Positives

• Filmmaker Jennifer Brea, who had been in a wheelchair for nearly her entire 8-year illness, said seven weeks after her CCI/AAI fusion surgery “I can hardly believe it myself. My ME is in remission,” with POTS, sensory sensitivities, brain fog, and flu-like symptoms all gone Health Rising.
  
  
• Her post-exertional malaise resolved immediately after surgery, and within months she was walking, lifting light weights for 30-90 minutes, and doing an hour of water aerobics without crashing Health Rising.
  
  
• A second formerly-bedridden patient (Mattie) reported that POTS, dysautonomia, headaches, and neck pain disappeared three months post-fusion, with significantly increased energy Health Rising.
  
  
• A patient who underwent surgery described her improvement carefully, saying she would only refer to her status as “a remission” and not claim full recovery until it was sustainable enough to return to work Phoenix Rising.
  
  

Negatives

• A patient who tried conservative measures — cervical collar plus a 20kg manual traction device — reported feeling “no different at all,” questioning whether her CCI was actually causative and pivoting to posture work instead Phoenix Rising.
  
  

Hurdles & Side Effects

• Only four neurosurgeons worldwide are trained in this CCI/tethered-cord procedure (three in the US, one in Europe), creating long wait times and steep travel costs for patients Health Rising.
  
  
• A patient diagnosed in Barcelona reported being offered a halo-brace trial costing £8,000 just to test whether surgery might help, illustrating the financial barriers patients face before any operation Phoenix Rising.