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How do you wake up from posterior surgery?

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  • How do you wake up from posterior surgery?

    Last night I was at my physical therapy and the girl had me laying on my stomach with my face in one of those rubber ring things so my face was down and I wouldn't hurt my neck.

    The PT walked away for a few minutes, and as I lay there feeling slightly claustrophobic, it occurred to me that maybe that's the way you wake up from posterior sugery? I thought wouldn't that be scary if I didn't know where I was what was going on, and not able to move.

    Yes, it's another goofy question coming from Debbe. These things just pop into my head and I need to find out!
    __________________________________________
    Debbe - 50 yrs old

    Milwalkee Brace 1976 - 79
    Told by Dr. my curve would never progress

    Surgery 10/15/08 in NYC by Dr. Michael Neuwirth
    Pre-Surgury Thorasic: 66 degrees
    Pre-Surgery Lumbar: 66 degrees

    Post-Surgery Thorasic: 34 degrees
    Post-Surgery Lumbar: 22 degrees

  • #2
    Debbe,

    You will wake up laying on your back. The staff will turn you over before you leave the OR.

    Chris

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    • #3
      Chris is correct. I don't even remember anything from even before I left the pre-op room. I woke up on my back and really wasn't aware of anything except some discomfort. I couldn't feel my back and I was groggy. I was able to talk to my family but was ready to go back to sleep after some ice chips. I loved the ice chips.
      Geish
      47 years old, dx at 13
      +30* to the right, +60* to the left, +30* to the right
      Surgery 12-13-07 - fusion from T4 to sacrum.


      http://www.scoliosis.org/forum/attac...tachmentid=267 Pre surgery
      http://www.scoliosis.org/forum/attac...tachmentid=268 Post surgery
      http://i156.photobucket.com/albums/t...s/DSC01091.jpg Xray from the side
      http://i156.photobucket.com/albums/t...1089-1-1-1.jpg Xray from the back

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      • #4
        That's good,

        thank you both.
        __________________________________________
        Debbe - 50 yrs old

        Milwalkee Brace 1976 - 79
        Told by Dr. my curve would never progress

        Surgery 10/15/08 in NYC by Dr. Michael Neuwirth
        Pre-Surgury Thorasic: 66 degrees
        Pre-Surgery Lumbar: 66 degrees

        Post-Surgery Thorasic: 34 degrees
        Post-Surgery Lumbar: 22 degrees

        Comment


        • #5
          Your will wake up and you will be on your back or if you ask the might be able to position you on your side with pillows behind you. You will not remember much, just bits and pieces, at least thats the way it was for me. The worst part was the muscle spasms. I didn't have much pain, just the spasms. I will agree that the ice chips are the BEST ever!!!!

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          • #6
            It also seemed like you had a heavy/immobile body... like you couldn't move very easily. (And I couldn't! ) It seemed fine on my back though. I just kind of gradually realized I was awake. Then everything was fine-- or relatively fine.

            I didn't like it AT ALL when they suggested/tried to have me roll on my sides. I preferred staying on my back.

            Before the surgery I wondered how in the world you could lay on your back when it had just been worked on so extensively... but it's not that bad. It's pretty numb and all.

            I didn't have muscle spasms. We're all so different!
            71 and plugging along... but having some problems
            2007 52° w/ severe lumbar stenosis & L2L3 lateral listhesis (side shift)
            5/4/07 posterior fusion T2-L4 w/ laminectomies and osteotomies @L2L3, L3L4
            Dr. Kim Hammerberg, Rush Univ. Medical Center in Chicago

            Corrected to 15°
            CMT (type 2) DX in 2014, progressing
            10/2018 x-rays - spondylolisthesis at L4/L5 - Dr. DeWald is monitoring

            Click to view my pics: pics of scoli x-rays digital x-rays, and pics of me

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            • #7
              Debbe asked ...

              "How do you wake up from posterior surgery?"

              In my case, STARVING, begging for coffee and looking for my cell phone ...

              I was on my back, in no pain, no spasms. Pre-op, I was terrified of how it would feel laying on my back afterwards, but Susie*Bee is right ... the incision is so numb it's a non-issue.

              Although I didn't show bruises where they had me positioned prone on pads during surgery (you can see this on the surgery photos link on my sig), I was sore along the front of my hips for a week or two.

              Also, be prepared for some (the extent varies from person to person) swelling afterwards. Mine was all in my face (I was told later), but I never looked in a mirror so I can't say how swollen I actually was ...

              Regards,
              Pam
              Fusion is NOT the end of the world.
              AIDS Walk Houston 2008 5K @ 33 days post op!


              41, dx'd JIS & Boston braced @ 10
              Pre-op ±53°, Post-op < 20°
              Fused 2/5/08, T4-L1 ... Darrell S. Hanson, Houston


              VIEW MY X-RAYS
              EMAIL ME

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              • #8
                Debbe, I appreciate you asking the questions. Again, it's something I hadn't thought of but I'm glad to have the information.

                Pam, please know I'll be thinking of you today. If you get this before he leaves, please pass along my gratitude for his service to our country.
                Becky, 46 years old
                Diagnosed at 13 with mild scoliosis
                Ignored until 448/07
                Left thoracic 49* T5-T11
                Right thorocolumbar 60* T11-L4
                Surgery Monday, June 9, 2008 Oklahoma Spine Hospital
                Fused T-10 to L-5
                14 titanium pedicle screws
                Corrected to approx. 10* YEA!!!
                Email

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