Pain after surgery

[hasteffen]

The Pain for one... the loss of my memory. Sometimes it is still hard to recall certain things. For example, about four weeks post op I couldnt remember my neighbors name. I do not think I will ever be able to remember after my surgery to about 3 weeks after. I remember very little of that. The fact that my plan A, B, C didn't work out... but no fear plan D formed and it all worked out. I was not prepared to go through the drug withdrawls. Again, I weaned faster then most... and I am thankful now that it is over with but it was hell in the hallway. I had full blown withdrawls like a crack addict. Sweats, panic attack ( and I am not usually a sufferer of them),chills, crying... terrible is all I can say.
I was not prepared for the frustration of not being able to do things or that things just take 5 times longer then they should. Even though I knew what the precautions I would have, I didnt know the magnitude of how it really would affect me.
I was not prepared for the feelings I felt... I'm going to try to put it into words but I am sure I wont do it justice... It was as if the world continued and my world stopped. It was very hard emotionally for anyone to fill my emotional cup. I think once I got off the drugs, and back to my prayer life, things started getting better for me. I felt like no one really understood me. There are good feeling too, like walking further then you did the day before, realizing it's 11 pm and you're still awake without pain! Realizing how delightful it is to have a waist, and how exhilerating it is to try on new clothes.
I know everyone has different experiences... and this is part of mine.
I also was surprised that I felt like I was back in my boston brace after all this time. Wearing the brace as a child for me was no big deal and I am already used to the feeling... at three months post op it feels like nothing... just me!
Anyway, you all may not experience the same things. I definately had some tough spots but I DID get through them and I am optimistic that I will continue to get better from here.
Best,
Heidi

[Irina]

Thank you, Heidi, so much! All these things are good to know.

I know I will be frastrated with the things I wont't be able do and loss of control. That would be brutal, but I am preparing myself emotionally for that. On the bright site, it might be a good life lesson for me - to experience loss of control and may be become less rigid with the ways I do and plan things :-) I've never wore a brace, so it's hard to imagine the full extent of loss of flexibility, but if I am trading off flexibility for being able to walk pain-free for more than half-an-hour, I am all for it. I will also talk with my family about drug withhdrawl effects so that they are also prepared.

[JuliaAnn]

Heidi, you listed some really good ways to prepare.

I wish I had known how much scoliosis surgery would hurt the first month or two. I've had six natural childbirths and only the first one with pain medication. The training I got to face childbirth pain made all the difference. I wish I had known that before my scoliosis surgery, such as knowing that it was normal to have rib pain. Knowing all the various pains were normal and that they were "healing pains" would have made me face them with more courage. I did more research on pain after surgery than I did before.

Like Heidi, I didn't know about withdrawal from pain meds. I had full-blown symptoms too, very very unpleasant, such as severe bone pain in my arms and legs for two days. Dr Hey's office had planned on slowly weaning me off narcotics using other pain medications but it was over Thanksgiving week and I didn't bother to call their office asking for advice. Next time, I'll call the Dr with questions before I make my own decision about medication.

One thing I wish I had done before surgery was buy some comfortable bras. A sports bra would have been excellent, one that had a very soft back, perhaps with a front closure if there is such a thing. After my surgery, I couldn't wear my old bras for two months because they didn't fit right and hurt my sensitive back. At one point, I decided to send my husband to buy a bra for me. I told my husband "Look, just stick out your hands and memorize me. Then walk through the bra department with your hands held out and feel the bras until you find one that fits your hands." I think I was on some strong pain meds at the time I made my request. It sounded perfectly sensible to me! I ended up just wearing layered shirts to hide the fact that I couldn't wear a bra.

[susancook]

Heidi, you listed some really good ways to prepare.

I wish I had known how much scoliosis surgery would hurt the first month or two. I've had six natural childbirths and only the first one with pain medication. The training I got to face childbirth pain made all the difference. I wish I had known that before my scoliosis surgery, such as knowing that it was normal to have rib pain. Knowing all the various pains were normal and that they were "healing pains" would have made me face them with more courage. I did more research on pain after surgery than I did before.

Like Heidi, I didn't know about withdrawal from pain meds. I had full-blown symptoms too, very very unpleasant, such as severe bone pain in my arms and legs for two days. Dr Hey's office had planned on slowly weaning me off narcotics using other pain medications but it was over Thanksgiving week and I didn't bother to call their office asking for advice. Next time, I'll call the Dr with questions before I make my own decision about medication.

