19 Year Old Male. Scoliosis Progressing.

[Radiogirl]

John???? Did you make it home yet? How are you doing???

Laura

[JDM555]

Wow what a night. I left at 5:15ish and the car ride was horrible. It was 1.5 hours and I was sweating and shivering at the same time. I went upstairswhile being too cold and I was having a shiver attack as if it was a seizure. It was very hard to get warm again but I managed after 15 minutes to calm down. I barely still eat. I had BM yesterday. I'm soo sick of this and tired. I want this pain. I wish I can fast forward the next six months. The pics look nice though.

[Jimbo]

Dayum! Sounds like a trip.

Sleep well dude

[debbei]

Wow what a night. I left at 5:15ish and the car ride was horrible. It was 1.5 hours and I was sweating and shivering at the same time. I went upstairswhile being too cold and I was having a shiver attack as if it was a seizure. It was very hard to get warm again but I managed after 15 minutes to calm down. I barely still eat. I had BM yesterday. I'm soo sick of this and tired. I want this pain. I wish I can fast forward the next six months. The pics look nice though.

Sweating and shivering--are you already cutting back on pain meds? I remember my 1.5 hr ride home was exhausting and horrible too. Take care of yourself and try to eat nourishing foods. And sleep, sleep, sleep. You need it now.

[JDM555]

Hey debbei what dies cutting back on pain meds have to do with shivering and sweating. Here is what happened day 1-3 I was on iv and took percocets every four hours. By day 4 when I had my
revisional I was on iv drip with dilaudid which was awesome lol. Then on day 567 it was just percocept every 4 hours and an occasional shot of dilaudid every 6 hours and that twelve hour slow Acting medicine. Now I am just on oxycontin supposedly every four hours but I most of the time don't even use it till 5678 hours. I don't take the long lasting either could that be why? I can probably go through the day without oxycontin until I sleep. Is that good on day 8/9?

Would that cause the retarded body temps as well?

[sillycoffeegirl]

Aww I'm sorry the car ride was horrible. I think ur body is on its way to healing faster. I have a question tho. Do u think if I have a sore throat tom morning my doc would still let me do the surgery?

[JDM555]

That's kind of a hard question to answer since it's up to your doctor and anesthesologist. I had one but I guess it was such short notice they weren't going to cancel everything over it. But they looked at it and said that it is ok and they went on with surgery. But some anese might look at your throat and say nope not happening.

[Hannamom]

John

The sweating is from the heavy duty narcotics you're taking and have taken. My daughter would wake up soaked. I had to change her sheets every day for nearly 3 weeks!
Low temps under 100 are normal too. Your body has been through a trauma (twice) and it's healing. If your temp goes over 100 I'd just run it by your doctor.
I think you're doing great, especially having 2 surgeries in 2 days. My 13 year old daughter was no where near as far a long as you. I weaned her down on the oxcontin and at 30 days post op she took her last one. Then we transitioned into advil. Everyone is different and heals differently. Every day a little better!

Ann

[JenniferG]

I remember my surgeon saying there's a big difference between having this surgery as a teenager and having it later in life and he wasn't kidding. John, weaning off oxycontin so soon is quite amazing to me. I started weaning at 6weeks and took several weeks to get completely off it and by then I had become dependent on it and went through horrible withdrawals. That's one thing you should avoid, cutting back so early.

But try to remember it's not a race, you have plenty of time to do this properly. I know it's natural to be impatient at your age, we probably all were, but remember that your body will heal better if it's kept calm and out of pain than if you're in pain and upset. Let all your energy go to healing and gentle exercise. Sleep is your best friend right now. Boring as it may be.

On the other hand, if you're not having pain, then there's no need for the meds. If the pain is only moderate/mild then you may be able to just use OTC meds and avoid the heavy stuff.

You're doing great John and I'm sure your pre-op fitness (and your youth of course) has given you this result.

[JDM555]

John

The sweating is from the heavy duty narcotics you're taking and have taken. My daughter would wake up soaked. I had to change her sheets every day for nearly 3 weeks!
Low temps under 100 are normal too. Your body has been through a trauma (twice) and it's healing. If your temp goes over 100 I'd just run it by your doctor.
I think you're doing great, especially having 2 surgeries in 2 days. My 13 year old daughter was no where near as far a long as you. I weaned her down on the oxcontin and at 30 days post op she took her last one. Then we transitioned into advil. Everyone is different and heals differently. Every day a little better!

