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10 days post op POSTERIOR c-spine fusion

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Posted 9/1/2014 2:16 PM (GMT 0)
Good morning,
I am actually 11 days post op. I am in so much pain that I am wondering if this is the way it's supposed to feel. When I sit up, like normally sit up, I have incredible pain. It feels like someone is taking my spine and hanging me from it, from the back, like you would with a jacket, just before hanging it up on a door hook.

My muscles and just my neck in general are hurting like crazy.

There is also a sharp nasty pain that I get when I lie down, and this is just plain hot searing pain.

Everything feels like 20 times tighter, and there is nowhere to go. The pain medicine makes me sleepy, but that pain is still there.

Am I expecting too much of myself to feel considerably better than I do at this point? I cannot make it without every single bit of pain medicine that is written for me. My husband hasn't been ugly about this, but last night seemed disappointed that I still hurt this much to require all of the pain meds I'm taking.

I forgot to day was Labor Day, I just tried to call my surgeons office regarding my emergency room visit this weekend. I had fever of 103 which turned out to be a nasty UTI. I posted on my other thread too that I was feeling too sick to notice that the nurse who was disconnecting me did not heparinize my port, and it didn't hit me until I was home. So now I am lying here with my port in jeopardy. I just cannot deal,with getting into the car again, I did this weekend because I thought my site was infected, it was just a UTI, probably from being catheterized for surgery.

I was calling my doctor's office to try to get a home health care nurse to come to my house to redo my port here at home. So now, I have to wait another day. This is making me cry. I am feeling sorry for myself, and just cannot make myself believe that this surgery is worth this horrendous pain. My pre op pain is looking pretty sweet right now. I'm sure it is just a temporary feeling, but it sucks.

Have any of you been through anything similar to doubting your surgery that was "going to make you feel better?"

Is this pain normal? I just don't feel optimistic today. Now the dang port will have to wait another day. This sucks.
Posted 9/1/2014 2:31 PM (GMT 0)
I had a port for over 2 months and that would happen to me. No big worry, ok? . . . . Q
Posted 9/1/2014 2:59 PM (GMT 0)
Poplar if I remember right you had posterior work done & if I am right yes, a lot of this incredible pain is normal from that particular surgery, the surgery is a brutal one & a very painful recovery. I really have to think that you have a lot of severe muscle spasms going on & I know you are on a muscle relaxer but its not doing the job. Back when WhiteBeard had his I was in contact with him a lot because he was home alone & I would check on him. He told me how horrible the pain was & it was nothing like any of his prior surgeries. I knew before hand but never told him, there was no point in scaring him.

You need to call your surgeon & leave word with his answering service that you are in severe pain & you need something else for a muscle relaxer. The spasms will cause pain from the other side of Haities. You also need to take your meds on a schedule even if you have to set an alarm. I do think you are expecting too much too soon & no you are not being a baby, you have had a huge painful surgery but you do need to get this calmed down because its interferring with the healing process.

I too have a port & you should be ok with it, that is the least of your problems right now.
Posted 9/1/2014 7:10 PM (GMT 0)
Hello and so sorry for what you are feeling.

I've wondered how this surgery compared with anterior, so I'm kind of relieved to know that White Beard thought it was much harder. You agree?

When you say it hurts when you sit up, are you talking about sitting up with no support? I spent lots, I mean LOTS of time in my recliner with shoulders and neck being supported. And I was also in a neck collar at your stage. It hurt bad, but it passed. Getting from sitting to all the way stretched out in your bed, there's no support for the neck in the middle of that move and it hurts...bad! So usually I just stayed in the recliner, sleeping, eating, living. I hope you have a comfortable one. Getting up to go to the bathroom was my exercise. I'm serious. On your trip to the ER could you tell if the bumpy road pain was there?

I had a pain below my incision that I kept having my husband check. Nothing was there. It felt like something was boring into my bones-maybe a rod. That finally passed also.

Please stop worrying about taking your meds. Apparently your dr thinks you need them and Stray Dog thinks you need even more. This will pass and you will not need the meds, but that's not today! I also thought briefly What have I done but I knew that was normal from other surgeries. It just takes time to heal. I pray that's what you need now, lots of time and patience with your body, a good recliner, and to be waited on hand and foot!

