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  • getting back to normal after surgery

    Hey everyone!

    I wanted to ask some questions cause I know most of you have been through this surgery and recovered. I had the surgery with the anterior approach on my left side. They removed part of one rib and went through my abdominal area to reach my spine. I'm fused from T12-L4.
    Surgery was on 1/4/06 and before surgery my doc said it might be about a month or a little more that I would be out of comission and off work. Well I've had a slow healing process and I'm now 2 months post op and still not feeling that great yet. I'm still on pain meds, but trying not to take as often as I was at first. I'm still at home recovering hopefully able to return to work soon. Still having a hard time walking, can't walk near as fast as I could before surgery and it's feels like I really have to push myself to walk any real long distance. Sitting hurts pretty bad if I sit longer than about 20 minutes. This sucks because it really keeps me restricted to either walking or laying down. I've gone out with my husband to a few restaurants since surgery and I am in horrible pain trying to make it through a meal at a restaurant sitting. My energy level is pretty low and I just keep thinking when will it get better. When will I be able to become more active and normal again?

    I spend most of my days at home resting in bed and getting up about once an hour to walk around the house to stretch my legs. The last 2 weeks I've been really trying to get out of the house once a day for a walk around my neighborhood. Then I'm so worn out after I have to lay down for a while.

    I have to say I haven't been that active since surgery, well at least not until the last 2 weeks.

    Does anyone have any advice for me? Or is this normal for it to take so long and still have a lot of pain and a hard time getting around?

    I guess before surgery I had the idea that I'd be functional after about a month. I mean I didn't think I'd be fully active but at least able to sit in a chair, walk around with out pain and do some normal things.

    Sorry for the long post, I'm just really frustrated and need to vent about this!!
    Thanks for your help.
    Shelly
    Anterior Spinal Fusion and titanium rod and screws inserted to correct 45 degree thoracolumbar curve from T12 - L4 on 1/4/06.

  • #2
    I was 30 at the time of my surgery and was out of work for 3 months. Everything you are describing (pain when sitting too long, having to walk very slowly, laying down most of the day, etc) sounds exactly like what I was going through last year at this time following my surgery. We all heal differently and so I'm sure the timeline your surgeon gave you was a general timeline for people with similar fusions, but something is telling your body to take it slower. My surgeon told me I'd be out of work for 3 months and I went back at 11 weeks...my body wasn't ready, but I went back part time for the following 8 weeks before feeling like I could make it through an entire day. It's all normal and I know it's frustrating, but the best way to heal is to let your body do what it can and only when it's ready. By 6 months post-op, I felt GREAT!

    A bit of advice when you're at a restaurant...get up from the table before the meal arrives and when your finished eating and take walk around. This will help alleviate the soreness from sitting too long.

    Keep your chin up girl! It gets better...I promise!

    Comment


    • #3
      I can certainly sympathize with you. My doctor said I would be off work about 3 months, but I just went back to work and it's been a little over 5 months since my surgery. Like Heidi said, you just have to listen to your body and take it as it comes. As I have progressed over the last few months I can really tell I was not ready to go back to work until now. I am much stronger now, but it is still not a piece of cake! Best of luck to you.

      Comment


      • #4
        Heidi and JudyK,

        Thank you for your experiences. It's nice to know I'm not alone in how long it is taking. I see so many people posting that they are great in 3 weeks or back to work in a month etc. And I get discouraged because I'm like why am I so different and most of these other people had more spine fused!

        But I am learning every person heals differently. Thank you again for your support!
        Shelly
        Anterior Spinal Fusion and titanium rod and screws inserted to correct 45 degree thoracolumbar curve from T12 - L4 on 1/4/06.

