I'm scared..please answer..did I do any permanent damage today w/ my long walk?

[CindyLou]

Hi guys,

Cindy here. My husband and I took a bit of a longer walk today, but it still added up to only about 30 minutes. It was quite nice. I felt like I was listening to my body. We had an ice cream cone on the return walk and then back up to our room at Hotel Theresientor. Not too long after we got back I started to feel a good amount of distraction pain, down front of right leg and top of ankle, just burning. An hour or so later I began to feel some pain in my back. This is the first time I have felt any pain in my back since my surgery 14 days ago. I really am freaking out. Did I do anything really bad to damage my surgery??? The only other thing I did in the a.m. (w/my back brace on)while showering etc., and cleaning up was put my head under the bathroom sink to just wet my hair and style it. My "shower" consisted of sitting on the side of the tub, and using the attachment piece to spray on my lower half, that's it. I have remained in bed for the rest of the day, to take it easy, (because this is scaring the **** out of me)periodically getting up to move around. Help. Please advise.

[Terry]

Dear CindyLou:

I spent many hours praying that I did not do anything to damage my surgery including, but not limited to; 1. Bargaining with The Almighty that if the pain would go away I would behave and not repeat whatever I did to screw up my surgery, 2. Praying like all get out, 3. Ruminating on how stupid I was to have done the offending behavior that caused my relapse, etc. ad infinitum.

All of my pains have come and gone though I am sure there will be others.

At 6 months I just got an SI Joint injection that is now having me feel much better.

Trust that the discs were put in by competent surgeons and they ain't going anywhere. They hammer those babies in so that they won't move unless great force or trauma occurs (Major car accident, falling from great heights, etc.) They have a keel to keep them from moving. You have many ligaments, nerves, muscles, spinal column, etc. that are re-aligning and you are adjusting to a new body.

REEEEEEEEELLLLLLLLAAAAAAAXXXXXXXX! You'll be fine. It's normal to go through what you are going through. Take two asprin and call us in the morning.

Terry Newton

[Terry]

By the way------You just had 3 discs replaced and the distraction pain will probably drive you ape ---- for a while. Lyrica will become your friend at higher doses though you will need to taper from them when you come off as they are not kind in the withdrawal department. Twenty-five mg. taper works best to avoid significant withdrawals.

I am just now feeling significantly less distraction pain at six months and have not come off of the Lyrica yet.

What you are going through is normal. Distraction pain can keep you up at night. I wore support hose to bed and got massages from my spouse at night when I could not sleep. She was a saint.

Hang in ther CindyLou. It's tough but there are many who will help you through the process.

God Bless.

Terry Newton

[chasswen]

relax Cindy
the body is just catching up to the surgery you grew a lot with 3 discs. you didn't hurt anything walking. keep those legs moving it later will help with the distraction pains.
chuck

[CindyLou]

Thank-you guys very much. I was so scared. I know I am a bit of a worry wart. It does feel much better, since I rested it for the remainder of the day. I'm on 150 mg of the Lyrica in the a.m. and 150 mg in the evening. Hoping I can stay at that dosage. Aside from my scare today, my husband has commented, not once in the past 14 days have I said my back hurts. Wow. That's really something, isn't it?

Changing the subject: hey Robzzzz, if you are out there, it was so nice to meet you and your wife in person at the hotel. Too bad we didn't realize earlier we were in same hotel. Even crazier was us almost bumping into each other at our appointments at Pro-Spine in Bogen, w/ you saying "hi" in english, and me in my back brace thinking, this has got to be Rob. Six degrees of separation. Hope you landed ok in Thailand safely for a few days. Take good care of your new neck.

[Matt4Ana]

Wow Cindylou!

Anastasia is amazed - hearing your story!
3 devices and you havent felt pain in 12 days!? That has gotta be a positive.
And the fact that you can put your head under the sink definitely means you have your flexibility.
Anastasia thinks your back just got tired (on top of the expected distraction pain).

In comparison (no need to reply please - this is your thread), Anastasia with 1 disc, has not been out of pain since the surgery, and has never been able to bend more than 45-deg without searing pain. In fact, she hasnt hardly been out of bed for the last 2 months. On her 2nd night post-op, she had a severe back-arching spasm (due to tramol), in which she heard the device end plates whack together. And her disc was still fine on 3 months Xrays. I would be careful with that extreme bending though.

Of course, you have probably read all about Dale S, who also had a 'successful' 3-Level Prodisc with Dr. B. ... but quite a story it is.


Were' thinking of ya ...

Cheers , but not too many!

[CindyLou]

Yes, Matt....I think I will live w/dirty hair for a while under my baseball cap! Thanks for the response and insight. It's about 4a.m., my usual time to wake up for a bit since surgery; hit the bathroom, take a pain med if necessary, check emails, and back to bed. Have been thinking about Anastasia as well. Tell her to drop me a note when/if she can. We leave Saturday for the states. Tomorrow I have another appointment w/Alphons, who is terrific. Goodnight!