Vertigo/Dizziness

[britty_rn]

Hi all, I had my surgery on May 23rd so I'm not even two weeks post-op.
I was fused from T5 to T12 for a 40° curve, now after surgery it looks as if my scoliosis is completely gone (not sure of my exact post op degree because I had gotten sick during my first post-op appt so the surgeon didn't have time to measure them)
I'm pain free for the most part, I take tylonol probably once a day and have tried to stay away from the narcotic pain meds.
But since coming home, I've been constantly dizzy. My surgeon has no idea why I'm dizzy, but prescribed me meclazine in hopes of relieving it, my GP said I have a lot of fluid in my right ear which could explain the dizziness, and told me to take sudafed to dry it up.

Just wondering if anyone else experienced this constant dizziness post-op?

[Karen Ocker]

No, my surgery did not cause me dizziness but medications did.

[Spring72]

Not the same but just wasnted to share with you....at 3 months post op I had vertigo, only when laying down and getting back up, didn't matter how fast or slow. It was pretty severe but it only lasted about 10 seconds. (that seems like forever when you are holding on to the bed like you are about to spin off) It got to be where I was so nervous before laying down that I would feel ill. I did some research online and decided to just let it pass....it didn't seem to be surgical related or med related. It did magically disappear 5 weeks later thankfully. I am assuming it was from my inner ear...maybe from the pressure of getting up and laying down so much? Not sure what was wrong but am glad it is over. But if I would of been dizzy all the time I would of checked it out with a doctor for sure. I hope it ends for you.

[Jenna.KB]

Not the same but just wasnted to share with you....at 3 months post op I had vertigo, only when laying down and getting back up, didn't matter how fast or slow. It was pretty severe but it only lasted about 10 seconds. (that seems like forever when you are holding on to the bed like you are about to spin off) It got to be where I was so nervous before laying down that I would feel ill. I did some research online and decided to just let it pass....it didn't seem to be surgical related or med related. It did magically disappear 5 weeks later thankfully. I am assuming it was from my inner ear...maybe from the pressure of getting up and laying down so much? Not sure what was wrong but am glad it is over. But if I would of been dizzy all the time I would of checked it out with a doctor for sure. I hope it ends for you.

Hi Britty

Well done on getting through your surgery. Fab to hear you look like your scoliosis has good. Glad your not getting too much pain. How old are you and where are you based?
I never suffered with dizziness after surgery but hopefully its just your ear or meds and it is sorted soon.

Jenna

[britty_rn]

Hi Britty

Well done on getting through your surgery. Fab to hear you look like your scoliosis has good. Glad your not getting too much pain. How old are you and where are you based?
I never suffered with dizziness after surgery but hopefully its just your ear or meds and it is sorted soon.

Jenna

Thanks I just can't wait until I can start doing things again.
I'm 20 years old, I got the surgery done at Winthrop Hospital in Mineola, NY.
The dizziness has gotten a tiny bit better since I started taking Sudafed, so hopefully it's the ears and it'll be gone soon

[Jenna.KB]

Thanks I just can't wait until I can start doing things again.
I'm 20 years old, I got the surgery done at Winthrop Hospital in Mineola, NY.
The dizziness has gotten a tiny bit better since I started taking Sudafed, so hopefully it's the ears and it'll be gone soon

Well take it easy for now :-) your only two weeks post op.

I'm sure you will bounch back at your age, just take things steady, listen to those who know and I'm sure you'll see a huge improvement as the weeks go by.

Jenna

[JenniferG]

Hi britty and welcome to the forum.

I had severe dizziness for 6-7 weeks starting at about the 6th week post op. I had my ears checked and various tests, but no reason was found. My surgeon's advice was that it was the antibiotics given in surgery, which I have my doubts about, given the time span between surgery and onset of dizziness. I became depressed, thinking that it may be permanent but it eventually stopped and the depression lifted almost immediately. It was a very unpleasant time of my recovery, made moreso by a lack of cause. Apart from that, my recovery was good and my end result far better than I could have hoped for, so I am sure your dizziness won't have any bearing on your end result.

[braceyourself]

Just a thought... I had a lot of dizziness after my surgery, especially when I leaned forward a little and while lying in bed. I felt like my whole bed was tipping over at times. And that was a few months afterwards. But I had bloodwork done found out I was anemic. (I had never had problems with dizziness before my surgery.) So after being on iron pills for a while, it went away for good. Hope you get yours figured out and feel better soon.