Posted on 11/13/2021 6:02:56 AM PST by kjam22
I am 9 days past the surgery. Feeling like I may survive, and thinking that today I WON’T pray for the rapture. :)
This is a pretty tough surgery. Thoughts? Experiences? Advice?
Had mine done on 10/26. L2 L3. Sore but doing much better. Hang in there!
So you are about 10 days ahead of me. I walked a little yesterday. First time. Hope it goes well for you!
This is why I’m putting off my surgery - suggested by an orthopedist and two neurosurgeons - as long as they keep prescribing percocet for me.
I have pain but no functional loss yet. sensory and motor function are good.
My wife went though multi-level laminectomies w/ partial disc resection 3 years ago.
She took 6 weeks off work. Started physical therapy about 5 days post-op, would walk the length of our street (couple hundred feet cul-de-sac) first with a walker, then a cane, finally unassisted.
She’s regained most of the function of her foot extensors (foot drop was the “tell” I picked up on, initiating the surgical consultation and surgery scheduled about 8 weeks later due to PT, consultations, insurance approvals, etc.), and still has pain controlled with Tylenol only.
Godspeed, keep us posted.
Walk as much as you can.
Had it done about 9 years ago. Worst part was having to lay on staples that they used to close the incision. Used pain meds for 3 days then quit them. Otherwise followed instructions and healed just fine.
Ended up with some scar tissue this year that was taken care of with ablation.
Mrs. Kolb had this surgery back in June with excellent results. The most frustrating part for her was limited mobility and restricted activity during recovery (no twisting, no lifting anything over 5 lbs, etc). She is doing great, every day is better than the previous one. Running her own physical therapy program and exceeding the doctors’ expectations. My recommendation is to not expect much at first and keep your spirits up. Turn off the TV and read books. Go outside, weather permitting, and enjoy.
Thanks for the prayers. I agree with your decision. Gabapentine managed the nerve pain and I tolerated it well.... but I have been losing my legs and hips for a couple of years due to atrophy. I finally had to make a decision. My thighs felt 24x7 like I had just climbed 10 flights of stairs, and they were much smaller and always really tight and easily cramped etc. Now they feel like bowls of jello. :). I know I have plenty of PT ahead. It I walked outside for 8 minutes yesterday.
If I get 9 good years after this I will be a happy guy!
Thanks. Glad she is doing so well!
I keep putting mine off. I have L2/L3 spondy and a torn L5, so I need full fusion. Curious if you had any numbness before surgery and if they think it will go away after recovery.
Regardless, good luck and hope you bounce back quickly.
I did not have numbness.
I would probably take it easy for a couple more days.
Good luck.
Thanks
Be prepared for depression to set in. After every invasive medical procedure I have had, depression sets in a week to ten days later. Just knowing that, helps me deal with it.
Also, TAKE THE PAIN MEDS! Don’t make your body allocate resources which are needed for healing and recovery, to having to deal with pain, too. Better living through chemistry!
Hope it turns out well of course. All I find is a low success rate for these surgeries in the literature.
I keep wondering what the mean time to failure is for these body parts. My feet have been numb for years, outside toes usually. Still go when I need and want to. The major malady seems to be ever present peroneal tendonitis. If aspirin or ibuprofen will kill you I’d be dead already. Likewise lack of complete sleep.
I agree.... there is lots of bad data. Because my problem I higher up in the lumbar it did not effect feet. Mine ran through thighs down to inside of knees. Also hips, and on occasion intestinal issues. I also had about a week of pain in the groin region. Yeah, that was not fun. In my case, because of bad muscle atrophy, it kinda became something that had to be done and not so much an elective. I elected not to for a few years.... thanks for the well wishes!
You situation and that of others with other than pain issues is much different that “just” the pain. In those other than pain issues the relief required becomes other than elective.
My wife is shaman of sorts (kidding, a little) and read that tonic water relaxes muscles. I began with a small can of the diet variety each evening and it allows me to sit in a chair and read without wiggling for hours. Seems to help with sleep as well. Not a drinker but I may mix it with a little gin and lemon after I finally go to town again to get some.
Thanks. I may find a place for it in my recovery
That’s great that you were able to walk for 8 minutes yesterday.
Just be careful and make sure you don’t take a spill and make things worse. I hope you have someone walking with you.
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