back brace

[HGD24]

I'm now 10 weeks post-op and am supposed to wear my brace until 13 weeks post-op, but I just don't feel that I really need it anymore. I wore it a lot in the first 4 weeks or so, but now only seem to wear it when I leave the house. I feel as though my balance is good and that I am aware of my limits for bending, leaning, etc. Actually, I'm doing a lot more than I thought I would be able to do at this point. Has anyone else stopped using the brace while at home before they were supposed to?

[LindaRacine]

Hi Heidi...

I wore my brace for 5 months. In the last month, I didn't wear it as much around the house as I was supposed to.

I would never recommend that you go against your doctor's recommendation, but maybe you can call and ask if you can start to wean yourself off.

UCSF used to put all of their scoliosis surgery patients in post-op braces for 4-6 months. In recent months, they've asked some patients to start weaning themselves after a few months.

Glad to hear that you're doing so well!

Regards,
Linda

[HGD24]

Thanks Linda! I did tell my doctor that I wasn't wearing it as much at the 4 week mark and he said that must have meant that I wasn't doing as much as I should have been, so I needed to wear it more. I did for a week or so and went back to not wearing it as much. He's not real strict about it and even encouraged me not to wear it a couple of times in the hospital when I had to go to x-ray...so that I wouldn't get totally attached to it and feel insecure without it. When I see him this Friday, I'll talk to him more about it. I just feel like it keeps me from doing as much as I can do without it.

[suejeryl]

i hope your doctor frees you from your brace! i was a religious brace wearer for 3 solid months and only cheated twice by showering without it. my cheats were the week of my 12-week check up and my dr. wanted me to start weaning myself out of it at that point anyway, so no harm done. my dr. wanted to see bone growth in the fusion before weaning; in retrospect, 3 months wasn't so long. i've been completely brace free since the end of january and i feel very strong after 2 months of physical therapy. good luck in your continuing recovery!

[HGD24]

Saw my doc today and have been officially cleared from wearing the brace!!!!

I asked him about eventually getting back to playing golf and he said that I can start putting and chipping now...and in 4-5 weeks can begin hitting from the tee!!!! All-in-all, a good day for me!!

He did say that we still need to watch the incision that was infected. As of today, the stitches are out and it looked good at his office, but...been there, done that, got all excited and ended up in surgery 3 days later when it opened up again, sooo still keeping my fingers crossed and saying my prayers that it's all cleared up and healthy again!

[LindaRacine]

Hi Heidi...

That's great news. I'm delighted that you did so well. All I can in terms of playing golf so soon is YIKES!! Did your surgeon at least warn you that the discs above and below the fusion are at risk?

REGARDS,
LINDA

[HGD24]

Thanks Linda! He didn't mention any risks to the discs, but did mention that my ribcage and back will be sore again as I begin to use muscles that I haven't used since before the surgery. I'm definitely in no rush to get out on the course or the driving range anytime soon though. I was asking him more as to find out if I'd ever be able to play again, thinking that he'd tell me to wait until next year to start. I think that I'll stick to putting for this summer and leave the driving range for next year maybe! I definitely want to be sure everything is in place and ready to go before I do anything to strenuous.

[Heathmoose]

Hi Heidi. I wore my brace for about 4-5 months post-op, following doctor's orders. I was told I only had to wear it when I moved around during the day. I did not have to sleep in it. I didn't have too much trouble with the brace, probably because I had worn one when I was a teenager, so it didn't feel that bad to me. I do remember calling my doctor's office and asking if I could go out to dinner for my birthday last August and leave the brace in the car so I could wear a nice outfit. They said it was fine, but that was the first time I sat without it and had to leave the restaurant early because my muscles were achy from not being used in a while. I weaned off the brace about 5 months post-op, but was really paranoid about the winter months and ice, etc. My doctor said if I wanted to wear it in the snow I could, so I wore it just driving and walking outside during the winter months.
Take care!
Heather

[Lavinia]

How long does it take us older people (55) to wean oneself off the brace? I'm 5 months post-op, can't take it off completely until after my 6 months appointment but can begin to do so. Presumably because my muscles are so weak, it feels like the spine is bowing out, plus tremendous pressure within the spine which lasts many hours after only half an hour sitting up without it! Any info gratefully received.

Lavinia

[Karen Ocker]

My surgeon said the brace was more for my mental comfort than actually needed. It does protect the torso from jolts from others and sudden twists. By 4 months I was pretty much weaned off. I never wore it laying down-only when up. For a long time my back got so tired. It took me many months for the muscle spasms and torso fatigue to abate. It helped me to remember that my body had to get used to its straighter alignment. Some muscles, tendons and joints were either stretched or shortened after being so screwed up for most of my life. I would say most weird discomforts took a year and half to disappear and I am 5 years older than you.
Karen

[kathleensrose]

Lavina:
( 63 years old, surgery Feb 8, 2005, fused and rods from 12 to sacrum).
A lightning bolt will probably strike me as soon as I type this admonition.
I only wear my brace when I go outside the house. I don't remember exactly
when it started, probably with the fact that I never put it on to go to the
bathroom-too much trouble. Then, I only wore it when standing, not in
bed, then I would go to the kitchen without it in the morning, etc, etc.
Gradually, I found I just didn't want to wear it at home. Its plastic, not
like other padded braces I've seen, ugly as hell, and when I wear it in the car, hurts the scar on my sacrum. I was told I wore this type because my surgery
was bigger then then the surgeries of the women who wore the nice padded
braces. Anyway, I guess this process of shedding the brace happened so gradually, I never noticed my back being tired. No, I haven't told the surgeon-
I probably won't. Kathleens rose.

[Lavinia]

Thanks, Karen and Kathleen, it does seem as though UK surgeons keep their patients in braces far longer than anyone else! Now making a bit of headway because I've had the OK to start swimming. Even so, I can only get up to 30 mins max without the brace when I've finished work/whatever I need to do - feels as though my back has completely seized up, and hurts like hell the rest of the day. So may not be a bad idea to get out of it sooner!


How are things going with you now Kathleen?

Lavinia

[kathleensrose]

I met another woman who, at 60, two years ago, had surgery on her back;
she had been a professional golfer and now teaches golf. She was back
teaching and playing at four months in her brace. Having said this, keep in mind that I did not ask how long her fusion was ( how many vertebraes were included). She was a tiny, spunky lady living alone, I might add. She did the whole recouperation as a single person. She mentioned that she felt her golf
swing was better after the operation. Kathleens rose.

[kathleensrose]

Lavina:
from Kathleen(63years, Feb 8 2005 sur.)
I am now 3 months and a week. I am generally better, stronger, I must lay
down for awhile in the morning and again in the afternoon. My back which was
almost totally numb on the seft side is awakening and every two weeks something begins to hurt. At this point, my tailbone area hurts so I can't
sit for more than a few minutes at a time. I take one-half of a norco about
every 3 hours when up. I use an ambien to fall asleep. I am frustrated because
I am not progressing faster. I know its too soon, but I'm still frustrated.
Kathleen ( you see, I have to get up now, my back hurts.)

[Lavinia]

You have my sympathy kathleen. I suppose we can all learn patience in the recovery - certainly seems to the watchword. Worst of it seems to be that as soon as things improve on one front another becomes difficult - or at least frustrating. But glad to hear you are generally on the mend. I also have to lie down several times a day - usually 3 or 4, sometimes only 2, because of the metalwork pain - again improving but v slowly,

Best,

Lavinia