Tamena's Surgery 10-22

[tae_tap]

Ed,

I will ask for all and the pre surgery pictures too. All I have now is pictures from 11 years ago and in that time period my spine got 40% worse. I have also lost 20 pounds. I don't have an appetite and nothing taste good, but I guess it is the new weight loss craze, lol!

Tamena

[titaniumed]

Watch out with the weight loss.....your losing it as fast as I did. This isn’t good.

My ex-wife flew back here when I was recovering. When I answered the door, I replied “You came back to finally finish me off” kinda like Jack Klugman.... LOL She does have a great sense of humor.

Anyway, she designed a protein smoothie for me so I could get some of the weight back.

In a blender;
Whey protein powder a few ounces
1 banana
1 yogurt
10 blueberries
5 strawberries
10 raspberries
20 almonds
A few ounces of soymilk to lighten

I would keep in the fridge, re-blend and sip a few sips often through the day. Buy berries frozen, its easier. Tastes pretty good.

I would also eat sliced roast beef for protein which is really needed....its fast and easy. Eat yogurts for digestive health.

I lost my gall bladder 14 months post from not eating or not eating enough. Fat is needed to trigger a response to release bile, if it stagnates into a cholesterol sludge, stones can grow quite large and then become a problem. Stones are painful. Water dilutes.

With the body in “overtime healing mode” right now, eating enough to “maintain” weight is the least we can do....and the many short walks throughout the day to prevent clots from travelling up.....danger, danger
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deep_vein_thrombosis

I know its hard, but eating, walking, and weaning off meds are part of scoliosis surgery recovery. Its just something we have to do. I had to force myself to eat and do these things. Soon, it will all come around.

Hang in there

Ed

[tae_tap]

Ed,
You made me laugh, which hurts! I am going to have my husband get the ingriedients for the smoothie. I will try to drink it. I did try some crab legs today which happens to be my favorite food and that didn't even entice me to want food. I am Dow to Norco when I wake up and go to bed and plan on letting the morning pill go tomorrow. I am just not sure if I should do the eight hour extended release Tylenol or just the normal. Any thoughts? They have me on gabapentin and in my field most patients were on that for seizures so I'm not sure why I am on it. Thinking of just going off. Now I do think the diazepam takes many of my spasms away but I'm not sure how good it is to take that either. I usually take it every eight hours.

Tamena

[Jennilee]

Gabapentin

Hi Tamena hope your feeling better each day. I'm in nursing and gabapentin is not only used for seizures, but also for nerve pain which from what I hear, can be so painful after scoliosis surgery. You are in my prayers

[titaniumed]

We see many here that take Gabapentin for neuropathic pain, but I never took it. Most of us feel the electrical shocks, stabs and burning for many months while our nerves heal after our surgeries. I think this is why this medication is given....As far as being used as seizure medication, that really puts a twist on things....but then there are seizure warnings on my new cell phone. Hmmm.....careful what you ask for. Have a seizure and DMV will revoke your drivers license.

I was on Oxycodone which didn’t cut the mustard and was switched to Percoset which has Tylenol in it. It helped a little bit. There is nothing like the injectables they give you to knock you out in the hospital, but weaning is weaning, and reduction is always a bitch, no matter what it is. I have read that Paxil is the worst or one of the worst and have seen the ad’s on TV for the class action suits. Baby’s are being born with brain damage. Lovely. And we thought we were done after the thalidomide issues..
I guessed wrong.
http://www.cnn.com/2012/09/01/health...html?hpt=hp_t1

My best friend Jim is one of these kids. He taught me that the cosmetic effects of scoliosis are not significant. In comparison, they are not. I think that this is why I never had a self esteem problem growing up. Scoliosis really isn’t that bad.....

Usually we see adult patients right around the 5 week mark asking “how do I get off this stuff?” which is quite predictable. After battling with the constipation that opoid’s pretty much guarantee, and all the lower GI discomfort and pain issues involved, and building up an immunity where pain control now becomes just about fruitless, most decide they have had enough of this fun and will take on a little pain to be done with it. Can we handle a little pain? I would think so.

Termination of opoid’s will result in increased pain for about a day or two. I had this happen when I quit, and just toughed it out. After, I jammed the nutrients, and felt better as the toxins and chemicals flushed from my body. All the lower GI issues suddenly quit and this was a huge relief. I was on my way to the next stage of my recovery which was so welcome. The first 4-6 weeks are the hardest.

