Originally posted by rohrer01
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Susan's surgery at UCSF with Dr. Hu on 19 and 22 March, 2013
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Adult Onset Degen Scoliosis @65, 25* T & 36* L w/ 11.2 cm coronal balance; T kyphosis 90*; Sev disc degen T & L stenosis
2013: T3- S1 Fusion w/ ALIF L4-S1/XLIF L2-4, PSF T4-S1 2 surgeries
2014: Hernia @ ALIF repaired; Emergency screw removal SCI T4,5 sec to PJK
2015: Rev Broken Bil T & L rods and no fusion: 2 revision surgeries; hardware P. Acnes infection
2016: Ant/Lat Lumbar diskectomy w/ 4 cages + BMP + harvested bone
2018: Removal L4,5 screw
2021: Removal T1 screw & rod
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Uncomfortable day as fluid is building up on the R side of my wound. Occasional severe pain at the tendon in lower R area in the crease next to my crotch upon moving in certain positions. The whole area of skin is numb, so I burned my lower abd slightly with hot water bottle.
My incision is closed with sutures and glue. He must have really been enthusiastic with the glue application as my pubic hair is glued together at numerous places!
SusanAdult Onset Degen Scoliosis @65, 25* T & 36* L w/ 11.2 cm coronal balance; T kyphosis 90*; Sev disc degen T & L stenosis
2013: T3- S1 Fusion w/ ALIF L4-S1/XLIF L2-4, PSF T4-S1 2 surgeries
2014: Hernia @ ALIF repaired; Emergency screw removal SCI T4,5 sec to PJK
2015: Rev Broken Bil T & L rods and no fusion: 2 revision surgeries; hardware P. Acnes infection
2016: Ant/Lat Lumbar diskectomy w/ 4 cages + BMP + harvested bone
2018: Removal L4,5 screw
2021: Removal T1 screw & rod
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I am so sorry you had a rough day on the 30th. You still managed to add humor to your post. I hope you are feeling better!Karen
Surgery-Jan. 5, 2011-Dr. Lenke
Fusion T-4-sacrum-2 cages/5 osteotomies
70 degree thoracolumbar corrected to 25
Rib Hump-GONE!
Age-60 at the time of surgery
Now 66
Avid Golfer & Tap Dancer
Retired Kdgn. Teacher
See photobucket link for:
Video of my 1st Day of Golf Post-Op-3/02/12-Bradenton, FL
Before and After Picture of back 1/7/11
tap dancing picture at 10 mos. post op 11/11/11-I'm the one on the right.
http://s1119.photobucket.com/albums/k630/pottoff2/
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Hi Susan,
Glad to hear your abdominal surgery is over with. I guess recovery is not much fun. Healing thoughts and cyber "Hugs" coming your way.
SallyDiagnosed with severe lumbar scoliosis at age 65.
Posterior Fusion L2-S1 on 12/4/2007. age 67
Anterior Fusion L3-L4,L4-L5,L5-S1 on 12/19/2007
Additional bone removed to decompress right side of L3-L4 & L4-L5 on 4/19/2010
New England Baptist Hospital, Boston, MA
Dr. Frank F. Rands735.photobucket.com/albums/ww360/butterflyfive/
"In God We Trust" Happy moments, praise God. Difficult moments, seek God. Quiet moments, worship God. Painful moments, trust God. Every moment, thank God.
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I just finished sending a healing thought to Sally, and I found that she sent me a nice note! Thanks!
My R groin hurts with any movement of my R leg. It is difficult to get in and out of bed, car, chair, you name it. I watched the Portland Trailblazers on TV and one of the players was out of action after a "groin injury". I thought about sending him a get well card and commiserate. At least he might think it was funny that an old 67 year old women who is 5'2" had the same problem that he did as a 7 foot, 20 something year old. I was going am wearing an abdominal truss, a la girdle (you older ladies who were in their teens and 20's in the 60s and 70s know what I am talking about!). It really keeps me tucked in. I noticed that my R side is bulging a little bit....and Dr. Jamison's nurse said, "Well, how much is it bulging?" Have you ever tried to quantify a bulge? I did my best and she informed me that the doctor was in surgery on Thursday and had a full patient schedule on Friday, but could see me on Monday afternoon. I informed her that I was quite unhappy with her recommendation, and she finally said, when I repeated my lack of satisfaction with her suggestion, "Well, I'll put you on the cancellation list for Friday". Call me a dissatisfied patient! So, I will stand guard by my phone on Friday morning. Maybe someone will get cold feet about seeing the surgeon as early as tomorrow and cancel early. I surely hope that the fluid in not another hernia, but fluid backup. Can't believe that I hope for fluid backup, but that's to be expected given that my drain was abruptly pulled when it was consistently draining 80ccs a day on the R side.
