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Should I be doing more to prepare for surgery?

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  • Should I be doing more to prepare for surgery?



    Hey Everyone,

    I have been starting to think of what I need to do to physically prepare for my surgery on 9/28. Mentally it's already been a battle! But obviously this forum helps with the emotional/mental preparation which is why I'm here!

    JenM, I read that you worked out intensely before surgery (congrats, btw, that's amazing - 40 pounds!!). It made me wonder if I'm doing enough though!

    I am 29, thin but not "in shape" with regards to muscles being tone. I work long hours in NYC and really do not have time lately to squeeze in any workouts. I started working out on the weekends, understanding that this limited working out won't really get me into crazy good shape but maybe help on a cardio level. I really do not know if I should be doing more though..

    My biggest question is how does working out affect the surgery and recovery? When I asked my doctor he said just take care of yourself, get your core strong and take vitamins. But he was super laid back about it, not really concerned.

    I am already off the birth control pill (now my hubby and I just have to avoid getting pregnant!), and do not take any other meds. I don't smoke, either. I feel like I'm in relatively good health.

    Any thoughts are welcome, especially with how working our prior to surgery helped you in the long run (or didn't matter?).

    Thank you!!

  • #2
    hi JamieAnne, I was wondering the same thing. I work some descent hours too, 50 hours a week or so and have three kids and a fiance' so there's not a whole lot of "me" time to go around. I have slowed my drinking pace, I really like a few beers in the evening after work, or a couple rum and cokes to relax. I've cut that all out completely and have started taking a multivitamin. Was wondering what would be good as far as supplements and exercise too.
    Surgery scheduled for January 2011
    by Charles (Ted) Shuff
    http://cabellhuntington.org/services...ce/physicians/
    http://s910.photobucket.com/albums/a...dayjunk/Davis/

    "Adversity is the state in which man most easily becomes acquainted with himself, being especially free of admirers then."
    -- Samuel Johnson
    "Beer is proof that God loves us and wants us to be happy." -
    -- Benjamin Franklin

    Comment


    • #3
      Hi Jamie Ann-

      I took the following supplements: 2000 Units Vitamim D (since i have a vitamin D deficiency), a Women's One a Day vitamin tablet, folic acid, and for a while I took Coenzyme Q10 which gave me a boost of energy in order to work out. I discontinued the Co enzyme Q10 about 4 months before surgery. My overall workout strategy was to work out as soon as I woke up every morning. The later in the day that I tried to work out, the later I was and felt very unmotivated.. It is much easier working out earlier in the morning. I have a 2 and a 5 year old so even though I didn't like to do this, I just plopped them in front of the tv while I worked out on my treadmill. I wasn't letting anything get in the way of my working out. For the past 5 years, the kids always came first, but I needed to do this type of workout schedule from Sept to June 7, 2010 so that I would be successful with my surgery. I have to tell you, I feel really great after my surgery, which was on Jun 8. Even my pre-op visits to my doctors really impressed them. My resting heart rate was a 50, and it was all because I had worked out religiously from Sept - through June7. I felt like a fine tuned instrument going into the surgery. Which is really funny because I haven't workred out for over 8 years plus. I was so out of shape before Sept 2009 so if I could do it, anyone can!!!! You just have to believe in yourself!!!!!!!

      JenM
      Surgery date: June 8, 2010 with Dr. Boachie
      Thoracic curve: 55 degrees, corrected to 25 degrees
      Lumbar curve: 58 degrees, corrected to 27 degrees
      Posterior-only surgery, Levels T3-L3
      31 year old mother of 2 young kids

      Comment


      • #4
        Thank you both!

        I'm with Davis on the no time at all to work out - but I'm going to try my best as far as waking up even earlier and squeezing in workouts before work. I find that physically I'm just tired a lot and I am not strong like I used to be when I worked out regularly. I do believe this alone will help me recover faster, I just need to really motivate myself and keep at it.

        Comment


        • #5
          My surgeon didn't make any recommendations about preparation but I thought it made sense to get as fit as I could, depending on my pain. But I found my pain lessened, the fitter I became so in the end I was fast-walking every day, and kayaking 1-3 times a week. I was running short distances, and I hadn't done any running in 15-20 years. We went interstate for the last two weeks and I exercised 4-5 hours a day right up to the day before surgery.

