Neck Collapse

About 2 weeks ago, I started having those horrible cervicogenic headaches again.  The timing kind of coincided with me getting out of the sling, so I thought maybe it was just the weight of my arm pulling on my shoulder and neck after being tied up for 10 weeks.  But, I had a follow up appt with the neurosurgeon.  He always does an xray beforehand.  When I got there he said that the bone graft in my spinal fusion had collapsed and that was what was causing my headaches again.  SUCKS!  He will have to go back in and put in a new graft eventually, but for now I am going to be seeing a neurologist to see what they can do medically in the interim.  The surgeon says I can't have the new graft until a year after the old surgery, and this time it won't be a donor graft, but from my hip.  You know what, I need a new body--oh wait, I think I have one, but the skeletal system is of poor quality!

Dang! I hate to hear this Marilyn!  Just wondering if the Doc thinks the fusion collapsing was possibly related to malabsorption or other WLS issues, or just something that happened?

Anyhow, hope the neurologist can give you some relief for this.

Marilyn,

  You know I have to side with my brother Bob here....  I can't help but wonder if there is a malabsorbtion issue.... 

  Of course they will never ever know in our life time cause they will have to do a study on that...  Of course they will have to get their grants approved to do studies on that... 

  So we could possibly see those studies results in about 20 years, but I am pushing 48 years old and have no frickin memory short term or long term...  

  Brother Bob in Bama, how in the hell did you get so quick on your toes????   Oh yea, I forgot....  YOU ROCK......

Marilyn, sorry to hear about your neck.  That does suck!!  My husband has been through the same thing.  He had his first surgery with bone taken from his hip.  It didn't take so they done the second one with donor bone and they also put a steel plate in there.  He says it's the only thing that keeps his head from falling off his shoulders!!LOL.  Take care and follow your drs. advice and you will get through this.  Are you ready to start that new job?  Good luck!

Melissa

 I'm sorry about the spinal fusion collapse.  That's terrible.  I hope that the neurologists have some idea of what to do while you wait out the time for the repeat graft.  

I have a friend in KY who has had lots of problems with her spine (you can actually see the hardware through her skin) and I know second hand that it is not fun.  

Know I'm thinking about you and hope those headaches subside.
HUGS!!!
Denise

Marilyn, sorry to hear about your latest news. You just can't seem to get a break. So are you going to be able to go back to work? Keep us posted.

Cheryl

 I hope they can help you with the headaches...

Man, what a bummer.   I hate that you're going through this.   Did you have your fusion surgery done in Sevierville?

How long ago was the fusion surgery - do you have a long time you have to wait for the new surgery?   I hope everything goes super-smoothly and you find a way to get some relief in the meantime!

Dennie