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4 Week Post Op...QUESTIONS!

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  • #16
    Its okay .... This too will pass

    Originally posted by PollensaGirl View Post
    Hi guys,

    Well, today is my 4 week anniversary and I have a couple of questions/concerns I'd like yo share. Might just be panicking and paranoid so wondered if anyone could put me at ease at all.

    I love my new straight back and all the rib humps that were there before have gone...this has really surpassed my expectations! But I'm not very happy with my front view. I still have a more prominent left ribcage and when I look in the mirror I still look like I'm slightly rotating and leaning towards the left (this is the side I tended towards before surgery). My Mum and Dad keep on telling me that nobody is perfect but I expected more and I can't help feeling down.

    See front view post op:
    http://i47.tinypic.com/23tp0u1.jpg

    I am worried this is getting/will get worse and that perhaps my spine is fusing in a position that it shouldn't because of the way I'm holding myself?? Is this possible or are the rods too strong to allow this to happen?

    I have my follow up appointment on 3rd of Jan but think I may see if I can bring it forward as I'm scared that if they need to correct something, it will be harder the longer I leave it.

    I am wondering if it is just the position of my left rib cage causing this appearance of leaning. It feels like my ribcage needs tilting forwards more -hard to describe but hope that might make sense?? I also feel like my upper body is naturally trying to twist towards the left.

    Prior to surgery I asked about having a costoplasty if it was needed to fix the cosmetic appearance of my rib cage and Mr T said he would do that if he felt it necessary once he got in there but he obviously decided not to. I'm now thinking perhaps I should have pushed for this more. Has anyone else here had a costoplasty to better the appearance of a prominent rib cage at the front? Is this something I could look into having as an additional surgery after spinal fusion?

    I'm also wondering if this leaning/twisting has something to do with my hips as they don't feel quite square with my shoulders which I think shows in the after X-rays too (my hips are more towards the right).

    Anyway,sorry for all the questions! Just a bit panicky...my Mum is telling me that I'm not in the best frame of mind either as I am still 4 weeks post surgery but just wanted to air my concerns!

    On a positive note, it is 2.40pm and I haven't taken any painkillers yet and am not in any pain really!

    Thanks guys
    x
    Hello Vic -

    Hope you are feeling better with the responses to your posts. I haven't posted much cos in the first year after my surgery I like you felt that some of my feelings would seem silly or plain ungrateful. Then I blamed myself as well for anytime I might have bent slightly or lifted something more than 5lbs etc. Fast forward 18 months post op and I know all those feelings were valid and that is why I wanted to send you a response since I dealt with this too.

    Don't worry yourself too much. My surgeon said exactly what Linda said. He said in the case of large curves, the deformity in the rib cage becomes permanent so even after they derotate the spine some assymetry is still there. Unlike your surgeon, my surgeon actually told me he would do the thoracoplasty and had me sign the forms for that as well. However he did not feel it was necessary after he got in there. I know when we are sooo young, in as much as we don't go into it for the cosmetic appearance we feel like that should be our "gift" for going through this ordeal. I was really upset that he did not do the thoracoplasty esp since I do still have a bit of a hump. I honestly could not get it out of my mind so I just asked him point blank when I went for my 1yr appt. His answer was that it really isn't worth it cos it would not take away all the assymetry anyways and would only cause worse post op pains which in my case I honestly cannot imagine worse pain as I am 18 months post op and not yet completely pain free.

    We are always most critical of ourselves so always remember that. The spine continues to settle in the first year or so so as someone else mentioned your appearance will continue to change. Don't beat yourself up. I know I did and that is why I hope you don't. You look great to me and I am sure you are the only one that notices this. I had a big hollow on the right side of my chest and a very prominent left side due to the derotation of my spine. I hated it soooo much but the good news is as I gained back the 10-15 lbs I lost post op, the right side has filled up and it doesn't look as bad. It is still there but definitely looks better so in my mind is a good justification for gaining some weight

    Finally I am just learning each day to accept my new body post op, appreciating the improvement and accepting that life is not perfect.

    Healing thoughts
    GOE
    Diagnosed as a teenager
    Surgery 06/21/2011 Dr Boachie HSS
    Age 34 at time of surgery
    Pre Op : Thoracic 87; Lumbar 85
    Post Op: Thoracic 36; Lumbar 21
    Gained almost 2 inches in height !