I am ready to be well and done with surgery.... I bet that Sally is singing the same chorus!
Susan and her abdominal trussLast edited by susancook; 04-03-2014, 02:29 AM.Adult Onset Degen Scoliosis @65, 25* T & 36* L w/ 11.2 cm coronal balance; T kyphosis 90*; Sev disc degen T & L stenosis
2013: T3- S1 Fusion w/ ALIF L4-S1/XLIF L2-4, PSF T4-S1 2 surgeries
2014: Hernia @ ALIF repaired; Emergency screw removal SCI T4,5 sec to PJK
2015: Rev Broken Bil T & L rods and no fusion: 2 revision surgeries; hardware P. Acnes infection
2016: Ant/Lat Lumbar diskectomy w/ 4 cages + BMP + harvested bone
2018: Removal L4,5 screw
2021: Removal T1 screw & rod
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Bad start to the day.....
Woke up and tried to get out of bed to go to the bathroom....instant pain inR groin and took me 10 minutes to get back in bed....
Finally up, took my morning meds, heated up my hot pack....could not lie down in bed due to R groin pain, so was half in bed and half out of bed but had my heating pad
MD office opened at 0900, called in. Nurse Sue said finally, "Maybe you could go to your PCP?" Then, "Maybe the ER?"
I told her that that neither would work because the doc would see me and say, "You need to go back to your surgeon".
So, she called the surgeon who said that his 0800 gallbladder did not show up, so I needed to be here by 0945 as his next surgery was at 10:30.
We hurried and I arrived at his office at 0946 clutching my hot pack on my groin (it wasn't a pretty sight!)
After I finally crawled on his exam table with a small scream, he did and ultrasound, said that there was no fluid and decided that the diagnosis was femoral nerve compression, and decided to do a femoral nerve block. He quickly drew up Lidocaine, Marcaine...and some kind of steroid and he started injecting away in my groin. Groin is numb, so little feeling.
Amazing! I could get off the table without pain.
So, right now I am OK. He wants me to increase my Gabapentin dramatically and apply lidocaine patches.
Asked about the abdominal binder. He said that it was just for comfort and did not help to prevent future hernias.
Bummer, I don't believe him, so I will wear it for the placebo effect.
Onward!
Susan and her abdominal binder....
I asked Dr. Jamison what surgery he was going to do this morning and he said, "just a hernia, nothing like yours. I am still recovering from yours!" Interesting.....Last edited by susancook; 04-03-2014, 01:12 PM.Adult Onset Degen Scoliosis @65, 25* T & 36* L w/ 11.2 cm coronal balance; T kyphosis 90*; Sev disc degen T & L stenosis
2013: T3- S1 Fusion w/ ALIF L4-S1/XLIF L2-4, PSF T4-S1 2 surgeries
2014: Hernia @ ALIF repaired; Emergency screw removal SCI T4,5 sec to PJK
2015: Rev Broken Bil T & L rods and no fusion: 2 revision surgeries; hardware P. Acnes infection
2016: Ant/Lat Lumbar diskectomy w/ 4 cages + BMP + harvested bone
2018: Removal L4,5 screw
2021: Removal T1 screw & rod
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The relief from the femoral injection lasted 12 hours. Called Dr. Jamison's office again. He will do another injection today. Hope that this one lasts longer. He also really upped my Gabapentin. Yikes, sleep time! I will get through this like I have everything else. Just another adventure in life as I try to get better!
My 1+ year appointment for my spinal fusion with Dr. Hu is May 5th. Looking forward to some feedback and hopefully reassurance that I am going the right direction.
Patience, Susan.....patience.
