5 mos Post Op - still having problems....Normal?

[LindaRacine]

Dave Wolpert will be delighted to see that he's been promoted to Dr.

Laurie Ann...

I just learned something new recently. It turns out that a lot of people who have been fused to the sacrum end up with greater trochantary bursitis. I found out about it, because I have it on the right side. The reason I mention it is that my right hip and thigh were very sore and sensitive to the touch. There are trigger points that really hurt (like a bruise) when anyone pressed on them. I had a trigger point injection last week, and that helped a lot.

Your physical therapist should be able to tell if you have the same issue.

I have been water walking since my very early postop days. I do half an hour, at an all-out clip, 3 to 4 days a week. There's no way of knowing if it helped me, but it definitely made me feel like I was doing something constructive. My Y has a warm water pool, which really made it inviting.

My heart goes out to you. It's SO hard to be having a difficult recovery and to hear that some of us who had surgery more recently than you, are doing better. Please know that if there is something wrong, Dr. Lenke will get to the bottom of it. And, know also that the rate of recovery is so different for all of us. Hang in there... it will get better.

Regards,
Linda

[LaurieAnne]

Laurie Anne,
Are you putting anything on your scar which has caused it to be nearly invisible? My husband put vitamin E oil on it for a while, but I haven't done anything recently. Any tips?

Karen,

The only thing I used was vitamin E oil I bought from walgreens but I put it on morning and night and fairly thick coating. I am still applying but now only at night as the oil can stain clothes sometimes. I was suprised that's all Lenke's office recommended. I thought for sure they'd suggest something like mederma but it's amazing how well the vitamin E oil works. I think the key is putting it on frequently.

[LindaRacine]

I don't know about others, but the scar from my 1992 surgery is almost invisible, and I never put anything on it. It's possible that things like Mederma may make the wound heal faster, but I wonder if it makes any difference in the long term.

[golfnut]

Oops! David Wolpert holds a MBA degree. I accidentally elevated him to a PhD.

[golfnut]

Laurie Anne,
Kelly had recommended vitamin E oil to me as well, but I stained a couple of shirts and quit using it. My scar is much more visable than yours, so I am going to start using it again-at least at night.

[LaurieAnne]

Dave Wolpert will be delighted to see that he's been promoted to Dr.

Laurie Ann...

I just learned something new recently. It turns out that a lot of people who have been fused to the sacrum end up with greater trochantary bursitis. I found out about it, because I have it on the right side. The reason I mention it is that my right hip and thigh were very sore and sensitive to the touch. There are trigger points that really hurt (like a bruise) when anyone pressed on them. I had a trigger point injection last week, and that helped a lot.

Your physical therapist should be able to tell if you have the same issue.

I have been water walking since my very early postop days. I do half an hour, at an all-out clip, 3 to 4 days a week. There's no way of knowing if it helped me, but it definitely made me feel like I was doing something constructive. My Y has a warm water pool, which really made it inviting.

My heart goes out to you. It's SO hard to be having a difficult recovery and to hear that some of us who had surgery more recently than you, are doing better. Please know that if there is something wrong, Dr. Lenke will get to the bottom of it. And, know also that the rate of recovery is so different for all of us. Hang in there... it will get better.

Regards,
Linda

Linda,

Thank you for your kind words. It is hard but I am trying to stay positive and just take it one day at a time. I am planning to start a back aid class next week so I hope this will bring me some relief. It is challenging not to compare your recovery with others on this site and feel like you are doing something wrong because you aren't recovering as quickly but I know our bodies are all different and heal at different rates. I have notified Dr. Lenke about the issues I'm having and he said for now to just work with his physical therapist so I plan to do this until my appt in late June and if it's not better then I would like to see what else can be done. Thank you for your thoughts and encouragement. I'm so grateful for this site! It's here we realize we aren't alone in this.

Take care,
Laurie

[LindaRacine]

Laurie Anne...

In the meantime, do ask your PT about the possibility of greater trochanteric bursitis.