One thing I wish I had done before surgery was buy some comfortable bras. A sports bra would have been excellent, one that had a very soft back, perhaps with a front closure if there is such a thing. After my surgery, I couldn't wear my old bras for two months because they didn't fit right and hurt my sensitive back. At one point, I decided to send my husband to buy a bra for me. I told my husband "Look, just stick out your hands and memorize me. Then walk through the bra department with your hands held out and feel the bras until you find one that fits your hands." I think I was on some strong pain meds at the time I made my request. It sounded perfectly sensible to me! I ended up just wearing layered shirts to hide the fact that I couldn't wear a bra.

First of all, I am glad that you feel better now and sorry that you had to go through all of the withdrawal. Thanks for your comments. I wish that I could have seen your husband fondling bras in the women's section trying to find one in your size! It must have been funny. I remember sending my husband to the store immediately after childbirth for some menstrual pads and describing the exact pad that I wanted in detail, but I couldn't remember the name of the brand that I wanted.

Bras: I wear Bali bras that are really stretchy, no hooks, no seams...just a very little support. I would recommend them. They really stretchy and give you just enough coverage not to look braless. Some people may wear them as sleeping bras, but I have worn them everyday for about 10 years. If anyone wants the style, send me a PM and I will find one and look on the tag.

Re stopping narcotics: Irina...post above this one....don't worry much about this if you stop them very slowly with your doctor's suggestions. There are also meds that you can take temporarily to help with side effects. Postop, I intend to use narcotics at whatever dose they allow me to get out of bed and keep moving and exercising and then very slowly decrease the dose as needed.

Susan

[hasteffen]

Irena you sound just like me!!! Uhm- I don't notice the "brace" feeling now. I am loving that I definately have less pain then before surgery. Since I am only three months post op I am not 100% healed so I imagine that I will only get better and faster as I recover.
As you may have seen in a different post I still have some right leg weakness and I have to use aids to dress because I can't quite lift my right leg high enough. I am hopeful that this is temporary but even if it's not, it is not so bad to use the dressing stick, shoe horn and the sock aid. It doesn't make me walk funny or anything like that. Right after surgery though I fell several times... no one could figure it out. Well when I got off the narcotics I was able to tell that my leg was weaker and my knee was giving out on me. Thankfully, that has subsided and my knee hasn't given out since I was about 6 weeks post op. I am so thankful that I didn't mess up my back or anything else!

[hasteffen]

JulieAnn-
I also consider myself to have a high pain tolerance and had my son naturally with no drugs! So, I was surprised that I couldn't handle the pain of this surgery. I expected with drugs that it would not be a problem... but surprise! It was the hardest thing I have been through in my entire life. It felt like a train had hit me. So this is the reason why I say I couldn't put myself through this if I knew... and I would probably be TERRIFIED if I had to go through it again but now that I am through it and feel better I am happy that I did...
Hope that makes sense!
Heidi

[titaniumed]

The Pain for one... the loss of my memory. Sometimes it is still hard to recall certain things. For example, about four weeks post op I couldnt remember my neighbors name. I do not think I will ever be able to remember after my surgery to about 3 weeks after. I remember very little of that. The fact that my plan A, B, C didn't work out... but no fear plan D formed and it all worked out. I was not prepared to go through the drug withdrawls. Again, I weaned faster then most... and I am thankful now that it is over with but it was hell in the hallway. I had full blown withdrawls like a crack addict. Sweats, panic attack ( and I am not usually a sufferer of them),chills, crying... terrible is all I can say.
I was not prepared for the frustration of not being able to do things or that things just take 5 times longer then they should. Even though I knew what the precautions I would have, I didnt know the magnitude of how it really would affect me.

Heidi

Some good posts here!

Same story here.....I completely lost a week from the “bombings”.....Its why I didn’t want any visitors at that stage but they all told me about it at a later date...I was standing by my bed in ICU with many many hoses hooked up and apparently I was ready to go play poker downtown. My visitors quickly alerted the nursing staff. (smiley face) Never a dull moment.

I don’t play poker in casino’s. EVER.....In fact, I don’t even go to any casino’s at ALL anymore. Once every 5 years if that and only to eat.

It took me 2 trys to get off meds and was on the bathroom floor for 2 days each attempt, freezing, sweating, freezing,sweating.....with the house at 84 degrees. This was at 6 weeks post, my final tough period. After that it was smoother sailing......you get tired of meds after the bombings, you just do...

Any extensive A/P is going to hurt....I did pass a huge kidney stone before my scoli surgeries which is WAY worse, so I had some preparation.....The IV and injectable Lortab, Morphine, and Dialuid is extremely effective, 3-4 seconds and you are OUT. There is no pain while being out on the heavy stuff, it’s the weaning that’s hard when you are not knocked out and you cannot stay knocked out forever.....I was begging for shots..... They came every 4 hours. There is no PCA is you cant work the button.

I was warned, and expected it.....as with any extremely difficult thing you have to do in life, you don’t have a choice and have to be mentally prepared. Now that its all in the past, I think back often. I did it.....and with a broken shoulder!