Medications and chemicals are a double edged sword. We need them, but always read the fine print and consider them as a temporary help. Slow and controlled reduction should be considered. I would always lay down if I needed to, weaning off completely is something you need to stay at home for and it’s the last of the hardest part.

I threw up the thalidomide story so you will understand how I feel about meds. I know how my friend Jim feels.

I don’t take any meds at all.

Food for thought
Ed

[tae_tap]

Ed,
The first 5 days in the hospital were actually amazing (asside the chest tubes) because my doctor puts an epidural cathadure that constantly feeds fentanyl directly to the spine. I felt like superwoman and actually walked 200 feet on day 4 with it, but the second it was removed I felt pain.

I am not big on taking medication in fact my first words to my doctor was " don't give me drugs, fix me." the actuall physical appearance of leaning and my small rib hump wasn't a bother, for me it was the pain which is one of the reasons I elected the bone on bone procedure. I could care less about height I just didn't want to spend the rest of my life in pain.

I figured it probably isn't good to go completely cold turkey off all the meds so I am using this week to get rid of them all slowly. I am at the three week post op tomorrow. I am doing Tylenol 8 hour release in the morning and am going to trymformthe first time tonight. I am doing the gabapentin and the Valium at noon. And hopefully by the end of the week all I will take is Tylenol when needed for pain.

I think my only fear is what if I made the wrong choice and have to go back in and fuse T1 to the sacrum as originally planned? Boy, I don't want to go through this again, but also in my mind is if this does work think of how many patients with a double curve where only one is the structural and the other compesentory can have this proceedure and retain all range of motion and be out of pain. Then this will all be worth it, but I guess it's a little too late for them"what if's"!

I have found a love for itilian flavored ice, which seems to be the only thing that doesn't upset my stomache. I just can't wait to have my life back where I don't want to sleep all day and hurt anymore.

Thanks for,taking the time to talk with me, it gives me hope because in my line of work people are always begging for more drugs, not to get off of them, which you wouldn't expect from a foot doctor, lol!

Tamena

[titaniumed]

Tamena

This was just me with one of my rare generalized anti “perca-rants”. I know you know, I just was just blowing steam and had to lay it down someplace. Sorry. I also read other posts and my responses can come out in the wrong places. Its helpful to read ALL posts, to gain valuable understanding. More of a group thought effort.....

Ahhh....medication. Cant live with it, cant live without it. I reduced quickly and went cold turkey and that was another adjustment. My body was saying, “What the heck are you doing?” First you saturate me, cut me up, saturate me again, and cut me off. Of course, I’m going to make you pay. Slow adjustments are wise.....

Most that I have known that have had foot surgeries have really paid a price....I don’t think I would want to go there. But I’m sure the foot patients would say the same about spinal surgery.

The body is extremely complex.....

Be sure to update us on your weaning efforts....and of course the smoothie results.

Stop worrying about what-if’s. Your going to come through fine.

Ed

[tae_tap]

Ed,

I decided on the narcotics to just let them go and begin an 8 hour extended release Tylenol 1200mg. Thought it would kick the pain, not kill it but it doesn't really help much. The Valium helps more than anything at this point, for it at least let's me sleep a little.

I have tried the smoothie, it's actually not bad. Good call on that one. Here in MO it is deer season and to my surprise I have actually been able to eat that and not get sick.

The doctor told me to not come off anything but the narcotics at this point so against my better judgement I am going to listen to him. I would rather not have to take anything, but as I keep getting reminded this was major surgery and I'm not going to bounce back as if it was a bunion surgery (as my doctor says).

But this is day two of no narcotics and I am still kicking. I will be joining you on the side of normal living in time!

Tamena

[kennedy]

Welcome to the other side

[tae_tap]

I am not sure if anyone one here has had the short segment bone on bone surgery, but if you have did you feel at times as if there was someone on both ends of your spine pulling and playing tug of war as things move? I know it sounds weird but I don't know any other way to explain the feeling that my spine seems to still be adjusting to the structural curve being corrected.

