Surgery Booked for June 18!

[VincySweety]

Well everyone, it's been decided that I'll be having Posterior Spinal Fusion on June 18, 2007. Now that it's for sure I'm so scared!! and I have 4 long months to worry about it. I especially started to worry when they gave me a prescription for the iron tablets that I'll have to start taking 2 months before the surgery and before the blood donation, as well as info booklets for me and my family. They also said they'd call me when I have to come in for my pre-op tests ... so I guess reality just sank in when they told me all that. I guess it's too early to be worrying but I definitely am scared.
Despite being scared though, I definitely feel comfortable with my surgeon. We talked for a long time at her office today and she explained everything to me and answered all of my questions. She also said that if I have any more questions I could call and she would talk to me over the phone. She said she does scoliosis surgery every other week and has been doing it for 13 years, so I'm confident in her abilities.

I'm not sure what levels will be fused yet because she said that I'd do bending x-rays a month before surgery and that's when she'll plan the surgery in exact detail and let me know. But she did mention that because my lumbar curve is compensatory she wouldn't have to go down too much into the lumbar region. Also, she said that she will be using titanium rods not stainless steel ones. Is titanium better?

Oh, I read the info booklet and one of the things it says is that I'll have to take antibiotics anytime I'm going to have dental work done because of the metal that will be in my back... does anyone know what that's about?

Scared and worried,
Nadia

[debigolebiwski]

Good Luck

I want to wish you the very best of luck.

[geo]

Hi Nadia,

I am very happy for you, having a set date and finding a doctor you trust. I totally understand your fears, but I will be honest with you and say I have a bit of envy that you have made it through the first big steps of choosing a doctor, and choosing a day. That's huge!!
I have recently been recommended for surgery myself, so I've been reading all I can. You've probably seen David Wolpert's book about scoliosis surgery recommended elsewhere on this forum, and I think it is a must-read. He's got tons of information, lists the pros and cons of many decisions people with scoliosis face, and of those facing scoliosis surgery. He also touches a bit on the pros and cons of titanium vs. stainless steel (titanium has shown to have "metal memory" in studies, which is a con, but allows MRI's after surgery), stainless steel could produce allergic reactions in those allergic to nickel, and so on.
He also talks about how having your teeth cleaned, etc. releases all sorts of bacteria, hence the antibiotics.
These are the same types of questions I have just e-mailed off to my surgeon. I would suggest the same for you -- your doctor or his/her assistant should be able to answer your questions in depth.

All the best to you!

[Houston Curves]

Good Luck

The best of luck to you! I too hope to have a "date" soon. Email me anytime.

Ann

[LindaRacine]

Hi Nadia...

Titanium is neither better or worse than stainless steel... just different. Titanium is more brittle so can actually break more easily than stainless steel. That's usually not an issue. The big advantage to titanium is that it doesn't interfere with diagnostic tests like an MRI.

Good luck with your surgery.

Regards,
Linda

[bbest]

Nadia -

Best wishes for a successful surgery. It's a big decision, but it sounds like you made the right one for you.

[Suzy]

Hi Nadia,

You do not need to pre med before having dental work done. (That is the taking of antibiotics before dental work.) I am a registered dental assistant here in Calif. The only people who need to pre med are those with mitro valve prolapse or who have transplants. I double checked on this before I had my surgery. Sorry your info booklet is mistaken.

Now that you have a date for your surgery you need to start to think of it as the beginning of a new life as it has been for most of us here. At your age you are going to be up and around in no time at all!! Read back some of my story, at 43 I was back driving at 4 weeks! I was ready to have restrictions lifted at 3 months. You will be fine. Best wishes

[abhbarry]

Congrats on making the BIG decision. I will probably be having surgery around the same time as you, but nothing will be set in stone until March.

Just a thought about pre-medicating for dental work . . . I have to pre-medicate because of my mitrol-valve-prolapse, and apparently my mother was supposed to pre-med after her hip replacements, but only for a while. A couple years out, she does not have to. Quite frankly, my mother doesn't like taking any medications and never pre-medicated for dental work even when the surgeon told her to. Hmm. . .

