Surgery question | Arthritis Information

I have a herniated disc and bone spurs on my spine in my neck. My doctor is going to go in the front of my neck and remove the spurs and the disc and replace it with a plastic one along with a metal plate and bolts to secure it. That sounds so scary to me. I just want to know if anyone else has had this done or do you know anyone who has and how did they do with it? I keep trying to be positive about it but sometimes when I'm alone I start to think really hard about it and I get nervous. There alot of risks and it's hard not to think about them.

I have been off of work since 11-14-08 because I just could'nt take working with all the pain I have been having. I have fibromyalgia, RA, OA and degenerative disc disease. I went ahead and applied for disability. I'm not sure if I will get it but it is worth a try. I just can't hardly get out of bed and concentrate anymore let alone work with these problems. My RA doctor did suggest that I apply for disability so hopefully they will take her word for it.

mom, I was in a bad WC accident in 2001, and herniated a disc in my neck. The neurosurgeon was immediately for surgery, which I declined, and his parting words were "you will be back". Well, I went conservative with chiropractic and except for it being set off a week or so ago by the bonk from the falling box, 7 years later I am fine.

I know you have to have surgery if you rupture the disc, and the nucleus gets blown out and lost - its bone against bone. A herniation can reabsorb and resolve.

But, the bones spurs definitely are a problem, so I will be thinking of you and hope all goes well.

And lastly, supposedly they go through your thyroid gland with the screws. As my thyroid was just getting ready to go whacky at the time he was wanting to do this surgery, I am very glad I declined as I had to have the thyroid removed a year later. I cannot imagine what would have happened if a diseased thyroid had gotten four screws put through it or how they would remove a screwed-in thyroid.