Linda

[Radiogirl]

Hi Girls! I too had Dr Lenke do my surgery and it was just over one year ago! I went back this week for my one year follow up. I am so happy to report that he gave me the "all clear" to do anything I want! I started back to gentle yoga at four months post. Then went to more strenuous yoga at about six months. This week he gave me the clear to try standing on my head even! And backbends, well he said that will be difficult but I can try if I want! Biking, skiing, anything! He said not to baby it! I'm sooo exited! BUT....I do want to tell you all that everything you have descibed, Laurie Ann, is so normal. I had all of those same feelings at 5 months. And now at one year it is much better...but not normal feeling. I still have the numbness and the tightness...but that stinging/bruised feeling in my thighs and read have been long gone. I met two ladies there this week at my followup that were there for their 3 year followups and they BOTH said it gets even better after year one! So....you are still so early in your recovery. You will be fine at your one year mark. Dr. Lenke is THE BEST! (in my opinion). Have faith that you went to someone that really knows his stuff. I traveled from Cleveland (where we have world class hospitals/Cleveland Clinic) just becuase I have so much faith in him. I am soooooo happy I did. On the fusion question, you cannot see it on the x-rays, but he said he has no reason to believe I have not fused. Laurie Ann....it really only gets better from here. Feel free to email or PM me if you want more info.

Best to you all!
Laura

[golfnut]

Laura,
Thanks so much for posting and giving encouragement. It means so a lot coming from someone who has been through the long recovery and especially since you had the same surgeon. Yes, I feel that Dr. Lenke is the best as well!

Hang in there, Laurie Anne. You will be posting just as encouraging of a report as Laura at one year.

[titaniumed]

Hi Laurie Anne

I too was worried about a non-union and healing takes a long long time. I’m glad that I have my threads and posts here, otherwise I would have no record of what happened.

I have posted here many times that I felt that my recovery improvement rates ran approx 10% per month. At 5 months, that would have put me at 50%. You still have a while to go on this, and many of the aches and pains you have now should go away in time. Scoliosis surgery recovery is an exercise in patience.

Your pics look great. Nice symmetry.
If you look up this word, you will see that it means, “beauty based on or characterized by such excellence of proportion”.

Is this our dream? For many, it is.
Hang in there.

Ed

[Doodles]

Laura--
Congratulations on such a fantastic report. You are doing so well. I'm still mystified by those who can do yoga however. I did pre-surgery but now there's really no way--I've tried! I can do other stuff but that was so good for core. Pilates machine was a very expensive bust too. Oh well. It's encouraging to hear how well you are doing! Janet

[Lotta51]

You are doing Great

Your photos speak for themselves. It is just a thing that takes time. I am feeling the same way as you. Everyone says how great I am doing, but from the inside it seems like recovery is slow. I am post op almost 7 months. and still having discomfort this was a repair of failed rods which caused scoliosis. Please don't get discouraged. I do believe the ibuprophen when allowed which with me is at 6 months do to fusing solution. I take no meds and try to stay away from them as much as possible, but I live in the south and the storms seem to be leading me to break down and take some Ibuprophen. The lower ribs feel like they are coming out through my skin and the shoulders have pain. I still tilt a little to the right but stand straight. My left rib area bulges out. I don't hit my head into things any more and can swallow standing up plus went from 5' to 5' 5". I am 60 yrs old so to me you look wonderful. Keep up the good work!!! T2 to sacral complete recontruction.

[jrnyc]

hi Janet
i think yoga is different for those not fused to pelvis vs/those fused to sacrum/pelvis...
if you check the posts of patients doing yoga, you will find they were most often not fused all the way down to pelvis...

i know TiEd is incredible, but i doubt, with his long fusion, that even he could do a backbend!

jess

[LindaRacine]

hi Janet
i think yoga is different for those not fused to pelvis vs/those fused to sacrum/pelvis...
if you check the posts of patients doing yoga, you will find they were most often not fused all the way down to pelvis...

i know TiEd is incredible, but i doubt, with his long fusion, that even he could do a backbend!

jess

Hi Jess...

Actually, I don't think any of us is fused to the pelvis. The bolts we have in our pelvises are there for stabilization, but fusion. So, it's essentially the same as being fused to the sacrum.

--Linda

[jrnyc]

OK..fused to sacrum with "pelvic fixation"
i just call it fused to pelvis, cause to me it seems pretty close....

i have noticed that those who report more active yoga, with more bending, are not fused to the sacrum, with pelvic fixation....most seem to be fused to L3

i doubt those with long fusions or those fused into low lumbar can do back bends....
just a guess
i am not fused...yet...& i am in too much pain to do yoga!

hope you are enjoying the wkend, Linda, & feeling better each day....

jess