I'm new here

[sweetness514]

LOL Jess, I thought you already had tried the hot tub and it heated your rods, you did it again? Heat is bad for me too...yikes.

I don't do much for my pain, but seriously need to get my butt to the pool, it seemed to have helped last Summer. It's just so cold outside, don't feel like getting dressed, undressed, in the pool, get dressed again like an eskimo. I walk everyday.

I tried some pills like Lyrica and had an allergy and annoying side effects, don't do those anymore. Icing should help, I'll give that a try. The tens made it worse too, my nerves are so easily agitated.

Glad you're doing well, but I understand about the stiffness, I have more now than after my first surgery.

[BackTalk]

Dont ya love the looks ya get at the rec center when you are trying to get dressed? The girations I have to go threw just to pull my trunks off seems to crack up fellow on lookers, and yea I guess I just won't learn about the hot water thang. LOL

[Cena75]

I'm glad I found this forum...it's great to hear from others who've had surgery done once, then again (...and again....). It really makes me realize I'm not the only one who's had complications and worsening pain despite being "fused and roded" as a teen. At times I would ask why I couldn't be one of the people who have no further problems. I guess some call themselves "recovered". I know now it's because of the magnitude of the curves at the time of surgery, the extent of the hardware and fusion, etc. I'm at a month post-op - new fusion, additional hardware, cage, etc. I'm realistic, as was both of my surgeons that, because of my age (31), I may need more surgery in the future. I'm going to do what I can to build my muscles, exercise, keep off weight , so that I can be at my best for as long as possible. Before the surgery it was affecting my bowels and bladder, and my quality of life.
At a month post-op though, I have some questions (things I didn't have to deal with as a child post-op):
How do you cut your toenails? (If it means I have to go for pedicures, I'm fine with that! )
What about shaving legs?
Have any of you been regulated on the amount of time you spend sitting post-op?
When did you start to drive again? (Non-standard transmission)
Okay, lots of questions, but things I'm starting to realize. (My husband didn't enjoy attempting to cut my toenails!!!)
Thanks everyone!

[Theresa]

By all means, go for the pedicure!!! I let the ladies there know that I had just had spine surgery and to this day they still take care of me extra special. You will need help getting in and out of the chair. They also provide me with folded up towels to put at the small of my back. I don't know if it's the chair or because I'm short, or a combination of the two; but I have trouble sitting in the chair without the towels behind my back.

On the shaving of the leg issue, my husband did them for me with an electric razor for the first month. After that I would put one leg on the tub and do my best.

I think it was about 2 months when I started driving, I have an automatic. I would only drive in the area and wouldn't get on the interstate. For me it was difficult at first to look over my shoulders.

I didn't have any restrictions on the amount of time I spent sitting. I really wasn't very comfortable doing it anyway. I usually got in the recliner and stretched out.

If you don't mind my asking, how was it affecting your bowels and bladder? I have been having some problems in that area as well.

Oh yes, before I forget, Welcome to the Club!!!!!!!

[teresa stevens]

Harrington rods removal

[COLOR=Black] Hello everyone,
This is my first time on this forum. I had harrington rods removed Sept06. I would like to talk to anyone who had same surgery. My rods were put in Jan03. I was diagnosed with scoliosis at age 15. To late to correct with brace. Before my first surgery I had numbness in my left leg, and pain in my neck and lower back. My curvatures were approx. 40's at the top and 60's at the bottom. Harrington Rods were placed along my spine, from top to bottom. I was cut on my pelvic bone to be used for my fusions on the bottom part of my spine. After my first surgery I had excrutiating pain in my right shoulder blade. After several months I found out the Doctor left the rod to long and the tip of the rod was implanted into my shoulder blade. To make a long story short I had the tip of the rod cut off on May06 after rod protrusion continued. This was still unsuccessful. Finally, I had to have the rods removed. If anyone wants to talk let me know. Teresa

[Cena75]

Hi Teresa Stevens - welcome to the club! Okay, Theresa, about the bowel and bladder things....
The bowel started first - really, I've had IBS (irritable bowel syndrome) for years. In the past few years however, I haven't been really able to feel when I had a movement coming on - I would get urgency, and all of a sudden I had to find a bathroom quick! With the bladder, it started in the last two years - I started getting infections, and I had leakage. It got to the point where I never felt really a full bladder, I would just go because I knew I should. It was caused by compression of the nerve bundles at the base of the spine - I had spinal stenosis and disc decompression, due to the bone fusion directly above this area, and because of flatback syndrome. I've noticed some improvement already with this current surgery, and I'm only at 1 month now. Sorry for the "details" - but I suppose that's why we're all here! May I ask what kind of problems you've been having? There are many things that can cause bladder/bowel problems, but when I was looking into it, even the Urologist suggested that things could always be caused by spinal problems.

[LindaRacine]

How do you cut your toenails? (If it means I have to go for pedicures, I'm fine with that! )

Definitely have someone do this for you for the first year.

What about shaving legs?

I used an electric shaver and laid on my back in bed, bringing my legs up. This, however, would be dangerous for someone fused to the sacrum. Others have reported taping a razor to a short pole.

Have any of you been regulated on the amount of time you spend sitting post-op?

I didn't, but many others have. I think the rule "if it hurts, don't do it" applies here.

When did you start to drive again? (Non-standard transmission)

When I was off of narcotics.

Good luck with your recovery.

--Linda

[Cena75]

Thanks Linda for the tips! You're wonderful! I'm doing okay - feel stronger each day. One question though - I don't hurt much - I honestly hurt more before the surgery. I'm only one month post op, and I take pain pills, but not that often. Is this weird?! I think it may be that I can adapt to some of the post-surgical pain, and I don't have many muscle spasms yet. I was in pain in the hospital, but now I'm doing okay.

[LindaRacine]

Hi Cena...

Quick recoveries like yours were almost unheard of 10+ years ago, but lately I hear from a lot of people who are off of all pain medications within a week or two of being released from the hospital. The only thing I can think that might be the difference is the use of mostly screw constructs, instead of hook or wire constructs.

Regards,
Linda

[Cena75]

Thanks Linda...
I guess too, the fact that I was in such severe pain preop, may have something to do with it. Plus, being my fourth surgery, I'm maybe used to the stiffness and "board up my back" feeling. I used to log roll out of bed anyways before because of my old fusion for years! I'm not saying that I didn't have a rough time the week I was in the hospital, and my first week home though. Too, I remember my first surgery, I went back to high school after six weeks. Linda, you are so knowledgeable...thank you! What kind of surgery did you have? (if you don't mind me asking)

[LindaRacine]

Hi Cena...

I had anterior surgery first to remove discs and put in fusion material and anterior implants. Then, on the same day, I had posterior fusion with instrumentation from T4-L3.

Hope your recovery continues quickly. Just be careful about overdoing it.

--Linda

[Karen Ocker]

driving

I drove stick shift (that was all we had)when off narcs at 3mos. I was helped by a wide angle mirror attached to the side view mirrors and an extrawide rear-view clipped on to the rear view. This way I had no blind spots and no need to twist or turn myself.

Bought these at an auto store.

[lulu]

teresa, please share!

I had Harrington rods placed by Dr. Devito in 1994 at the age of 12. I am now 26, and the rods are causing me to have serum-filled cysts. I am having surgery on this upcoming Tuesday to have the rods removed.

Could you please share your recovery experience?

Thank you so much! I am very nervous about the operation.

( I do not know why the thumbs down is there. Sorry, I tried to make it go away, but I am not very blog savy. )