Good afternoon Einstein, and thank you for your reply. When the "eye" thing happened, "stroke" is the FIRST thing I thought about as well. But I didn't have any of the other stroke symptoms they teach, so I pulled over the car, called the hubby and let it pass. Fortunately my headaches aren't continuous at this point, and seem directly related to position(s) I have my head in. As I mentioned a bunch of them eased up just by sleeping in my hard collar of all things! If I catch the headache just as it starts, I can most times stop it. If I delay whoooooaaa-boy!

I am hoping I will be lucky and "if" this is from the bulging C2/3 it won't progress. My past disc track record though - hummm...fingers crossed as they say! When I first broached the subject of my headaches maybe from that area, my NS immediately said, "No, it isn't coming from there." Now with this other stuff, maybe more pieces of the puzzle for him? I am hoping to know something soon. Take care, and again thanks for your input.

Brenda

Howdy Cindy!

See, told ya it's a bugger to look up for info! From what I did find, short of trauma, that level is like a 1% chance of problems - gawd, gotta play the lottery for sure!!

My guess? Back in April of "02" I was the lucky recipient of a hit and run through an intersection! The pain was instant and on a scale of 1-10 about a 50! My husband took me to the ER, and all they did then was an x-ray and put me in a soft collar for a couple of weeks. I seemed to "come back" fine from that. A few years later my upper neck got really stiff so I hit my friendly chiropractor. He had me back to normal in like 3 sessions. When my C5/6 was going bad and symptomatic, they gave me an MRI - there wasn't anything going on at that point for the C2/3.

In April of this year I yawned and my C6/7 herniated back and to the right - blocking down on the exiting nerve root. Due to the instant loss of strength, numbness and pain along with how fast I healed on the C5/6 - surgery was offered and I was again fused at that level. About 5 or so weeks after the surgery a lot of my symptoms came back amongst others, so another MRI was taken. Now the MRI prior to surgery did state that there was a "posterolateral" disc osteophyte complex now at the C2/3 level. I wasn't exhibiting symptoms, so my NS didn't think intervention was necessary. The MRI after the surgery however now keeps the osteophytes, and now the disk is bulging aft and posterolaterally as well! I then began to wonder if some of these "odd" symptoms I started having had/have anything to do with that change. Even *I* can see that sucker on the MRI! My surgeon doesn't think the hit and run did it as that was 7+ years ago. I don't know though, as I see folks on here (neck & back) that had xx happen 20+ years ago and those very areas are now causing major issues?

I am not a fan of the ole knife, that's for sure, but I will be megga bummed if he can't tell me first what is going on with my latest fusion status, and too if there is anything I should be worried about with the "new" ones. Sparkle eyes and yawning with the eye lid closing isn't normal the way I see it! Tinnitus..that could be stress, but when I put them together, not sure. Hopefully I will at least have some sort of idea. I will definitely let you know what I find out Cindy, and Thanks!!!

Sorry to hear you are having problems below your fusions. I hope those shots work for ya. Only once they sort of worked for me - for like 2 days!? My doctor won't even order them for me anymore because my system just doesn't react to them. The steroid packs...same! Soo...YOU keep me posted as well woman! Thanks again!!!

Brenda

Howdy "C",

I had a full physical, nothing showed there circulation wise, and also went through my annual cardiology testing to include the Echo and stress test - nothing out of norms there. As I mentioned in the beginning, my first thought was "stroke", but at no time was there any balance or light headed feelings. Taking the "left eyelid tries to close when I yawn" out, I could almost parallel some of this with low sugar. The only problem with that is no light headed feelings. The ear ringing normally happens independent of other symptoms - weird.

Diving, haven't done that since the 70's, but from what I have been taught and such over the years in aviation, I fully agree that either O2 or carbon dioxide build up could be very valid. As you know I am on a beta blocker due to high but 'regular' heart rate. As my Cardiologist put it - quality beats not quantity! I feel like 20 years younger after being put on Toprol! From looking at my extremity skin color "pre and post" Toprol - again night and day there! The yawn and eye is some sort of direct connection on the physical aspect verses physiologically I believe. Still trying to troubleshoot the rest!

Oh and C...here's one for ya. Here I live in South Florida, and I don't go NEAR the water!! How odd is that huh? Hehehe...Got bumped by a shark once (yeah just bumped) and never been in salt water since. The idea of dying by something that goes "Ick, pbbt, human" and spitting us out - geeeshhhhh what a waste! Thanks C, I'll keep ya'll posted as I find out answers...now you have me feeling like that show "Mystery Diagnosis!!" *hug*

Brenda

Howdy Cath!

Thanks for the site URL. I've been on there, even downloaded the Dematome chart to my computer. When I look concerning C2/3 - I of course look more so at the C3 nerve and affected areas. The headaches could happen, but the eye...grrrr...mystery in the works!

I fully agree with you on past trauma/impacts shouldn't be pooh-pooh'd either. I crashed in a helicopter in 1984 (engine failure with little landing options) and it affected me from the tail bone to the neck! Of course back then there weren't MRI's in use, so all they did was an x-ray. Neurologists weren't used on my exam back then, only the ER doc. I started getting a double curve of scoliosis, and fortunately the doctor I went too after the pain set in about a month later was an orthopedic specialist and practicing in chiropractic manipulations. He made no promises on straitening my back, but he did great! It took another 15 plus years after that for back and neck issues to start being problematic for me! So yes, I agree fully with you. Heck...if it isn't true, then the adage docs give us as we age of "It's normal wear and tear"... isn't that a statement to our life activity cumulation? Hehehehe...Thanks Cath! *HUG*

Brenda

Ron,

Appreciate your words. While the news wasn't great at today's appointment, it at least gave me some answers - to that I am actually happy as it relieved a bit of stress right there!! Unfortunately of all the levels, C2/3 freaks me a bit. I was told that basically it isn't a case of "if" they will have to surgically address that level, but "when." This disk area has deteriorated rapidly in just 3 months. Crappy genes I guess?

Since T1 doesn't move, maybe what is going on in there will settle down and not be an issue - but I have lost a lot of my ulnar response now - and that is that level. The fusion,....well, I am still trying to keep positive that it will get its "act" together and fuse.

Once the neck settles down, he is going to MRI my lower back as "issues" are starting to become more and more common - and shooting down my left leg. So far though I have been able to either rest and get it behaving again, or the chiropractor for that area (no chiro neck action - nooooo hehehe). I discussed medical disability retirement with my NS, and he is in full agreement at this stage. I saw some of this coming, so I set things in motion years ago for the financial side of the house, so that will be fine too. Plus the best part of all this Ron?? My Hubby!!! Can't beat that huh? Thanks again Ron.

Even with all of todays news, my mood is pretty darn good!

Brenda