Im Scared...Help

[Stars- in- the-sky]

Since my neck fusion of C5,C6 & C7 6 months ago i am still in much discomfort. Pain is going away but slowly. I was told it takes about 1 year to feel ok again. Everynow and then I get this weird sensation upper chest area too. Almost like that area is heating up, warming up , or a slight hot flash. Its hard to expalin. It does not last too long and it comes and goes. It causes me to panick and I hate that. Its very scary for me. I have never had any problems like this before. Would anyone know what this might be and if this is common with fusions? :confused:

[darrel]

have you checked with your Dr.?

does it feel like you have a girdel going around your chest and keeps getting tighter? does your chest hurt as if you may be having a heart attack? and some serious heart burn?
it sounds like you may have a ulcerated asophagus, I was diagnosed with that and have been taking meds to help the problem..it has helped so far

it is a scary feeling, I ended up in the ER thinking that I was having another heart attack when they told me that it was an ulcerated assopgagus

[Stars- in- the-sky]

Wow that's interesting. I am going to see my Dr. on Thursday so I will bring this up. It does seem like my chest area is very tight at times - it was worse 2 months ago but getting better. Its does not feel like i have a girdle on though. No burning just a warm heating sensation. My throat feels a little wierd when I breath in and out. Kinda like i am breathing in cool air and I can feel it all the way down my throat. I am not sure if this is normal or not. What is an ulcerated asophagus anyway?

[darrel]

it is your throat and were mine ended up having the ulcer is down about the middle of my chest..I think it was caused buy all the Rx that I was taking back then, I had been taking prilosic for my stomach but I was still having lots of acid build up.

[Don Carrier]

It sounds like reflux. which is where the spincter in you throat is weakened perhaps from injury allowing stomach acid to comes up through the esophagus causing an intense burning sensation meds do help I have tried many but have found acifex to work best for me. I am a c5-c6 complete with fusion in feb. 1980 and have had this since.

[firesmurf]

if this is actually reflux,like they said,meds can help along with also kind of sitting up a bit more when you lie down to go to sleep helps too.just adjust your pillows so your head is more above your chest and not 'even' with it.this just helps keep any acid down.

but,this could possibly be some level of neuropathic crap that could have stemmed from the actual level of damage/compression pre surgery or something that occured during your fusion surgery too.just how severe were your c spine issues pre op?what did it state in that summary at the very end of your MRI report as your most important issues?was there ANY level of actual cord contact or compression stated there?

another thing that i personally had dealt with with my fusion in the c spine was i never actually fused?this casued me alot of issues too.did they place hardware during your surgery?are you feeling any other possible neuro related issues like numbness or tingling in any fingers or hands?marcia

[Stars- in- the-sky]

My accident was 6 months ago. I jumped off a boat into shallow water and struck my head. I suffered a C6 Burst fracture. I had a CT of the cervical spine that showed the C6 Burst fracture with compromise OF THE SPINAL CANAL. I required a C6 corpectomy and C5, C7 anterior and posterior fusion with titanium cage, screws, plate and rods and allograft bone. My cranial nerves were intact. Could it be the forein objects (titanium) that I now have in my body that is causing this discomfort. :confused:

[Stars- in- the-sky]

I did feel allot of tingling in my legs for a few weeks after, Not so much now. My left foot gets numb at times too. I have constant pain in both hands right along the edges. Its worse at night. Almost like the nerves are waking up and want to dance around causing me much pain.

[JerseyGirl]

I know too well what you're going thru. I'm loaded up with metal too, and my original fusions also didn't take well. I ended up having to have my back re-broken 2 years ago so they could redo the T12-L1 fusion and put in the 7lbs worth of titanium and stainless steel. The fusion I had at my C3-C4 injury also has metal, and I still get numbness in my fingertips, sharp acute pains that take my breath away, and a pulling sensation where the cage is located. I hope this helps a bit. I know how scary it is when some of these new sensations/feelings arise.