Long story short, I had surgery just a smidge over a week ago and still working through a rough recovery after a bad day getting the surgery. I'm not cleared to lift anything over 10 lbs (20 is a max, and only for short uses) to be safe, but I'm eager to hit the range again sooner rather than later. Can't even drive for the next few weeks or so, so this holiday is already sucking for me. I'll ask the Doc what they think next virtual visit, but I'm not holding my breath on a solid answer since it's very hit or miss they'll be able to answer it...so I'll ask other gunnies who might've had to deal with it themselves!
Question for those who have had neck/back surgery: How long till you hit the range again?
- Thread starter Mr E
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I had my neck fused and when I was in recovery I never knew exactly how much pain I had been in.
My doctor told me there were several pro football players with my surgery still playing. Wes Welcher was one of them.
It only took me a week to get back.
My doctor told me there were several pro football players with my surgery still playing. Wes Welcher was one of them.
It only took me a week to get back.
I had a Disc replaced myself. Only pain I'm still in is very different than before, which the Doc did warn me I would have a lot of surgical pains, and told me to expect it to linger for a few weeks at least. Just wanted to know if anyone else could relate, but hearing you bounced back after a week gives me hope it won't bleed into a few months sort of thing!
I had L5 dics removed back in 1996. I was out of work for 6 months mostly my decision to be sure I was fully recovered. My job involved heavy lifting, climbing, and pulling on big wrenches so I wanted to be sure. I was driving within a few weeks and doing about anything except heavy lifting. I was 100% better after the surgery.
4 years ago I had a mobic c4c5 disc implant done, then got my left shoulder rebuilt, life changing surgery,
I have excellent mobility and pain free range of motion. Only caveat is in cold weather wear turtleneck or scarf, if my neck gets cold, its like an ice cream headache.
2 days after surgery I started back playing guitar. 5 days after surgery I started shooting cowboy loads out of my Ruger Bisley sitting in a lawn chair and using my cane to help support the weight of the gun. After a week I started shooting 40cal in my Glock33 standing.
I had an excellent rehab lady who also did acupuncture and that really helped stop spasms
I have excellent mobility and pain free range of motion. Only caveat is in cold weather wear turtleneck or scarf, if my neck gets cold, its like an ice cream headache.
2 days after surgery I started back playing guitar. 5 days after surgery I started shooting cowboy loads out of my Ruger Bisley sitting in a lawn chair and using my cane to help support the weight of the gun. After a week I started shooting 40cal in my Glock33 standing.
I had an excellent rehab lady who also did acupuncture and that really helped stop spasms
I was one of those that didn’t have good results. ACDF at C5-6-7. I had a butcher for a surgeon, Paul Francel. You can check him out on OSCN. He no longer has a license to practice medicine. Supposedly he’s a goat farmer now.
He put the plate in crooked and not flush. Same with the screws. Neither level ever fused. Lost about 50% of the feeling in my hands. Hard to tell if water is hot or cold. Cut my hand last week and I’d have never known until my granddaughter said “You got blood leaking out of your hand.” Lifting anything over about 40 pounds above shoulder level comes at a price. Very strange but I can’t shoot a .45 caliber anymore. Don’t understand it but it causes an intense electrical pain feeling in my neck.
With all that life is still grand. Just got to think about somethings before doing them. I use my elbow to check water temperature, etc. But unless I was unconscious or something I’d never let them operate on my neck again. Went to three surgeons for second opinions and they all said if they operated it was about a 50% chance I’d get worse.
He put the plate in crooked and not flush. Same with the screws. Neither level ever fused. Lost about 50% of the feeling in my hands. Hard to tell if water is hot or cold. Cut my hand last week and I’d have never known until my granddaughter said “You got blood leaking out of your hand.” Lifting anything over about 40 pounds above shoulder level comes at a price. Very strange but I can’t shoot a .45 caliber anymore. Don’t understand it but it causes an intense electrical pain feeling in my neck.
With all that life is still grand. Just got to think about somethings before doing them. I use my elbow to check water temperature, etc. But unless I was unconscious or something I’d never let them operate on my neck again. Went to three surgeons for second opinions and they all said if they operated it was about a 50% chance I’d get worse.
Man oh man ... Today might be a bad day to ask me. The old man and I have been discussing me quitting my job (which I LOVE btw) because I am either at work on my feet or at home chewing pain pills trying to get enough rest so I can go back for another week. (Hmmmm 
me typing that out makes me see it entirely differently than when he's pointing it out ... Which is a bummer cuz I REALLY like my job. Oh well ...)
