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    I have so many. I am keeping track of them for my surgeon when I go back. My question is, when do you know if you have to wear a brace after surgery? I really didn't know this was even a possibilityuntil reading some of the posts. I am 38 and it is bringing horrible flashbacks of having to wear my boston brace in junior high.
    How many of you wore a brace religously? I ditched mine as often as possible. I moved when I started high school and just refused to wear it to school.
    Thanks in advance for any input.
    PS I am much less vain now, Just want to be pain free.
    surgery 9/06
    Rothman institute

  • #2
    hey Dawney---I just assumed I would have to wear one after surgery from hearing about it from other patients of my Dr. (Boachie) It sounds like it is meant as a reminder not to bend or twist & for support.............Ly
    it will be hot in August........

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    • #3
      Brace after surgery

      Hi Dawney,

      Ask your Dr. I did not have to wear a brace of any type. I am fused from T10 to L4. My Dr. said "you have an internal brace." I think different Drs. do what they think is best, and it might depend on the extent of your surgery or maybe how in shape you are? Not sure, but I was sure glad to hear I didn't need one. Trust me you won't need one to remind yourself to not twist or bend, it's on your mind all the time! Best wishes.

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      • #4
        It depends on the doctor. I didn't wear any but a soft one for the first surgery.

        I wore my Boston brace religiously between 13 and 15 when I was not sexy or feminine at all (I was pretty wild and on the punkrocker side), so it was covered under my loose clothes an jackets, but when I hit 16 I started to ditch it sometimes, as I started wearing more tight fitting clothes and was sick of the pain it gave me, so I know what you mean.
        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

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        • #5
          Hi Dawney,

          I wore the Milwakee brace in 1972 through approx. 1976, (I think?) and I also got out of it as often as I could. Especially at school, my 3rd period class was near my locker and I would go to the restroom and take it off and put it in the locker. There was no way to hide that brace in clothing because the back 2 bars stuck out so far. I never minded the rest of it, but everyone called me the hunchback.

          I found out that I had to wear the turtle shell brace when my doctor told me exactly what the surgery was going to entail. I made the mistake of not having it properly fitted before I left the hospital and it made for a miserable first 2 months. I only took it off to take a shower. I think I was in it for approx. 4 months.

          Shari
          Last edited by Shari; 06-24-2006, 11:23 PM.

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          • #6
            Dawney,

            I didn't have any bracing after any of the surgeries.
            Theresa

            April 8 & 12, 2004 - Anterior/Posterior surgery 15 hours & 7 hours
            Thorasic - 79 degree down to 22
            Lumbar - 44 degree down to 18
            Fused T2 to sacrum
            June 2, 2005 - Pedicle subtraction osteotomy @L3 7 hours
            MAY 21, 2007 - Pedicle subtraction osteotomy @ L2, extended the fusion to S2 and added pelvic instrumentation 9 hours

            FUSED T2 - SACRUM 2

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            • #7
              I had to wear my hard plastic brace for 6 months, the whole time unless I was lying down. Unpleasant at first, though it did make me feel a bit safer, as though it was holding me together. By the end of the 6 months I was sorry to see it go because I still had a lot of pain, and I miss it sometimes now for the support it gave me (threw it out when I finally got rid of it). It wasn't very evident under loose clothing unless someone hugged me!

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              • #8
                Like Suzy, i didn't have to wear a brace of any kind either. My dr. also said that with all the instrumentation that i wouldn't need one. Sure was relieved, but hope it was the right decision.

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                • #9
                  I was initally told that I had to wear it for 3 months. One day while still in the hospital, my surgeon told me I was going downstairs for x-rays and that he did not want me to wear it. I looked at him as if he had suddenly grown 5 heads! I started to say, "but what if" and he stopped me and said, "You'll be fine. You won't get hurt without it."

                  From then on, I wore it only when I was out of bed and walking around alot. After 3 weeks, I hardly wore it at all except for trips outside of the house. If I went out in public, I wore it if for no other reason than to 'protect' my back. At my 7 week appt. my surgeon asked if I was ready to put it away for good....I was shocked and said, "I think I'll wear it home one last time"....I had a 45 minute drive and was a little worried about how I would feel driving without it....I got home, put it in the basement and haven't looked back!

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