It's interesting (and very sad) to hear that you have had such bad headaches, too. I had a C5-6 fusion 2-1/2 years ago. Subsequently, C3-4 'went' pretty badly with gross compression of the spinal cord, etc., C4-5 'went', not as badly, C5-6, pretty badly, mild to moderate spinal cord stenosis with severe neural foraminal stenosis. Before my fusion, I had cluster headaches on the left side of my head and migraines on the right. The cluster headaches would wake me up between 2:00 and if I was really lucky, 6:00 am every morning - I'd go downstairs with shaking hands like a drug addict to get my meds, sit there and wait for them to kick in... After the fusion, the cluster headaches were gone. Migraines were improved. 9 months after my fusion I could tell I wasn't healing properly and that's when we started having MRIs done and saw that I was degenerating at other levels. Bad headaches started again, but no more clusters, for which I'm grateful. Still, my battle was 24/7 fighting the headaches. Neurontin (2700 mg daily) was my biggest help, but also took Topamax (50 mg daily), Amitryptiline (100 mg. daily), Indocin, (450 mg daily) which was helpful. My p.r.n. meds for the headaches were Fioricet, Soma and Imitrex. It got to the point where I had to lie down about 9 to 10 hours per day/evening or the meds would not keep my head pain under control. Then I started having fainting spells if I was up too long and then had to lie down about 90% of the time so I wouldn't faint and that really kept my pain levels down.

Just 3 weeks ago today I had a 3 level cervical ADR (C3-4, C4-5 and C6-7) performed in Germany. I'm doing really well. I have upper back, trapezius, and shoulder muscular pain, with light tension headache pain. I haven't taken any headache medicine since the surgery - just Vicodin and Soma and this keeps my pain at about a '1' - but I do take it pretty easy. I just do little chores, light exercises and take short walks and alternate this with reclining on the sofa. I can move my neck pretty freely already, without thinking about it - not 100% of course, but it's pretty good.

Anyway, I am so very sorry you have the horrible headaches too, and that you have been through so many surgeries and have had such problems. Sure hope that you can get some help that lasts. I am hoping that my surgery will bring me long term relief, too. Wish you the very best.

[QUOTE=lisibug;2919877]It's interesting (and very sad) to hear that you have had such bad headaches, too. I had a C5-6 fusion 2-1/2 years ago. Subsequently, C3-4 'went' pretty badly with gross compression of the spinal cord, etc., C4-5 'went', not as badly, C5-6, pretty badly, mild to moderate spinal cord stenosis with severe neural foraminal stenosis. Before my fusion, I had cluster headaches on the left side of my head and migraines on the right. The cluster headaches would wake me up between 2:00 and if I was really lucky, 6:00 am every morning - I'd go downstairs with shaking hands like a drug addict to get my meds, sit there and wait for them to kick in... After the fusion, the cluster headaches were gone. Migraines were improved. 9 months after my fusion I could tell I wasn't healing properly and that's when we started having MRIs done and saw that I was degenerating at other levels. Bad headaches started again, but no more clusters, for which I'm grateful. Still, my battle was 24/7 fighting the headaches. Neurontin (2700 mg daily) was my biggest help, but also took Topamax (50 mg daily), Amitryptiline (100 mg. daily), Indocin, (450 mg daily) which was helpful. My p.r.n. meds for the headaches were Fioricet, Soma and Imitrex. It got to the point where I had to lie down about 9 to 10 hours per day/evening or the meds would not keep my head pain under control. Then I started having fainting spells if I was up too long and then had to lie down about 90% of the time so I wouldn't faint and that really kept my pain levels down.

Just 3 weeks ago today I had a 3 level cervical ADR (C3-4, C4-5 and C6-7) performed in Germany. I'm doing really well. I have upper back, trapezius, and shoulder muscular pain, with light tension headache pain. I haven't taken any headache medicine since the surgery - just Vicodin and Soma and this keeps my pain at about a '1' - but I do take it pretty easy. I just do little chores, light exercises and take short walks and alternate this with reclining on the sofa. I can move my neck pretty freely already, without thinking about it - not 100% of course, but it's pretty good.

Anyway, I am so very sorry you have the horrible headaches too, and that you have been through so many surgeries and have had such problems. Sure hope that you can get some help that lasts. I am hoping that my surgery will bring me long term relief, too. Wish you the very best.

Oh my, I found the post. I've been looking, searching for you, this post.

Please, tell me how you are doing? I am still suffering like you did before yer trip to Germany. But my meds have been taken away. It is a nightmare. Just end up in ER over and over.

I hope yer there...Aloha..