My dr told me last week it's a year long recovery. He never said that before, but now at more than 8 months into it, he's willing to say it's a year long recovery. Right now I'm very glad I made the decision to have the surgery, although it's never going to be good as new. It's better than it was before surgery AND its better than it was at 11 days post op.

Prayers continue for you my friend. Hang on, don't over do, think fusion!

Post Edited (Abilene) : 9/1/2014 1:17:42 PM GMT

Posted 9/1/2014 8:09 PM (GMT 0)
Well said Abilene, the posterior surgeries are just brutal compared to the anterior. They cut through muscles & move so much around. I am thinking WhiteBeard's incision was like 18 inches long if I remember correctly it was horrendous I saw it. I was shocked when he sent me a pic of it. Like you, I think her husband's attitude towards her meds is playing a huge role here too. All I can say, is if this were him he would be screaming like a banshee at this point. It will take several weeks for her to stop hurting so bad, but with the right meds she can get it under better control. Sleeping is fine too because you will heal when you sleep. Eleven days out from a posterior is nothing.
Posted 9/1/2014 9:08 PM (GMT 0)
Susie is right I was in terrible pain for a long time, from having that Posterior fusion! And I did not have near as much done as what You (poplargrove) had done! But I was in lots of pain for many many weeks! Sleeping, standing and sitting, nothing was comfortable!  My surgeon told me that for him the surgery was not all that hard, but for the patient it was a really a bear!! He was not wrong!!! I have sleep apnea and I could not use my mask because of the pressure from the mask straps on the back of my neck! So that compounded the problem! Finally after several weeks, I  figured out how I could remedy the problem, I  took a thick piece of plastic sheeting, and  cut it to size and heated it a little to give it a slight curve and then covered it with padding and made a sort of cover for the back of my neck so I could use the CPAP mask and the straps would not press into my surgery! It worked!! and actually helped brace my neck more and made it easier to sleep!  I tend to be a bit of a tinkerer and when I have a problem I try to find a way to solve it! I don't care so much how something looks as long as it works! I guess I am a bit of a ""geek"" LOL

poplargrove I really do empathize with you, I know exactly how unrelenting, and terrible the pain can be! Please take your pain meds and don't try to be heroic and go without them! Save that for later when your pain is more manageable! It has not been that long since your surgery, and you have allot of healing time to go! It will not be pleasant or easy but you will make it! You'll get through this, as we all have! And we are all here to share in your pain, and give our support! I wish I could say something that would make it easier for you, and make your pain go away, but since that is not possible, just know that your not alone! We are all here for you!!!

I do wish you well..........White Beard

Posted 9/1/2014 11:38 PM (GMT 0)
God Bless you Poplar Grove.

Y'all are scaring the heck out of me.

I already know a knee replacement is in my future.

The 1st thing my new PMD said to me is "You've got some bad stuff going on with your back.Have you considered surgery."

She told me that one day I'll have to to walk.

The prospect scares me.

I don't know how your getting by on what your taking now.

I hope your pain lessons.

Rick
Posted 9/1/2014 11:56 PM (GMT 0)
Thank you all for your advice and support. I have tried today to make my pain level go down as much as I possibly can.

I am spending most of the time on our couch, because it is the most comfortable place in the house to recuperate. I have a wedge thingy that I used 10 years ago for both of my anterior fusions. (And I thought those surgeries hurt!)

I have decided today that the wedge is too steep, so I am now lying on three pillows, with my most comfortable spongy pillow on top, I can "sink" into this pillow and that's where I am now! I am really worn out from working on this today, but I am more comfortable than I have been since I got home from the hospital.

I have a little night stand in front of me with my meds in a drawer, and my drinks on top. I am using ice acks constantly, and these provide a lot of relief. This is, by far, the strongest pain I have ever dealt with. I am realizing that this pain is just going to "be" and I am just going to have to deal with that.

I just cannot believe the way I feel anytime I try to move around. My incision is right down my backbone. They shaved my hair off to a level about even with my ears. Incision runs from the normal top of my hairline, down about 6 inches.

He used actual sutures and not staples as he told me. I don't know why he changed this. They are really uncomfortably tight. I feel like any slack in the tissue on the back of my neck has been removed.. It feels like someone is pulling me up by a tight cord, even though I know that's not happening.

I'm hoping that as time passes, I will not feel like everything is soo tight. Even if I wanted to, I CANNOT move my head to see something beside me. Just can't! I am trying to describe how this feels as accurately as possible.

