Experience with Cervical Laminotomy?

I have not been around much lately as my health has hit a few large bumps in the road.

About the time Bub and I had our exchange I tore my ACL in my right knee.(coaching 6-7th grade YMCA basketball.) 

This is a knee I had repaired in 1986 and it finally gave up the ghost. The doctors are  hesitant to repair it again it would be the 3rd repair on that knee and they say I'm old and should live with it.

Well that was depressing but then it got worse............

I've had some pain in my right Carotid area on and off for 2 years,but the Dr's have not been able to find a cause....X-ray,Echo and Blood work all good...........

So they did a neck CT with contrast an said Carotid looks good,but found  some Osteophytes(bone spur) at my C-3 vertebrae.........

So enter neck MRI with contrast..............they found confirmed bone spur and determined it is causing a significant  compression on my Spinal Chord.The neurosurgeon did some testing to determine whether I was becoming neurologically affected .

To their surprise I was doing quite well.................for a few weeks.

Then one work morning I had this feeling of  being slightly off balance......
no spinning just of balance.Then within 2 more days a headache beyond anything I have ever had set in and my mental powers became cloudy. 
I went to my primary physician and an ENT............inner ear infections....nothing.

So I got  head MRI and a Brain MRA.............an a referral to a neurology clinic.

After much testing, they determined I was suffering from neurological myelopaphy caused by  the C-3 spinal chord compression.

Cluster headache being part of that diagnosis ..........

Well within days of getting a little headache relief, my legs started weakening and getting very tight.......similar to running a 10k without warming up........and my left wrist is getting a bit goofy..a few more days went by and my feet sarted getting bad as well........tingling, cold and dead feeling.

Despite being a mess my shop is super busy and I'm way behind, to the point of losing some accounts as I now can barely walk for more than 2hours at a time let alone do 12 hour days to get caught up.

Thats what I get for down sizing to far.......


Anyway...........one of the surgical possibilities is  having a Cervical Laminotomy or Cervical laminectomy.......without fusion.


Anyone here have experience with these procedures?


I probably have overloaded myself with info but was wondering if anyone could share anything?


Thanks.

no experience with this or even anyone I know personally.  I gladly offer you my support and prayer for your healing, tho, zungle.

I don't have any answers either zungle... but I do have a friend who is a chiropractor who is very successful helping people with upper cervical damage.


He once told me that there were (at least) two major philosophies in the field of chiropractic. He specializes in the upper neck and feels that the study of nerve interaction with spinal problems up there offers more options than might be considered at first. He has especially strong opinions about his colleagues that work on lower portions of the back without exhausting the possibilities in the upper vertebrate.

The idea is that a small problem up top messes up your posture and the first symptoms are usually seen someplace other than the actual source of nerve interaction that caused the build up of problems.

I am not writing this to promote chiropractic over anything else but I did want to emphasize the idea that there is a school of thought that seeks to find the actual source of nerve and spinal issues that manifest themselves as quantifiable symptoms elsewhere.

My friend was trained at the Palmer Institute in Iowa and he informs me that this school is focused on the philosophy he exemplifies in his practice. He feels other schools may be misguided in overlooking what this school considers fundamental.

FWIW, I met my friend when he offered to treat a leg length discrepancy I have. He observed my issue and demonstrated to me that I have nerve pressure in my neck that triggers muscle contraction in my left leg. My left leg is normally 1/2" shorter than the right but if I have a run of hard physical work and poor rest for a couple weeks the leg might clinch up 1" to 1/1/2" and it makes my posture ugly.

My friend the Dr. can push one of my top vertebrates sideways and my left leg will relax and stretch out almost instantly. It's like magic... except I've seen the xrays. :-)


Anyways, I just wanted to let you know about a body of knowledge that may be helpful in some way.

I recommend that you consider searching out a graduate of the Palmer Institute and ask them for an evaluation.


 all the best,
mike

zungle

i had a rear end collision in 1999.... sitting at a redlight, a woman plowed into the rear of my car while she was yapping on the cel phone.

severe whiplash, later found out i had a ruptured disc in my C4/5.

moved to utah, had to settle out of state, didn't get sh1t.


anyway, point is, i've had a ruptured disc in my Neck for going on 12 years now.

in 2001, went to a Neurologist, who told me i needed a spinal fusion.
i said i wasn't interested, was there any other options, and he told me to call him back when i was tired of hurting and wanted the surgery.


i told him 'Phuck you very much', and found a good chiropractor who understood my condition.

about 4 years ago, i bought a neck tracktion pulley device, like this:
http://www.amazon.com/Supine-C-TRAX-Cervical-Traction-Srandard/dp/B0011YULWG/ref=sr_1_8?s=hpc&ie=UTF8&qid=1315843400&sr=1-8

for me, this actually does the trick.
yes, it's a pain in the ass, but is actually about $500,000 cheaper than surgery.
LOL


two years ago, i added this little device:
http://www.amazon.com/Real-Ease-Neck-and-Shoulder-Relaxer/dp/B000BMI4SW/ref=sr_1_1?s=hpc&ie=UTF8&qid=1315843369&sr=1-1

it works, but it's a subtle thing, works better on some than others.



just throwing this out there, for what it's worth.

good luck.

Sorry to hear that Zungle. I know how hard it is to keep a business running when you're unwell. Hope they get you sorted out.

Hi guys,

I appreciate the thoughts,prayers and time to reply.

Sincere thanks to "Bub"

I wanted to pass on on some more info. 

I have seen a very good chiropractor and been to a nice sports therapy clinic.

The chiropractor stressed to me that spinal stenosis on the central canal is a very serious and progressively debilitating issue which ultimately requires invasive surgery. He and the neurosurgeon stressed that chiropractic manipulation at this point could be very dangerous.

That being said, I am managing fine, and I am still trying to work 7 days a week to stay on top of everything. 

I know and understand some hard working people in our country don't have that option. My wife and kids are healthy and loving. I have decent health insurance, a home and food to eat. These things are not lost on me.

There are others whom I should have or should be helping more.
 
So I don't want this or mean this to be a pity post. 

I was hoping to find someone that has had the surgery so I could gain insight towards the recovery. 

We have lived conservatively, financially . taking a 3-4 months won't hurt us, short term. 

But,I am trying to develop a game plan as to how to maintain my shop.
We have contemplated shutting it own for 4 months. Then starting over and hoping a few of my accounts will come back.

I have scaled it back (I thought successfully) , to remain profitable, that now I feel hiring a a couple guys with a months notice before surgery will probably result in more losses than shutting it down...and stress.

Again I really, really appreciate everything.


P.S. sometimes my communication skills over the internet are lacking. So please forgive me if I say anything dumb,I don't mean to.

  

Zungle,

You have my best wishes for your well being.