Ok ... Sit down. My back reads like a bad novel. Had horrible headaches all my life. Still managed to finally meet the man of my dreams and wound up shooting ... like shooting A LOT. We shot every night after work and shot at a USPSA competition every weekend. Headaches got worse. I still didn't make the connection. Found a doctor who finally made the connection between a congenital deformity and childhood injuries at C3, 4, 5, 6. Surgery to fuse 4, 5 and 6 was successful in ways none of us would dreamed it would be! I was refusing pain meds in recovery which is a testament to his technique more than how tough I am. I was headache free for the first time that I could remember. I was begging to go shooting at my 2 week follow-up and he turned me loose. We didn't go back to shooting like we had been but still pretty regularly -- couple, 3 times a week at least.
Tooled along just living the dream (mostly pain free) until October of last year when the neighbor's oak tree dropped a limb on me (don't let that fool you -- where it snapped loose from the trunk was as big around as my thigh and was probably twice as long as I am tall). Best estimates by the insurance folks was it weighed somewhere between 275-375 pounds with all the ice on it. It fell from about 50-75 feet up so it had some umpt behind it. To add insult to injury I was standing on a concrete pad when it hit me.
Bottom line, a year later, I have 2 thoracic vertebral fractures and a lumbar vertebrae fracture, that while healed are still pretty damned problematic. Had a kyphoplasty done on the lumbar fracture. Can't recommend it. Also had trigger point injections at that fracture -- yeah, I can tell you DON'T LET THEM DO THAT.
I still can't shoot more 60-70 rounds from any gun (we thought surely the .22 would be okay, but nope) in a session. To be fair, I've been so focused on convincing myself that I CAN stand and walk and do all the things my job requires that we haven't really made it to the range that much. So ...
Plus a controlled "injury" like surgery heals MUCH differently than a traumatic injury like mine. You will probably be good to go after a month or so. Especially if you do what the doctor says -- rest and recover until he sends you to PT and then do your PT religiously 2 to 3 times a day. Yep you read that right. Do your PT exercises morning, noon and night. I really think that is the "secret" to getting up and mobile and functioning again.
And now I'm off to tell Grumpy he won this one and I'm gonna turn in my notice and find a wfh job. (Somebody screenshot this for him and remind him at my funeral I did let him win once -- a long time ago.
)
me typing that out makes me see it entirely differently than when he's pointing it out ... Which is a bummer cuz I REALLY like my job. Oh well ...)Ok ... Sit down. My back reads like a bad novel. Had horrible headaches all my life. Still managed to finally meet the man of my dreams and wound up shooting ... like shooting A LOT. We shot every night after work and shot at a USPSA competition every weekend. Headaches got worse. I still didn't make the connection. Found a doctor who finally made the connection between a congenital deformity and childhood injuries at C3, 4, 5, 6. Surgery to fuse 4, 5 and 6 was successful in ways none of us would dreamed it would be! I was refusing pain meds in recovery which is a testament to his technique more than how tough I am. I was headache free for the first time that I could remember. I was begging to go shooting at my 2 week follow-up and he turned me loose. We didn't go back to shooting like we had been but still pretty regularly -- couple, 3 times a week at least.
Tooled along just living the dream (mostly pain free) until October of last year when the neighbor's oak tree dropped a limb on me (don't let that fool you -- where it snapped loose from the trunk was as big around as my thigh and was probably twice as long as I am tall). Best estimates by the insurance folks was it weighed somewhere between 275-375 pounds with all the ice on it. It fell from about 50-75 feet up so it had some umpt behind it. To add insult to injury I was standing on a concrete pad when it hit me.
Bottom line, a year later, I have 2 thoracic vertebral fractures and a lumbar vertebrae fracture, that while healed are still pretty damned problematic. Had a kyphoplasty done on the lumbar fracture. Can't recommend it. Also had trigger point injections at that fracture -- yeah, I can tell you DON'T LET THEM DO THAT.
I still can't shoot more 60-70 rounds from any gun (we thought surely the .22 would be okay, but nope) in a session. To be fair, I've been so focused on convincing myself that I CAN stand and walk and do all the things my job requires that we haven't really made it to the range that much. So ...
Plus a controlled "injury" like surgery heals MUCH differently than a traumatic injury like mine. You will probably be good to go after a month or so. Especially if you do what the doctor says -- rest and recover until he sends you to PT and then do your PT religiously 2 to 3 times a day. Yep you read that right. Do your PT exercises morning, noon and night. I really think that is the "secret" to getting up and mobile and functioning again.
And now I'm off to tell Grumpy he won this one and I'm gonna turn in my notice and find a wfh job. (Somebody screenshot this for him and remind him at my funeral I did let him win once -- a long time ago.
)- Status
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