MS after Spinal Surgury

[StillInSeverePain]

Four years ago I had to have emergency c-spine surgery resulting in the removal of 3 disc which were replaced by a titanium plate, screws and cadaver bones. One week post surgery I woke abruptly in the middle of the night in excruciating pain, pain as I had never experienced before in my life.  Felt as if my arm and shoulder were sandwiched between two freight trains, raw burning flesh. This night of horror was followed up with semi-temporary right arm paralysis (which took approx. 6 months of rehabilitation only to get to the point of being able to comb my own hair), 86 different medications, and countless doctor visits.  Since my injury I've been having these weird cramping/tense/locking muscle spasms which somewhat mimic the pain I experienced a week after my surgery, as a result my doctor has ordered an MRI to rule out demyelination (which we all know what that means!).  With all this in mind I was wondering if there has been any proof or studies linking MS to post surgery and if yes I surely could use some insite? I apologize if this has already been briefed, I'm new to this site and have no idea how to search other inquires in a rapid fashion.

[Lulu54]

One of the hardest ideas to grasp with MS is we can have this chronic disease but also have our life!  MS is not a disease that kills, except in the really rare form, but it can make life somewhat miserable.

It takes a while to figure that out so don't be too hard on yourself for feeling terrified.  That reaction is perfectly normal.  

Good luck today and please let us know how it goes, ok?
best, Laura

[StillInSeverePain]

Hi all and thank you for your input,
Please don't think that I'm blaming the surgeon or the surgery for that matter, I just wondered if there was in any way that post surgery trauma (which landed me back in the hospital) could have uncaged the sleeping MS dragon. My brain and spine surgeon (who is phenomenal) and a very remarkable team of neurologist was never able to nail down what it was that went wrong with me but rather they put me on a daily diet of nerve blockers (Savella 200mg, Lyrica 600mg) and a muscle relaxer (Robaxin 2250mg) which I have been taking every since my surgery. I also wonder if these medications could have been masking early MS warning signs and have advanced to the more pronounced symptoms I'm now experiencing which mimic an earth-shattering leg cramp in the middle of the night (intermittently occurring mainly in my left and right arms from my elbow to my wrist, and my right arm from my shoulder to my elbow, I have also experienced the same in my legs and fingers but doesn't seem to be as dominant), these pains seem to nail me hardest when the particular muscle group is being stretched (doesn't have to be stretched much either). I can feel the attack coming on but can do nothing to prevent it. I also have experienced many of the other symptoms such as muscle twitching/spasms, memory loss, struggling thought process, hearing things that weren't said (not like voices but rather twisting words) severe eye pain, twitching and blurred vision... just to name a few.
I'm not really sure what it is I'm hoping to get from you all but one thing's for sure, I really could use is your support. As you all know, when MS first became a concern to you how alone you must have felt, I refuse to talk to anyone in my life as I don't want to scare them but truth is, I am terrified and feel very helpless. I can't express how much I appreciate your support and feedback. I will keep you abreast of Tuesday's findings and continue to think positive that my results be negative.
With the pain I've been feeling lately, my heart goes out to each and every one of you in that you fight this disease in such a courageous way!

[SarahL2491]

I totally agree with everyone else, MS being a disease of the central nervous system, I can't see how surgery would cause it.  Unless, of course, you already had it and it just triggered it.  At any rate, sharp doctor who ordered the MRI to make sure.

Surgery can bring about strange happenings.  Keep us posted as we all learn from each other

[kwarendorf]

While my back surgery was not as involved as your's, i did have a lumbar laminectomy 4 years ago. I did not know it at the time, but i already had MS. So in my case surgery had nothing to do with MS.

Kyle

[Lulu54]

Hi and welcome.

Yes, you have asked your question in the right space and the right way because there are no wrong questions or styles around here!

I pretty much agree with JJ and her thoughts but you didn't say if this spasming/tensing is only happening in the arm as right after your surgery or if it happens in other places in your body.  

It's good that the doctor wants the MRI to take a closer look - please feel free to come back and let us know what that shows. With MS we often overlook other possible causes of problems and blame everything on our MS, and the reverse could most certainly be the same for people with spine problems -  its easy to blame everything on your spine problems.  Good for your doctor to keep that in mind.

good luck with finding answers,
Laura

[supermum_ms]

Hi and welcome,

If you are asking if surgery is in anyway linked to people developing MS, then the answer is no. I'm unsure how MS got brought up, i would of thought having such major spinal surgery, would still cover what you are experiencing and or at least be related to other spinal issues or the long term issues from that type of surgery. MS does have many mimics and spinal conditions do mimic MS but in MS the sx's although similar, they are caused from lesions disrupting the spinal cord and not from the actual spine. At this stage i wouldn't worry at all about MS, its more than likely not and your going to find its inter-related to the surgery.

Cheers............JJ