Recovery issue

[Ryy]

Hi all,

I'm 4 weeks post op from my kyphosis surgery. I was doing great, almost ready to drive again, doing plenty of walking, and boom. 6 days ago, all of a sudden my back started locking up. The whole left side of my back, esp mid-left back, is very sore and tight and locked up. Also the whole lower back and occasionally the right side. Even the anterior scar on the left side, very sore and full in there. I wasn't doing anything out of the ordinary when it happened. Xrays were fine. It's like the muscles aren't on the right 'track' and don't know how to adjust themselves into the right place. Anyone ever had this big bump in the road happen? Thanks

[JenniferG]

No, but many do Ryy. You are not alone with this. It sounds to me like you need some muscle relaxants to settle it back down. I'm sure someone who's had this experience will come along soon to tell you what they did to fix the problem. Try not to let this worry you too much. If it's muscle spasms, which it sounds like, it's fixable. Sorry you've had this happen though.

[titaniumed]

Ryy

I would report this to your surgeon.

If you are saying that you are “very sore” under your anterior cut, make sure you do not have an infection starting. Since its Friday, if you are not feeling well, and know that something is wrong,(Fever, swelling, redness) I wouldn’t hesitate to go down to the emergency room. If that happens, remember that conveying “major distress” will get you in faster.

You will be delicate for a few months. Its to be expected.

Remember that our recoveries are a see-saw for a while. Good days with occasional bad days, but with constant improvement while we heal.
Ed

[Ryy]

It's like I'm back to the beginning. I can't stand up for more than 5-10 minutes without much locking up and pain.. I'm continuing with the muscle relaxers and taking it way down with the activities back to just walking a little.. I'm pretty sure it's muscular. The soreness in the left side cut is related to the muscles in the back. Had a lotta soreness and fullness in there since the anterior surgery so I don't really think it's an infection. If it doesn't get better, I'm gonna get a hold of the doc on Monday.

[titaniumed]

Ryy

You had a serious surgery. Healing takes time and you are only 4 weeks.

When you think you are doing well and you exert just a little too much, your body comes back and puts the brakes back on. These “tests” of recovery will come for quite some time as you do a little more each time.

Sounds like its time for a hot bath!
Ed

[JamieAnn]

Sorry you're dealing with this setback - I hope after taking it easy for a bit you can go back to feeling great.

Speaking of soreness at the incision sight, I do have a bit of soreness to the touch at the bottom of my incision. It's not terribly painful but when I press on it it's sore. The upper part of my incision is numb.

Is that normal?

[Ryy]

Haha thanks Ed, I'm def gonna go for a hot shower tomorrow morn. Just sucks that I came so far and boom, now back to the beginning. I'm sure time will heal this though!

Hey Jamie, how's it going? Yeah that sounds normal. Both my incisions are still numb and my anterior incision is sore in there.

[debbei]

Ed's right--hot water always helps. I have been doing very well lately, but this morning at my exercise class I was thinking that my upper back was more tight than it has been in 6 months. I came home, took a hot shower, and it's almost back to normal, without any meds.

Time will help, I promise.

[debbei]

... The upper part of my incision is numb.

Is that normal?

VERY Normal!!! It will get slowly better over time.

[JamieAnn]

Oh right, but I mean the sore part, is THAT normal?

[JamieAnn]

Hmmm, the more I look at it, it seems to be a sore spot a few inches below the bottom of my incision - not so much on the incision itself. This is where I was quite swollen in general when I first came home.

I guess this is just a "bruise" of sorts? Is it normal to have certain areas that are more sore than others?

Thanks Ryan for starting this thread, as I seem to have questions that have stemmed from it! I have similar muscle feelings as you described, too (tightness, feeling out of place like disconnected). I was given muscle relaxers but prefer not to take them as long as I can avoid it.

[debbei]

Yes Jamie, I think it is. I had a numb/sore spot at the base of my incision for quite a long time. It's like the SKIN is numb, but the underneath hurts. Does that describe it? It's been 2 years for me, and it's still slightly that way, but nowhere near what it was initially. When I read your qeustion I had to stick my hand back there to figure out how it felt--that's how little it bothers me now.

[JamieAnn]

It just feels like a bruise, but there isn't one there. I can't really feel any other spot on my back that feels that way. I am wondering if it's because if I lay on my back thats where the pressure is on my back with my feet up. I will try to not put a pillow under my feet. It doesn't really bother me, just more curious about it!

[titaniumed]

Debbe

That’s right, you are 2 yrs now. Congratulations!

When I hit my 2 year mark, that was the end of my recovery. I have not improved any since last year, or at least noticed anything much.

JamieAnn and Ryy and others that are in their immediate recoveries will feel all sorts of new strange feelings and its just a matter of time for these things to subside. All you guys can do is hang loose and try to take it easy for now.

Everything has been repositioned after your whole lives. All your soft tissues are going through big changes right now, and that process requires quite a bit of energy and time. Eat a proper diet, to help supply this energy, try to sleep some, (8 hrs, if you can) and do many short walks outside. If a simple cut on your finger takes a couple of weeks to heal, it will take much longer for “everything” to heal. Be good to your bodies right now, you only have one chance at this. A major disruption like a fall early on would be like hitting that cut on your finger with a hammer and reopening the wound. The hardware is strong, but why take that chance. Take it very easy in the beginning so the healing process gets off to a good start. Soon, you will notice improvement, it’s a welcome feeling.
Ed

[JamieAnn]

Thanks Ed, you are certainly right that this will take some time. I feel very slight improvements every day but I can tell I am a long way from feeling 100% normal. Thankfully sleeping has gotten better and I am sleeping at least 9 hours a night. Granted, I wake up about 5 times during the night to change positions, I go right back to sleep. I feel lucky in that department.

I am still quite paranoid about any infection so when you mentioned soreness at the incision site possibly indicating infection I became curious. I now realize it's below the incision site and I think it seems "normal" from what you are all saying.

Thanks again