Back Surgery and Neck Surgery
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Wed, 11/04/2009 - 07:12
Don't over do it
It has been 7 months since my surgery (L5,S1 Fusion) and my experience has been no matter how good you are feeling and how normal your back is feeling....don't over do it! I am still following the blt rule and walking every day, but there are still days that I wake up sore...not just the part of my back where I had surgery, but sometimes my upper back as well. It's usually if I know that I worked too long....like sitting at my desk at work for 11 hours in one day like I did yesterday. This morning, my back feels stiff and I just ache almost all over and all I did different was worked 3 hours more than usual.
Otherwise, I am having so many good days and yesterday on my walk I felt like jogging....but knew better.
_____________
Laminectomy - December 31, 2008
PLIF (L5,S1) - March 19, 2009
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I'm not sure if there is a time limit on when you don't have to worry about overdoing it! I had fusion almost two years ago, and I know instantly if I am doing "too much." It usually involves bending!
Do you spend time lying of the floor each day? If you could spend five minutes of your lunch hour lying flat on the floor, knees bent, feet flat on floor, pelvis in a neutral position, arms close to your sides, palms up, and breathe slowly and deeply, I think it would help you immensely! Just five minutes gives you discs an opportunity to unload, lets the soft tissue relax and helps to realign the spine.
Whenever I start to feel like my muscles are going to cramp or I am getting sore, if I can lie on the floor, it always helps. It is a natural form of traction. Ideally try to do it several times each day -- maybe once during the work day and then at night before you go to bed.
I'm happy you are feeling well enough to want to jog!!
Gwennie
spondylolisthesis at L4-5; stenosis at L3-4 and L4-5
radiculopathy for about 3 years
PLIF (L4-L5)in Jan '08 (PEEK cage, rods & Screws, BMP); continued radiculopathy....
Lami-foraminotomy L5-S1 Jan '09; continued radiculopathy;
Bulging discs L3-4 & L5-S1; crazy screwed-up S1 nerve
***** I have no medical training and am in no way connected with the medical profession, other than doing my part to keep them at full employment. My posts are based on personal experience and knowledge gained through the adventures of living. Take them for what they are worth....
regarding your post and my earlier posting worried about having re-damaged myself after a few glasses of wine and eventual dancing at a party...
Recognize those situations that might put you in an arena to over-do it, and figure out how to: 1) either not put yourself in those positions again or 2) have a back-up plan. For me, I'm a social graduate student, so enjoy spending time with friends, who often get together for a beer and relax, have a party, go dancing, etc. While I might have been able to party with the rest of them, always always remember that your pain meds interact with everything you ingest. For me, 2 glasses of wine = the equivalent of a keg... or so it seemed. So, just watch out for triggers and have ways to stop yourself before you do over do it. For me, 'no drinking whatsoever' has been added to the list of other nos. Also, I gave my partner the go-ahead to tell me firmly I need to stop doing something if he notices me overextending my abilities.
Good luck with your recovery!
28 years old; significant back pain & occasional leg pain; tried: acupuncture, physical therapy, massage, medication, decompression therapy, epidurals, facet joint injections (all no to limited results); lumbar microdiscectomy @ L4-5 July 22, 2009 (and now we'll see what happens...)