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I had almost the same problems you are having except I also was passing out any time I moved my neck, right arm was numb and painful for months, couldn't move it 4 inches.
I went to one Dr. he refused to do any more tests, he actually told me to go home and live with the pain, there was nothing more they could do for me. So I found neurosurgeon who is rated the best in my state - he took one look at my old MRI from a year earlier and said I needed a new one.
I went and had a new MRI done and sure enough I was not only pinching a nerve in my neck but also crushing my spinal cord in 4 places.
I wore a hard neck brace for 2 months to see if taking pressure off the spinal cord helped, it did I was 90% better - that was a good sign - it mean I was a good candidate for a neck fusion.
So please go get a Neurosurgeon so you can have the proper tests done to see what is really going on. Deb.View Thread

I also had a 7 vertebrae cervical fusion done from C3-T1via the back of my neck, they used my own removed bones to aide in the bone growth. I wore a bone growth stimulator 4 hrs a day for 6 months to fuse everything together. I had to have all 10 screws and 2 rods removed just this past Sept. so my healing is still taking place. No InFUSE was used at all. I truly feel for you, I can't even imagine what you are going through.
On the TV lately InFUSE has been mentioned time and time again - there is a numbers of lawyers taking on cases such as yours because the InFUSE was not intended for use in the neck - and over time it causes the reactions that you are describing. There is a Nationwide lawsuit going on right now.
Google InFUSE lawsuit now, I will be praying for you no one should be in the kind of pain you are in caused by someone else's negligence.View Thread

I had a discectomy on my C5-6, C6-7 where they put in discs where I didn't have any, that surgery was in 2009 and it was done in the front of my neck a little off to the side. I had some swelling and a lump feeling in the throat for about a month until I was healed.
I had a 7 vertebrae cervical fusion C3-T1 done with laminectomy in June of 2011. They went through the back of my neck. I had 3 surgeries after the original one for different reasons but the last one was in Sept. 2012 to remove all the hardware. I was told for the amount of work they did on me it could take up to a year for all my pain to go away and the nerves to come back. I do get pain in the base of my skull called occipital nerve pain and I get injections of steroids into that area a couple times a year. I wear a tens unit during most days for the pain.
Both of my surgeries were done by Neurosurgeons. Since your doctor is no longer practicing can you seek a new Neurosurgeon for a second opinion? I feel bad for you. DebView Thread

I googled it because I never heard of this - much that I read sounds good. They do not use any drugs so it is not approved by FDA and many insurances do not pay for this procedure either.
http://www.prolotherapy.org/what-is-prolotherapy/
I would start with my insurance first and see if it is covered. I does sound promising and I hope it works for you keep us posted.View Thread


I am also sorry to have read that you will need to go on disability - I am not a guy but I do know that while I was a single female parent raising two children I was also faced with the same situation - keep working and hurt myself more or quit while I could and go on disability.
My decision was not an easy one - I was the only one bringing in the money (my children were only 10 and 12 at the time) so I went to part-time at first, but ended up going on disability. At first I was on SSI with medicaid for me and my children - 2 yrs later I could get SSI and SSDI with both Medicare and Medicaid - my children also rec'd monies monthly plus Medicaid until they turned 18 due to my disability.
Tim we have to do what we must - I did not want to go this route but my Drs told me I was disabled and sent the paper work in on my behalf - I did get a lawyer which paid off.
All worked out - food was always in the house and on the table, bills were paid on time - and for me the biggest blessing of all was I got to spend more time with my children because I wasn't working 12 hrs a day anymore.
Okay now you know that the work place was hurting you big time as seen in your bp. I will keep praying for you as you make your desicion - it will not be easy but you will be okay health wise. DebView Thread

How are you doing with the snow and your pain? Did you get back to the Chiropractor? I am from WI and the snow and rain have been the pits - not as much snow as many other states but I for one am sick of it. DebView Thread

I had my "trigger point injections" on Friday last week. The Dr only did my RUQ because that is what the other Dr ordered. She told me that there is no way they would work because she didn't believe I had costochondritis.
I had pain relief for 2 days only because I was numb - pain and Charlie horses are back.
Been dismissed my my GI Dr and was told to see someone else he couldn't help me.
My PCP is running special blood work to see if my muscle problems are something else related to my enlarged heart and lung condition. I will be seeing a new GI guy on the 12th.View Thread

Yes the tens unit is for pain control, not allowed to use in front of neck only the back of neck and I am to avoid the incision area. With all the hardware removed the only covering I have ove my spinal cord is the skin which was stitched together, so no X criss cross method either, placement on both sides of the scar.View Thread

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