HELP wifes C2 vertabray slipped disk info!!!

[N2DADARK]

Hey all got some bad news today from the place that seems to thribe in it, if you guys have any exsperience with this or might know anything about it I would greatly appriciate it, thanks all.
Im currently in Iraq (yeah big surpise there) well the wife (active duty Security Forces) has been complaining over the past few months that she has had increasing headach's and dizzyness. She talked to doc's and they gave her meds (big suprise) and also a balance test, nothing showed up. Then a CT scan. It showed "bulging" in the lower part of her brain, and they figure the scource is from a C2 disk that has slipped in her neck. Now were waiting to hear form a neurosurgeon about the next step from here. I have no idea about it so Ive been going back and forth here at work on the internet and work, and figured someone on here may have delt with this either personally or profecinaly. A month into this deployment I had a really really close friend who was active duty break his C2 verabra and was hospitalized for about 2 weeks and after they did "halo" surgery about a week later he died, so you can imajin my dismay. Like I said before if anyone has any info I would be much abliged. Thanks all.

 

[fpdsniper]

Re: HELP wifes C2 vertabray slipped disk info!!!

Well, I'm kinda in the same boat. Just went in today for my pre-surgical testing. Two weeks from today, I will be having surgery to remove three discs from my neck, then two steel plates and screws to hold everything in place while it all fuses together. This is all a result of two car accidents. One in 1995 when my family was hit by a driver who fell asleep at the wheel causing our Chevy Blazer to roll a couple times. The roof collapsed over my head. Been dealing with on again/off again pain every since. Then, about 20 months ago, I was stopped waiting to make a turn in my 2007 Dodge Ram Quad Cab 4x4 when I was rammed from behind by kid texting at the wheel at 50mph. This caused my condition to worsen to the point where my pain doesn't go away. Here's an image from my MRI:

I have 3 discs that are pressing directly against my spinal cord. The most notable area is at C6&C7. Also, note that my neck does not curve like it's supposed to. My Neurosurgeon will be going through the front of my neck to make the repairs. He expects me to be pain free after my recovery. They have this surgery down pretty good now, with excellent results. There are videos of it on youtube also. You wife needs to get an MRI. My family doctor should have ordered one for me years ago, but they have to battle insurance agencies to get permission for it. As far as Big River Tactical goes, I will most likely have to take a few days off, but hope to be back filling orders by August 8th. (Gonna need to pay my insurance deductable!) I do have concerns about how this will effect my police sniper position and long gun shooting. Unfortunately, I don't have much of a choice here. Let us know what happens with her, and I wish her a full recovery.

Donnie

 

[High Binder]

Re: HELP wifes C2 vertabray slipped disk info!!!

Wow, I worked with a guy that had this exaclty! He showed me an MRI that clearly showed one of his disks in his neck cutting off the flow of spinal fluid. He said the sugeeon took out part of the disk and pinned up his brain to keep it from blocking the flow in the future. Sounded risky as hell, I feel for ya!

 

[EddieNFL]

Re: HELP wifes C2 vertabray slipped disk info!!!

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I have 3 discs that are pressing directly against my spinal cord. The most notable area is at C6&C7.</div></div>

I have a ruptured C5-C6. Trying to hold out for artificial disc replacement. Pretty common in Europe, but considered experimental in the US.

Good luck with the fusion.

 

[WPG]

Re: HELP wifes C2 vertabray slipped disk info!!!

Donnie,

Do you qualify for the artificial disc replacement or is the damage too severe?

A buddy had a problem at C3 and had a disc replaced. He wished that he would have had the procedure sooner.

 

[fpdsniper]

Re: HELP wifes C2 vertabray slipped disk info!!!

Hey! Good to hear from you! Yes, I believe I am getting the artificial discs. Those that I have talked to that had this done all say the same thing: "Should have done it sooner".




Donnie

 

[kraigWY]

Re: HELP wifes C2 vertabray slipped disk info!!!

My wife kind of went through the same thing, only not her neck but the back between the shoulder blades. This was Oct 03. The doctors in Kuwait kept proscribing drugs, PT,and what ever. I had went over to stay with her and I went to the doctor with her. I whinned like a yankee until they finely did an X-Ray. Dr read the x-ray for about 5 min and then told us we needed to get her out of there. Three days later she was on a flight to Germany, from there to Walter Reed. She had totally crushed two verterbras and crack another. The spinal cord was stretched and been to about 30$ of its normal diameter.

The Army wanted to operate thinking they "might" be able to fix it. I said no way, I'll pay (my insurance) to have it fixed on the outside. Took her to the Spine Center in Minn-St Paul, where I was told, were the best back surgins in the country.

She now has three rods in her back and is about an 1 1/2 shorter. They told her as long as she keeps the rods, her back will be as strong or stronger then it ever was.

She still has a constant pain, but its maagable. The Army med. discharge and she's listed as 70% disabled by the VA.

 

[cavscout1983]

Re: HELP wifes C2 vertabray slipped disk info!!!

Good call on the civvie Doc, Kraig.

The military can't even get wisdom teeth removal right, who in the hell would let them operate on the vertebral column is beyond me..

"
Army Doc:
Hey...Nurse.. is this the lamina or the pedicle?

Nurse:
"I dunno, but I got drunk with a bunch of Scouts and Grunts last night and I'm probably pregnant now like every other worthless female in the Army"

 

[Peter Hogarth]

Re: HELP wifes C2 vertabray slipped disk info!!!

I am getting ready to have the surgery (c4,5 and c6,7) all being fused and plated. Will only be in the hospital overnight and out of work for 10 days. I am looking forward to it since I have been popping pills for 6 weeks now and it makes me loopy.

I ruptured L4 and L5 this past Feb and had surgery on that and had an amazing recovery. I hadn't felt that good in 20 years once the PT was complete.

Now I have this problem and am looking forward to getting it resolved.

Recovery is suppose to be relatively easy from neck surgery and they have a very high rate of success.

I hope everything works out for you guys. Take care.

 

[N2DADARK]

Re: HELP wifes C2 vertabray slipped disk info!!!

I appriciated all the responses, we still dont know what the vertict will be, she has a doc appt the 5th to talk with a neuro. but maybe sooner. From what she told me on the phone it was slipped and pressing aginst her nerves, i would imagin like in FPDSNIPER's photo, but I havent seen. I just want her to not feel the way she has in the past few months. From what I read this seems to be a somewhat common thing and corrected alot of times. Once again I appriciate it, thanks all and keep it coming, may not seem like much but it helps.

 

[GardDog]

Re: HELP wifes C2 vertabray slipped disk info!!!

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: EddieNFL</div><div class="ubbcode-body"><div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I have 3 discs that are pressing directly against my spinal cord. The most notable area is at C6&C7.</div></div>

I have a ruptured C5-C6. Trying to hold out for artificial disc replacement. Pretty common in Europe, but considered experimental in the US.

Good luck with the fusion. </div></div>

Eddie,
I'm going on the table for an artificial disc replacement at C5-C6 next month. My Doc is on the cutting edge with that technique. PM me if you want the Dr's info.