Susan and her abdominal trussAdult Onset Degen Scoliosis @65, 25* T & 36* L w/ 11.2 cm coronal balance; T kyphosis 90*; Sev disc degen T & L stenosis
2013: T3- S1 Fusion w/ ALIF L4-S1/XLIF L2-4, PSF T4-S1 2 surgeries
2014: Hernia @ ALIF repaired; Emergency screw removal SCI T4,5 sec to PJK
2015: Rev Broken Bil T & L rods and no fusion: 2 revision surgeries; hardware P. Acnes infection
2016: Ant/Lat Lumbar diskectomy w/ 4 cages + BMP + harvested bone
2018: Removal L4,5 screw
2021: Removal T1 screw & rod
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Saw the general surgeon, had another injection which was "long acting". He said that he had never seen such a femoral nerve pain. Lucky me! Hope that I am finally done with this! Had blisters on my abdomen like an allergic response. Surgeon put a tagaderm patch on the blisters. Patience, patience, patience.
SusanAdult Onset Degen Scoliosis @65, 25* T & 36* L w/ 11.2 cm coronal balance; T kyphosis 90*; Sev disc degen T & L stenosis
2013: T3- S1 Fusion w/ ALIF L4-S1/XLIF L2-4, PSF T4-S1 2 surgeries
2014: Hernia @ ALIF repaired; Emergency screw removal SCI T4,5 sec to PJK
2015: Rev Broken Bil T & L rods and no fusion: 2 revision surgeries; hardware P. Acnes infection
2016: Ant/Lat Lumbar diskectomy w/ 4 cages + BMP + harvested bone
2018: Removal L4,5 screw
2021: Removal T1 screw & rod
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Susan,
Is your femoral nerve being pinched? If so, by what?
I had two occasions several years back where I had back pain and not enough pain meds. I was out of town for one of them. My daughter noticed something on my back. When I looked in the mirror using another mirror, I had red hives down my spinous processes for a good 10" - 12" in my lower thoracic all the way down the lumbar area. It kind of freaked me out a little bit. My family really freaked and wanted me to go the the Mayo Hospital since we were in Rochester, MN at the time. I didn't want to go because I knew I'd have to fight with my insurance to get them to pay. One of the red hives was larger than a silver dollar. Then, about a month later it happened again, at home this time. So I went to my doctor. He said he'd seen it before where people have nerve pain. The skin will actually break out in hives or turn very red and even blister (NOT shingles) along the nerve pathway, even if there isn't any pain in that exact area. I just told him, "Well, at least you know I'm not faking!" What's strange about it is that I wasn't in off the charts pain when it happened. Apparently my brain thought so. He upped my pain meds and it's never happened since.
I know that there is a tolerance build up from opioid medications. But for some reason, with me at least, the tolerance seems to be to the drowsy and disorientation effects and not so much the pain relieving effect. Although I'm on a LOT more pain meds than I used to be, I'm also getting older and my pain is increasing as the degeneration occurs. I usually take my pain meds on a regular basis whether I'm in pain or not. I've found that if I don't, it gets ahead of me and that's when I get into trouble.
So, Susan, the whole point of this post is because I wonder if you are having a similar reaction. Where were your blisters?
I hope you feel better and can get that femoral nerve pain under control PERMANENTLY.
Take Care and be careful.
(((HUGS)))Be happy!
We don't know what tomorrow brings,
but we are alive today!
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Originally posted by susancook View PostProblem with underwear in the wrong place? Go commando! ;+]Be happy!
We don't know what tomorrow brings,
but we are alive today!
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Checking on you!
Susan, how are you doing since your last post. You were having groin pain! It all sounds so much harder of a recovery than I thought you would be dealing with. Darn!!! Are you still wearing the corset? It would at least seem to secure where they fixed the hernia. I hope your back is doing alright with all else that's going on. I need to have two surgeries that have nothing to do with my spine. And I am not looking forward to them at all! It will just set me back as far as my strength. Ones a histerectomy and ones for my twisted foot. But anyway, my point, I guess is that these are things that have to be attended to whether we have had a huge back surgery or not. Of course I know yours was due to the surgery. I hope things are going better and you are on your way to feeling much better soon. I know things seem crappy now, but hang in there. You seem to always pull through~~ and you will this time too. One day at a time my spinal friend.
Warmest thoughts of you~~~~~LindaLast edited by babyboomer16; 04-07-2014, 12:24 AM.Linda Brozik~~60 yrs. old at time of Lenke's first surgery. 62 now!