For those that have to do it, you do it, and you get over it......you learn to adapt, you learn patience. It taught me a lot about things......

I can finally relax now, which was something I couldn’t do in pain before my surgeries.

and I smile a lot.

Heidi and Julia, you guys must be jumping out of the nest around now.....3 months is a good time but it will get SO much better every day from now on. I want to hear when you guys finally are out of pain. I’m talking about a zero pain level....You guys are not going to believe it and makes surgery so worth while.

Ed

[hasteffen]

Ed

Ed. I am feeling great... at least much better then a couple of months ago! HAHAHA
Funny story.
Apparently, I told the physical therapist in the hospital about the time I brought wine coolers to school and drank them during cooking class.
My sister later asked me if it was true and I was like how did you know that? It is a true story... but why did I feel the need to tell the therapist that!?!?! Also, I am told that I referred to my husband as my ex husband... thankfully, my husband wasn't in the room to get offended!
I can't imagine what it will be like to be pain free- I am already marveling at the "significant reduction" in my pain now!
Best,
Heidi

[Irina]

Heidi and JulieAnn,

You made me laugh so hard with these bras and ex-husband stories!

[Confusedmom]

Irina,

I was prepared for all the early stuff--first three months or so. I was not prepared for it to go on and on and on! I think recovery is mentally and emotionally challenging because you are constantly asking yourself--when am I going to get better? Will I ever feel normal? And some days you have a good day and are like, hey, yah, I've got this! And then the next day you have a bad day and think you'll be like that the rest of your life. It's just a bit of a roller coaster.

Also, I was not actually prepared for the possibility of never being completely pain-free. I don't know how anyone can be prepared for that. But it is a real risk. The surgeons will tell you many people (40%???) have at least some pain after surgery on an ongoing basis. I thought I was prepared for that possibility, but I wasn't. Even though my pain is mild at this point (often nonexistent), it's emotionally frustrating.

Also, I was not prepared for the feeling that I have a minor disability. That feeling may go away in time, but it has been difficult to feel that way even 9-10 months. Example: going on a ladies' weekend with my girlfriends, I had to have them carry my luggage. Made me feel weird at age 40.

On the flip side, probably one of the best things about it has been the freedom of knowing this surgery is BEHIND me, and it's (God willing) all uphill from here! I hated that dread pre-op of not knowing if/when I would have to do this and how I would get through it. Now I've got a nice, straight back and am focused every day on getting stronger!

Evelyn

[susancook]

What all of you have so graciously and honestly shared brings reality to the decision to have surgery. It is especially relevant to me right now as I will be confirming my date tomorrow morning when the scheduler calls me. There are no guarantees...how I want guarantees. ... on second thought, I can still cancel the surgery tomorrow morning, just thinkin'.....

ED: You always make the situation seem funny and I really appreciate your humor. I'll be looking for you at the poker tables on Reno next time we go down there!

Evelyn, sorry that your pain drags on. I hope that it improves with time.

Heidi: Funny story, I have had a wonderful and sometimes wild life. Hope that I don't share any of my wild stories from the 1960's!

Again, everyone, thanks for a reality check on pain and pain meds.

Susan

[yacpatty]

Susan

Susan,

I was 13 when I was fused T4-L2. I remember that the pain was tolerable and minimal. My parents had to beg me to even take a shot for pain. I just had L4-L5 done Dec 11 and in 3 days I didnt even feel I had surgery. The only time it hurt was when i had to roll in the bed. I am no hero when it comes to pain. I don't have a high threshhold but you might be surprised that the pain is no where near the pain you have built up in your mind. Yes, you will have pain...ask the thoracic to sacrum sisters who had that surgery....I just feel you are going to be pleasantly surprised at how you will be able to manage the pain.

Patty

[golfnut]

What great posts on this thread! Heidi, I loved the wine story! Susan, you can do it!

[Irina]

What all of you have so graciously and honestly shared brings reality to the decision to have surgery. It is especially relevant to me right now as I will be confirming my date tomorrow morning when the scheduler calls me. There are no guarantees...how I want guarantees. ... on second thought, I can still cancel the surgery tomorrow morning, just thinkin'.....

Susan,

When I spoke with Dr. Hu patients they reported different pain levels post-op. One woman in her 40s said she discontinued narcotics a few days after she got home. She had pain, but not that bad to warrant narcotics use. Another woman in her 60s was on narcotics for 5 weeks and I can't recall what 2 others said, I think a few months, but not sure. It's good to prepare for the worst and hope for the best.

[susancook]

Thanks again. I reread this thread and think that this is another area that I just need to let go of. So-o-o-o-o-o-o-o, how do you let go? Susan