Back Surgery and Neck Surgery
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Fri, 07/03/2009 - 16:54
Slept on my side...help!
I slept on my side the last two night after having acdf surgery. My doc said it was OK but I start out on my back and I wind up on my side. I just don't want any hardware to move. Am I nuts???? I just really don't want to go through this again. My doc also doesn't believe in hard collars or soft collars. He said something about making the neck muscles stronger but the pressure is killing me and I have to lie down a lot. Is that normal?
Also stitches, the nurse told me I could get them wet in the shower??? I think it's OK but I'm scared to do anything wrong. Any input will be helpful.
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Waiting at a light one night and a drunk driver slammed into the back of my car. She has changed my life. I'm left with two herninated disks at C4 and C5 and limp from the accident. My daughter fractured her arm. I was trying to finish my masters and I feel like she took my life from me. Docs say from this I have arthritis and DDD. It's not getting better and seems to be worse as time does by.
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how bout a big hard pillow under each elbow to the side. that might stop you from rolling.
this may not be what the dr orders but when i had my neck surgery i wrapped a towel around my neck then wrapped duc tape around that. it became a soft brace for sleeping.....pete
Banned from Spine-Health
But after fusion surgery T4-pelvis, my doctor told me I could lie however I wanted. Obviously he didn't think it would affect my hardware.
I was saddened just reading your signature. I wish you well, Cindy.
Surgery aged 57 for Scoliosis
Laminectomies, Osteotomies and Fusion T4-pelvis
using autograft, allograft and BMP
March 3, 2009, Brisbane, Australia.
Curve corrected and spine de-rotated from 68 degrees to 22.
It's going to take a whole lot more than sleeping on your side to get that hardware to move! Don't worry about it- but clear it with your surgeon if you're worried. I've had 2 cervical surgeries and never wore a collar either and found some interesting ways to sleep!
As hard as it is to get into a comfortable position to sleep after surgery I don't think that any self-respecting doctor is going to tell you that you can't sleep any dang way you want
You don't want to soak the stiches but taking a shower is fine, just dry them after to make sure they don't stay wet.
Rest well,
Griff
1/07 ACDF C5-T1 with hardware, ended up with more spinal cord compression causing myelopathy which affects both my legs and arms
5/07 ACDF Revision All Hardware removed and partial corpectomies done on C5-T1, about 75% of each vertebrae removed and hardware replaced. Further spinal cord damage halted.
2/08 Thoracic Outlet Syndrome surgery- Both Anterior and Median Scalene Muscles removed as well as the first rib. Scar tissue removed as well and nerves wrapped to prevent more scar tissue from forming. Lost most of the use of my right arm. Still hoping for function to return.
All this caused by a battle with a semi. Apparently the semi won.
No use dwelling on it, right?
I think I'm just nervous and my family drives me nuts! Thanks for all your advice. How are all you after this surgery? I have to tell most of you, I should have had this right after the accident but refused due to fear and I wish I had it done then. Are you guys happy you did it?
Thanks,
Cindy
Waiting at a light one night and a drunk driver slammed into the back of my car. She has changed my life. I'm left with two herninated disks at C4 and C5 and limp from the accident. My daughter fractured her arm. I was trying to finish my masters and I feel like she took my life from me. Docs say from this I have arthritis and DDD. It's not getting better and seems to be worse as time does by.
I want you to know how brave I think you are. You went through this twice! You're my hero and I do hope you get use of your arm back. I have permanent nerve damage because I didn't have surgery sooner so I do know how you feel. I do hope that this halts any further damage. I have limited use of the right side of my body so I'm hoping I get some of it back. I guess only time will tell.
Thank you for your great advice!
Cindy
Waiting at a light one night and a drunk driver slammed into the back of my car. She has changed my life. I'm left with two herninated disks at C4 and C5 and limp from the accident. My daughter fractured her arm. I was trying to finish my masters and I feel like she took my life from me. Docs say from this I have arthritis and DDD. It's not getting better and seems to be worse as time does by.
Cindy, we're all in the same boat here and I'm no different. My situation was just a little more "screwy" than most with having to have a revision done so much sooner. The second surgery was much easier because of the relief it brought; the first surgery put me through heck.
My arm is back ever so slightly but I doubt that it will ever be the same between the TOS problems and the myelopathy from my cervical injury. I don't have any really big nerve problems from my neck....ironic, isn't it? Don't give up hope, nerves take a long time to heal but they can and do heal.
Feel free to PM me if you want to talk about your accident. I understand the anger and frustration of having your life changed by another's carelessness. I'm 2 years into this and still fight it daily.
Keep up the good work. You're doing well, trust me!
Griff
1/07 ACDF C5-T1 with hardware, ended up with more spinal cord compression causing myelopathy which affects both my legs and arms
5/07 ACDF Revision All Hardware removed and partial corpectomies done on C5-T1, about 75% of each vertebrae removed and hardware replaced. Further spinal cord damage halted.
2/08 Thoracic Outlet Syndrome surgery- Both Anterior and Median Scalene Muscles removed as well as the first rib. Scar tissue removed as well and nerves wrapped to prevent more scar tissue from forming. Lost most of the use of my right arm. Still hoping for function to return.
All this caused by a battle with a semi. Apparently the semi won.
No use dwelling on it, right?
I had a hard collar and then a soft collar after my surgery. When I got the soft collar, my doc said I could sleep without it at night. I was too scared to and wore it to sleep anyway.
I'd say it's safe to do anything that makes you feel comfortable. Maybe the soft collar would help. I also got one of those posturepedic pillows ($125 - OUCH) that really supports my neck. I love it.
I hope your recovery continues to go well. Please keep us posted.
Cath
October 21, 2008 - ACDF, 3-level (C4/5, 5/6 6/7), with hardware and eight screws. C4/5 and 5/6 fused, still movement at C6/7.
February 2009 - Lower back pain and sciatic pain.
January 6, 2010 - Scheduled for TLIF at L4/5.
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Each forward step we take we leave some phantom of ourselves behind. ~John Lancaster Spalding
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I am in no way affiliated with the medical profession. Any recommendations I make are based on my personal experiences only, so do not take my comments as medical rules.