neck problem

[Phil.H]

Hi there just looking for people who have had a neck op. As i had one 3years ago as you can see by the attached photo. After this op. i have seen many many doc. for help as i have to take morphine two times a day just to get around. I just looking for someone how has the same problem. So we can talk about things
I no this is not about astronomy well maybe it is because we all get bad necks some times with our telescopes.
Phil

[Radar]

Are they metal plates in your spine phil?

[Phil.H]

yes they are metal and they hurt.

[AstroTasmania]

Hi Phil

Have you been to a pain clinic specialist, one who is skilled in spinal denervation treatment? I suppose you have, but just a thought.

Best Wishes...

[Phil.H]

yep been to one had 13 needles put in my neck didnt help had everything done to me. Now i just deal with the problem the best i can. I thank god for goto telescopes.
Phil

[Radar]

Those plates appear to be concave, whereas your spinal bones are convex. Maybe this is causing some kind of problem.

What lead up to you needing these plates Phil?

[Phil.H]

two of my disc where hitting my spinal cord and i losed feeling on my right side plus the pian of have your disc hitting your spinal cord is not very nice. After the op. i got feeling back to my right side thank god but still have alot of pian and i cannot move my neck at all now.

[Astro Dave]

Geez, ya gotta feel for Phil guys. And we whinge about having to bend over to get to the eyepiece!!

I hope something can eventually be done for you mate. There would be nothing more debilitating than to be in constant pain.

[AstroTasmania]

Hi Phil,

You look to be in my age range, with some of the same problems I have and need denervations every 9 months or so as well as the meds for my lumbar spine. I have a similar neck from a car accident but the last 3 vertebrae have now fused, which leaves me with a very stiff neck but much less pain. I am waiting for several lumbar vertebrae to do the same.

The prosthetic implants are convex where they fit into the vertebrae and less so on their mating opposite surfaces.

I have turned the X-Ray the right way up, easier to look at - for me anyway.

I know exactly what you are having to put up with, one of the reasons I put video cameras on my scopes and look at TV monitors, I cannot lean over a scope at all.

Best Wishes...

[Phil.H]

how long ago did you have your op. and are you always in pain like me. And what have your doctors said about the rest of your life.

[Radar]

Phil I had a microdiscectomy a few years back.

http://www.spine-health.com/topics/surg/overview/lumbar/lumb03.html

I still get a saw back, but by keeping good posture, and not carrying any extra weight around the stomach (which puts stress on your back), my back is completley liveable.

Prior to my op, part of the cartiledge that sites between your lower spinal cord was touching one of my L5 nerves, and would cause a pain to shoot down my leg and out through my toes. Doctors, Physios, and Chiro had no idea what the problem, I literally had to argue with my doctor for a letter to a specialist, which I ended up getting. I was in Surgery next day. Don't waste your time with doctors, only use specialists.

[AstroTasmania]

Hi Phil.

All a result of an accident in the RAF during my very distant youth in Germany. I was on the operating theatre staff so I know what is in store for me when I need these procedures. Maybe chasing the German staff nurses was a contributing factor!! Those were the days!!, now, I would just have to relax and let them have their wicked way!!

I have been having these denervation surgeries since 2000, what it does is to cook the nerve at a certain temp for 2 minutes. This reduces the ability of the nerve to transmit pain back to the brain. The % pain left is subdued with daily medication and not doing anything stupid. The procedure is done in theatre under X-Ray control with light sedation, unfortunately I have to be awake to let them know when they are on the right nerve. It takes 11/2 hours to do four nerves on each side, not a pleasant procedure, with 3-to 4 weeks recovery and it lasts around 9-10 months. I suffer as long as possible before the next visit.

It has to be a real hot shot specialist to do this, we only have one here in Tassie, and I know him personally.

Added to that is a seriously crook knee (same RAF accident) after 3 ops, next op is a total replacement. This is the reason I am building another observatory on the flat about 20 metres from my front door. The main observatory is 35 metres away up a rough slope, getting up is not too bad, coming down is another story. It is also why everything is cabled from the obs to a room downstairs where I have all my computer and video gear.

Planned coping with decay!...:hmm:

[Phil.H]

yeah my pain specialist did the pre op for denervation surgeries on me they put these needles in my neck to work out what nerves to block. After weeks of having needles put in my neck they told me it could not be done because i did not get 100% pain relief. And it looked like i had to get about 8 nerves cooked they didn't no what would go wrong if they cooked that many nerves so they didn't do it.

[AstroTasmania]

Hi Phil,

I only get about 60% relief with nerve burning and with meds another 20% so I can live with the continuous 20%. Sorry to hear yours was a no go...

[Phil.H]

What meds. are you on if you dont mind me asking.

[AstroTasmania]

Hi Phil,

Email me off-list...

Shevill.Mathers@SkyandSpace.com.au