Anybody here with scoliosis AND arthritis??

[Singer]

I was wondering if any of my middle-aged post-op friends had to deal with arthritis issues as you were healing. I have mild arthritis in my joints -- hips and knees especially, and of course in my spine. This morning as I was stumbling and staggering out of bed , I couldn't help wondering how in the world I would manage to move AT ALL after surgery when I'm already pretty compromised on a good day! Once I'm up and about, I'm good to go..but getting started is tough...

thanks....
Chris (the worrywart)

[dawney]

I do have arthritiis although not middle aged hahah. The docs didnt really say anything about it that I can remember.

[lelc2002@yahoo]

Chris--unfortunately, the surgery can't take away our arthritis pain....Right now I can't tell arthritic pain from surgery pain but time will tell. I know I just physically feel a lot better since the operation...
I can tell you that my knees are getting a major work out since that's the only way I can bend! Ly

[Cakedec]

Hi Chris.

You are right, the after-surgery pain is dull, achey and stiff just like the pre-surgery arthritis pain. Makes it hard to tell, except that you know the new places have to be from the surgery. I was on celebrex until 2 weeks before surgery; that's out now and tylenol never did anything to help arthritis. I have it in my neck, lumbar spine, and sacro-iliac joints. But the surgery and straightness are worth it.

Mornings are VERY SLOW moving! I rarely go anywhere before noon. Then in the evening I need to rest again. Things are getting better, just slowly.

Deb
age 47
posterior surgery 7/24/06
for T70,L76
30 degree correction
DON'T WAIT!!

[katblack]

I have arthritis as well in my hips and I can definitely tell the difference between post surgery pain and that.
It's a totally different kind of pain and like the poster above me, Tylenol never helped with it before and it's most certainly not helping me now.

I knew that surgery wouldn't take that pain away. I knew that surgery was not a guarantee of all pain relief but it was a risk I had to take.
For the most part, I feel much better than I did pre-surgery but still have my off days.

[Celeste]

I have scoliosis and arthritis. I don't know where my new pain is coming from. I know the pain meds just about get me through the day and by the end I am crabby and teary eyed. I had my surgery 1 year ago.

Celeste

[Singer]

Thanks for replies....

Celeste, sorry you're still having so much pain. What does your surgeon think about it?

[judyk]

Chris, if I may ask, how old are you? I am 50, and am 1 year postop from scoliosis revision surgery. All I know is that because I have not been able to bend at the waist for so long it seems my knees are almost shot. I wonder if knee replacements are greater in scoliosis surgery patients. I know I have osteoarthritis in my knees.

[Singer]

Hi Judy, I'm 51. I was doing great til I hit 50, then started to fall apart as my curve began to progress dramatically. I'm very worried about having to bend at the knees because my knees are already a bit iffy. That's an excellent point about a higher incidence of knee-replacement surgery among people with fusions....I wonder!!

[sweetness514]

Grabbers

They can help instead of always bending at the knees, for picking up certain things(not everything I know).

I know it's not fun being in pain, but bending is so overrated