        Comment


        • #5
          It took me at least 5 or 6 months to start getting good days, meaning sitting or standing for a while without hurting too much, and at least a year to a year and a half to get back to more of a normalcy. It also differs with how you were fused, wether the bone graft was taken from your hip, and so many other things like sleep, etc. I used to walk everyday and even went to the pool to walk and stretch, but my recovery was very long and after I talked to another lady who had the same surgery, it encouraged me b/c she took the same time to heal and described all the same symptoms. So eventually it gets better, and the energy does too, just don't stop walking and moving around. Also, don't despair when you have a bad day of more pain and then you get better, it's a roller coaster ride. I also discovered I had anemia years later, so you can get your iron levels checked to be sure all is well there b/c iron defficiency can slow you down a LOT, as I learned the hard way.

          You do what you can and take your time. Only you know what you feel and no doctor can tell you how fast you can recover, even if most will give a round number like three months or so.
          35 y/old female from Montreal, Canada
          Diagnosed with scoliosis(double major) at age 12, wore Boston brace 4 years at least 23 hours a day-curve progressed
          Surgery age 26 for 60 degree curve in Oct. 1997 by Dr.Max Aebi-fused T5 to L2
          Surgery age 28 for a hook removal in Feb. 1999 by Dr.Max Aebi-pain free for 5 years
          Surgery age 34 in Dec.2005 for broken rod replacement, bigger screws and crosslinks added and pseudarthrosis(non union) by Dr. Jean Ouellet

          Comment


          • #6
            What can I say except...don't get discouraged! Everyone is correct in saying that everyone heals at a different rate. I used to get depressed (and I am NOT a depressed type of person) when I would read how well someone was doing at the same post-op time as me. However, I learned that I am different from everyone else (??) and they are different from me. Just listen to your body and don't dispare...you are not alone! Linda

            Comment


            • #7
              hi, i only started to feel better after the physio therapy, after knowing what i can and can't do, before the physio i was very very careful when moving but after physio i was amaized on what i could do. don't worry you'll feel better sooner or later. just don't push too hard on your body.
              hope you feel better soon.
              22 years old female, Surgery date: 30 March 2005
              Posterior Fusion with MOSS Miami System: T10-L3
              Lumbar curve: pre-op 50 degrees, post-op 12 degrees

              Comment


              • #8
                Hi Curvy,

                I hope this makes you feel a little better. I am now 9 months post-op, and I am no where near what I thought my recovery time was going to be. I have been very reluctant to share my experiences regarding my recovery, for fear of discouraging people considering the surgery. I get better and better each week now, but not yet 100%.

                The owners at my place of business have been holding my job for me all this time, for which I have been extremely grateful. This past Tues. night they called me and asked me if I would come help out. I was no where close to being able to do what I had been able to do before. I lasted about 5 hours and then I had to stop. The flood of emotions this has created for me has been sobering. I am very depressed right now. I just don't know where to turn from here. I guess I just felt like whining a little bit, sorry.

                Shari
                Last edited by Shari; 03-05-2006, 12:23 AM.

                Comment


                • #9
                  shari,
                  I wish you all the best on your recovery... do you still have pain at 9 mths( & using pain killers?)? you seem to be the same age as me so was wondering? I guess I'm in a dream world thinking I'll be doing good by 4 mths after surgery........

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    Hi Lynne,

                    Yes, we are the same age. I have been hesitant to discuss my recovery on this board because I didn't want anyone to get discouraged. I have been reading your posts and your blog. Please don't get down now!!!

                    You already know each surgery and recovery is different. To answer your question on my pain---I do still have pain, but it's not the same pain I had before the surgery. I still do take some meds.

                    But in all honesty, my Dr. told me "straight up" that it would take me 6 months to a year to recover. What has Dr. Boachie told you? I was in the turtle brace for a while too.

                    Shari

                    Comment


                    • #11
                      Hey everyone!

                      Thank you all so much for sharing this all with me. Sometimes I get so angry and even depressed that I feel so bad. But it is good to know this is normal and not all people are as quick to heal and jump back into life.

                      I guess for me it's really hard because I was such a social person before and very happy all the time.

