I've been wondering about something for quite awhile and decided to post this question to find what others have noticed (if anything) about the effects their spinal surgery has had upon their overall health and physical aging.
#1) Before my surgery I did not need glasses for reading. My optometrist refers to it as 'bonus time' for every year past the age of 40 that you don't need reading glasses. I was nearly 48 and still didn't need glasses for reading or other handwork. A day or two after I came home from the hospital I went to read something and the text was blurry - until I moved the card away. This went on for a week or two until I realized it wasn't just me being tired or the meds....it was my eyesight. So, I now need reading glasses.
#2) At 4 weeks my hair began falling out.......at first I didn't catch on - then I noticed I could run my fingers through my hair or brush it there was a lot on the brush ... I showed my husband who didn't see it as a big deal. But then, I collected it for an entire day and showed him how much I was talking about. Then he saw why I was alarmed. Fortunately, I have a lot of hair. Then, I noticed a little bald patch. Just no hair at all. That was weird. About dime sized. I kept watching it and it didn't get bigger (whew!) and I could cover it up mostly so another whew! Then, after while I realized hair was growing there, I could feel it, but it's white. And the majority of the other hair that was falling out has been growing back..it's also white (or gray, whatever). I'm ambivalent about coloring...at this point it seems like a badge of courage but I may change my mind when I'm ready for the maintenance of hair coloring.
#3) At the end of 4.5 monthsnI was off pain meds and went through a variety of what I believed to be withdrawal symptoms from that. Pain meds are/can be very constipating and I did suffer with that and eventually found the right combination of Miralax and stuff that worked for me - it was all good. Then the diarrhea started. I thought it was a withdrawal symptom - makes sense right? I have always had a 'sensitive' stomach and was diagnosed as having IBS-D w/ lactose intolerance years ago (those symptoms began when I was 14 but wasn't diagnosed until my late 20's) So I didn't 'have issues' until I got off the pain meds and then the diarrhea was so bad that many days I could not leave the house - not just the diarrhea but the intestinal cramping. The old IBS symptoms but soooo much worse. So finally hubby convinced me to go see my gastro doc who ordered blood work and an adult food allergy panel and a celiac panel. So, it turns out I have a gluten intolerance and probably have been suffering for all these years due to gluten. I elected not to do the endoscopy for visual verification because the solution is the same whether I have celiac sprue or not....go gluten free. So I have been gluten free since November 16th. I still have a bad day here or there but it's amazing what a difference it has made in my life. I was reading about food allergies and it apprears they can happen to people very suddenly 'out of the blue' after a traumatic event, one of the things listed was major surgery. Even though I had been suffering for years from intestinal problems it was nothing like this late summer/fall. My Dr. said her thought was that the surgery exacerbated my existing condition.
I know that was a rambling mess, but I would be interested in knowing if anyone else in the 40+ age group has noticed what they consider to be 'coincidental' signs of aging after surgery??
#1) Before my surgery I did not need glasses for reading. My optometrist refers to it as 'bonus time' for every year past the age of 40 that you don't need reading glasses. I was nearly 48 and still didn't need glasses for reading or other handwork. A day or two after I came home from the hospital I went to read something and the text was blurry - until I moved the card away. This went on for a week or two until I realized it wasn't just me being tired or the meds....it was my eyesight. So, I now need reading glasses.
#2) At 4 weeks my hair began falling out.......at first I didn't catch on - then I noticed I could run my fingers through my hair or brush it there was a lot on the brush ... I showed my husband who didn't see it as a big deal. But then, I collected it for an entire day and showed him how much I was talking about. Then he saw why I was alarmed. Fortunately, I have a lot of hair. Then, I noticed a little bald patch. Just no hair at all. That was weird. About dime sized. I kept watching it and it didn't get bigger (whew!) and I could cover it up mostly so another whew! Then, after while I realized hair was growing there, I could feel it, but it's white. And the majority of the other hair that was falling out has been growing back..it's also white (or gray, whatever). I'm ambivalent about coloring...at this point it seems like a badge of courage but I may change my mind when I'm ready for the maintenance of hair coloring.
#3) At the end of 4.5 monthsnI was off pain meds and went through a variety of what I believed to be withdrawal symptoms from that. Pain meds are/can be very constipating and I did suffer with that and eventually found the right combination of Miralax and stuff that worked for me - it was all good. Then the diarrhea started. I thought it was a withdrawal symptom - makes sense right? I have always had a 'sensitive' stomach and was diagnosed as having IBS-D w/ lactose intolerance years ago (those symptoms began when I was 14 but wasn't diagnosed until my late 20's) So I didn't 'have issues' until I got off the pain meds and then the diarrhea was so bad that many days I could not leave the house - not just the diarrhea but the intestinal cramping. The old IBS symptoms but soooo much worse. So finally hubby convinced me to go see my gastro doc who ordered blood work and an adult food allergy panel and a celiac panel. So, it turns out I have a gluten intolerance and probably have been suffering for all these years due to gluten. I elected not to do the endoscopy for visual verification because the solution is the same whether I have celiac sprue or not....go gluten free. So I have been gluten free since November 16th. I still have a bad day here or there but it's amazing what a difference it has made in my life. I was reading about food allergies and it apprears they can happen to people very suddenly 'out of the blue' after a traumatic event, one of the things listed was major surgery. Even though I had been suffering for years from intestinal problems it was nothing like this late summer/fall. My Dr. said her thought was that the surgery exacerbated my existing condition.
I know that was a rambling mess, but I would be interested in knowing if anyone else in the 40+ age group has noticed what they consider to be 'coincidental' signs of aging after surgery??
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