Second surgery in two years

[mattie]

I had surgery one year ago for a 56 degree curvature. I had two differnt curves. I was in the hospital 8 days and two differnt surgeries two days apart. I had to wear a brace for 6 months. After I was released from my brace I had a knot come up on my lower back. The pain was very severe. I went back to my Dr. for my yearly visit, he checked out the knot and said it was the hardware sticking out. I had x-rays done and a screw had slippped and caused one of my rods to shift. I had to go back in and have the hardware taken out. My fusion was a complete sucess according to my Dr.
Now ten days after surgry I am having real bad neck pain. I was wondring if anyone else has had this problem. I am ust wondering now if I have a bad disc in my neck, I sure hope not.
If anyone has had a simular problem I would be interested to know about your experience. :confused:

[Abbyjo_21]

Hey our stories are like really kind of simliar, in a way anyways. In 2001 i had my first surgery to fixed my scoliosis of like 50-60 degrees...a screw went through the vertebra so two days later they opened me back up and fixed that all up. I was in the hospital for nine days and then released, never had to wear a back brace. Then last fall in volleyball i messed my back up and i was having horrible pains so we finally went back in they found that i had fractured 3 vertebras and actually pulled the top section of my rods away from my spine. After my surgery i also have been experiencing really bad neck pains. Its been 4 months and im still having them too. It tends to mainly be stiffness, but constant stiffness. My doctor has told me that considering i now have rods pretty much all the way up my spine, that its going to take awhile for that to go away. I wouldn't automatically expect for there to be something wrong, because i have been doing that for the last 4 months and now with school starting im emotionally exhausted.
I guess just hang in there...thats what ive been trying to do. Your still only 10 days post opp...your still going to be sore
Abby

[sweetness514]

I have had neck pain ever since I started to curve before my teens, it's probably one of the side effects of scoliosis, as the curve and now the fusion is hard on that area. I know that I have a few pinched nerves, and the pain comes off and on, as well as stiffness. The computer makes it so MUCH worse, it must be the position since even my back hurts more in that position, especially when I have an injury or inflammation.

I massage and get acupuncture treatments, and some PT exercises to strenghten it have helped.

[mattie]

I beleive my neck pain is either do to putting rods in and taking them out. Put stress on my neck, or I have a bad disc in my neck. :rolleyes:

[mattie]

I went to my Dr. today to have my staples removed. I have to go back in a couple of weeks and have the hardware put back in. My back is not fused after all. The Dr. said it was fused and everything would be OK. Now I am starting to get my curvature back again. I hope everything turns out OK this time. I just don't know how much a persons body can take. My Dr. said it is rare that I would have this problem because I am not that old. He said it usually happens only with elderly people, that have osteoporosis. I have no sign of that. I guess maybe third time is charm.

[sweetness514]

That's why when I get surgery to take out my broken rod I will insist that he puts another one in-whether I have pseudoarthritis or not.

Good luck, you will be fine :)

[mattie]

I have had a third surgery now. I had rods put back in. Three weeks after operation now and feel pretty good. I am weaning myself off the pain medication. I go next wek to get a new brace, my old one from last surgery doen't fit right. When I wear it I get terrible hip and groin pain. When I don't wear it I have very little pain. So far so good. :o