Hello All! My L5s1 Fusion Was Done On Wednesday Morning And I Am Feeling Pretty Good. I Came Home To My Moms On Saturday And I Will Recoup Here For A While Before Returning To The Zoo At My House. I Was On Morphine For The First Day After Surgery And I Was Itching So Bad I Could Not Stand It So I Was Put On Perkocet And Valum For The Spasams. I Was Sent Home On Soma And Norco, Iron And Stool Softeners. I Have Not Had A Bm Since Tuesday And I Am Gettting Desperate For Relief! It Hurts Like Hell To Get Up Out Of The Bed But Once I Am Up It Is Not So Bad. I Walked A Half A Mile This Afternoon And I Am Sitting Up In The Recliner As Much As Possible. I Am Having A Hard Time Eating Much Of Anything But I Guess My Appetite Will Come Back In A Week Or So. My Surgeon Said That The Disc Was Alot Worse Than It Had Looked On The Mri, He Said That Is Unusual To See. I Am Kinda Rambling Here But I Wanted To Check In And Let You Know That I Am Alive And Glad To Have All Of My Leg Pain Gone. I Am On Drugs So I Am Fading Fast! Melinda

Melinda:
Welcome Back--- wishing you a speedy recovery!!! Keep us posted!
~M~

I'm glad everything went well! Take it slow, and take care of yourself! Keep us posted on how you're doing! :)

Melinda,
Welcome back. Sounds like you may be doing a little too much too soon though. The meds can sometimes make you feel like you can do more than you actually should be. Take it a little slower, you don't want to be like so many here including myself that hit rock bottom at or around 2 weeks. It catches up to you. Just be careful. Ir's good to hear you are doing so well.

Best wishes,
Memaw

I second that memaw-it seems we all like clockwork hit a wall at two week doesn't it?
Well, Melinda, very happy all went well. May I make a suggestion regarding the BM? Get a stool softener with laxative (will cause cramps but you WILL GO). Your appetite may not get better until you do get your bowels under control, you may even start vomiting b/c of the back up. I am coming from experience and my nursing background. I take Three a night and always have a bm in the am. I had bms before I left the hospital but I was there for six days. It won't be comfy but you will feel better. I hope you also continue to have a good recovery. Best wishes and welcome back!

Welcome Back!!
Glad to hear you are doing so well. I have the same problem itching, so they usually give me Benedryl or Phenergan (same thing) with pain meds.
Sure wish I was in your shoes. I would LOVE to have someplace to go to get some rest after surgery, that is NOT a nursing home. But I am just going to come home anyway and do what I can.
Best of Luck!
Stardust

Glad you're back and doing well.

Soma, Norco AND IRON? :eek: Good Gravy! You're gonna need DYNAMITE not stool softeners.

If it were me in your shoes, I'd be getting the fleet suppositories, prune juice cocktails, doubling up on the stool softeners, and anything else I can think of.

My doctor advised against the laxatives though.. because he didn't want me bearing down right after surgery.

Mangoes also work well (I remembered that one after my hysterectomy). And triscuits! They always make me go. (Well so do bookstores and cardshops, but I don't think you're ready for those yet :D )

Hang in there!

the laxatives for me help b/c I don't have to bear down, the stool comes out automatically. But, that is probably a doc to doc thing. I take pericolace and the non laxative is colace (though i use generic equate). Anyway, you will find what is best for you and good luck. Apples are great plus of course good ole prunes.

After my 1st fusion I got sooo constipated I literally passed out on the toilet. So with this fusion I was determined not to get that way again. I had colace I was taking everday and then took a dose of Milk of Magnesia. It didn't work quick enough for me so I took another dose. Not long after that is when I got the spinal headache, I was in so much pain and I also was vomiting and got dehydrated. I was literally unable to move. So hubby was having to put me on the bedpan and once the MOM kicked in I went and went and went. He had an awful time. I don't remember it but he also said I went a couple of times without the bedpan, if you know what I mean, lol. He was so good, he even had to clean me up, and change sheets on the bed with me in it. I'm so glad I lost all memory of that.

So the moral of the story is, MOM works very well, just don't take it more than once, and give it time to work. Raisin Bran usually works for me too.

Good Luck,
Memaw

Pitted prunes! Nature's way of helping you along. :D