fusion process

[asccbodypro]

Just throwing a question out there to everyone who has had their surgery.....

Do you feel that through your recovery you went through stages where you felt as though your fusion was going through the process of fusing more, and if so did it feel different? Maybe sore for a few days or tight. It's a strange question, I'm not even sure if this will make sense to anyone:confused:

I ask because I wonder if this has anything to do with being sore sometimes...just curious. They say there are no stupid questions. This just may be one lol!

[LindaRacine]

Just throwing a question out there to everyone who has had their surgery.....

Do you feel that through your recovery you went through stages where you felt as though your fusion was going through the process of fusing more, and if so did it feel different? Maybe sore for a few days or tight. It's a strange question, I'm not even sure if this will make sense to anyone:confused:

I ask because I wonder if this has anything to do with being sore sometimes...just curious. They say there are no stupid questions. This just may be one lol!

asccbodypro... Not me.

[lapieper]

I call that my healing pain. Some days I itch a lot and my husband scratching doesn't seem to stop the itch. Other days it quits itching as soon as he starts scratching, but I don't tell him that, it feels way too good. I do have good days, and some not so good. Somes days I need to take a nap, so I do! I figure it'll be at least sixt months before I have all the toxins out of my system and the fracture at T3 healed (surgery Mar 09). I try to be kind to myself, not expect too much, too soon. I'm newly retired so don't have a lot of big plans to go anywhere or do anything. Since I can't lift, cleaning the closets is just going to have to wait. And Dr Floyd said I can ride on the Harley, just not very far. Maybe a two-three hour ride. I have to keep reminding my husband that's total, not one way!
Hugs,
Les

[loves to skate]

Hi Susan,
I did and do have a strange feeling in the fusion area on my left side from time to time, and yes, it feels kind of sore sometimes. Maybe it is the muscles moving over the bone. When you walk, you can feel the muscles in your back moving a little. I can feel the fusion on my left side, the convex side of my scoliosis, if I press it with my hand.
Sally

[debbei]

Susan,

I'm at 9 months today. For quite a number of months, if I moved a certain way, I could feel stress in the spine area--and I just knew that I shouldn't move that way. For months, even laying on my side gave me that feeling.

For the last month or two, I wake up in the morning and am able to stretch my back in a way I can't exactly explain (my PT thinks it's by moving my ribs and shoulders) and it doesn't feel like it's putting any excessive or uncomfortable stress on my spine. In my lay opinion, I feel that somehow it's because fusion is taking place.

As far as the tighness, for me I know it's all muscle spasms and is related to me over-doing it at times. Trouble is when I feel really good I forget and overdo. I still haven't learned that lesson. I guess I get carried away with myself. :)

[Shari]

Hi Susan,

I haven't been here for a while, to my regret. Didn't realize how much I missed this.

We all explain our pain in different ways, so it's hard to give an answer. But, I used to explain that for the first several months it felt like I had 2 2X6's in there. Then 2 2X4's, and so on. My surgeries were in May '05, most of the time now I don't even notice them. I'm T-1 to L-5. Winter time is a different story.


If I'm not mistaken, you're about 4 months post? Give yourself time, I know how hard it is to have that kind of worry, questions and nothing to compare it to. Things do get better. And never forget that your Dr. is phone call away!!!

Regards,
Shari

[doodie]

Hi Susan,

I am 5 1/2 & 4 1/2 months out from my surgeries and just had a follow-up appointment yesterday where I was encouraged to see fusing starting in the lumbar area...Yea! I am not aware of that feeling of fusion. At this point I am not on pain medicine except for the occasional Aleve and extra strength Tylenol... Before my surgery, when I read posts on here of so many people who were living 'pain-free' post-surgery, I could hardly believe it to be true. It just didn't seem possible. However, I am living proof that it can be true!

The main discomfort I have now is due to muscle tightness as Debbe reported, just in my upper back and neck area. Until about a month ago I could not really control my back or abdominal muscles at all. My brain was moving them but in reality nothing was happening. I was elated when one day as I got out of bed as I stood up I tensed my stomach muscles and I could feel things working again - at the same time the back muscles along my spine were also flexing! It was just so great I nearly cried. I have now been cleared to start physical therapy - who knew I would be so excited! :p

The one area I have some occassional mild pain issues is the area above my c-section incision from the anterior surgery the skin/tissue hurts, not deep pain from the spine. Compaired to the pain at first it's almost a non-issue, but considering everything they did there, I understand why it might still hurt at times. It goes away as mysteriously as it comes so I don't worry too much.

I definitely attribute any other discomfort to over-doing it, which I tend to do nearly every day. :rolleyes: I think maybe we expect too much from ourselves at times. I am working on my stamina because we are planning another ballroom dance class beginning in October!