I have also learned to accept that my hubby cannot understand how this feels. He has been by me the entire time, but I am definitely getting the feeling that I've "worn out my welcome". In other words, "time to be all better!" I am gonna do the best I can, and I am going to be okay with that. So he will have to be okay with it,too!

I was put on Cipro (750 mg per pill) twice a day. (For the UTI they found to be causing 103 fever yesterday... I broke them in half yesterday, and managed to get it down.

Wasn't so fortunate today..I nearly choked on it. I am going to call the pharmacy tomorrow to see if there is a smaller lower strength pill I can take, because my throat,is,very swollen, even though my surgery this time was posterior.

I just got done with trying to eat solid food, and my throat said "no!" It is a scary feeling, like food just refuses to go down, but it won't come back up either. I just sat still, and I guess the food went down... Geez

Thank you all again for your concern and support. I will keep you posted.

Abilene, I'm thinking "FUSION!!" :)
Posted 9/2/2014 12:22 AM (GMT 0)
You just have way too much to deal with-UTI and throat issues. I think I said somewhere that at least with the extra posterior pain at least we don't have swallowing problems. So sorry about all this. Be sure to mention that to your surgeon. Has that been a problem since the surgery? I'm glad you got your 'nest' perfected. Hope it increases your comfort.
Posted 9/2/2014 3:12 AM (GMT 0)
poplargrove I had staples, 47 of them! and they were terrible too! I bet your surgeon used sutures instead of staples because staples usually leaves a bigger scar that is allot more visable! They left my staples in for two weeks, I thought it looked like a zipper! Each one felt like it was sticking me, when I laid on it! and I still had that pulling pinching feeling when ever I moved or turned my head.

I am glad your pillows are working for you. You just have to find out for yourself by trial and error what works!

Good luck to you!

White Beard

Posted 9/2/2014 6:58 AM (GMT 0)
I can only imagine the type of pain you are going through.

I had lumbar Sx and if I recall correctly, that was 40 staples (so I can only imagine having anything like that, staples OR sutures,...in your neck!!)

The recovery from my lumbar spine took many months....many, many months. So to be honest, I'm just so incredibly amazed to see you up and typing just 10 days post-op.

So remember, no experience here, but from the bit I do have with my low back, I must say (as we've been saying) you are super-duper fresh out of this procedure and you've still got quite a long road ahead of you.

Please, please don't push yourself or try to do too much too soon!!











M.
Posted 9/2/2014 12:16 PM (GMT 0)
I am not at my computer typing, I WOULD be dead! I am comfortably piled into my pillow mountain with my trusty ipad.

I cannot exist right now unless I have ice packs strategically placed behind my neck.

Thanks for all of y'all's support! I appreciate it..
Posted 9/2/2014 3:22 PM (GMT 0)
I, too am snuggled in bed with my iPad, what would we do without them. Our 4 month old kitten just finished saying a very gentle good morning with lots of fur and purr. Gotta rest up today for an all day bunch of testing at the hospital tomorrow so I just want to say you're the greatest, hang in there . . . Q
Posted 9/2/2014 4:56 PM (GMT 0)
Hey Poplar...So sorry to hear that you are suffering. You need rest, time and meds...repeat.  I understand the added issue of UTI.  My "former" PCP and URO allowed my symptoms to go unchecked until I ended up in ER with pre-septic UTI.  I had to "chew" Levaquin for 30 days. GR-R-R!  I still don't think it's cleared up.  Shingles in my eye took center stage, and so it goes.  I digress.

Recovery is far more difficult than surgery.  Thank goodness for the distraction of our IPads and Laptops, etc.  TIME, rest and patience (which eludes me) will allow you to heal.  Hopefully, one day you can look back on this and see the benefits.  Right now the pain is understandably overwhelming.  The advice thus far is spot on, so I won't belabor it.  I just wanted to say "hang in there, sweetie...you're gonna be okay".

HUGS---Dixie

Q...Your "position" sounds amazing...Have a Q kind of day!  Heartfelt warm wishes for you as you endure testing tomorrow.

Posted 9/2/2014 5:54 PM (GMT 0)
So glad to hear that you have found yourself the comfy nest, maybe you can get some much needed rest. You have to tell yourself this hideous pain you are having now will be temporary & the more rest you can get the better the healing.

