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  • Feeling my rods

    As most people here know , my surgery is just over 2 months ago. I have had that bad pain issue going on now for the past 2 1/2 -3 weeks now. I am now on the steroids.I am certain that I can feel the rods in my back. Am I losing it now for good? My surgeon assured me before surgery that I would never be able to feel them.

    This group is the best .

    What is going on?

    Melissa

  • #2
    Hi Melissa,

    I'm over 2 years post op and I can still feel my rods. My surgeon also says that I can't feel them, but it's actually muscle and scar tissue that feels really tight. Whatever it is, I don't like it. I hope yours goes away.

    Shell
    Chemist, 30

    1998- 18 degrees
    2003- 33 degrees
    2005- 37 degrees
    2006- 44 degrees
    May 2007- 47 degrees
    December 2007 - 50 degrees X-ray

    Surgery May 27, 2008
    Fused T1 to L2
    Curve corrected to 15 degrees X-ray

    Comment


    • #3
      Hi, I am 12 weeks post-op. I feel my hardware more now that I have been off pain meds and some of the inflammation is down. I keep a pillow with me for sitting wherever there could be a hard surface. Restaurants, etc. I have been wondering if it goes away, but I am feeling it is that I will just get used to it. I still feel a lot hard muscle spots, kind of a numb/tingly/cottony feeling in some areas of back. That I hope will get better in time. I did read that if you are on the thin side you are bound to feel rods more. I am fused T2-L1. I'll be interested to read responses on this. Thanks for asking it.
      Shari - 55 years old
      Pre-Surgery 62 degree thorasic curve with shifting.
      Post op 13 degree curve.
      Successful surgery 4/15/10, T3-L2 fused.
      2nd surgery to reopen incision 10" to diagnose infection, 5/18/10
      Beaumont Hospital, Royal Oak, MI - the late Dr. Harry Herkowitz
      www.scoliosisthejourney.com

      Comment


      • #4
        Originally posted by ShariMSU View Post
        Hi, I am 12 weeks post-op. I feel my hardware more now that I have been off pain meds and some of the inflammation is down. I keep a pillow with me for sitting wherever there could be a hard surface. Restaurants, etc. I have been wondering if it goes away, but I am feeling it is that I will just get used to it. I still feel a lot hard muscle spots, kind of a numb/tingly/cottony feeling in some areas of back. That I hope will get better in time. I did read that if you are on the thin side you are bound to feel rods more. I am fused T2-L1. I'll be interested to read responses on this. Thanks for asking it.
        Well, to begin I am far from slim . I have that hard muscle spot , kind of a numb, /tingly/cottony feeling that you are talking about. I think that you are first to mention it.I most definitely hope that feeling gets better in time. I have always had a pillow with me but now the pillow seems like it is not soft enough or fluffy or just not something enough today ?. I just can't seem to get comfortable . I know that I am feeling my rods. I am fused 18 inches and I am feeling them at the bottom really bad.

        Take care

        Melissa

        Comment


        • #5
          sacral fusion. What to expect and what does it mean, anyhow?

          Originally posted by mbeckoff View Post
          Well, to begin I am far from slim .... I know that I am feeling my rods. I am fused 18 inches and I am feeling them at the bottom really bad.

          Take care

          Melissa
          GLURP. Wonder what expectations (probabilistically) that leaves those of us who are supposed to be fused to the sacrum (with "pelvic fixation") especially if we ARE slim.

          Which reminds me (hoping someone sees this query) is fusion to S1 the same as "fusion to sacrum"? Also, what difference is pelvic fixation apt to make? Here, not asking about medical pros and cons, but what the patient experiences ST, such as is discussed here. What we FEEL and what SHOWS.

          Likewise, does fusion to S1 mean the WHOLE sacrum? The sacrum is really a number of fused vertebrae. When we're told to expect a fusion to the sacrum, does that mean ALL those vertebrae are somehow joined to the fused vertebrae above it?