          My motivation was to strengthen my heart because of my age. The best part of getting fit for me though, was the mental benefit. I had been stressed to the max about the surgery initially, but that gradually eased, until I realised the terrible fear was being replaced by excitement. The people of this forum answered all my questions and gave me a mental picture of what was going to happen which was very important to me. But my fitness made me think I could face anything.

          My diet has always been good so I didn't take supplements, apart from calcium which I'd been taking since menopause.

          It's anyone's guess how much difference it made to my recovery. But apart from 6 weeks of dizziness, I consider my recovery went well.
          Surgery March 3, 2009 at almost 58, now 63.
          Dr. Askin, Brisbane, Australia
          T4-Pelvis, Posterior only
          Osteotomies and Laminectomies
          Was 68 degrees, now 22 and pain free

          Comment


          • #6
            Originally posted by JenM View Post
            Hi Jamie Ann-

            I took the following supplements: 2000 Units Vitamim D (since i have a vitamin D deficiency), a Women's One a Day vitamin tablet, folic acid, and for a while I took Coenzyme Q10 which gave me a boost of energy in order to work out. I discontinued the Co enzyme Q10 about 4 months before surgery. My overall workout strategy was to work out as soon as I woke up every morning. The later in the day that I tried to work out, the later I was and felt very unmotivated.. It is much easier working out earlier in the morning. I have a 2 and a 5 year old so even though I didn't like to do this, I just plopped them in front of the tv while I worked out on my treadmill. I wasn't letting anything get in the way of my working out. For the past 5 years, the kids always came first, but I needed to do this type of workout schedule from Sept to June 7, 2010 so that I would be successful with my surgery. I have to tell you, I feel really great after my surgery, which was on Jun 8. Even my pre-op visits to my doctors really impressed them. My resting heart rate was a 50, and it was all because I had worked out religiously from Sept - through June7. I felt like a fine tuned instrument going into the surgery. Which is really funny because I haven't workred out for over 8 years plus. I was so out of shape before Sept 2009 so if I could do it, anyone can!!!! You just have to believe in yourself!!!!!!!

            JenM
            I'm so proud of you!!!
            __________________________________________
            Debbe - 50 yrs old

            Milwalkee Brace 1976 - 79
            Told by Dr. my curve would never progress

            Surgery 10/15/08 in NYC by Dr. Michael Neuwirth
            Pre-Surgury Thorasic: 66 degrees
            Pre-Surgery Lumbar: 66 degrees

            Post-Surgery Thorasic: 34 degrees
            Post-Surgery Lumbar: 22 degrees

            Comment


            • #7
              JenniferG,

              What caused the dizziness, and what made it go away?

              Evelyn
              age 48
              80* thoracolumbar; 40* thoracic
              Reduced to ~16* thoracolumbar; ~0* thoracic
              Surgery 3/14/12 with Dr. Lenke in St. Louis, T4 to S1 with pelvic fixation
              Broken rods 12/1/19; scheduled for revision fusion L1-L3-4 with Dr. Lenke 2/4/2020
              Not "confused" anymore, but don't know how to change my username.

              Comment


              • #8
                Hi Evelyn. Well, my surgeon told me it was caused by the antibiotics given during surgery. I already knew I was allergic to penicillin and since then, I was given Erythromycin (I think it was) for a recurring sore throat and it made me ill...so I don't think antibiotics and I get on very well.

                However, the dizziness didn't start until (and my memory of this period isn't great) about 7 weeks post-op when I was starting to reduce my oxycontin. I had other withdrawal symptoms such as stomach cramps and depression (I dropped like a stone) and the dizziness began at the same time. So MY theory is that it was part of the withdrawals I was undergoing. Except it continued long after the withdrawal symptoms stopped.

                So I am really unsure what caused the dizziness.

                I've read a few posters mention dizziness so I don't think it's terribly unusual.
                Surgery March 3, 2009 at almost 58, now 63.
                Dr. Askin, Brisbane, Australia
                T4-Pelvis, Posterior only
                Osteotomies and Laminectomies
                Was 68 degrees, now 22 and pain free

                Comment

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