hear about soft collar and PT - the sooner the better in my opinion. I didn't get PT until week 10 and felt I would have gotten more flexibility back sooner if I had started sooner.

[@lorraines1934]

Glad to hear you are doing well. I have to have a tripple discectomy and fusion c4 to c7 and a herniation at c3-4 that the surgeon wont touch cuz he dont operate that high. I'm terrified!! I fell off a roof, 12 ft, back in 2008 and been messed up ever since. My neck finally blew out on me in fall of 2022. Im numb, drop stuff all the time, tremorshakes, migraines, pain, involuntary spasms, one wrong move or over exertion and I'm down for days....etc...the works. In 2022 when my neck blew out, i was down for months. Nothing i did eased the pain. It was 3 months bfor i could even brush my own hair. 6 months bfor i could drive short distances. Im terrified of the surgery because of the horror stories mixxed in with the success stories. Will my tripple acdf take out c3-4 the rest of the way so i have to go back in for another surgery and possible revision?.... Not to mention that my divorce has left me homeless at a friends house with nowhere to recover and noone to help care for me. Career... down the drain. Future... uncertain. It adds to the anxiety and depression, I'll tell ya that! I dont know how long it will be before I'm in a place of my own where it is safe to recover. And i dont even know if i will be able to even overcome the fear of the surgery itself. But im glad to watch your video. Your surgery was more disks than my recomended tripple so, i do say, you help give me a little hope. 🤏just a little😉

[@LearnAtMyExpense]

@@lorraines1934 Hang in there. Avoiding C3/4 makes sense given that it really does impact mobility. The higher up you fuse the more mobility lost, as most of the mobility comes from those upper segments. I wish you the best and try to stay positive.

[@Gigi30107]

🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏​@@lorraines1934

[@rakishman1313]

Hi and thanks for posting this video? What percentage of range of motion did you lose in your 4 level acdf? Did you consider ADR instead of ACDF? Will you have restrictions at the end of your recovery period? Unfortunately the adjacent disc issues are real due to additional torque each side of the fusion creates. I wish you take care of yourself and not have auguries down the line . If you do look at c7-t1 ADR maybe to even out the forces at that level. It s not a common level to do ADR but who knows maybe by then it would be approved in US. I believe they do it in EU for that level

[@LearnAtMyExpense]

ADR at more than two levels is not approved by FDA or any insurer in the US so it wasn't an option, and none of the surgeons I consulted with would have recommended it. Adjacent disc disease is not as common in C2 and T1 and my surgeon expects I shouldn't need another surgery for it. Fingers crossed. See my other videos talking about the surgical options I had and the two legitimate choices available to me (4 level ACDF or 2 level ACDF + laminoplasty). I will be posting a video showing before/after range of motion within the next month.

[@rakishman1313]

@@LearnAtMyExpense well yea in US they can do 2+2 in one surgery and 4 levels in 2 surgeries . Offcourse for ADR surgical skills experience is much needed and harder to find to be frank. I have 3 level ADR 5 Yrs postop c4-7 . I had my surgery in abroad . I wish you best in your continued recovery

[@furballbear]

Good to know all is going well! Question: how much weight have you lost through all of this?

[@LearnAtMyExpense]

I've lost maybe 5 pounds but that was weight that I put on in the month leading up to surgery due to stress and inability to exercise, as the radiculopathy in my right arm flared up severely. Since surgery I definitely lost some but in terms of body fat % I am definitely higher than I was a couple of months ago. Probably notably higher body fat % due to a combination of the inability to exercise/lift anything and also my right arm is still atrophied. The atrophy in it started about 4 months prior to surgery. Thankfully it feels like I've regained normal strength/function in that arm but I can't test it fully until the lifting restrictions are lifted, which I'm guessing might not be until the end of the year. I'm hoping, but not expecting, that my surgeon will give me the green light for some lighter lifting (15 pounds would be fine) when I see him in a few weeks. If so, I'll immediately start some dumbbell work to begin getting my strength back.

[@jjohnston6645]

@@LearnAtMyExpense Same here, I lost 10 lbs , 3 months after surgery I gained it back

[@furballbear]

@@LearnAtMyExpense Don't rush anything. Give your body the time it needs to properly heal.

[@marcopolantrini9905]

How is sleeping for you? I’m concerned because I can’t sleep on my back 😔

[@LearnAtMyExpense]

Took months before I could sleep comfortably - I think about 6 months or so and even then it took a while to find the right pillow. Same here - I cannot fall asleep or stay asleep on my back and am a side sleeper. For me the first month or so post-surgery I slept in a recliner and that was great. Give it time - you'll adjust and eventually be healed enough to comfortably sleep on your side but if like me it might take months to get there. I'm assuming you're a side sleeper. If a stomach sleeper then....you might want to really focus on learning how to fall sleep on your back : )

[@LALAINE-ry1fy]

Did you experience losing the ability to move your left arm after surgery and been 3 weeks and still not able to raise my left arm.

[@LearnAtMyExpense]

Sorry to hear you are experiencing that. It is called "C5 Palsy" and impacts many but prognosis is very good - most recover after a period of time. Discuss with your surgeon to confirm C5 palsy and prognosis. Best wishes on a speedy recovery.

[@AndyL940]

Hi mate , what did they say about adjacent joint syndrome in the future? I need a 3 level. Happening next year. All my neck is arthritic. It’s a concern. I’m so happy you’re doing well . People wouldn’t understand the pain and weirdness of cord compression and root compression. It’s a pain in the but . Good luck 👍

[@LearnAtMyExpense]

What levels are you getting done? Adjacent disc degeneration/disease is pretty much guaranteed from what I've heard. A study I read a while back said it's about 5% per year, so 10 years post-op you have a 50% likelihood of an issue with the adjacent disc. That said, I asked a couple of surgeons about this and both said that, in their experience, C2/3 and C7/T1 degenerate much less often. So in my case I should be okay. My surgeon said if I do have an issue it'll be 20+ years down the road when he's retired : )

[@AndyL940]

Great to hear . I’m having 4/5 5/6 6/7