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fainting 2 months post op

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  • fainting 2 months post op

    Hello all. My 16 year old is exactly 2 months post op. She had a lumbar fusion between T10 and L2. She took a hot shower this morning before having breakfast and passed out in the bathroom. She got out of the shower and went to the toilet. Between that point and waking up in the middle of the bathroom floor, she does not remember.

    I am terrified now that she hurt her fusion and that something horrible is going to happen (reverse the effects of surgery) and everything done for her has been ruined. She said her back is not hurting at all. It looks fine.

    I called her surgeon's nurse and explained what happened. She told me patients have tripped on rugs, and gotten in car accidents soon after fusion and they were fine. She told me it's probably alright as long as there is no pain and/or swelling. She said she would pass the info on to her surgeon.

    I'm so upset, my nerves are exploding. Post op has been more nerve wrecking to me that pre surgery nerves. I've seen what my child has been through and I don't want anything to compromise that. Been crying all morning.

  • #2
    Her regularly scheduled check up/x-ray is on Nov. 22.

    Comment


    • #3
      Hi Briana,

      I am so sorry to hear of your daughter's fainting spell, I am sure that was very scary for everyone. I know as a parent of a child who has had spine surgery, it is very frightening if there is any trauma to the back, as we all fear that the surgery was damaged or ruined. But, I know that surgical instrumentation is extremely strong these days, and if your daughter is not in pain and her back looks unchanged, I am sure everything is ok. That's good you called the doc just to check. I am sure they would order an x-ray if they had any concerns at all.

      I am guessing your daughter was a bit dehydrated and got a little overheated in the shower. Hopefully that is all.

      My heart goes out to you reading your post, and I just wanted to reach out and extend my hand to you in empathy. You and your daughter will be ok!

      My 8 y/o daughter had vertebral stapling done in May, and one week after her surgery she and her 5 y/o brother were watching TV together. All seemed fine so I stepped upstairs to fold some laundry. Minutes later I heard Leah screaming and crying, turns out she laid down and her brother jumped hard onto her back, right on her surgical incision. We got her calmed down but she said her back hurt. I cried all weekend too, sure he had disrupted something in her back and we'd have to go back to St Louis and have the surgery repeated. I called the doc Monday morning and they told me not to worry at all. Turned out she was fine, but I remember how terrified I was at the time.

      Please keep in touch and let us know how you are doing today.
      Gayle, age 50
      Oct 2010 fusion T8-sacrum w/ pelvic fixation
      Feb 2012 lumbar revision for broken rods @ L2-3-4
      Sept 2015 major lumbar A/P revision for broken rods @ L5-S1


      mom of Leah, 15 y/o, Diagnosed '08 with 26* T JIS (age 6)
      2010 VBS Dr Luhmann Shriners St Louis
      2017 curves stable/skeletely mature

      also mom of Torrey, 12 y/o son, 16* T, stable

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      • #4
        Hi Leah. You have made me feel better. First, I'm glad you're daughter was not hurt and is ok. I know you had to be terrified!

        My daughter is mildly anemic, so add that to possible dehydration, an early morning hot shower, one can easily see why she fainted. Her pediatrician told her to take a vitamin supplement with iron, but I have to remind her. Honestly, there have been days when I forget too.

        My rational mind tells me that if something was cracked, or if any of the instrumentation moved, she'd most certainly be feeling pain and discomfort. That's my rational mind, but my emotions so easily take over. Every since her surgery my nerves have been on pins and needles. I've seen her go through so much (an extra hospital stay with 2 surgeries to clean out an incision infection just two weeks ago.)

        I'm just looking forward to the day when I'm told the fusion is rock solid.

        Thank you again, Leah, for reaching out. I can see you understand I will try not to worry as long as she's not in any pain or discomfort.

        Comment


        • #5
          Hello:

          Hope your daughter is okay!? My daughter had her followup with her surgeon just yesterday (she is about 5 months post-op) and he cleared her for just about everything except situps (he knew she would not be playing any rough sports over the winter). So, she's excited to play soccer in the spring.

          I asked what we should do if she falls on her back (in a soccer game, for example) and he said that if she was still in pain after a fall, say 48 or 72 hours later, then to call, but otherwise it would most likely be fine. That really made me feel better. After all she's been through it makes me feel a little nauseous, frankly, to think about a direct blow like that to her back.

          Good luck!
          Jill, mom to 14-year-old daughter who had spinal fusion surgery (T3 to L1) June 21, 2010. (Pre-op curves 52T and 30L.)

          Comment


          • #6
            Hi Briana,

            I've been thinking about you and your daughter today. I hope she is fine, and I really hope you are feeling better about things today, too.

            We moms are SO good at worrying, aren't we?

            Take care,

            Gayle
            Gayle, age 50
            Oct 2010 fusion T8-sacrum w/ pelvic fixation
            Feb 2012 lumbar revision for broken rods @ L2-3-4
            Sept 2015 major lumbar A/P revision for broken rods @ L5-S1


            mom of Leah, 15 y/o, Diagnosed '08 with 26* T JIS (age 6)
            2010 VBS Dr Luhmann Shriners St Louis
            2017 curves stable/skeletely mature

            also mom of Torrey, 12 y/o son, 16* T, stable

            Comment

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