Surgery 2006 L3/4 L4/5 double fusion/ instumentation/ With 2 cages
This started adult onset scoliosis
July 1st, 2010/ surgery ~~fused T10 to pelvis (long rods/ screws)
Oct.20th 2010, extended rods to T4 / did osteotomy at L3
Oct. 29th 2012 Dr. Lenke St. Louis Mo. T4 to sacrum osteotomy anterior cage L3/4 titanium rods
May 30th 2013 revision
May 8th cervicle surgery 2016
May 31st Dr. Gupta revision 2017
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Originally posted by rohrer01 View PostSusan,
Is your femoral nerve being pinched? If so, by what?
I had two occasions several years back where I had back pain and not enough pain meds. I was out of town for one of them. My daughter noticed something on my back. When I looked in the mirror using another mirror, I had red hives down my spinous processes for a good 10" - 12" in my lower thoracic all the way down the lumbar area. It kind of freaked me out a little bit. My family really freaked and wanted me to go the the Mayo Hospital since we were in Rochester, MN at the time. I didn't want to go because I knew I'd have to fight with my insurance to get them to pay. One of the red hives was larger than a silver dollar. Then, about a month later it happened again, at home this time. So I went to my doctor. He said he'd seen it before where people have nerve pain. The skin will actually break out in hives or turn very red and even blister (NOT shingles) along the nerve pathway, even if there isn't any pain in that exact area. I just told him, "Well, at least you know I'm not faking!" What's strange about it is that I wasn't in off the charts pain when it happened. Apparently my brain thought so. He upped my pain meds and it's never happened since.
I know that there is a tolerance build up from opioid medications. But for some reason, with me at least, the tolerance seems to be to the drowsy and disorientation effects and not so much the pain relieving effect. Although I'm on a LOT more pain meds than I used to be, I'm also getting older and my pain is increasing as the degeneration occurs. I usually take my pain meds on a regular basis whether I'm in pain or not. I've found that if I don't, it gets ahead of me and that's when I get into trouble.
So, Susan, the whole point of this post is because I wonder if you are having a similar reaction. Where were your blisters?
I hope you feel better and can get that femoral nerve pain under control PERMANENTLY.
Take Care and be careful.
(((HUGS)))
The blisters are probably from burns that I received from using a heated pad on my numb lower abdomen and thus burning it! The good news is that I had very little feeling in my lower abdomen, thus did not sense how hot the heating pad was.
I stopped the Dilaudid post operatively for only a week.. I did not take anything for the second week and now I take NSAIDs on recommendation of my surgeon.
Thanks for your kind words. The groin pain has not improved much.
SusanAdult Onset Degen Scoliosis @65, 25* T & 36* L w/ 11.2 cm coronal balance; T kyphosis 90*; Sev disc degen T & L stenosis
2013: T3- S1 Fusion w/ ALIF L4-S1/XLIF L2-4, PSF T4-S1 2 surgeries
2014: Hernia @ ALIF repaired; Emergency screw removal SCI T4,5 sec to PJK
2015: Rev Broken Bil T & L rods and no fusion: 2 revision surgeries; hardware P. Acnes infection
2016: Ant/Lat Lumbar diskectomy w/ 4 cages + BMP + harvested bone
2018: Removal L4,5 screw
2021: Removal T1 screw & rod
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Originally posted by babyboomer16 View PostSusan, how are you doing since your last post. You were having groin pain! It all sounds so much harder of a recovery than I thought you would be dealing with. Darn!!! Are you still wearing the corset? It would at least seem to secure where they fixed the hernia. I hope your back is doing alright with all else that's going on. I need to have two surgeries that have nothing to do with my spine. And I am not looking forward to them at all! It will just set me back as far as my strength. Ones a histerectomy and ones for my twisted foot. But anyway, my point, I guess is that these are things that have to be attended to whether we have had a huge back surgery or not. Of course I know yours was due to the surgery. I hope things are going better and you are on your way to feeling much better soon. I know things seem crappy now, but hang in there. You seem to always pull through~~ and you will this time too. One day at a time my spinal friend.
Warmest thoughts of you~~~~~Linda
MelissaMelissa
Fused from C2 - sacrum 7/2011
April 21, 2020- another broken rod surgery
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Susan - you've had such a time of 'issues'! Your positive attitude, with a sense of humor sets a good example for us, but I sure wish things would settle down for you! Sending healing prayers your way!Peg
61 yrs old
75 degree lumbar curve with thoracic kyphosis
T3 - S1 surgery with Dr. Buchowski in St. Louis, on 10/27/14
Working on healing in Columbus, Ohio!
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