Back Surgery and Neck Surgery
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Sat, 11/07/2009 - 09:19
10 days post-op
Hi everyone!
I thought I would pop on and give an update on how I am progressing.
I am still doing extremely well. I do have some ups and downs, but for the most part I feel great. I had a bad evening a couple of days ago after riding in the car to my doctor appointment and sitting there then riding back (it is a 45 minute ride). That was to be expected, though. It didn't help that I forgot to take a pain pill with me and was overdue. That put me behind the pain and it took me until the next morning to get back ahead of it.
I started physical therapy this week. The therapist comes in twice a week. I had 2 sessions this past week and will see her twice a week for the next 3 weeks or so. I also have a nurse that comes in. She was here once this past week and will also be coming twice a week. I am walking as much as possible, but the doctor and the nurse told me to take it easy with that. The street I live on is not level, so I am just walking around the house as much as possible. I am also doing the exercises that the physical therapist is giving me.
As far as medication, I am still taking Dilaudid - 8 mg every 4 hours and 2 mg every 4 hours for breakthrough. I thought I was not going to be able to continue on this medication, which made me panic (I have a very high tolerance to pain medication and nothing else I have taken over the years has helped at all). My pain management doctor said in a month we can come up with a plan to slowly wean me down to a lower dose and then maybe off completely some time after that. This is the only medication that works for me, so I want to make sure they don't wean me off of it too soon. He agrees with that. He told me that this is definitely not the time to be worrying about stopping... I am only a little over a week after a rough surgery.
All in all, I am doing so much better than I envisioned I would be at this stage. I don't have any complaints. I do remember to do exactly what I am supposed to do and nothing else (it's so easy to overdue when feeling so good). Watching a lot of TV, and reading a lot right now.
That is about it for me. I read everyone's posts, and although I don't reply a lot - I am thinking of everyone and hoping everything goes well.
Would love to hear back from you all!
Deanna
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History: Bulging disk C4/5, bulging disk T8/9, herniated disks L4/5 and L5/S1
Discectomies on 8/14/08 and 5/05/09 (both on L4/5)
2-level (L4-S1) 360 ALIF/PLIF fusion on 10/27/09
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Great to hear you are doing so well so soon out a MAJOR over-haul! Don't get carried away, keep resting & walking as you can....sounds like you are doing everything right. But remember, this is a long recovery & a long process, etc. Nothing after a fusion happens quickly...it's like no other surgery, it just takes what seems forever to feel normal.
I agree, re dilaudid: it is simply the best. I also, as you write, had no relief from anything else. I was also on quite a lot of it right after surgery, as you are, & my NS suggested the same thing: take it now b/c you need it, then taper off as you can. I was on about the same as you for 3-4 months, then titrated down to 2 mg every 4-6 hrs for awhile & then down from that @ about 6 months. I still need it PRN (at almost 2 years out) but it sure does the trick, doesn't it.
Again, great to hear you are doing well! Hope you continue to mend "uneventfully" as they say. Remember to GO SLOW, rest a lot, eat lots of protein to heal those muscles & walk walk walk. (gently!)
~ Lakeside
Nov.'06 Lammy/decompression @L4/L5 for invasive benign lumbar cyst/mass
Life goes on....
Dec.'06 Re-op & another lammy for post-surg spinal fluid leak, leaving nerve damage, instability, spondy,sciatica & neuropathy r. leg/foot,epidural nerve root compression & DDD @ L4/L5
Jan. '08 PLIF w/autograft from iliac crest, 2 more lammies, a discetomy w/ cages & pedicle screws w/ instrumentation @ L4/L5. After almost 2 years now, I am fused , per NS & x-rays. Continued chronic lumbar spine pain from hardware issues, constant sciatica & permanent nerve damage in right leg/foot but hey, I can WALK (like a combo of Walter Brennan & Frankenstein, "FrankenBrennan"..) & teach 2nd grade F/T!
I am THRILLED to hear you are doing so well and that your Dr is working with you to met your needs
Ms. Humpty Dumpty Took a great fall and all the Drs and surgeons could not put her back together again.
After my fall I started to fall apart. L1-L2-L3-L4 - S1 & S2 gone. ( full herniation )Spinal stenosis, spinal arthritis, degenerative disk, scoliosis.
The spacers in your back are gone/going, spinal nerve damage.
Spinal spurs. Both knee caps & both hips have degenerative bone disease, arthritis and bone spurs.
No surgeries as Drs. don't think it will help and may make things worse.
Age 47 - Here to find & offer support.
Hi Deanna,
It is good to hear the positive things. I also feel like I'm doing pretty good. I just wish these people weren't so conservative with the meds. I left the hospital with a prescription for 5mg percocets - 2 every 4 hours and it has actually been working ok. Then I call to get a refill. When I pick it up the instructions now say 2 every 8 hours. The nurse also told me that will be it for the percs and then back to a low dose vicodin. I just don't see the hurry at just over 1 week post op. Anyway, I'll keep plugging on right along with ya. Good luck!
- Bob
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- Moderate to severe DDD, bulging disks Spondylosis, stenosis, etc. Problems with lumbar and cervical joints. Main issue with sciatic numbness and pain in lower back & legs. Been seeking treatment since 1998.
