Anyone here have neck/back surgery where they had things fused together? If so what was your results? I've been dealing with debilitating pain starting at my neck and going down my left arm for quite a long time now. Also have a lot of headaches (cluster and migraine). Up until now they said C6 was bulging but not herniated. Also had spurs so if the bulge wasn't pressing on the nerve the spurs were. Went to see a different back specialist 2 weeks ago and he did an MRI and I went back today and he said C6 is now herniated and he want's to fuse things together. There are also bone spurs he says he'll remove. It's right at the base of my neck. I asked about disc replacement and he said statistics show that disc replacements don't last as long as fusing. I have heard bad things about fusing (it stresses the discs on each side and they eventually fail) but he said the chances of that aren't nearly as great as disc fusion failing. He said the fusion would relieve my neck and arm pain and possibly the headaches which is the best news I've had in a long time. It's been so bad the last 2-3 yrs. I have to take 3-4 Vicodin a day to get anything done. I hate taking them cause they make me forgetful and cranky. I saw 2 other specialists and one said there was nothing wrong with me (treated me like a drug addict cause I take Vicodin which my doctor prescribed). The other said I had degenerative disc disease and everyone over 20 has it and he doesn't operate on anyone under 50 for it (I'm 47). I have to do what it takes to get rid of this pain so I told them schedule surgery but I am researching it more to see what everyone says about it.