Best,
Anya

[Houston Curves]

Antibiotics before dental work...

... or anyone who is at an increased risk of endocarditis. One of my twins was very sick in the NICU. She developed a clot in her right atrium, which led to SVC syndrome, which led to more clotting, stroke, etc. Anyway, I have a medical "card" for my wallet that says she can't even have her teeth cleaned without antibiotics. Sorry, I digress...

[Heathmoose]

Since having my surgery, I have been told to pre-medicate before going to the dentist...hmmm, now I wonder if I really need to??? My surgeon's office recommended it and the first time I went to my dentist after surgery, I totally forgot, and when I mentioned what type of surgery I had, they said I had to reschedule b/c I needed to be pre-medicated. Maybe it's just for a precaution.

[VincySweety]

Thank you all so much for your best wishes and for answering my questions

Geo - I got the book and I think it's great!! I think I'm going to get my mom to read it when I'm done because I think it's really informative. Hopefully she will... she used to think ignorance was bliss, but I think she knows better now! I think after realizing how much I read about scoliosis and talk to all of the great people on the forum, she knows now how much better it is to be well informed.

[Suzy]

Do you need to pre med.

Mitro valve prolapse and transplant patients are the MAIN ones we were on the look out for. I didn't mean they were the ONLY ones who needed to pre med. Sorry. There is a list on The Pankey Institute website under hot topics "Do you need antibotics before dental work." The majority of pre medication is for cleanings and root planing. Not for fillings. When you have a cleaning or root planing bacteria around the base and root of the tooth are disturbed and thus can inter the blood stream. (This can also happen in the prep for a crown.) "This can cause bacterial endocarditis in the heart, infection at the site of a replacement joint or complications for other illinesses." (From the Pankey Institute")


My Dr. (Surgeon) said it would be totally unnessary to pre med after this surgery. I also double checked with my Dentist (And previous boss) and he agreed totally.

[spincon58]

WOW,
Congrats on The hardest decision you just made. I remember pondering over that decision because I knew it was up to me to decide .....no one else...The doctors took the surgery as an elective surgery....some elective surgery lol..anyway I wish u good luck..you'll have better quality of life now that your having the surgery...I was rock climbing 6 months after surgery...be brave and dont worry it takes u no where....

[Cena75]

Titanium vs. Stainless Steel - titanium is lighter, and you are less likely to get an allergic reaction to it. My titanium rods were slightly bent to support my large curves when I had my first surgery - they couldn't get 100% correction at the time. Linda, I actually heard it was just as strong overall as stainless steel (from a specialist a long time ago)... I'm not sure, but found some info. on the net:

The two most useful properties of the metal form are corrosion resistance, and the highest strength-to-weight ratio of any metal. [4] In its unalloyed condition, titanium is as strong as steel, but 45% lighter.[5]

Titanium is a strong, light metal. It is as strong as steel and twice as strong as aluminum, but is 45% lighter than steel and only 60% heavier than aluminum. Titanium is not easily corroded by sea water and is used in propeller shafts, rigging and other parts of boats that are exposed to sea water. Titanium and titanium alloys are used in airplanes, missiles and rockets where strength, low weight and resistance to high temperatures are important. Since titanium does not react within the human body, it is used to create artificial hips, pins for setting bones and for other biological implants.

Best wishes for your surgery! Whatever the implants, I wouldn't worry - they'll do the job they're meant to do!
BTW - I never even heard of taking antibiotics before teeth cleaning after you've had scoliosis surgery. I've had my original rods for 18 years and although I couldn't get into a dental chair for about 9 months after the op., and HATE the vibrations from scaling, I never had to medicate. Does anyone have any more info. about this?

[gc10107]

Hey Nadia I'm Goodcharlotte101 off SK I posted too much and got knocked off I think I tried too make another account but it won't work either I can't get into my email either...Anyways I want to wish you the very best of Luck and I hope it all goes well and you make a full recovery I know your scared but it will be worth it in the long run and Good Luck for a smooth recovery and a succsesful operation!