    Comment


    • #17
      Hi- so to answer everyone's questions:
      Dr said at first that it will take time to adjust. Next appt he said that my leg lengths were different and had me build up my shoes (Ortho guy added on the bottom of my shoe 2 cm, (sexy)) then...myself and pt said its almost too much (my gait was off and it was almost like I was "stepping up"), after changing 4 pairs of shoes!!!! Dr says ditch the shoe lift and we'll do X-rays of my legs to see for sure if they were different lengths. He just measured before did not take X-rays.
      I am doing pt 3 times a week, have been doing this since 6 weeks post op... I'm holding on to hope that this will adjust. I would Love to be wrong!!! But in three months I'm either the same or getting worse def not getting better . ... At all. I look a bit worse cause swelling is completely gone and it looks like I'm leaning more than before...I lost maybe 3 pounds with surgery so nothing drastic and I've gained it back.
      I have my 3 month appt next week... We'll see what he says.
      My curves pre-op 56 over 53
      Post-op being fused T4to L1
      Thoracic - 16 degrees
      Lumbar- 32 degrees

      More so than I look bad.... I have a pretty gnarly Trunk shift... If it doesn't resolve- I'm sure that new problems will arise from that. And as much as I love myself the way God made me, I'm over it- and wanna look nice too.

      And I'm truly sorry for all of you out there in pain!!!

      Comment


      • #18
        Originally posted by king14 View Post
        Hi- so to answer everyone's questions:
        Dr said at first that it will take time to adjust. Next appt he said that my leg lengths were different and had me build up my shoes (Ortho guy added on the bottom of my shoe 2 cm, (sexy)) then...myself and pt said its almost too much (my gait was off and it was almost like I was "stepping up"), after changing 4 pairs of shoes!!!! Dr says ditch the shoe lift and we'll do X-rays of my legs to see for sure if they were different lengths. He just measured before did not take X-rays.
        I am doing pt 3 times a week, have been doing this since 6 weeks post op... I'm holding on to hope that this will adjust. I would Love to be wrong!!! But in three months I'm either the same or getting worse def not getting better . ... At all. I look a bit worse cause swelling is completely gone and it looks like I'm leaning more than before...I lost maybe 3 pounds with surgery so nothing drastic and I've gained it back.
        I have my 3 month appt next week... We'll see what he says.
        My curves pre-op 56 over 53
        Post-op being fused T4to L1
        Thoracic - 16 degrees
        Lumbar- 32 degrees

        More so than I look bad.... I have a pretty gnarly Trunk shift... If it doesn't resolve- I'm sure that new problems will arise from that. And as much as I love myself the way God made me, I'm over it- and wanna look nice too.

        And I'm truly sorry for all of you out there in pain!!!
        Thanks King. When you say you're leaning, do you mean to the side, or forwards? I lean to the side and at 3.5 years out, so far no new problems have arisen so I hope that gives you some confidence. I too, seem to have one leg shorter than the other. When I asked my surgeon if I should get a shoe lift, he said no, without any explanation. But I did get one a few months ago, to wear in my left walking shoe (I had a left curve) because it's when I'm out walking that my gait seems the most "out of whack." It helped, to a degree. I bought a 3/8" lift.

        But I do feel for you about your dissatisfaction with the way you look. I think it's reasonable to expect to look better. I'll be very interested in hearing what your surgeon says at your next appt. I hope you'll let us know.
        Surgery March 3, 2009 at almost 58, now 63.
        Dr. Askin, Brisbane, Australia
        T4-Pelvis, Posterior only
        Osteotomies and Laminectomies
        Was 68 degrees, now 22 and pain free

        Comment


        • #19
          Jen, i think you look great in the "after" pic...
          the scar looks clean, and it doesn't show that you are leaning...
          are you able to walk OK...?
          do you feel like you are leaning when you walk...?
          i am kinda surprised as i thought you were really pleased with
          your outcome...

          jess

          Comment


          • #20
            Keep Smiling King!

