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Cindi Barna/ EDEMA!

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  • Cindi Barna/ EDEMA!

    I had a successful 14 hour back surgery on August 17th, at Hospital for Special Surgery in NY, with Dr. Boachie. I had 5 osteotomies, complete fusions, and much more! I was away for one month, between the hospital and Burke Rehab. My back is mostly OK, still in some pain, not terrible. As a result of this extensive surgery...My only problem is that the edema in my left leg has not gone away since surgery. That is the most painfully annoying thing! My main complaint is the edema, and that I havent had one day free of it yet!!.
    I am concerned that at 12 weeks post op I still have edema!!. PLEASE tell me your stories, or situations after surgery. No one made me aware of this possibility. Is there something else that can be done? I have compression stockings, am on diuretics and potassium pills, and try to elevate my leg when possible.
    Please let me know about yourselves, and how to end this nightmare!
    thank you
    Cindi

  • #2
    Hi Cindi

    I was 9 months along and my ankles were the size of footballs.....It was quite a sight.

    I think it took me about 6 months total for everything to go down.....

    Keep walking and moving. Stay active. It will go down and things will get better!

    Ed
    49 yr old male, now 63, the new 64...
    Pre surgery curves T70,L70
    ALIF/PSA T2-Pelvis 01/29/08, 01/31/08 7" pelvic anchors BMP
    Dr Brett Menmuir St Marys Hospital Reno,Nevada

    Bending and twisting pics after full fusion
    http://www.scoliosis.org/forum/showt...on.&highlight=

    My x-rays
    http://www.scoliosis.org/forum/attac...2&d=1228779214

    http://www.scoliosis.org/forum/attac...3&d=1228779258

    Comment


    • #3
      Edema is actually pretty common. You might want to ask your primary care doctor to evaluate you for lymphedema. I had it after surgery, and it wasn't very much fun.
      Never argue with an idiot. They always drag you down to their level, and then they beat you with experience. --Twain
      ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
      Surgery 2/10/93 A/P fusion T4-L3
      Surgery 1/20/11 A/P fusion L2-sacrum w/pelvic fixation

      Comment


      • #4
        Originally posted by LindaRacine View Post
        Edema is actually pretty common. You might want to ask your primary care doctor to evaluate you for lymphedema. I had it after surgery, and it wasn't very much fun.
        OK
        I will do that. What does it mean? Also what did you feel? Was it the painful edema that I have, shooting pains going down my legs into my foot?

        Comment


        • #5
          Originally posted by titaniumed View Post
          Hi Cindi

          I was 9 months along and my ankles were the size of footballs.....It was quite a sight.

          I think it took me about 6 months total for everything to go down.....

          Keep walking and moving. Stay active. It will go down and things will get better!

          Ed
          Thanks for your answer. I'll keep praying

          Comment


          • #6
            Hi Cindi...

            I just checked it out, and see that Dr. Boachie did your surgery. Since that's the case, I'm assuming that you did not have any anterior approach surgery, which is what caused lyphedema in me. Lymphedema is a disturbance int he lymph tissue that keeps fluids from circulating appropriately. As far as I know, there are no lymph glands in the back, so one could not have a lymph issue from that approach. It was pretty uncomfortable, with ever changing pain patterns, and appeared to be mostly immune to pain medications. I still have a little remaining symptoms, but I've sort of learned to live with it.

            As I mentioned above, edema is pretty common, and usually clears up mysteriously on its own. Hopefully one of the other lurkers can tell you how long it goes on.

            --Linda
            Never argue with an idiot. They always drag you down to their level, and then they beat you with experience. --Twain
            ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
            Surgery 2/10/93 A/P fusion T4-L3
            Surgery 1/20/11 A/P fusion L2-sacrum w/pelvic fixation

            Comment


            • #7
              i have no idea if this would work...
              but i just saw something on TV about electro magnetic therapy...
              not the kind of magnet stuff that is static, like magnets in a mattress,
              but electro magnetic fields, where the energy moves...
              it is supposed to help chronic pain as well as improve circulation..
              it moves thru the body and has an impact on blood circulation and nerves...
              saw it on Dr Oz...
              and am looking at the info about it on internet...it is serious stuff, not quackery...

              i am just wondering if it might help edema conditions as it is supposed to help move different things,
              like blood, in the body....

              jess

              Comment


              • #8
                Originally posted by jrnyc View Post
                i have no idea if this would work...
                but i just saw something on TV about electro magnetic therapy...
                not the kind of magnet stuff that is static, like magnets in a mattress,
                but electro magnetic fields, where the energy moves...
                it is supposed to help chronic pain as well as improve circulation..
                it moves thru the body and has an impact on blood circulation and nerves...
                saw it on Dr Oz...
                and am looking at the info about it on internet...it is serious stuff, not quackery...

                i am just wondering if it might help edema conditions as it is supposed to help move different things,
                like blood, in the body....

                jess
                Thank you for this info. At this point Im happy to try anything! Im going to Google this right now...
                thanks
                Cindi

                Comment


                • #9
                  Originally posted by LindaRacine View Post
                  Hi Cindi...

