Post-op fusion

[Lavinia]

Does anyone know how you tell whether fusion is happening successfully or not? I'm 3 months post-op, and have a newly developing ache between the shoulders, which I sometimes think is fusion happening and sometimes fusion not happening.

Any clues welcome,

Lavinia

[LindaRacine]

Hi Lavinia...

If your x-ray is decent quality, your surgeon should be able to see the beginning of fusion on your films.

If you've recently increased your activity level, that may be the cause of your pain.

Regards,
Linda

[jenyak]

I just had a fusion last Friday, and so far I get the most pain under my shoulder blades, and where they cut bone from my butt.

Jen

[JLozada1013]

Does anyone know how you tell whether fusion is happening successfully or not? I'm 3 months post-op, and have a newly developing ache between the shoulders, which I sometimes think is fusion happening and sometimes fusion not happening.

Any clues welcome,

Lavinia

Hi Lavinia,

I read your response to my post on a different subject, maybe I can help you a little here since our time frame from post-op is similar. Honestly, I get a lot of aches and pains everywhere and I also have bruises from the surgery to date. I asked the doctor why my body ached so much and how come I was so badly bruised after the surgery, and his reponse was that my old body is getting use to this new body and the adjustments he made internally are the product of my body "settling".

I saw my post-op X-rays and he pointed out the tiny bone fragments where the fusion is suppose to become solid, and as of now it looks like fusion is slowly starting to set.

Hope this helped

-Jessy

[LindaRacine]

Hi Jessy....

I don't think I've ever heard of anyone being bruised. Where are the bruises?

--Linda

[JLozada1013]

LindaRacine
Hi Jessy....

I don't think I've ever heard of anyone being bruised. Where are the bruises?

--Linda

Hi Linda,

Before I answer your question, let me explain the situation. My posterior incision was closed with stapels except for the bottom portion because I have a tattoo and he needed to line up the tattoo. He closed that part of the incision with internal stitches. Since my body was not adjusting to this incision, I began to have drainage at that site and required frequent dressing changes. The tape they initially used was surgical tape and it felt as though a layer of skin was being pulled off each time they changed the dressing.

At one point the doctor made the changes and I cried and kicked and screamed because of the intense pain; they also noticed that my skin was becoming raw from all the pulling which then they switched to "paper tape". Therefore I have bruises on the back side of my pelvis. I also have bruises between my shoulder blades and along side the thoracotomy site which have disappeared to date, but I still have the pain which relates to the incisions.

The doctor told me that everyone's body reacts differently through surgery and their healing process. I know for a fact that my body bruises easily and that's why I have those bruises. Hope I answered your question

Jessy