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  • another Sugery Date thread

    Hello all. First I would like to say reading everyones experiences on here really helps me, and thank you all for being here. Secondly, I thought, since all you have shared your story, I will share mine with you. Now, I'm 19 years old, and male. I saw my surgeon, Finn Stig Jacobsen, on Tuesday, and we set the day of surgery for May 1st. Here are the details. I have a thoracic (sp?) curve of 51 degrees. He told me he's going to be working with a team of doctors, and the opperation will last around 2-3 hours. Compared to all the other stories I have read, I believe this is the fastest time I have heard. Also, they will be fusing about 9 vertabre, I think from T-2 to T-11. He also doesn't think I will need blood, and if I do he said Wisconsin has good blood. But I dont care, I am going to donate my own blood. I asked him what I would be hooked up too comming out of surgery, and he said I would be hooked up to that morphine thing, with the button. Thats it. Thats also surprised me. Hmm...I think thats the bulk of it. If I remember anything else, I will be sure to add to it. Any questions, just ask, or if you have anything to say, please do.
    Last edited by lbloodojunkieg; 03-09-2006, 02:20 AM.

  • #2
    Another thing. My doctor told me I wouldn't be put in a brace afterwards. I thought the majority of people are, and it would make me feel better to be in one, to make sure I dont mess anything up.

    Comment


    • #3
      Hi There and welcome. If you are looking for support, you are in the right place. I am also having surgery in May and I know how reassuring it can be to know that there are others who have been there before me.

      If you think you would feel more secure in a post-surgical, talk to your doctor about it. I could be wrong, but I don't see how it would be a bad thing.

      Wishing you the best of luck,
      Brandi
      Brandi
      Congenital Scoliosis, 58* lumbar curve
      Combined Anterior/Posterior Spinal Fusion w/Laminectomy May 22, 2006
      L1-S1
      Dr. William Lauerman
      Georgetown University Hospital, Washington, DC
      Pedicle Subtraction Osteotomy @ L3, Posterior Spinal Fusion L2-L4, rod removal with re-instrumentation T10-S1 and Laminectomy February 5, 2009 to correct flatback
      http://brandi816.wordpress.com/

      Comment


      • #4
        Hi and Welcome to the forum. I'm 7 weeks post-op today and wear a brace 23 hours a day for a T6-L3 fusion. What my doctor told me was that I would need a brace because part of my Lumbar region is fused. The Lumbar portion of your back has the most movement which is why a brace was required. Since you are getting your thoracic portion fused a brace shouldn't be necessary.

        As for the blood transfusion, I highly recommend donating a pint of your own blood. I bled very little during my 3hr surgery and didn't require my blood at the time of surgery. However due to the morphine and vicadin I was taking my blood pressure was quite low for a couple days post surgery and wasn't going back up. They decided to give me back my blood through a transfusion 4 days post-op and I must say it gave me my strength back.

        Let me know if you have any questions. Good luck!

        ~Carrie

        Comment


        • #5
          I am 4 weeks post-op and my whole lumbar region has been fused. My consultant does not recommend a brace in most cases due to the fact that your muscles become weaker when you wear one - so I don't have one.

          It seems to vary from consultant to consultant, and as far as I can gather, the end result seems to be the same for the patient. Maybe I will have to be a bit more careful though?

          I too had a blood transfusion at 6 days post op due to an allergic reaction to tramadol (although I did lose some blood during surgery). I did not donate my own blood but it was still OK.

          I had the morphine thing with the button after surgery (PCA pump) but also had intravenous painkillers for the first 3 days as well.

          As to the length of your surgery, I think thoracic only fusion is a bit quicker than ones involving lumbar curves so don't worry that your surgeon is a speed demon!

          Hope all this info is a help and good luck with it all.

          One more thing - Spinewhine had a curve very similar to yours and has a very good blog you might like to read:

          http://spinewhine.blogspot.com/
          Double 63(T)/75(L) deg curve with big sideways shift - Surgery in UK on 8th February 2006.
          Post op 30(T)/33(L)
          http://warpedwoman.blogspot.com/

          Comment


          • #6
            Thank you all for your replies. The more information I have, the better, and it helps. bbest, your name is Brandi and your having surgery in May? Wierd, my name is Brandi also, and surgery is in May. haha cool. For those of you post op, how many vertabre did they fuse? Also, how are you comming along? How much pain are you in and whatnot. I am thinking that 9 vertabre isnt that much. I may be wrong. The doctor also said he would only have to cut me open on the top of my back. Im happy about that, because from what I understand, the smaller the incision, and the shorter the operation time, the faster recovery is. Am I right? Do any you of you smoke? I smoke, and my doctor told me he would like me to quit at least a month before surgery. He said some surgeons dont even operate on smokers. I am kinda worried that I wont be able to quit, but Im going to try my hardest because I want everything to go as smoothly as possible. Plus it's bad for your health. But did you or someone you know smoke up until surgery? Again, thank you everyone for replying. And thanks for the blog link. Its really helpfull.
            Last edited by lbloodojunkieg; 03-09-2006, 01:23 PM.

            Comment


            • #7
              Hopefully I can address some of your points. I had 9 vertebrea fused, my incision pretty much goes along the entire length of my back, in addition to that incision I also have a horizontal incision on my lower left side over my pelvis which is where they took my bone graft from. Will you be having bone taken as well? I will say that the bone graft from my pelvis was more painful then the fusion from a recovery stand point. To this day I'm still pretty tendor and numb over where they took the bone.