                  I just checked it out, and see that Dr. Boachie did your surgery. Since that's the case, I'm assuming that you did not have any anterior approach surgery, which is what caused lyphedema in me. Lymphedema is a disturbance int he lymph tissue that keeps fluids from circulating appropriately. As far as I know, there are no lymph glands in the back, so one could not have a lymph issue from that approach. It was pretty uncomfortable, with ever changing pain patterns, and appeared to be mostly immune to pain medications. I still have a little remaining symptoms, but I've sort of learned to live with it.

                  As I mentioned above, edema is pretty common, and usually clears up mysteriously on its own. Hopefully one of the other lurkers can tell you how long it goes on.

                  --Linda
                  Linda
                  thank you for this information. It is making me feel better just to understand it a little more.. I am praying that it mysteriously goes away one day soon. Im still numb all over in my back and chest area, so that's another story! My pain only and mostly wakes me up at night, and keeps me up late. Heat on my leg and foot...and Ice on my back/ chest. The evenings/ nights very touch. I feel that if my edma would just be gone, I could focus on my back, but I cant right now. Edema is too painful and overwhelming!
                  Thanks again
                  Cindi

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    Hi Cindi...

                    I was surprised at how uncomfortable the swelling and sensitivity was. Unfortunately, I don't think the pain medication I took was of any help. I kept hoping I'd wake up one day and it would be gone, but the resolution was very slow.

                    For the numbness, you can actually help speed the nerves along by taking something of texture (like a bath brush), and rub it across the numb areas while thinking about how it's supposed to feel. I think the premise is that the nerve synapses are built from the brain to the injury. The woman that ran the physical therapy program at UCSF for many years told me that several years after my initial surgery. I thought the area that was numb at that time was permanent, but the feeling came back fairly quickly.

                    Hang in there. This is the tough part, but things will improve.

                    Regards,
                    Linda
                    Never argue with an idiot. They always drag you down to their level, and then they beat you with experience. --Twain
                    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                    Surgery 2/10/93 A/P fusion T4-L3
                    Surgery 1/20/11 A/P fusion L2-sacrum w/pelvic fixation

                    Comment


                    • #11
                      [tQUOTE=LindaRacine;129061]Hi Cindi...

                      I was surprised at how uncomfortable the swelling and sensitivity was. Unfortunately, I don't think the pain medication I took was of any help. I kept hoping I'd wake up one day and it would be gone, but the resolution was very slow.

                      For the numbness, you can actually help speed the nerves along by taking something of texture (like a bath brush), and rub it across the numb areas while thinking about how it's supposed to feel. I think the premise is that the nerve synapses are built from the brain to the injury. The woman that ran the physical therapy program at UCSF for many years told me that several years after my initial surgery. I thought the area that was numb at that time was permanent, but the feeling came back fairly quickly.

                      Hang in there. This is the tough part, but things will improve.

                      Regards,
                      Linda[/QUOTE]
                      thank you
                      Im quite disgusted with this and ready for anything to help end it!! I will try anything. It is almost more anoying than my bad back. I just started hydrotherapy yesterday and the pool therapist gave me a hot hose massage directly on the edema leg...she gave me a very painfully hard hand massage on that leg...and she focused on pool exercises just for the edema. My whole session was on the edema so I hope something starts to help. Let you know
                      thanks
                      Cindi

                      Comment


                      • #12
                        I understand completely. In my case, it was definitely more of an issue than my back pain, which was almost nonexistent. How often will you be doing the water therapy? I'd really like to know if the therapy works for you.

                        Hang in there. It will hopefully be over very soon.

                        --Linda
                        Never argue with an idiot. They always drag you down to their level, and then they beat you with experience. --Twain
                        ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                        Surgery 2/10/93 A/P fusion T4-L3
                        Surgery 1/20/11 A/P fusion L2-sacrum w/pelvic fixation

                        Comment

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