          I've been having a lot of sacral pain lately (so much it wakes me up and aches all morning) and I wonder whether there are difference levels of sacral fusion. I am not at all sure my sacrum is still all in one piece. Good bit of snap crackling and popping too.
          Not all diagnosed (still having tests and consults) but so far:
          Ehler-Danlos (hyper-mobility) syndrome, 69 - somehow,
          main curve L Cobb 60, compensating T curve ~ 30
          Flat back, marked lumbar kyphosis (grade?) Spondilolisthesis - everyone gives this a different grade too. Cervical stenosis op'd 3-07, minimally invasive

          Comment


          • #6
            As far as I know S1 is the sacrum. I am fused T3-Sacrum

            melissa

            Comment


            • #7
              Well, I was fused from T10 to pelvis just short of 4 months ago and I don't really think I feel my rods. I am somewhat uncomfortable in my lower back at times...it's really tight feeling and I think I can feel where my pelvic anchors are every once in a while. I do hope the moderate pain/tightness goes away with time in my lower back as it's annoying sometimes but I don't think I can feel the rods.

              Rich
              Pre-Surgery Lumbar 65 degrees
              A/P Fusion T10-Pelvis by Dr. Christopher Good
              Virginia Spine Institute, Reston, VA 3/17/10, 3/18/10
              Post-Surgery Lumbar 19 degrees, and 2" in height

              Comment


              • #8
                I think I can feel them, it doesn't hurt though.
                36 year young cardiac RN
                old curve C 29, T 70, L 50
                new curve C 7, T 23, L 20
                Surgery June 11, UCH, Dr. Cronen T2-L5, posterior
                Revision December 20 L5-S1 with pelvic fixation
                and Osteotomy to L3 at Tampa General Hospital

                Comment


                • #9
                  hi Rich
                  i think that you are really early in healing...and that things will improve as time passes...maybe you could read some of TitaniumEd's posts..or write to him...he mentioned specific weeks/months he felt improvement..

                  my surgeon swears there is little to no difference fused to sacrum vs pelvis...

                  hope you feel better every day...

                  jess

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    I think I can feel them when I sit in certain chairs--ones that have horrizontal bars across the back. TOTALLY uncomfortable, and I avoid those kind of chairs if possible.

                    I used a pillow for maybe one year whenever I went out to make myself more comfortable. Now, I have only one of those numb, tingly spots in my back, and it's much less uncomfortable that it was. I"m hoping it'll still get better.
                    __________________________________________
                    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


                    • #11
                      Originally posted by jrnyc View Post
                      hi Rich
                      i think that you are really early in healing...and that things will improve as time passes...maybe you could read some of TitaniumEd's posts..or write to him...he mentioned specific weeks/months he felt improvement..

                      my surgeon swears there is little to no difference fused to sacrum vs pelvis...

                      hope you feel better every day...

                      jess
                      Hi...

                      Fusion to the sacrum is different than fusion to the ilium (pelvis). However, To be technically accurate, people are actually fused to the sacrum, with fixation to the pelvis. The iliac screw(s) are put in simply to keep the L5-S1 joint from moving during fusion.

                      Here's an illustration of the pelvis, sacrum, and hips.

                      http://www.fotosearch.com/LIF136/ga205004/

                      The sacrum is the bone above the heart shaped space.The ilium are the bones to the left and right of the sacrum.

                      And, here's an xray of someone who has screws into the sacrum and ilium (I think... The image isn't defined enough to actually be able to distinguish the individual vertebra).

                      http://static.spineuniverse.com/disp...f_fig5a-99.jpg

                      The large screws (bolts) at the very bottom of the image, have been placed in the ilium. The two horizontal pieces above the screws are just rods that have been placed to connect the vertical rods to the iliac screws. The sacral screws are just above the bottom of the vertical rods.

                      This topic comes up often enough that the next time I see a good xray image at work, I'll capture and annotate it.

                      And, BTW, another topic that comes up often is where we bend when we sit. If you're sitting up straight, you are primarily bent at the hips.

                      http://kenyonreview.org/blog/wp-cont...g-skeleton.jpg

                      Hope that helps.

