New and need some help

[kitkat]

I am new. I need some help. But let me give you a brief overview of me. I was in a mult-car accident 10/07. We were stopped the car behind us tried to stop but wasn't able to. Then the car behind her didn't try to stop and hit going 50 mph. She hit the car directly behind me underneath our car (my car was sitting on top of the car behind me).

I have been through acupuncture, chiropractor, PT, massage, and injections. After dealing with extreme pain for so long I agreed to surgery. I am now scheduled to have a my L5-S1 disc replaced on 7/6. I am counting down the days until I have surgery! However, I'm scared because I really don't know what to expect during surgery and after. Does anyone have any good advice or can help me know what to expect?

Thank you!

[Jdouglas]

Hi KitKat,

Take a look at my Surgical Outcome Thread:

http://www.adrsupport.org/forums/showthread.php?t=10039

I had surgery about 2.5 weeks ago at the same level and it was a great experience. They hardest part was the night before and waiting for them to knock me out once I got to the hospital. I was (tenderly) walking the same day and while I had a fair bit of pain the first three days, it continued to get better and Morphine and his friends Percoset and Hydrocodone that the nurses administered helped a lot. Where are you having it done? Are you comfortable with your Docs and hospital. If you need any info at all, I will offer all I can as the experience is perfectly fresh in my head. I am sure you'll do great. Just stay positive.

[Amapola]

kitkat,
Please also take a look at my outcome thread:
http://adrsupport.org/forums/showthread.php?t=10050

I am 5 days post-op from my L5-S1 Prodisc replacement. I'm going to post a very detailed account of what happened during my hospital stay, as I also had some anxiety regarding this and didn't find a lot of highly detailed notes here. I'll get that up in the next few days.

I'm only 5 days out and doing really well. Please feel free to ask me any questions, either on the board or through private messages. I'll do my best to answer everything for you.

[Jdouglas]

Hi KitKat,

If it helps, I can tell you what it was like for me 3 weeks ago. I had it done here in Charleston, SC. We are lucky to have an excellent neurosurgeon here that is very experienced, so I was lucky in that way. My surgery was schedule for 8:00AM on May 26th. I had to get to the hospital at 6:00AM. I got there and sat in the admitting room (basically a waiting room) until they called me name. They then had someone ask me insurance questions and such. About 5 minutes after that a nurse came in and told my wife and I to go with her. We went to the surgical floor and my wife was asked to wait for about 30 minutes while they prepped me. They brought me into a long room with 5 small rooms on either side with curtains. I was asked to disrobe and get on the bed. They then came in got an IV going and asked me several questions (who are you, what are you having done, etc.). They then put two bands on my wrist, one to identify me and one that said where I was being operated on which the surgeon would initial prior to operating.

They then had my wife come in and sit with me while we waited for the anesthesiologist. My neurosurgeon stopped in to say hello and tell me everything was going to be fine. A short time after the anesthesiologist came in and asked me if I was allergic to anything at which point I asked for something to help me relax. He told me that before they wheeled me down to the operating room they would give me something, but that I would be aware while they were wheeling me into the OR. Well let me tell you. They put the stuff to relax me into the IV, I kissed my wife and the next thing I knew I was coming to in the recovery room after the surgery was over.

I do not remember any consciousness after what they gave me in the prep area just before wheeling me in. They gave me morphine I think in the post-op and told me I would just be waiting for about 30-40 minutes until my room was ready. It was fine, I do not remember being terribly uncomfortable. I do remember asking for the catheter to be removed. This meant I would have to get up later to go to the bathroom, but nothing ventured, nothing lost. By the time they got me into my room and gave me another dose of morphine, I really felt sore but fine. I even cjecked my e-mails in my blackberry and returned a few. I did get up later that afternoon to go to the bathroom and a few times during the night. I felt a little unsteady, but otherwise OK.

That night was a little hard to sleep a lot because they check on you a lot and they were giving me pain meds every 4 hours. The day after I was feeling even better, but mostly stayed in bed and watched TV and read. I got up twice to walk a little bit in the corridor and they had a PT come and walk me around a little. Once again, sleeping was a little uncomfortable, because you are a little sore. The pain meds help a lot with the sleeping. On the third day, I was up even more and walking around the ward in short walks. Maybe 5 times. By noon I was discharged and was home shortly thereafter. It happened quick and was a much nicer experience than I thought it would be.

I think you just need to take it in stride and trust in your choices of doctor. One thing a former patient told me which was huge was to have a bag of hard candy around after the surgery. You are allowed to eat these and they keep your mouth from getting too dry. This was a life saver! Anything like Jolly Rangers will do. If you want any more info or want to ask me any questions. Let me know. Just know this, it will soon be over and you will be looking forward not backward.

GOOD LUCK!
__________________
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L5S1 Herniation and Annular tear
Over 10 epidurals,
DDD, 2 discograms (positive),
Countless attempts at conservative therapy.
Surgery date 5-26-09

[kitkat]

Amapola,

Thank you. I think that your list will definitely help me. Thank you!

Kitkat