Anybody cruise right after acdf surgery?

[Cruisegirl6]

Thank you so very much! I think what is helping me with this surgery is looking forward to the cruise and I am being optimistic regardless of signing my life away monday stating I can die, get paralyzed, get worse etc! :eek: But I gather this is what all doctors do so I am not going to worry.

[MaritimeR&R]

Had my acdf done and cruised 5 weeks later. Neurosurgeon told me to just use common sense with regards to activity level. I did find it more comfortable wearing my brace for takeoff and landings when traveling to the cruise port. Good luck.

[Cruisegirl6]

Wow so glad you had a positive experience and I sure need to hear them all! Question, the worst pain after surgery, how long was it? I am getting stem cell grafting too.

[eileenfa]

Not bad. I had a bone cadaver put in. I stayed in the hospital overnight my pain scale never went over 5. One of the easiest surgeries I had. And I had 11 so far.

 

 

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[K L B]

My Dr once said, you can recover at home... or be somewhere sunny and warm and recover there. The choice is yours. Sunny and warm recovery wins every time.

[Stevedan]

Thank you all for your input. I am still considering a few different surgeons and even whether to have the surgery. It is such a significant decision. Will keep everyone posted and I wish all good luck!

[Stevedan]

Has anyone had the surgery done by an orthopedic surgeon? I've met with two at major NYC hospitals and both have extensive experience with this. However, some people have said I should use a neurosurgeon, not an orthopedic surgeon no matter how experience they are. Any thoughts? Thanks.

[eileenfa]

I used a neurosurgeon. I feel he had more experience on the spinal area and and the nerves going around them. Also my genetic disease played a factor.

 

 

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[RocketMan275]

I've had two fusions. The first was in 2000. Spent the night in the hospital. No issues. The second was in 2010. Went home that night. A caveat, I have a pain threshold that is high, very high. I've had two rotator cuff surgeries, two fusions, and had to have all four tendons in my right hand re-attached. (My surgeon says I live an active life.) I have never had to take more than two or three opiods and then I'm only taking tylenol.

 

Six weeks is cutting it close. I would leave this decision to your surgeon and your therapist. You are going to go to therapy right? You need to.

[RocketMan275]

Has anyone had the surgery done by an orthopedic surgeon? I've met with two at major NYC hospitals and both have extensive experience with this. However, some people have said I should use a neurosurgeon, not an orthopedic surgeon no matter how experience they are. Any thoughts? Thanks.

 

 

Neurosurgeon without a doubt.

[Greenmomma]

Has anyone had the surgery done by an orthopedic surgeon? I've met with two at major NYC hospitals and both have extensive experience with this. However, some people have said I should use a neurosurgeon, not an orthopedic surgeon no matter how experience they are. Any thoughts? Thanks.

Neurosurgeon, although my surgery was "emergency" and I didn't have time to research any options. Reading after the fact though, I still would have used a very experienced Neurosurgeon.

[bradsnana]

I've had this same surgery, I think you will be fine on a cruise, just take it easy, bring a soft neck brace to protect you if you have to tender and ride the boat to shore. Relaxation will be the best medicine. Don't do anything too strenuous.

[bradsnana]

Has anyone had the surgery done by an orthopedic surgeon? I've met with two at major NYC hospitals and both have extensive experience with this. However, some people have said I should use a neurosurgeon, not an orthopedic surgeon no matter how experience they are. Any thoughts? Thanks.

 

Use a neurosurgeon for sure!

[Cruisegirl6]

Again, its nice hearing your experiences and good wishes, this Wednesday is my surgery, I got the color right red lol...and I wonder if the surgeon is going to give me a heart incision?:confused: :D I am trying to stay funny and calm here so a little joking keeps me going.

 

KLB- So true, at least I have 7 weeks recuperation before the cruise, by then I hope my voice will be back but time will tell when that will happen, if not, I bring myself a little pad and pen and write down what I want to say, but hoping I can at least whisper. I do feel even knowing a cruise is coming up will help me make a faster recovery....I may have to stay out of the sun with the incision but thats ok.

 

Stevedan- I don't know your herniated disc number (ex C5-C6 etc) and I don't recall whether you mentioned your symptoms, but if you have pain and or tingling and numbness/pins and needles and burning sensations in the area of your herniated discs and or in extremities (which generally are also caused by bone spurs which protrude into the spinal cord causing most of those problems) I think you need to get the surgery done because once you get damage (with me I have C5-C6 & C6-C7, which can cause me to become paralyzed in my fingers, hands and arms) it is irreversible!! Don't let it get to that stage, you will regret not having the surgery, but if your able to deal with things and its not too bad and you don't have bone spurs then I would say hold out until you feel your ready and its time. You will know when it is time, you get so sick and tired and loose your patience with all the pain and all and if you can't get sleep....you have your answer.

