Hello everyone!
I just had anterior spinal fusion of T12-L4 for my painful scoliosis. Mine wasn't near as severe as many of yours, just a 45 degree thoracolumbar curve, but giving me many problems for the past few years. Anyway I tend to ramble a lot.... as you will see.
So had surgery 1/4/06, spent a week in the ICU and last day in a private room and was released the next day. My surgery was anterior so my incision is on my left side not my spine. I am having some serious problems getting comfortable in bed at night and even during the day when I am at home resting. Still on pain meds 24/7 and can't imagine trying to deal without them right now. If I fall asleep for too long at night and don't take my meds within the 4 hour window I wake up in horrible pain in the middle of the night and once it is to that point it is hard to control it. They removed a good portion of one of my upper ribs and when I lay on my back it feels like the remaining riblet (that's my name for it) it sticking out and poking me. It's pretty painful and very uncomfortable. It almost feels as if that rib has gotten out of place somehow. It really hurts to lay on my other side that doesn't have the incision, and I can only tolerate it for about 5 minutes max, and have to wind up on my back again. I have stuffed pillows and adjusted and put so many fluffy things on my bed I just don't know what else to do to get comfy. The pain meds help keep the worse pain at bay but they don't give the me comfort I need to sleep at night. Plus I am worried with the funky ways I have to lay in bed on my back that I might be twisting my torso a bit and I am scared that could hurt my fusion, as we all know there is no bending, twisting or lifting for quite some time after surgery.
Another problem from laying on my back for a long period of time is that my actual spine where the fusion was done starts hurting really bad. I just can't get any rest at night even when I take a higher does of meds to knock me out I still wake up about every 2 hours in horrible discomfort.
Any suggestions or advice on how to get rest and comfort in bed after this surgery? I am about 3 weeks post-op right now and it seems to just get worse.
I feel like this recovery has been a nightmare for me the past few weeks.
Right after I got home from the hospital I had to go to the ER a few days later because I thought I had hurt something internally really bad getting out of my car. Well while at the ER I picked up a stomach virus and was violently ill with vomiting and the other fun stomach virus symptom for 5 days. I lost over 10lbs in 5 days from being unable to keep food down. So it's just been tough and now that the stomach thing is over it just seems like getting comfortable has been impossible and I need rest!!
I would greatly appreciate any help or advice with dealing after surgery any of you may have to offer.
Thank you!
Shelly
I just had anterior spinal fusion of T12-L4 for my painful scoliosis. Mine wasn't near as severe as many of yours, just a 45 degree thoracolumbar curve, but giving me many problems for the past few years. Anyway I tend to ramble a lot.... as you will see.
So had surgery 1/4/06, spent a week in the ICU and last day in a private room and was released the next day. My surgery was anterior so my incision is on my left side not my spine. I am having some serious problems getting comfortable in bed at night and even during the day when I am at home resting. Still on pain meds 24/7 and can't imagine trying to deal without them right now. If I fall asleep for too long at night and don't take my meds within the 4 hour window I wake up in horrible pain in the middle of the night and once it is to that point it is hard to control it. They removed a good portion of one of my upper ribs and when I lay on my back it feels like the remaining riblet (that's my name for it) it sticking out and poking me. It's pretty painful and very uncomfortable. It almost feels as if that rib has gotten out of place somehow. It really hurts to lay on my other side that doesn't have the incision, and I can only tolerate it for about 5 minutes max, and have to wind up on my back again. I have stuffed pillows and adjusted and put so many fluffy things on my bed I just don't know what else to do to get comfy. The pain meds help keep the worse pain at bay but they don't give the me comfort I need to sleep at night. Plus I am worried with the funky ways I have to lay in bed on my back that I might be twisting my torso a bit and I am scared that could hurt my fusion, as we all know there is no bending, twisting or lifting for quite some time after surgery.
Another problem from laying on my back for a long period of time is that my actual spine where the fusion was done starts hurting really bad. I just can't get any rest at night even when I take a higher does of meds to knock me out I still wake up about every 2 hours in horrible discomfort.
Any suggestions or advice on how to get rest and comfort in bed after this surgery? I am about 3 weeks post-op right now and it seems to just get worse.
I feel like this recovery has been a nightmare for me the past few weeks.
Right after I got home from the hospital I had to go to the ER a few days later because I thought I had hurt something internally really bad getting out of my car. Well while at the ER I picked up a stomach virus and was violently ill with vomiting and the other fun stomach virus symptom for 5 days. I lost over 10lbs in 5 days from being unable to keep food down. So it's just been tough and now that the stomach thing is over it just seems like getting comfortable has been impossible and I need rest!!
I would greatly appreciate any help or advice with dealing after surgery any of you may have to offer.
Thank you!
Shelly
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