Announcement

Collapse
No announcement yet.

hi c 6-7 incomplete need some advice please!

Collapse
X
Collapse
 
  • Page of 1
  • Filter
  • Time
  • Show
Clear All
new posts
Previous template Next
    #1

    hi c 6-7 incomplete need some advice please!

    Hi....I have been on this forum before. I had a severe MVA in 2008 that resulted in a C6-7 herniation. Drs wanted a trial of conservative therapy eventhough spinal cord was compressed by 50%. I had gait isues numbness everywhere and was having accidents. Eventually developed myelomalacia running from C 6-7 to C2-3. Ended up having emergency surgery August 2009 (1 year ago)...still symptomatic....now spinal cord shows thinning and atrophy at C6-7...but you cant see the myelomalacia running upwards. Nots of inflammation in the neck and numbness everywhere legs, arms ribcage....lots of shortness of breath. I need help explaining my symptoms and what I can do please...
    1. stiffness in legs and hands...if I move a lot my ribs feel stiff
    2. shortness of breath cant do a lot
    3. walking in on/off with pins and needles buzzing spasms
    4. spasms everywhere
    5. burning everywhere to
    6. legs bum arms fall asleep
    any advice would be appreciated.....and clonus in the feet?

    thank you

    cathy
    Tags: None
    #2
    Cathy,
    Glad you found this site. Great information and good people. I'm sure one of the SCI nurses will chime in soon. My son is a paraplegic, so I don't know much about higher level problems. Just wanted to send good wishes your way.

    Take care.

    P.S.
    You can try a search of the site and see if that yields more information for you. Good luck.
    Ugh, I've been kissed by a dog!
    Get some hot water, get some iodine ...
    -- Lucy VanPelt

    Comment

      #3
      Welcome to the site, Cathy. This is the best community of its kind on the web. I can't answer your questions, but please accept warm greetings and best wishes. Someone will be along who can help you to understand your symptoms, I am sure.
      MS with cervical and thoracic cord lesions

      Comment

        #4
        All of your symptoms listed are consistent with an incomplete cervical spinal cord injury, either due to the original damage or to the myelomalacia. Are you working with a physiatrist and/or a pain management specialist? They can help you with both the neuropathic pain and the spasticity (clonus).

        (KLD)
        The SCI-Nurses are advanced practice nurses specializing in SCI/D care. They are available to answer questions, provide education, and make suggestions which you should always discuss with your physician/primary health care provider before implementing. Medical diagnosis is not provided, nor do the SCI-Nurses provide nursing or medical care through their responses on the CareCure forums.

        Comment

          #5
          Hi...I am seeing a pain specialist for injection she has put me on amitriptyline and topiramate. My neck still has inflammation from the surgery and another small herniation at C 5-6 that is now touching the cord...it wasnt before the surgery. There is atrophy and thinning where they took the disc out. The breathing is hard to live with....I have shortness of breath and atelectasis of the left lung....the ribs feel tight...my doctor put me on arthrotec for the neck inflammation which seems to help? I dont know what to do about the breathing? And it scares me....I have developed anxiety over it...sometimes I have pain in one leg? I am worried that my blood isnt moving right? They say I have autonomic disrelexia? But no one seems to take the time to explain everything to me?

          Please can you help?

          Cathy

          Comment

            #6
            See a physiatrist and get into a good outpatient rehabilitation program (ideally at a major SCI Center).

            Your breathing problems are probably largely due to paralysis of both abdominal and intercostal muscles. You need to do exercises to strengthen you diaphragm and your accessory muscles. A good PT can help you with this, and there are devices such as the PFlex which you can use on a regular basis to get those muscles as strong as possible. Of course it is critical to avoid respiratory infections, so get your flu and pneumonia and pertussis immunizations up-to-date.

            You need to learn about autonomic dysreflexia. Here is a good booklet to download and read. http://www.pva.org/site/News2?page=NewsArticle&id=7747

            Please complete your profile as well. It helps us to answer your questions.

            (KLD)
            The SCI-Nurses are advanced practice nurses specializing in SCI/D care. They are available to answer questions, provide education, and make suggestions which you should always discuss with your physician/primary health care provider before implementing. Medical diagnosis is not provided, nor do the SCI-Nurses provide nursing or medical care through their responses on the CareCure forums.

            Comment

              #7
              Thank you....and thanks for the greetings....I will try to get an appt. The neurosurgeon shrugged his shoulders and let me go. The orthopedic surgeon caught the clonus....but two physiotherapists caught it two years ago? It was the ortho who told me I had a C6-7 incomplete...I will look into a major SCI center where they know what they are doing.....knowing our sysstem here it will probably take me months to get in.....thank you

              Cathy

              Comment

                #8
                Glad KLD was able to point you in the right direction.

                Where are you? I'm sure someone here can name the best SCI facililities in your area.

                Best wishes.
                Ugh, I've been kissed by a dog!
                Get some hot water, get some iodine ...
                -- Lucy VanPelt

                Comment

                  #9
                  hi...i'm in toronto, canada.....you need medical referrals to specialized clinics....that could take months here

                  love the puppy!

                  Comment

                  Previous template Next
                  Working...
                  X