            Originally posted by king14 View Post
            Hi Vic I completely understand, I WISH I looked like you after my surgery. I am almost 3 months post op and I'm still soooo crooked, high hip, leaning way to the side, go in on only one side of my waist, look wretched! Look way worse tHan before surgery. I have no pain, but you want to look good, normal, after going through something like this - especially after looking different your whole life.... Needless to say I'm not happy. I have been distant from the boards because I don't want to complain about aesthetics when so many are suffering from horrible pain... But the mental anguish is (I believe) equally as bad
            you look fantastic!! So don't worry!!!
            King, first of all thank you for your lovely comments and I know exactly what you mean about sounding ungrateful by writing these types of things but please don't let that deter you from airing your concerns on here. That's what this place is for after all, it's not just a place to share the good outcomes, it should convey a real picture of surgery, recovery and potential results, cosmetic or not!

            I know I felt a whole lot better after posting...it's cathartic and everyone is so supportive and it puts you in a better frame of mind!

            I am sure like everyone says here (and all my family constantly) that even though this seems like the end of the world to us that other people will not notice, not on a conscious level anyway. I know this does not compensate for the fact that WE had a hope/expectation of a result that was as close to perfect as you can imagine.

            Also, because I was one of the lucky ones and did not suffer from chronic pain, the cosmetic side was all the more important to me. This is not to say that I don't thank my lucky stars that I didn't suffer like some on here in that way and that (touch wood) so far I am managing the post surgery pain well.

            My main fear is that my appearance will deteriorate and I end up not liking my body just as much as I did before surgery, as well as having lost a great deal of flexibility.

            Since I started this thread, I have written to my surgeon and brought my appointment forward to Friday 15th December (previously booked in for 3rd Jan) so hopefully I will get some answers and he will put my mind at rest that my appearance will not worsen.

            Were you happy with your appearance and result straight after surgery or was your surgeon unable to get a good correction? Did you have another Xray at your recent appointment that showed any movement/change since the surgery?

            Please please please don't stay away from the boards! Sharing your anguish is better than keeping it inside!

            Big hug
            Vic
            xxx
            Vic
            30 yr old, Adolescent Idiopathic Scoliosis, Dbl compensatory curve, diagnosed age 14
            Rt Thoracic approx 60 degrees
            Lft Lumbar approx 60 degrees
            Proposed 2 stage A/P fusion T4-L4 or L5 (TBC)
            Consultant - Stewart Tucker, RNOH
            Seeking Second opinion - James Wilson Macdonald, Manor Hospital, Oxford
            Love my friends, family, the island of Mallorca, and eating great food!
            My Pre-Surgery X-Rays
            (Front Xray) http://i48.tinypic.com/mvlusw.jpg
            (Side Xray) http://i48.tinypic.com/s2f6na.jpg

            Comment


            • #21
              Vic,

              I honestly think you look fantastic. I can see a slight difference in the protrusion of your rib in front, but that is all, and that is looking for it. If I were you, I'd be shopping for bikinis!! You look great.

              Just as an aside, I also am fairly straight in the back, but a bit assymetrical in the front. I had a severe rotation, so the surgeon couldn't completely fix that. I also have a slight rib hump left. That said, I think I look much better than before. Not as scrunched up, for sure. I would wear a bikini, too, if I could just lost those darn extra 10 lbs!!

              Best,
              Evelyn
              age 48
              80* thoracolumbar; 40* thoracic
              Reduced to ~16* thoracolumbar; ~0* thoracic
              Surgery 3/14/12 with Dr. Lenke in St. Louis, T4 to S1 with pelvic fixation
              Broken rods 12/1/19; scheduled for revision fusion L1-L3-4 with Dr. Lenke 2/4/2020
              Not "confused" anymore, but don't know how to change my username.

              Comment


              • #22
                Aw thanks Evelyn! Good to hear I'm not on my own with the front asymmetry although I'm sure you look great in a bikini with a few extra pounds or not! hehe
                Vic
                30 yr old, Adolescent Idiopathic Scoliosis, Dbl compensatory curve, diagnosed age 14
                Rt Thoracic approx 60 degrees
                Lft Lumbar approx 60 degrees
                Proposed 2 stage A/P fusion T4-L4 or L5 (TBC)
                Consultant - Stewart Tucker, RNOH
                Seeking Second opinion - James Wilson Macdonald, Manor Hospital, Oxford
                Love my friends, family, the island of Mallorca, and eating great food!
                My Pre-Surgery X-Rays
                (Front Xray) http://i48.tinypic.com/mvlusw.jpg
                (Side Xray) http://i48.tinypic.com/s2f6na.jpg

                Comment

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