Tamena

[leahdragonfly]

pulling sensations

Hi Tamena,

I am glad to hear you're doing so well! You don't have to be a hero with the narcotics, just remember if you are in pain you are very early post-op, and they will help you. I don't tolerate narcotics well at all and quit taking them at 5 weeks post-op my original surgery (T8-pelvis). I suffered a lot of unnecessary pain. My husband was quite worried about me and kept begging me to take more pain control. So just my 2 cents worth there.

As far as the pulling sensation, I think that is very common, at least I felt it until about 5 months post-op. My surgeon told me it is the feeling of the vertebrae trying to move against the hardware, before fusion sets up and the feeling goes away. It makes sense to me.

Take care, and thanks for the updates.

[Confusedmom]

Tamena,

Thanks for explaining your procedure. What was the apex of your curve? (In other words, which 3 vertebrae were fused?) Did they do your procedure entirely from the side? I wasn't clear on why you had the side incision. How big was your top curve, and how long do they expect it to take to straighten?

Good luck with everything. I am so impressed that you are able to keep your sense of humor at this stage post-op. I hope your stomach starts to feel better soon!

Oh, btw, I think Valium can mess with your appetite. And I know it can be habit-forming. But you're gonna need something for a while, I would think! I was on that one a while--maybe 8 weeks??

Take care,
Evelyn

[tae_tap]

Evelyn,

I am not quite sure how long I will feel the moving and adjusting, but looking at me from the back you can already see a huge difference. If I remember right the disks betweent T12-L2 were removed, two screws added, and two rods. I can't remember if the ended up having to cage it as well. My thoracic curve was 56 and my lumbar was 78. The Lumbar curve was the structural and that was even twisted backwards so he had to do some rotation. Doing it anterior allowed Him better access to the particular region in order to manipulate is better. I know that at the hospital I was told there was no reason seeing X-rays because my true transformation would not be seen until 4-8 weeks post surgery. I will have X-rays the week after thanksgiving and am more anxious about that than I was about the surgery. I want it to work so badly because I never want to go through this again! I know something is working because as my husband is measuring me weekly as if I am a little kid we are seeing height improvement. The only down fall is I swear I can feel things move and that is by far the oddest feeling I have ever had. I assume my sore abdomen is probably for being stretched. The other positive thing about my surgery was that it ended up only taking five hours, I had no blood loss (in fact they just gave me the blood I donated after to help me become stronger) and no artificial particles were used to aide in fusion. They used my own plasma to aide in the process. We shall see in two weeks where I am at, but I did learn my lesson about trying to stop the pain meds cold turkey. I will be slowly weaning myself now. I thought since I refused meds prior to surgery I was strong enough to do it after surgery, boy was I wrong. I have to say that I had a great doctor and surgical team. From day one not a week went by without some form of communication and even post op there is communication between the doctor and myself or husband two to three times a week which shows how much he cares and respects his patients.

Till next time,
Tamena

[Confusedmom]

Tamena,

Your case is pretty amazing. I hope it resolves everything for you and can be used for other scolis in the future! What a blessing that would be for some of us to get short fusions. Thanks for explaining everything. I will keep the good thoughts & prayers coming your way.

Evelyn

[tae_tap]

Update

Hi there all! I just wanted to give an update on how things with my surgery has gone since I picked an unusual procedure from most. I am now 6 weeks post op and saw my doctor last week. At first I was disappointed that there was not more correction, but then reminded (or Ed ) reminded me that I was not after correction I was after loss of pain. I opted to do a short segment fusion in hopes of retaining all range of motion. I am still in pain, but even though there was only three fused I was still completely cut anterior with both lungs deflating. I thought I should heal quicker due to fused levels, but in reality surgery is surgery and it takes time to bounce back. I am off all meds. I am walking a mile everyday, but thanks to Ed's advice I am breaking the mile up through the day I stead of all at once. I also was instructed to begin using my gravity inversion table (oh how I hate that table) with a heating pad. We were also told that we needed a hot tub at home to use at least three times a day. So our back porch is being poured this week and my mom that has had a hot tub for one year and used it twice is giving that to me so I don't have to drive to her house so much. I am hopeful that the pain will deminish and if not revision is an option. But at this point I can touch my toes, bend backwards, and from side to side with the doctors supervision so the range of motion is there. I guess I ask for prayers that the pain disappears now. When I get to Internet other than my iPad I will post before and after photos.

Till Next Time,
Tamena