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  • Be Careful Out There

    Hi...

    One of the members of this forum sent me a private message telling me that she heard of a patient who blacked out, fell down in the bathroom, breaking her neck, and not surviving. What a devastating story!

    I'm pretty sure most of us are really cautious in terms of movements in the early recovery period, but this is a good reminder to be really careful, especially if you start feeling at all light headed.

    Regards,
    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

  • #2
    My doctor's daughter has a friend that had the surgery as a teenager. When they went to visit her in the hospital, she got up to use the restroom and passed out. It was a good thing he was in the room because he caught her. That is VERY scary!
    Be happy!
    We don't know what tomorrow brings,
    but we are alive today!

    Comment


    • #3
      Thanks for posting this warning. After I blacked out at 3 weeks post op, I started a thread asking if this was normal and had many with similar experiences. As long as you are on heavy medications, I think one needs to sit on the side of the bed a few minutes and then stand a few minutes before taking off.
      Karen

      Surgery-Jan. 5, 2011-Dr. Lenke
      Fusion T-4-sacrum-2 cages/5 osteotomies
      70 degree thoracolumbar corrected to 25
      Rib Hump-GONE!
      Age-60 at the time of surgery
      Now 66
      Avid Golfer & Tap Dancer
      Retired Kdgn. Teacher

      See photobucket link for:
      Video of my 1st Day of Golf Post-Op-3/02/12-Bradenton, FL
      Before and After Picture of back 1/7/11
      tap dancing picture at 10 mos. post op 11/11/11-I'm the one on the right.
      http://s1119.photobucket.com/albums/k630/pottoff2/

      Comment


      • #4
        I agree, upon getting out of bed, I would stand with my walker for up to 5 minutes before walking. I never came close to blacking out, but if I did I would get down on my knees quickly and extend my arms.

        Staircases are dangerous, even without blacking out. Best to setup a bed on the lower floor, next to a bathroom.

        Riding the mechanical bull at Gilley’s takes a few years....(smiley face)

        Ed
        49 yr old male, now 63, the new 64...
        Pre surgery curves T70,L70
        ALIF/PSA T2-Pelvis 01/29/08, 01/31/08 7" pelvic anchors BMP
        Dr Brett Menmuir St Marys Hospital Reno,Nevada

        Bending and twisting pics after full fusion
        http://www.scoliosis.org/forum/showt...on.&highlight=

        My x-rays
        http://www.scoliosis.org/forum/attac...2&d=1228779214

        http://www.scoliosis.org/forum/attac...3&d=1228779258

        Comment


        • #5
          I'm actually wondering if it has more to do with the anesthesia. After I had a miscarriage at 12 weeks, I had to have a D&C. Of, course I was put under general anesthesia for the procedure and was in the hospital for two days for heavy bleeding. But I wasn't sent home with any pain meds as I didn't need them. About a week after I got home, I got up to get something from the fridge and started going down. My ex was standing in the kitchen, fortunately, and saw me pass out and caught me before I hit the floor. One of the very few good things he did for me. So maybe a combination of blood loss and anesthesia??
          Be happy!
          We don't know what tomorrow brings,
          but we are alive today!

          Comment


          • #6
            That might be right. I also have low blood pressure which might have had something to do with passing out. I was obviously not cautious enough during the early stages of recovery, in spite of being advised otherwise.
            Karen

            Surgery-Jan. 5, 2011-Dr. Lenke
            Fusion T-4-sacrum-2 cages/5 osteotomies
            70 degree thoracolumbar corrected to 25
            Rib Hump-GONE!
            Age-60 at the time of surgery
            Now 66
            Avid Golfer & Tap Dancer
            Retired Kdgn. Teacher

            See photobucket link for:
            Video of my 1st Day of Golf Post-Op-3/02/12-Bradenton, FL
            Before and After Picture of back 1/7/11
            tap dancing picture at 10 mos. post op 11/11/11-I'm the one on the right.
            http://s1119.photobucket.com/albums/k630/pottoff2/

            Comment


            • #7
              doreen1 also had a blackout, it's on page 23 of her surgery thread. She said they determined a combination of meds was dropping her blood pressure. Maybe it's a good idea to do regular bp checks during recovery, as well as not getting up too fast.
              Stephanie, age 56
              Diagnosed age 8
              Milwaukee brace 9 years, no further treatment, symptom free and clueless until my 40s that curves could progress.
              Thoracolumbar curve 39 degrees at age 17
              Now somewhere around 58 degrees thoracic, 70 degrees thoracolumbar
              Surgeon Dr. Michael S. O'Brien, Baylor's Southwest Scoliosis Center, Dallas TX
              Bilateral laminectomies at L3 to L4, L4 to L5 and L5 to S1 on April 4, 2012
              Foramenotomies L3 through S1 in August 2014

              Comment

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