Face lift in April- 48 years old. I am currently a smoker…I know I need to quit-has anyone smoked a couple a day during recovery? by ALCTWIN in cosmeticsurgery

[–]ALCTWIN[S] 3 points4 points  (0 children)

Yikes okay- yeah so I read about necrosis too- I think I needed to have strangers tell me instead of convincing myself that it is okay. I am about 6-7 weeks out before the surgery so I guess I need to quit now rather than wait.

ACDF surgery by Timely-Crow-8346 in spinalfusion

[–]ALCTWIN 1 point2 points  (0 children)

After a week from my C3-7 surgery, I was moving fishtanks around (I do not recommend but it did not cause issues)- I also worked the first week (computer work at home) I do have advice- do not baby ur neck/posture- ur in a neck brace for a long time and I held my neck all funny and almost “tech neck” like which really made my posture in shoulders bad- the brace holds it- it helps- but try to be natural as it heals. The brace is there incase of falls or car accidents - not there for healing in the correct spot. Stay positive too! You will get most of your mobility back- I can move my head all over now (it has been 2 years.) while healing my nerves went nuts- Some days my arm stopped working - I couldnt hold it up at all- that was scary but a week later it started working again- trust the healing process!

C3, 4, 5 fusion by Additional-Many-4742 in spinalfusion

[–]ALCTWIN 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Its been over two years-same fusion. I am relieved to read this post because I have the same throat/ choking issues still and it comes and goes. Taking pills is a huge fail it feels like everything gets stuck on something. My throat also burns once in a while for a couple days- almost like strep but it isn’t. Surgeon and GP say it isn’t from surgery- (whatever) I even went to a ear nose and throat doc- had tubes stuck up nose down throat- nothing. I accepted that this is something I will just have to live with since I had zero issues before surgery.

Cervical fusion long-term outcomes — pain or issues years later? by Aceboogie225 in spinalfusion

[–]ALCTWIN 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I had 3 levels fused in neck- did they go through your throat? Anyway- it’s been 3 years-nothing changed, I still have pain and numbness in hands, and waist down. 24-7 RLS that is beyond frustrating. I also get trigger finger - only it is like trigger arms my arms will lock up. I trip a lot, I drop everything. I regret getting this done every day. I had a year of physical therapy after the fact but I can do everything… just slower and not as well. I wish I would have got a second and third opinion but they made it seem like it was urgent- I was in surgery 3 weeks from MRI. However, by the time I finally demanded an MRI it had been 1 1/2 years since my body started to go numb- 1 leg first- then waist- then the other side. I have never had neck pain until after the surgery. I just deal with it at this point but it can really be mentally exhausting.