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  • Scared about surgery...

    Hi, I'm Abby. I'm 15 and I just found out that I have to get surgery on my back for my 70 degree curve. I have cystic fibrosis, too. They're gonna have to go inside my back, loosen my spine and straighten it from there and then fuse it.
    Anyway, I was wondering about a few things:
    How much does it hurt?
    How long are you out of it for?
    When does it start to hurt? Right off the bat or when the painkillers start to ebb away?
    How long does it hurt badly for?
    What excercises can I expect to have to do afterwards?
    How long is recuperation time?
    If someone could answer these, I would be extremely grateful.
    Thanks,
    Abby

  • #2
    Sry im not much help -- but how are they going to thump your back if you have surgery on it??
    ~Wanda~
    Age: 18
    40TL curve pre op
    Posterior Spinal Fusion with Dr. Pablo Marrero
    San Jorge Children's Hospital in Puerto Rico
    June 7, 2006
    post op curve: 16

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    • #3
      Didn't you just have surgery, Wanda?
      Anyways, about the CF, I'm sure your doctors have figured out some plan of action as to your CF vs. scoli treatments, right? I hope so!!!!
      Scoliosis for 8 years, Milwaukee, Providence & Boston braces. 35T 42L Dx'd with Chiari Malformation 8/06, decompression surgery + duraplasty 11/24/06.

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      • #4
        yea i just had surgery but it cant answer her question about recuperation or the hurting because its different with each person and besides its all a tweeny bit different because of her CF
        ~Wanda~
        Age: 18
        40TL curve pre op
        Posterior Spinal Fusion with Dr. Pablo Marrero
        San Jorge Children's Hospital in Puerto Rico
        June 7, 2006
        post op curve: 16

        Comment


        • #5
          Hi Abby
          It hurts the most the first few days when the doctors are trying to give you the right amount of pain medicine. The younger you are the easier this surgery is!
          You'll be expected to walk.........that's all I did the first few weeks. The PT then did minor sitting/standing stretching exercises such as marching in place and going up and down on my toes.
          Everyone recuperates at different rates. The majority of us have to be careful for the first three months.
          Hope this helps and try not to worry too much. It is said that having a great outlook going in really helps your body heal faster.
          Jenn
          37 y/o female
          60 degree lumbar
          45 degree thoracic
          1st time anterior/posterior surgery May 8th and 10th 2006
          T 5 to S 1
          NYC

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          • #6
            Um, I don't get thumped in the back, thank god, but I will have to cough a lot and stuff, more so than I would if I didn't have CF.
            Thanks for responding!

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            • #7
              omg -- about the hurting -- u say that you will cough a lot??? i had a cold after surgery and i coughed a lot and it HURT ALOT!! good luck -- at three weeks post op it still hurts alot when i cough or sneeze -- but im sure everything will go fine... im supposing you have a mild case of CF??
              ~Wanda~
              Age: 18
              40TL curve pre op
              Posterior Spinal Fusion with Dr. Pablo Marrero
              San Jorge Children's Hospital in Puerto Rico
              June 7, 2006
              post op curve: 16

              Comment


              • #8
                Yeah, I got this thing called a gastrointestinal tube put in my stomach in November, and I had to cough and oh boy, did that hurt!
                I just hope this isn't any worse...

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                • #9
                  hi abby! im 10 days post op and i'll try to answer some questions..

                  1. the hurting is never peircing pain, its more of a dull ache. the meds in the hospital are GREAT! you get your own little button and all haha. and after when you get home you still have those meds. its more of an ache, never REALLY painful. only when you try to move too quickly.

                  2. i was out of it mostly all the time in was in the hospital..so about a week. now im more fully aware of my surroundings.

                  3. i only feel soreness/pain when the painkiller die off. once they are into your system your fine for a few hours.

                  4. i would say it only hurt BADLY the first few days after surgery in the hospital. this may be b/c the nurses come in and roll you every two hours when all you wanna do is sleep.

                  5. exersices is up to your pysical therapist. i'm doing minor head movements and shoulder rolls and arm lifts and leg lifts. also walking around the house and climbing stairs. deff. no lifting and no real exercise.

                  6. recouperation time is different for everyone. the complete fussion takes about 3 months to heal but you will be up moving in a few days. it just depends on your definition of recouperation.

                  i hope this helped and i hope everything goes well with your surgery!! good luck!

                  lindsay

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                  • #10
                    Thank you, Lindsay! This helps SOOOO much! I feel way less scared. I thought it was gonna be piercing and oooh... I'm still REALLY scared, but not as scared.

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                    • #11
                      Congenital kyphoscoliosis

                      i do feel for you. I was diagnosed when I was 20 and have had three surgeries so far, which has now corrected my spine, so waiting for the final one to remove the metal work, as they are causing me discomfort now. The operation lasted for just over 7 hours, and you are given pain killers so when you wake up, you'll only feel a little discomfort for a minute, until the morphine or whatever pain killer you choose kicks in. With regards to exercise, I'm not allowed any, apart from swimming. I hope this helps! I know this is a very scary time for you, but please, trust in God, and know that you are in safe hands, and it will all be well, and you will have the rest of your life to live without going through this sort of pain again.

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