- Physical therapy and multiple epidural steroid injections with only about 2 weeks relief at a time.
- Multi-level PLIF L3-S1 with hardware on 10/29/09.
Hi, I am new to this site and I am going in for my 2 level fusion on 11/18. I am starting to get paniced about it all. I also have a high tollerance and I am afraid that they will not be able to control my pain. I just have to breath and know that this is hopefully the means to the end of constant pain!!! Seeing your post gave me hope that it will be ok!!
I'm glad to hear you're doing so well. It's good to know they won't try to wean you off your medication too soon. Recovery is hard enough without having to worry about that. Keep up the good work!
Linda
Ruptured discs L3/4, L4/5, L5/S1 May 2007
One ESI in 2007 with lots of PT
Microdiscectomy and foraminotomy L5/S1 December 2007
Worsening of symptoms (back pain, sciatica, right leg weakness) June 2008
New MRI and Discogram show all three discs torn through the annulus, left to right, all three levels
2 ESIs unsuccessful in managing pain
PT, Duragesic pain patch and percocet for break-through
Was told nothing could be done for me because I had three levels and DDD
Given option of three-level fusion after being told nothing could be done
Surgery was November 19, 2008 fusing L3/4 to S1
Attempted PLIF (from both sides) on November 19th.
Rods and pins were placed, but scar tissues prohibited removal of the old discs.
On November 24th, I had ALIF (opened from top of pubic bone to the bottom of my left ribcage) and removed the torn discs, placed dowels with cadaver bone, and some of my own bone marrow mixed with BMP. I left the hospital on the 26th of November.
Currently suffering temporary (hopefully) nerve damage of both legs and total numbness of right foot. Strange tingling in both feet at 4.5 months out of surgery. Numbness still exists in right foot at almost 9 months out.
Weaned off Fentanyl patches and only take occasional percocet for pain.
Deanna - I'm SO glad to hear that you are doing well AND that you are still sticking to the LAW of recover (not overdoing it)!
Keep up the good work girl!
and WELCOME Sheilee - if you need anything just post - there's lots of good people here to help you through it all.
Car accident 10/2005.
My mantra: Mind over Matter: If you don't mind; it don't matter.
Have done PT, Physiotherapy, Cortisone. Don't tolerate meds well.
4 ankle surgeries / 1 shoulder / 2 back - all in less than 4 years.
Discogram 4/2008
7/21/2008 - S1-L4 PLIF fusion
Developed new rt. leg numbness
7/23/2008 - Second surgery to explore possible hemorhage and to remove BMP and other tissue
Right leg still numb. Dealing with major leg cramps in the numb parts (pretty much painless, but disabling in severity)
Meds: Tylenol PM as needed (nightly)
Glad to hear they gave you your meds to keep you comfotable. Also glad to see that you are letting others help you. It is better to be helped now than have problems later. Hope you have a good weekend. Been thinking of ya..Take care Love Robin
2 level PLIF Dec 2008
Hardware Removed Sept 2009
Bone tumor in Eye Socket removed 10-26-09, They confirmed I do have a brain LOL
Fentanyl Patch 100 Mico, Oxycodone 30 MG every 4 hours breakthrough
When my surgeon would not write another prescription for the Dilaudid, I was very happy that his associate (that I am seeing for following ups in the Hudson Valley office) was willing to work with me and understood this was not the time to worry about changing medication. For me, it is one less thing to worry about during this early stage of my recovery and a sigh of relief that I don't have to deal with more pain right now trying to adjust medication.
All, thank you for sharing your experiences with me, and for the encouragement.
Bob, I think percocet was what my surgeon wanted to switch me to... I have taken that on 2 or 3 other separate occasions and it did nothing for me. Then to have them turn around and lower the dose! Wow. I would not be happy about that for sure!
Sheilee, welcome and good luck with your upcoming surgery. You have found the best place to be when going through what we all are.
I am thinking about you, too, Robin! I hope you are doing well in your recovery from the last surgery.
Here's to a good week for us all!
Deanna
History: Bulging disk C4/5, bulging disk T8/9, herniated disks L4/5 and L5/S1
Discectomies on 8/14/08 and 5/05/09 (both on L4/5)
2-level (L4-S1) 360 ALIF/PLIF fusion on 10/27/09
Hi Deanna
So happy that you're doing well and that your surgeon's associate is happy to work with you and not changing your meds at this early stage.
Keep being totally committed to your recovery and I'm sure that unrelenting pain will be a thing of the past.
Take care
Trish
L4/5 spondylolisthesis with severe left foraminal stenosis compressing L4 nerve root.
Advanced right sided L4/5 and L5/S1 facet joint degenerative change
Discectomy/laminectomy L4/5 April 2008 - didn't help
ALIF L4/5 19th October 2009
Oxycontin 10 - 2 twice a day - stopped taking
Endone 5 mg for breakthrough pain as required
Gabapentin 300 mg - 1 twice a day
Paracetamol - 2 four times a day
Phenergan 25 - 1 as required for nausea
Discs L3/4 and L5/S1 worn - further surgery may be required later on - wait and see situation.