                      --Linda
                      Never argue with an idiot. They always drag you down to their level, and then they beat you with experience. --Twain
                      ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                      Surgery 2/10/93 A/P fusion T4-L3
                      Surgery 1/20/11 A/P fusion L2-sacrum w/pelvic fixation

                      Comment


                      • #12
                        Melissa, I'll stay in touch on how the muscles and those cottny feelings progress. I do find it is better the more I walk. Now that I am feeling good I think the more activity I can do this will help minimize the back discomfort.
                        At least I have no more pain like i had pre-surgery!
                        Take care, Shari B.
                        Shari - 55 years old
                        Pre-Surgery 62 degree thorasic curve with shifting.
                        Post op 13 degree curve.
                        Successful surgery 4/15/10, T3-L2 fused.
                        2nd surgery to reopen incision 10" to diagnose infection, 5/18/10
                        Beaumont Hospital, Royal Oak, MI - the late Dr. Harry Herkowitz
                        www.scoliosisthejourney.com

                        Comment


                        • #13
                          Just found a great illustration of the posterior view of the sacrum and ilium, which happens to show what it looks like when we sit. You have to love that the measuring device is called an assometer.

                          http://www.nidus-corp.com/TinyImages.../assometer.jpg

                          --Linda
                          Never argue with an idiot. They always drag you down to their level, and then they beat you with experience. --Twain
                          ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                          Surgery 2/10/93 A/P fusion T4-L3
                          Surgery 1/20/11 A/P fusion L2-sacrum w/pelvic fixation

                          Comment


                          • #14
                            thanks Linda, for that info on sacrum/pelvis...

                            i think in my case, during my April appointment, Dr L. was referring to my concern/anxiety about mobility/flexibility...i asked if he could stop at the sacrum..he was trying to tell me that sacrum vs pelvis wouldnt make a difference as far as flexibility or what/where i would be able to bend from...didnt help that i probably mentioned the fusion going all the way down was what has been stopping me from committing to surgery....i must've mentioned if it stopped at L somethIng or other i'd have made a decision already!
                            ...i just saw the diagram you posted...very informative...but i keep thinking of Thanksgiving turkeys!

                            jess

                            Comment


                            • #15
                              Linda, anyone, Fusion to sacrum? Also, "Moveable" sacrum, Tarlov cysts?

                              Linda (if you're still out 'there' )

                              I wonder if you can answer my question a few posts above - about whether there is variation of what fusion to the sacrum means. I explain there that I have sacral pain and that it doesn't feel (or sound) like my sacrum is entirely solid anymore.

                              Do you perchance have any images such as you've posted, actually showing fusions to the sacrum - how and where the hardware attaches?
                              Again, I'm wondering if it every varies - for instance, to include more of the sacrum than just S1 (which I assume is what the topmost sacral vertebra would be if it were still separate from the rest)?

                              I wonder too when calculations are done (about how many segments are being fused), how the sacrum is counted. Guess it doesn't matter if it IS (always) only that top segment. I know the sacrum is not usually considered movable.

                              Wonder what they could do if my sacrum IS a bit - - - "loose" . I suppose under normal conditions., the sacrum fuses sometime before birth (and stays fused). Mine definitely seems movable. I read in my MRI reports that I also have "Tarlov" cysts in and under the sacrum. Unless the difference is in the readers' interpretations, they also seem to be getting larger.

                              I've been told they are harmless but that was before the size was increasing (apparently) and also before this pronounced sacral pain began - a few years ago. I only get it at night, lying down, and its starting to extend into my hip sockets - referred I guess. It's just as bad as the lumbar pain I get when I'm standing. That leaves me no comfortable positions any more.

                              Have you ever heard of someone having problems necessitating a fusion extending further down than "just" S1 (not counting the pelvic fixation, whatever that is)?? Or a problem requiring it (wondering what it's called). None of this - jelled - as an issue l right now. Naturally, I'll ask surgeons about it, but meanwhile....
                              Not all diagnosed (still having tests and consults) but so far:
                              Ehler-Danlos (hyper-mobility) syndrome, 69 - somehow,
                              main curve L Cobb 60, compensating T curve ~ 30
                              Flat back, marked lumbar kyphosis (grade?) Spondilolisthesis - everyone gives this a different grade too. Cervical stenosis op'd 3-07, minimally invasive

                              Comment

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