3 mo. 2 wks. post op

[SkiAnn]

It has been awhile since I last posted; however, it goes back to the idea: No news is good news! I visited my surgeon a week ago for my 3 month check-up and everything is looking great. We could see the shadows where the fusion is taking place as expected and I was given the green light to start weaning myself from my brace. (Suejeryl, I'm not jealous anymore, when I read your post when your surgeon gave you the go ahead, I vividly remember thinking ' she's so lucky, I will never get there!!!!!!') but here I am! So folks hang in there, it appears great milestones do occur in our recovery.

I continue to often think I'm not making any head way, then something I'm able to do offers a reality check and I realize I am doing very well. Last week we went to the mall for the great clearance sales and then to the super market for the weekly grocery shopping trip. Although I was pretty tired and achy I did the whole weeks marketing without having to sit down or skip the last 2 aisles because I was in misery. I sure wish I had kept a daily journal after my surgery I could have reflected on the precious milestones.

I can see where my life is slowly resembling normal again. One thing I am somewhat dissappointed about - I had planned on being completely free of pain meds by this time. It isn't working that way. Most days I'm pretty miserable by 2 p.m. and will cave in to take a percoset, and I take a muscle relaxer before bed for spasms and elavil for nerve pain. It is however a rare occurance that I take anymore pain meds in a days time than the one. Anyone have the same problem. My surgeon is not concerned about still using the meds and told me ~ 'it doesn't appear I am abusing them and he feels I'm better off taking one than trying to tough it out.' They first gave me nuerotin but I reacted very badly to it, the elavil was next and seemed to work nicely. Anyone have anything to share on this platform?

I was a little shaken a few weeks ago, the pain in my feet and legs seemed to be returning. I was pretty dismayed that after all I had went through it wasn't going to help that problem. But good news, it faded away again after a few days and hasn't returned since. Enough for this time, hope all of you out there are doing well. Check in to the forum nearly everyday and am grateful to have this wonderful place to keep in touch.

Regards, Gayle

[suejeryl]

hi, gayle! great news about your progress! i was still taking a full or half dose of pain medication every afternoon (around 2:00!) right up through last month; you will need pain support during the weaning process because you are much weaker than you know! we were able to increase my neurontin so i could completely eliminate my pain medication; it had begun to make me sick (i don't tolerate my muscle relaxant well anymore, either). now i can get away with a tylenol or an advil if i need it. so, do what you need to do to stay comfortable so you can get active. next step: physical therapy!

[Theresa]

Hey Gayle,

It sounds like you are doing great! I was also still taking prescription pain meds at 3 months. I am now 101/2 months post op and very rarely take pain meds besides Tylenol. As you start becoming more active you sometimes need to go back to the prescription meds as you are working your muscles harder. A few weeks ago I had to go back on them as I did to much at work (I cleaned out our storage closet in the school library, it took 2 days!) It took about a week to recover from that. Yesterday I did yard work, cutting back the crepe myrtles. gardenia bushes, and pulling weeds. I took a few breaks and I'm okay today. I go back to the surgeon in a month for my year checkup and to see what we are going to do next. I still have a balance issue so that means another surgery the end of May beginnning of June. Try to stay positive, I know it's hard at times. But cry when you need to and laugh whenever you can!

[Lavinia]

3 months post-surgery

Thanks for all who've written in with their experiences, I hadn't checked the site for a while partly because I was feeling rather demoralised - coming up to 14 weeks post surgery and still on pain medication, feeling if anything more achey than a month ago,. On the other hand doing much more in terms of walking, normal life, visiting etc - though it really takes it out of me to be out of home! Anyway, it cheered me up to see that it doesn't necessarily mean the fusion is not taking, or something else wrong, it just is a long haul to a relatively pain-free state.

I succomb to half an oxycontin tab (different UK meds) after a few hours up, and really only feel all right after I've gone back to bed for an hour's sleep - then another dip at 4ish (another half tablet), and another half plus sleeping tablet at night - good thing is that so long as the pain is under control I sleep absolutely like a log. On the other hand I feel as though I probably should up the daytime medication a bit as it doesn't really do the job.

Does anyone else have pains down to fingers and feet on waking? think it must be the pinched nerves while I'm not moving. Plus, is there any way of telling, apart from Xrays or pain, whether the fusion is happening or not happening (my next point of worry...)

Best to all,

Lavinia

[Theresa]

Lavinia,

The doctor was able to the fusion growth starting on my x-ray at my 2 or 3 month checkup. But from what I have read and understand is that as time goes on you really can't tell from x-rays if the fusion has fused completely. I think I also read it in Dave Wolpert's book that even if the surgeon goes back in they can't always tell if all the fusions have taken due to scar tissue and everything else in there. Once you finally realize and admit to yourself that this is going to take a lot lonnnnnggggggger than you realized to recover you will actually start feeling better emotionally. It took me a few months to get to that point. Take one day at a time.

[spincon58]

Hi Gayle,

I am also dealing with a pain med issues..I feel so guilty, I just want to get off of them...I was doing great and was weaning off my meds, when I got a set back..... I got an infection in my system and my joints were hurting from swelling....my back started to hurt so much I couldn;t get out of bed...I thought it was from the scoli surgery but its not....also right before my period my back hurts bad...so if there is some imflamation there can also be some pain....I need to be able to get around and out of bed so I was told its OK to be on the meds.....whats great is that I have a conscious effort to stop....Theresa.....You are so brave,,,.... we are here for you every step of the way, any support you need just ask and email away....sending a computor hug your way......

[Theresa]

Hey Connie,

Thanks so much for the computer hug!!! Sorry to hear that you had a little setback. It happens! Before my scoli surgery I had a hysterectomy. I used to get really bad back pain right before my period. Found out that I had some large Fibroids. The doctor said my uterus was like I was five months pregnant, then you throw the scoliosis on top of that!! I can't wait til next month when I go back to see the surgeon. I feel pretty good, still some stiffness, soreness, and swelling now and then but most of the time pretty good. I'm just tired of always being exhausted from trying to stay straight. One good thing, I've gone down two pant sizes! There's something good in everything. Sometimes we have to look a little harder to find it! Talking about the pain meds....I've had to take 1/2 a one yesterday and today during the day because we were doing state wide testing at school, so I had to sit out in the hall and help monitor. I'm glad those 2 days are over. Hey, have you ever heard of Camp Wildwood in Maine? Alot of boys from New Jersey and New York go there. My son is going to be a specialty counselor there this summer for the low ropes course and climbing wall. He's really excited about it. Depends how I feel I told my husband maybe we can go see him on parent's day. Take it easy and relax. Let someone else do something for you!

[chrisfrie]

Post op

Hi Gayle,
Congratulations! I will be having my surgery in June. I read everyone's daily since making the decision. It is difficult at this point to imagine the reality come June. It is very scary at this point but I think you are doing remarkably to be using such little pain meds. I think my biggest fear is waking up on a breathing tube. Due to my respiratory problems the pulmonologist is suggesting staying on it for a few days possibly but not definitely. So, I will stay posted and continue reading everyone's experience. It is so helpful in preparing. Thanks for the update! And Bravo Girl!!!

Christine
46yrsold
57 T
32 L
Thoracic Lordosis/Scoliosis