Brace how long did it take to ween yourself off?

[sheri66]

I had surgery in Aug.and I am still wearing my brace.My surgeon said I can start weening myself and I'm wondering how long it took those of you to completely ween yourself off?

[Susie*Bee]

There was a weekly schedule I followed, decreasing the number of hours each day that I wore my brace. I followed it for 4 weeks and then was weaned. I remember that it was really hard at the beginning of each week, but then you got used to it by the end of the week. It's amazing how your body gets used to the support the brace provides! It'll take a little getting used to, but it's also exciting knowing you'll be ready to be "on your own" soon. Best wishes!

[LindaRacine]

When I got the OK to start weaning, I didn't get any instructions. I started off slowly for the first day or two, as I had come to actually like the brace. After a few days, however, I started enjoying the freedom, and was completely out of the brace within a week of starting.

[Susie*Bee]

Sheri- now that I think about it a little more, my fusion was a lot longer than yours is, so you probably won't have the same feeling of "tired back" that I did. By the end of each day I just wanted to rest my back and have that support from the brace. Linda-- I'm curious about the extent of your fusion, and whether that really has anything to do with it or not. My fusion is close to 20"-- from T2-L4.

[sheri66]

Susie-I am fused T10 to sacral pelvis so I am trying to get used to alot of things I could do before surgery that I have problems with now.

[sheri66]

Linda-I feel like I could ween from the brace fast but driving makes me nervous.I have a camaro so it is low to the ground it takes a while to get in and out.

[Shari]

Sherie,

I wore mine for several months, I think 4 or five months. When my Doc., told me I could start taking it off a few hours of each day. That lasted about a week, I hated it.

My only problem was that if there was no one to help me, I couldn't get it off.
The velcro they used on my turtle shell must have been made at NASA. I didn't have enough strenght to pull the damn thing off.

But once I got it off for a little while, I couldn't wait to hang it up for good.

All the best,
Shari

[Jimbo]

I dislike my brace and cannot wait to begin weening myself off of it. I am then going to take it out to the bush and shoot it with my dad's anti-tank rifle!

[theizzard]

I loved my brace and had a hard time giving it up. i stopped wearing it in the house but would wear it out and when driving. eventually it became more comfortable with it off than on. i loved wearing it out and having people stare at me and then start to move away wondering what the hell it was. I have fond memories of it.
avis

[LynetteG]

Jimbo you are hilarious - that poor brace being taken to the bush and shot

Avis that's funny too - I think I'd get a kick out of that too

[Singer]

I also weaned myself off the brace very gradually starting at around 3 months post-op, as it took a while for my core muscles to adjust to the lack of support. After I stopped wearing it around the house, I still wore it driving for about 5 months after that, and I probably wore it for almost a year whenever I used the treadmill. I keep it in the trunk of my car just to remind myself how far I've come!

[naptown78]

my brace

I wore my brace for 3 months to the day and then I banned it to the basement where it remains to this day! I hated it! I don't know why I keep it. I hated people staring at me in my brace while hobbling about on my walker or cane. My doc gave me no instructions to wean. Just said wear it for 3 months so that is what I did, to the day! Lol!

[CHRIS WBS]

I wore a brace for three months. At my three-month post-op appointment my surgeon said I could get rid of that thing now. I think I wore it off and on for a couple of weeks afterwards and then hung it up on a hook in my garage where it remains.

[sheri66]

Thank you to all of your posts..... Jimbo you are so funny!I just woke up this morning and decided I just dont want to wear my turtle shell (brace) anymore LOL....I have already wore it for 6 months.I drove my car, went shopping, out to breakfast and love the freedom.I am a fairly shy person so I did not like people starring at me or having to explain why I had to wear that brace.I think I will give my daughter my brace since she has wanted to decorate it LOL....I will post pics when she is done.
Thanks again,
Sheri

[megz]

My only problem was that if there was no one to help me, I couldn't get it off.
The velcro they used on my turtle shell must have been made at NASA. I didn't have enough strenght to pull the damn thing off.

OMG the freakin turtle shell!! YESSS.. I have the same freakin problem why do they have to make the velcro so tight i swear i'm gonna pop a screw trying to unvelcro.. When I first was in the brace I so felt like a turtle on its back with its little legs kicking trying to get up..it was soo hard, but I have since conquered this lol Halloween I'm painting it green and going as a ninja turtle ;-) AWESOME!!