              As far as the length of recovery time, it really depends on the person. Age is a factor but I believe you said you were 19 so you should have a speady recovery. I was one of the lucky ones, I'm 28 and really have had a great recovery, I was able to walk a mile on my treadmill by week 2 which was my big accomplishment and off pain meds by week 3. However, your smoking may have an impact on your recovery. My surgeon refused to operate on any patient that was a smoker, I believe the reason being was that smoking prevents good bone growth, and even though your surgery may only take a few hours, it really takes months for bone to really fuse, so that might be one thing you ask your doctor about. This wouldn't be a bad time to kick the habit all together! ;-)

              Just my 2 cents!

              Comment


              • #8
                I totally agree with the smoking. Since I am going to try and quit for the surgery, I am going to try and quit for good. For some reason, I dont WANT to quit though, but I know its for the best. I smoke weed also, and Im not sure what I am going to do. Its like Im going to make a whole lifestyle change, which I don't really want to do. Again, I'm still going to try and kick my habits altogether. It really is for the best. I also found out the same day that i scheduled my surgery that my grandpa has emphasyma (sp?), so theres another reason for me to quit. About the bone graft, I asked the doctor what he was going to use, and he said there going to use a cadaver bone. I have read that using someone elses bone increases the risk of infection, but my doctor said otherwise.I have mixed feelings about it. On one hand, I would want the cadaver bone because of the pain (like you have said), but I do not want an infection. Question: Did you do any exercises before surgery to prepare? What about after? My doc told me not to exercise because it will be harder to rip the muscle off of my spine. I agree with that, but I read somewhere that building your abs up really helps. Thanks for your help.

                Comment


                • #9
                  Abs and legs being stronger helps, but the weirdest and most annoying thing happened to me. I had revision surgery this last December and my legs were nice and hard, since I exercised a lot by walking or stationary biking; but I didn't walk for only two days post op and when I started walking again, I had NO muscles left and my legs were so soft, so all that work in my case didn't do much, but it does help as far as stamina and for the lungs.

                  They also took two pints of my blood prior to surgery, but didn't give me any back after, and ohh Lord my head was spinning so much for two weeks and I was very weak. Good thing I took iron pills before and after and I ate like a horse.
                  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


                  • #10
                    Hi Brandi!

                    That is so cool, both of us having the same name and all. And we are both having surgery in May. What a coincidence!

                    While I am not a smoker, my surgeon explained that those patients who do must quit before the surgery because there is a significant chance that the bone will not fuse. Apparently smoking and bone growth do not mix.

                    I hope you will consider quitting at least before your surgery.

                    I'm curious, how old are you? The reason I ask is that my mom loved that song "Brandy" by the Looking Glass that came out in the 70's. I'm 32 btw.

                    Take Care,
                    Brandi
                    Congenital Scoliosis, 58* lumbar curve
                    Combined Anterior/Posterior Spinal Fusion w/Laminectomy May 22, 2006
                    L1-S1
                    Dr. William Lauerman
                    Georgetown University Hospital, Washington, DC
                    Pedicle Subtraction Osteotomy @ L3, Posterior Spinal Fusion L2-L4, rod removal with re-instrumentation T10-S1 and Laminectomy February 5, 2009 to correct flatback
                    http://brandi816.wordpress.com/

                    Comment


                    • #11
                      Brandi...

                      Nevermind about the age thing. I read your original post and see that you are 19 years old.
                      Brandi
                      Congenital Scoliosis, 58* lumbar curve
                      Combined Anterior/Posterior Spinal Fusion w/Laminectomy May 22, 2006
                      L1-S1
                      Dr. William Lauerman
                      Georgetown University Hospital, Washington, DC
                      Pedicle Subtraction Osteotomy @ L3, Posterior Spinal Fusion L2-L4, rod removal with re-instrumentation T10-S1 and Laminectomy February 5, 2009 to correct flatback
                      http://brandi816.wordpress.com/

                      Comment


                      • #12
                        Hello, thanks for your reply. I am in the process of quitting right now. Smoking that is. I have had 2 cigarettes the past 4 days. Do you by any chance know if marijuana will interfere will bone growth also? If not dont worry about it. While I have stopped smoking, I still smoke marijuana. My doctor said I should quit smoking cigarettes because I need as much oxygen in my blood as possible, he never said anything about smoking after surgery. But I have read that smoking interferes with everything, so I am going to quit for good. What day is your surgery? Mine is the first. Thanks again for your help!

                        Comment


                        • #13
                          may surgery also

                          I'm scheduled for May 8th in NY. It's scary. Lets all keep in touch regards to what we need to do before and after surgery. I don't smoke and will stop drinking and taking Tylenol and anything else I usually do just so my body will be as healthy as it can before surgery.
                          Jenn
                          37 y/o female
                          60 degree lumbar
                          45 degree thoracic
                          1st time anterior/posterior surgery May 8th and 10th 2006
                          T 5 to S 1
                          NYC

                          Comment


                          • #14
                            Originally posted by summer
                            I'm scheduled for May 8th in NY. It's scary. Lets all keep in touch regards to what we need to do before and after surgery. I don't smoke and will stop drinking and taking Tylenol and anything else I usually do just so my body will be as healthy as it can before surgery.
                            Sounds good. How old are you and what is your curve? It is scary, and I dread the day that May is here. The day will come all too soon. It's good to hear you are staying away from alcohol. I too realize the importance of getting your body as healthy as possible for the surgery. The way I see it is, the short time we have to suffer from not doing the things we normally do (you drink, me smoke) is worth it, compared to maybe having another surgery from the bone not fusing, or whatever else comes along with smoking or drinking. Better to do this right the first time. My email is LbloodojunkieG@yahoo.com Id love to hear from anybody

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