 

Which hospitals did you go to? NY Presbyterian Hospital, NYU Langone Medical Center, Mt. San (not the St. Luke's Roosevelt the other one) are your best ones there. You NEED A NEUROSURGEON because they complete a 5-6 year residency and focus on the surgical treatment and are specially trained And diagnosis and treatment of disorders of the nerves, spine and spinal cord and brain. Orthopedic surgeons complete a 5 year surgical residency focused on the treatment of MUSCULOSKELETAL conditions and diagnoses and treat bone and joint disorders such as arthritis, trauma, bone tumors, joint replacement, and yes, some do focus their practice on spine surgery in joints....neurosurgeons do this type of surgery on a much higher percentage meaning more experienced and are the ones to perform surgery if you have any problems with the spinal cord which also includes bone spurs because they protrude the spinal cord and lie right against the spinal cord. Also, very important, find out how they are going to fuse your discs, they can take your one bone graft (I read most surgeons take it from the pelvic area which people find very painful, my surgeon is taking it around my spine, in the same area that he is removing the discs and spurs) and whether it be from a donor or artificial one. Its best to take it from your own body because your body won't reject or has a much higher probability of not rejecting.

 

Rocketman275- Hi, glad you are much better and thank you for telling me your experience, I live with fibromyalgia and lupus so I also have a high tolerance to pain as I live with multiple pains daily but now I am so overwhelmed with these other problems yikes! My question, on a scale of 1-10, what do you rate YOUR pain level the first three days? Did you wear a collar and have stem cell grafting and wear an electrical device in the collar which enables the bone to grow faster?

 

So, six weeks is cutting it close, can you tell me how you felt and what you dealt with at the 6-7 week time frame? I understand everybody is different but I feel the more I learn the more I be prepared. I will bring my collar in case I need to use it.

 

Brudsnana-Great idea, instead of the hard brace I can ask the doctor for a soft one thank you for bringing that to my attention, I won't need the hard brace by then, good point! I am not planning on getting off the ship...too much crowd to be in and don't want to risk anything. I probably wouldn't even go to any shows and such because it would put me in a situation with too many people and possibly large crowds, I think its best I just relax, stay away from large crowds...I just sit and eat, sit and drink, sit and relax and sit at a slot machine too! :p

[Greenmomma]

CruiseGirl6 - I never lost my voice. It was just a little husky for a while. I think you will be fine going to shows etc by the time you are on the cruise.

 

Edited to add a thought. If the crowds make you nervous, wear the soft brace whether you need it or not. It will be a visual signal to others to handle you with care.

[Cruisegirl6]

Greenmomma- Glad to hear! I guess I been reading too many message boards on that type of surgery, doctor also said I may not have a husky voice or very low voice honestly, I would love to get a singing voice lol.

[BillOh]

So, after months and months of thinking my pain was lupus, I found out I need to get anterior cervical discectomy and fusion for decompression for C5-C6 & C6-C7 herniated discs which also have bone spurs that are protruding into my spinal cord....I realize my cruise is coming up in 8 weeks, and surgery will probably be two weeks from now which gives me six weeks recooperation....curious, has anybody else had surgery weeks before their cruise and how did it go? I only be sitting and eating....sitting and drinking....and sitting and gambling, so I really think it be a very good therapy for me, of course my doctor claims the worse will be over the first six weeks but I just not sure? :confused:

 

 

Mine was lumbar area and I went back to work after about that amount of time and I did ok. If the back brace you get is similar, it looks just like a suicide bombers vest, so if your traveling by air, expect scruitiny and a residue test. I was still wearing mine at the time. But I enjoyed the cruise, I just skipped the zip lines and jet skis.

 

PS, I hope you get the pain pills you need. I'm glad my surgery was in 2014, doctors and pharmacies are a much bigger pain now because of opiode abuse. I was given the pain pills I needed and was able to stop using them as needed and prescribed.

[Cruisegirl6]

BillOh thank you mine is cervical not lumbar....C5-C6 & C6-C7 with bone spurs protruding the spine already....I am having bone grafting using stem cells from me, so the brace is cervical and contains an electrical device which stimulates bone growth. I wear this for three weeks, when I go away I will ask for a soft cervical brace in case I need it.

 

I seen the lower lumbar one you speaking about from somebody in the doctors office wearing it, looked not bad and not very uncomfortable. We live in Florida and going out of Port Canaveral so no flying which is a big plus this time. I don't want the pain pills the doctor wants to give me but I requested similar Percocet which I had in the past due to an injury that involved a second time broken clavicle bone, I did well on it and had my mind and was not tired, hoping he give it to me after this surgery since I did well with it. I am hoping to get off of them way before the doctor prescribes me them for. Thank you for your input sure helps as with everybody else's comments and keeps me relaxed on here.