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November 7, 2009 - 9:19am
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
_____________
2-level (L4-S1) 360 ALIF/PLIF fusion on 10/27/09
Doc says I am totally fused now, and my back is healed! 09/17/10
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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
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 discectomy w/ cages & 4 pedicle screws w/ instrumentation @ L4/L5. Have now- chronic lumbar spine pain from hardware issues, sciatica & permanent nerve damage in right leg/foot. Walking's fine, sitting not. Still teach 2nd grade full-time--life goes on!
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. L1-L2-L3-L4 - S1 & S2 full herniations. Spinal stenosis, spinal arthritis, degenerative disk, scoliosis. Knees, hips & spine have degenerative bone disease, arthritis and bone spurs. Age 49 - Here to find & offer support. Had bilateral knee replacement surgery done March 15th, 2011
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
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!!
L4-S1 Fusion 11/2009 PLIF due to DDD
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
3 level 360 degree lumbar fusion (L3-S1) November 2008
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. Have done PT, Physiotherapy, Cortisone.
Don't tolerate meds well. 4 ankle surgeries / 1 shoulder / 3 back - 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.
Hardware removal 1/6/2010
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
Surgery Dec 13, 2 level fusion L2-3, L-3-4, ALIF min invasive. Nuvasive procedure..quite the deal!
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
2-level (L4-S1) 360 ALIF/PLIF fusion on 10/27/09
Doc says I am totally fused now, and my back is healed! 09/17/10
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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
ALIF L4/5 19th October 2009 - successful
Discectomy/laminectomy L4/5 April 2008 - didn't help
Disc degeneration at L3/4 and L5/S1 with right sided foraminal stenosis at L5/S1 with slight flattening and elevation of the right L5 nerve root.