                      Shari-
                      I'm really sorry to hear you have had such a tough time recovering I can understand how it must feel. I'll pray for you and if you ever feel like venting please know you can vent to me.

                      Wow this forum is just amazing. And I can say it has been one of the things that I enjoy about my recovery because I feel like no matter what my problem is I have someone or many to talk to about it. We've all been through so much with our surgeries and struggles with scoliosis it's nice to be able to share it with others who have been through it.
                      Shelly
                      Anterior Spinal Fusion and titanium rod and screws inserted to correct 45 degree thoracolumbar curve from T12 - L4 on 1/4/06.

                      Comment


                      • #12
                        Hi Shelly,

                        I want to thank you very much for your very kind and thoughtful offer. I was touched. I also want you to know that I am not typically a whiner. I was having a down day. I usually am not one to complain because I know so many people have much worse conditions than I do.

                        You have a good heart,
                        Shari

                        Comment


                        • #13
                          Hello Shari...

                          Like I mentioned before, I also took a long time to recover but I got better and better with each passing month and even year. After one year of my first surgery, I had to have one hook removed and that helped so much, so there was no wonder that it took longer to recover. Also, I wore a soft brace, wich is not as rigid of course as other plastic ones, but I believe that even if it helped me for those first months to sit up straight and be able to support my new back, it does cause some muscle atrophy and it took longer to make not only my back muscles stronger after but also my upper and lower region of my back muscles where I was not fused. Swimming and walking helped so much.

                          I think that wether you or somebody else feels down or discouraged b/c they're not recuperating as fast as they want to should feel comfortable to post what their thoughts are, and on the contrary it could help a lot of people who feel discouraged if they're in pain. I know that after talking about my experiences with the surgery and pain with other people who had fusions in real life, that we're very similar in our experiences and that sometimes we don't feel like "complaining" in order to not discourage ourselves and others. But IMO it's good to know all the realities of this surgery, I know I preferred knowing b/c that encouraged me more and made me realize that it's not easy but things can always get better, with patience and determination.

                          Take care
                          Last edited by sweetness514; 03-05-2006, 05:29 PM.
                          35 y/old female from Montreal, Canada
                          Diagnosed with scoliosis(double major) at age 12, wore Boston brace 4 years at least 23 hours a day-curve progressed
                          Surgery age 26 for 60 degree curve in Oct. 1997 by Dr.Max Aebi-fused T5 to L2
                          Surgery age 28 for a hook removal in Feb. 1999 by Dr.Max Aebi-pain free for 5 years
                          Surgery age 34 in Dec.2005 for broken rod replacement, bigger screws and crosslinks added and pseudarthrosis(non union) by Dr. Jean Ouellet

                          Comment


                          • #14
                            Hi Sweetness,

                            Thank you for your encouragement. I don't want to give the wrong impression, I am getting better all the time, I can see it and feel it. After working for the first time in 9 months on Tues, it took me 3 days to recover from the pain of it. By Sat., I felt a lot better and got my more postitive attitude back. I manage a restaurant, and in retrospect, 5 hours of non-stop walking, lifting, and no sitting down, I feel that I did pretty well. I think I was more frustated that I could not perform the same as before.

                            I know it's going to take time for me to build back up to the 10-14 hour shifts.
                            I feel blessed to have owners that are willing to let me do that.

                            But it it also comforting to know that other people aren't right back at it after 3 or 4 months!!!

                            Thank you,
                            Shari

                            Comment


                            • #15
                              Wow Shari! I had no idea you had such a physical job. I'm sure it's disheartening to have such a slow recovery, but the fact that you can work in a physical job is amazing by itself. Hope you take it slow!

                              Regards,
                              Linda
                              Never argue with an idiot. They always drag you down to their level, and then they beat you with experience. --Twain
                              ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                              Surgery 2/10/93 A/P fusion T4-L3
                              Surgery 1/20/11 A/P fusion L2-sacrum w/pelvic fixation

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