Ann

Yeah, the first day I was sweating insanely! It was a non-stop fountain flowing from my head. I went through tissues every 5 seconds. I had 2 surgeries within 4 days. Day 1 was the major surgery, Day 4 was the second revisional surgery which I got to say, hurt more than the first one. I don't think I can take Advil/Tylenol cause of my liver enzymes were a little raised from the 500mg Tylenol in the percocets taking 6 days a time. I don't know why they didn't just give me oxycontin which is the same thing without tylenol.

I remember my surgeon saying there's a big difference between having this surgery as a teenager and having it later in life and he wasn't kidding. John, weaning off oxycontin so soon is quite amazing to me. I started weaning at 6weeks and took several weeks to get completely off it and by then I had become dependent on it and went through horrible withdrawals. That's one thing you should avoid, cutting back so early.

But try to remember it's not a race, you have plenty of time to do this properly. I know it's natural to be impatient at your age, we probably all were, but remember that your body will heal better if it's kept calm and out of pain than if you're in pain and upset. Let all your energy go to healing and gentle exercise. Sleep is your best friend right now. Boring as it may be.

On the other hand, if you're not having pain, then there's no need for the meds. If the pain is only moderate/mild then you may be able to just use OTC meds and avoid the heavy stuff.

You're doing great John and I'm sure your pre-op fitness (and your youth of course) has given you this result.

Yeh, the 12 hour long lasting wasn't my choice, I just didn't take it at the hospital and my dad didn't get it from walgreens yet, but so far it's not too bad. The oxycontin was taken at 12:50 PM yesterday morning and I went on the car drive and all that good stuff and took it at 7PM at night. So I'm not sure what is causing me to be lightheaded/dizzy when I get up, maybe cause I don't eat too much or I lay down too long.

And as far as pain, I don't really have "pain" just really sore and discomfort from the surgery and my hips are so sore, I don't know why. My main problem is dizzy/lightheaded when standing or walking, that annoys me cause I always have to lay down.

[Radiogirl]

Wow John!!!! Believe it or not it is awesome to hear your comments about sweating, dizziness, light headed, aching, etc....CUZ....THAT MEANS YOU ARE PAST YOUR SURGERY!!! You DID IT!!! Has that hit you yet??? CONGRATULATIONS!!! You are on the recovery highway now!!! Phew.....what a relief that must be!!! I'm jealous!

Laura

[Radiogirl]

Oh yeah...John....have someone post your before and after pics!!!! Give us who are waiting for surgery something to look forward to!

Laura

[rich1752]

John, I was chastised by my doctor for not following my pain med schedule. I am currently on slow release oxycotin. I take 2 pills of oxycotin, percocet every 4 hours, flexeril 3 times a day, ambien (at night to sleep) and some new pain med for my leg nerves called neurotin. I wanted to start cutting down on the pain meds, but was told by my doctor to not worry about that until about two months out. I know what you mean about being cold. I was never cold before. but at night I sleep with 3 blankets.

rich

[JenniferG]

It's hard to say what's causing your lightheadedness and dizziness. It could be medication, low blood pressure, not enough food, low blood count. My dizziness didn't start until 6 weeks post-op. My surgeon told me it was caused by the antibiotics given in surgery, but I am kind of doubtful about that. My dizziness lasted 6-7 weeks and was very unpleasant. It coincided with reducing the Oxycontin so I thought it was to do with the withdrawals, which I was having. But I doubt that's your problem.

Eat healthy food and hopefully, the symptoms will gradually disappear.

[jrnyc]

Hey John
congratulations...it is done...you are thru it & on the healing side!! when you feel alot better...go back & read some or your posts before the surgery...all the things you were worrying about to the point of near driving yourself crazy!!
you should be proud of all you have come thru!!

not eating & taking heavy duty meds will cause dizziness...i take oxy, though i have not had surgery...yet...i have severe pain, & it spreads to my hips from the scoli plus degenerative discs...if/when i take oxy & dont eat, i get really dizzy...now, you have other stuff going on too that i dont, but right now, my money is on meds without food! should it come out to be completely unrelated to that...let me know where to mail the bet money

sleep heals alot..the body heals during sleep...heals all kinds of things..you know how you read about people being put into sleeps or comas or whatever sometimes...well, that is one of the reasons! i know alot of people say they get cold after the surgery...but you need to....pardon me...chill out for now.... rest...sleep...eat...rest some more...it is hard to eat when you dont feel like it...but try! & get better day by day....

congrats again...well done..not that it's over...but you are on your way!

jess