Take your meds as directed & don't worry what anyone thinks about them. If you were not suppose to have them the dr would not have rx'd them to you. None of us here could have or would have attempted to warn you how brutal the post op pain is from this particular surgery. It would have served no purpose at all. Be patient & remember it is temporary & worry about you & you only. The things you remember & learned from your anterior surgery does not even apply to this surgery.
Posted 9/2/2014 10:10 PM (GMT 0)
Hello y'all, I am soo tired. I called my surgeon's office first thing this morning, my doctor's admin assistant called me back this afternoon about 430, so too late to do anything about my port today.

I had a difficult time getting her to understand the issue regarding my port! I think she finally understood that I went to the ER over the weekend with my 103* temp! had IV antibiotics, and left with a port that wasn't properly heparinized...and that I am in danger of it "clotting off"!

I told her I need a stronger muscle relaxer or something, because the pain is awfully strong, keeping me from sleeping. She said she was going to see my surgeon tomorrow morning, and that she would call me then. Geez!!

Trying to relax, but the pain is ratcheting up for some reason. I did walk around inside today, but I didn't think it would hurt me, oh well. I'm going to keep on smiling. Going to take another shower tonight, with my husband nearby.. Maybe the hot water will relax muscles or something.

I keep feeling like I'm gonna faint every single time I get up, even if I get up slowly. Does that happen to y'all?

Thanks again for your support. I find myself on this forum checking out what's going on..and it's important to me! Y'all are important to me! THANKS! :)
Posted 9/3/2014 12:10 AM (GMT 0)
Poplar,
I find myself looking for your posts so the feeling is mutual. What am awful office. Call in the AM and then get a call back when nothing can be done? I had a port for two months and I hate sponge baths. Where is yours? Mine was on my left chest going into the veina Cana, right over the heart the nurses were so careful cleaning it and heparterizing it. No mistakes in 2 months. What do they think they are playing with?

A shower with husband sounds like great idea. Oh yeah, have tou tried Soma? It's not a real strong muscle relaxer but it does the trick for me. I am so glad that you have found this site comforting, I Lokks forward to it every day. It's like I've got this whole Nothern family that understands my pain and cancer. Not that my family doesn't but I don't call them daily to chat about pills n stuff that is really important to us CPs . . . Q
Posted 9/3/2014 12:10 AM (GMT 0)
Poplar,
I find myself looking for your posts so the feeling is mutual. What am awful office. Call in the AM and then get a call back when nothing can be done? I had a port for two months and I hate sponge baths. Where is yours? Mine was on my left chest going into the veina Cana, right over the heart the nurses were so careful cleaning it and heparterizing it. No mistakes in 2 months. What do they think they are playing with?

A shower with husband sounds like great idea. Oh yeah, have tou tried Soma? It's not a real strong muscle relaxer but it does the trick for me. I am so glad that you have found this site comforting, I Lokks forward to it every day. It's like I've got this whole Nothern family that understands my pain and cancer. Not that my family doesn't but I don't call them daily to chat about pills n stuff that is really important to us CPs . . . Q
Posted 9/3/2014 4:11 AM (GMT 0)
I spent the day at the hospital with a dear friend who had a TIA. She's doing better this evening. I missed checking on everyone here. It's a very important part of my day too. Love this site.

Hoping for something, anything, to go very well for you Poplargrove. It's about time!
Posted 9/3/2014 4:59 AM (GMT 0)
Abiline, you're the greatest. How is your friend doing? With all of us rooting for polar I think that her pain will decrease at the very least, don't you. Your posts are always so kind and upbeat they always cheer I've cheer me up, thanks for being such a warm and gentile person . . . Q
Posted 9/4/2014 4:02 AM (GMT 0)
Thanks Q. My friend was released from the hospital today with instructions to work on decreasing stress in her life.

Hope you heard from that dr today and got help with your port and muscle relaxers.

Don't overdo! Think Fusion!
Posted 9/4/2014 4:55 AM (GMT 0)
Hey Poplar.

Hope your pain level is decreasing a little at least and your Doctor calls you in some Soma.

I agree with Q about Soma.It's the only Muscle Relaxer that is affective to me.

My PCP stopped writing it for some reason.All Doctors seem to have some line that they've drawn and his is Soma.

But,thank goodness,my new PMD is prescribing me 60 a month.

I don't know of a stronger muscle relaxer.I'm sure there are though.

Hope y'all have a restful night.

Rick
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