Just had fusion

[PolliBibbs]

I had a one level fusion Wed 10-15 so am 5 days out. Got home Saturday which was really an ordeal because we had to drive in a car for three hours. Actually did not think I would make it. Today has been my best day so far when I have not been in continuous excruciating pain. Dr. says all went well and I hope that's not just doctor talk but at least the pain I had been having for two years on left side (L4-5) seems to be gone. Good sign? Questions. They told me to walk 5 minutes per hour for the first week. sound right? Am taking several pain pills but not as many today. Would appreciate your taking the time to tell me what to expect in the next few days. How old r u. I am 61 year old legal sectretary and hope to get back part-time first of Dec. Possible? Please help me with any info or suggestions you have. When should I get up and start walking more. E mail I am using right now is my home one - polli72401@yahoo.com. Thanks for anything you can suggest or provide.

[CindyLou]

Pollibibs,

I had my L6-S1 fusion (I have an extra vertebra) July 2nd this year, and am recovering nicely from it. I still have back spasm issues, but I honestly don't think my back is the source of them. I think it's my damn right hip still. The walking sounds about right. Small increments are good. Listen to your body, for sure. Your doctor should tell you when you are fit to be released for your part-time job. I am 56 years old and retired. So I am fortunate enough to plan my schedule, exercise, etc., accordingly, to how I feel on any particular day. But moving is definitely important. Just no bending, twisting, lifting with a fusion in the early months. Do you know if your doctor is going to prescribe a bone graft stimulator for your recovery? You might ask him. My x-rays are showing good fusion taking place, and I believe the stimulator is accelerating this progress. Good luck with your recovery and feel free to ask me any questions.

[PolliBibbs]

Thanks for responding. He did not say anything about a stimulator. I go back for follow up post surgery on 11-14. I am doing much better with pain already than I expected. Maybe I was in such pain for so long -this feels pretty good. my original pain left side that I lived with for 2 years seems to be gone - i am just painfully sore right now. Brace seems to hurt more than help. Ice feels best. Am having real problem with constipation. Is that normal? And having problem sleeping - not because of pain or sleeping during day but just awake. I have been in the legal profession for 20 years and not used to lying around like this so much. I have an aunt stayingt with me all this week but should be able to get around better by next week. Right? How long does it take for the real bad soreness at wound site to get bettter? I feel like I should start walking more next week. This is just all new to me and don't know what to expect but I think I am already glad I had it done. Hope your hip gets better. I hade a lot of groin and thigh and calf cramps for three or four days after ut all those spasms seem to have settled down. Thanks

[Cirobi]

I think constipation is a very common side effect to these types of surgeries. When I left the hospital I was only passing gas and always felt like that bowl movement was on the verge of happening. It took 5-6 days post surgery for that to pass. Of course, by then I'd tried several methods of trying to get my bowls moving properly that I had diarrhea for a couple days. Oops!

As for the incision site, I had tenderness for a good 2-3 weeks. The exterior wound seemed to heal up relatively quickly but I could tell that the interior wounds were still working on healing. I actually could feel the internal stitches poking at me from the inside out which felt really really odd.

What method did they use to close your wounds? I had internal stitches that dissolved and the external wound was just steri-strips. I was told I could take the steri-strips off at the end of the first week but left them on longer because I knew ripping them off would hurt if I did it too soon.

~Sara

[PolliBibbs]

You know, they did not tell me what they used or what to do but I think dissolving stitches. I am still having the outside patches changed daily. By the way did they tell y'all to use Neosporin or anything on the wound site. Also I wonder how long I have to wear the covered patch. The only thing really bothering me right now (halleluiah) is a red raw burning tongue. Any ideas-antibiotics-surgery the cause? I really think the surgery was an answer to prayer cause the old pain appears to be gone. Thanks for your responses

[CindyLou]

I was not told to use Neosporin. Don't use it, if your doctor did not prescribe it. I was told no baths or hot tubs until I saw him for my first follow up appt. I was told to keep incision dry. My surgical site also took a good 2-3 weeks before it stopped hurting. The pain pills also contribute to the constipation. The more fiber you can get in your diet will help that. Also, hydrating is huge, with water. I would definitely ask your doctor when you see him about a bone growth stimulator. Continue healing!

[Cirobi]

I was actually told when I left the hospital 3 days post op that I was allowed to shower but to just let the water run over the incision site and not scrub with soap. If soapy water hit it, fine, but I think the point was to leave it alone as much as possible while still allowing it to stay clean a bit. No matter how much I wanted to touch it (because I'm weird like that with wounds of mine), I forced myself not to until it really started to look healed.

I actually didn't have any kind of dressing on it after day 2 in the hospital. They took off the dressing to have a peek and then let it air out and sent me home like that. It's only been in the last month or so that any sensitivity at that area calmed down. There were times when certain pants of mine would irritate the heck out of the incision site. Well, not directly but around it would feel irritated a bit. Even now, there are certain things I can't wear often because it makes that area tender (like blue jeans) so I save those for dress down Fridays at work.

I'll admit though, now that it is fully healed on the exterior, I can help but poke at the scar and keep looking at it. I can't help thinking "wow, did I really go through that?" Haha.

I'm really glad to hear that you're feeling better and that the surgery helped alleviate that pain you felt pre-op!

~Sara

[PolliBibbs]

Finally used a laxative yesterday and had the worst morning of all when it finally worked. Cramps - hot sweat = weakness - almost passed out. Just got a shower and better - worried that Dear God don't let me have strained anything loose on the inside of my back. where do u work? full time now? we also have dress down friday at the law ofc. How long after surg did u g back to work? Any cramping in pelvic groin area by anyone

[Cirobi]

Hi Polli,

I work for a financial services software company but I am part of the IT department. I used about 6 calendar weeks of disability before I started going back to work after which I worked full time hours but not always in the office.

My surgery was June 23rd and my first day back to work was August 4th. I worked from home 3 days a week for the first because a full day of activity left me completely exhausted and I would get sore by the end of a full day in the office. I often got home from work and reclined on my couch for the rest of the evening.

By the end of August/Early September I was only working at home 2 days a week an only because of my physical therapy schedule and location of my therapist (opposite direction I drive to get to work). As of the beginning of October I would sometimes come into the office and leave early or come in late depending on when my therapy appointments were. I did physical therapy from early August through early October.

I did find that my back muscles would feel kind of crampy after therapy sessions, but I know that we were working them hard. I didn't really have any cramping or pain in my pelvic area other than some during normal feminine cycle. That was actually an interesting experience since I didn't know what my cycle would feel like now that my back was fixed. It had always been that instead of cramps I'd just have really really bad back pain leading up to and during that week each month. So far it's only been some minor extra irritation but nothing that is even close to what it used to be.

Hope this helps!

~Sara

PS. Glad you were able to get some bowl relief. I sympathize with some of those after effects of kicking your bowls into gear with a laxative. I remember spending a lot of time on the toilet the first day after things got moving and thinking to myself "I really hope I'm not going over my 30 minute sitting limit!"

[kimmers]

PolliBibbs,

A red, raw tongue could mean you have thrush (yeast infection). Ask your doc's office, but antibiotics can cause yeast infections. It is just a thought, call your doc.

Kimmers