Hi everyone,
I am now 12 days post-op and finally feeling like I can sit for a few minutes and type at the computer.
I was diagnosed with AIS at 13, wore a brace until 17, but at 31 years old my thoracolumbar curve had increased to the 50's and became painful. For surgery, I had an anterior approach, fused T9-L2. It was six hours long and according to my surgeon it went well. He was happy with the correction, though I have not yet seen xrays I do feel straighter.
I was in the hospital for 6 1/2 days, 3 of those days I had a chest tube which totally sucked! It was very, very uncomfortable and I was very glad when it was removed. I was supposed to go home a day earlier, but had to stay until I had a bowel movement...constipation has been an issue for me since the surgery, and still is. At times the pain from gas and constipation is even much worse than my incision or muscle pain.
I have a question about medications. Here is what I am on right now:
Oxycontin, slow release 20mg 2x day
Percocet, 5mg/325mg 2 tablets every 4 hours
Flexeril muscle relaxant, 3x daily
Miralax, 2x daily
Does that seem like a lot of pain medication to you? I have never been on narcotics before so I don't have any experience with them. However, even with both the oxycontin & percocets I am in a lot of pain.
I will add more later but now I need to go back to my comfy spot and rest.
Cheers!
--Steph
Fused T9-L2 via anterior approach Sept. 23rd, 2009
I am now 12 days post-op and finally feeling like I can sit for a few minutes and type at the computer.
I was diagnosed with AIS at 13, wore a brace until 17, but at 31 years old my thoracolumbar curve had increased to the 50's and became painful. For surgery, I had an anterior approach, fused T9-L2. It was six hours long and according to my surgeon it went well. He was happy with the correction, though I have not yet seen xrays I do feel straighter.
I was in the hospital for 6 1/2 days, 3 of those days I had a chest tube which totally sucked! It was very, very uncomfortable and I was very glad when it was removed. I was supposed to go home a day earlier, but had to stay until I had a bowel movement...constipation has been an issue for me since the surgery, and still is. At times the pain from gas and constipation is even much worse than my incision or muscle pain.
I have a question about medications. Here is what I am on right now:
Oxycontin, slow release 20mg 2x day
Percocet, 5mg/325mg 2 tablets every 4 hours
Flexeril muscle relaxant, 3x daily
Miralax, 2x daily
Does that seem like a lot of pain medication to you? I have never been on narcotics before so I don't have any experience with them. However, even with both the oxycontin & percocets I am in a lot of pain.
I will add more later but now I need to go back to my comfy spot and rest.
Cheers!
--Steph
Fused T9-L2 via anterior approach Sept. 23rd, 2009
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