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  • Pain from a bone stimulator?

    Hi everyone,

    I posted a couple of days ago regarding severe muscle/nerve pain between my collar bone and shoulder blade. The pain has gone down a lot, but it is still there and is actually worse when I lay down. When I touch the area that hurts it causes pain and feels like a strained/swollen muscle.

    I received my bone stimulator last Tuesday and I had the horrible pain that night. Today, I had the stimulator on for about an hour and was in pain the whole time it was on. Once I took it off, the pain almost went away completely. I'm laying down now and it still hurts when I breathe in. My mom was worried it was pulmonary embolism. Should I call on surgeon or see my family doctor?

    Thanks,

    Shell
    Chemist, 30

    1998- 18 degrees
    2003- 33 degrees
    2005- 37 degrees
    2006- 44 degrees
    May 2007- 47 degrees
    December 2007 - 50 degrees X-ray

    Surgery May 27, 2008
    Fused T1 to L2
    Curve corrected to 15 degrees X-ray

  • #2
    Shell ... babe, with all the issues you've had, I'm a lil' amazed you even have to ask this.

    YES, call your surgeon (first thing Monday!), and don't even screw around with your GP. What valid insight could s/he possibly provide? Find out for sure what it is, and don't put yourself in the position for a setback ... PLEASE.

    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

    Comment


    • #3
      I agree that you should call your surgeon. I don't know about you, but in the past year or so, I decided that GP/Family doctors aren't really good at the complicated things. Cold/Flu's/Virus's, yes they can deal with effectively. Less common things that they don't have so much exposure to--not so much. Any wierd thing that comes up in your back, I'd definitely call the surgeon. That's what they are there for.

      I hope the pain goes away. ((Hug))
      __________________________________________
      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


      • #4
        Yes, Shell-- please contact your surgeon this morning. Even if your family doctor is super, he/she still wouldn't be aware of complications that might come up from your fusion surgery. With the magnitude of this surgery, and your history of having other problems, you need to let your surgeon know what's happening and let him decide what needs to be done. Keep us posted. we're concerned. Hugs, Susie
        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

        Comment


        • #5
          Shell ... Debbe and Susie's posts were quite a bit more eloquent than mine (thanks, ladies - LOL ... I'd fallen asleep at 9:30 and *boing!* - was up at 1:00 a.m. for a few hours. I have even less finesse than usual posting half asleep ).

          They hit the nail on the head about GP's, Shell.

          Consider this: There can be post-op issues (mostly minor, but still ...) related to fusion surgery that would confuse regular orthos. *Sometimes* there are questions our own surgeons can't definitively answer (except for in the broad sense of serious/not serious).

          GP's might know a little about a lot of things, but quite often they're clueless about the details of specific conditions/surgeries. Certainly, your GP would be clueless to the issues *you've* had since surgery. That's not to say he's inept (or anything of the sort) ... it just isn't his area.

          I saw my GP last month for a yearly checkup. You know that look someone has, how they do a lot of nodding, and murmur "hmmm" and "uh-huh" ( a lot) when you're talking over their head? Rather than admit they have no clue - and/or ask questions to *get* a clue - they'd prefer to have you believe (they *think*, anyway) you think they know what you mean?

          My GP had that EXACT response when I told him I'd had recent fusion surgery, and made some pretty dumb comments about scoliosis (trying to appear informed on the topic).

          Now, does this mean I won't see him next time I suspect a sinus infection? Of course I will, and I'll have faith in his treatment. But will I *ever* let him treat anything I suspect might be tied to this surgery? NO. (I'd like to believe he wouldn't even TRY.)

          Debbe and Susie also said two things I neglected to add in my wee hours initial post, that I, too, am concerned - and am sorry you're in pain.

          Another thing I'm going to mention, and feel free to tell me to shut up ...

          You've mentioned in previous posts your Mom told you you weren't doing enough (and then, consequently, you overdid it - and paid the price), and now she's guessing at things like "it may be a pulmonary embolism" when you have pain.

          Shell, you're a big girl, and at 26 years old you need to be in charge of your own body. You had MAJOR surgery 6 weeks ago, and have passed out more than once. You are not obligated to let anyone (except your surgeon) tell you what you should be doing, nor to diagnose what might be going on now. I'm sure she means well, but at some point you may need to gently tell your mother YOU are in charge of your recovery, NOT her.

          Now quit reading the forum and call your surgeon's office if you haven't already!

          Big hugs,
          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

          Comment


          • #6
            Thanks Pam, Debbei, and Susie! I really appreciate your responses. I called my surgeon yesterday morning and left a message. I was outside for about 20 minutes today and that was when my surgeon called me back. I'll probably hear from him again tomorrow. I'm guessing he doesn't think it's anything serious since he has delayed calling me back. Thankfully, the pain is pretty much gone when I'm up and about. It only seems to come back when I laying down for an extended period of time (woke me up last night).
            I haven't used the bone stimulator since Sunday as I think it may be somehow connected to the pain.

            I've been feeling pretty good otherwise. I cut back on my pain meds again yesterday but that may not have been the greatest of ideas as I'm in a good bit of pain now. I've also been having headaches (maybe withdrawl from the pain meds?) For some reason fruit does not agree with me. Whenever I eat any type I throw up.

            Pam, regarding my mom, it's a complicated relationship and it's a miracle that we're actually friends now (long story that would probably bore you). She definitely means well but you're right, I should listen to myself more.

            Thanks again gals!

            Shell
            Chemist, 30

            1998- 18 degrees
            2003- 33 degrees
            2005- 37 degrees
            2006- 44 degrees
            May 2007- 47 degrees
            December 2007 - 50 degrees X-ray

            Surgery May 27, 2008
            Fused T1 to L2
            Curve corrected to 15 degrees X-ray

            Comment

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