My Surgery. - Spinal Cord Disorders Message Board

Dutchgirl · 08-29-2006, 12:17 AM

Hi everyone, sorry it took me a few days, but it’s been a little challenging. Last Tuesday I went in at 6:00 AM for an ACDF surgery on C5/6. Waiting outside the surgery room (on a hospital bed) while they prepared for the surgery was the hardest. I’ll admit it, I cried! I was petrified.

The anesthesiologist came out, and talked to me in the hallway, and asked me if I felt better now that he had talked to me about everything? I told him that I felt like getting up, and running out of the hospital in my beautiful hospital gown with my silver hat that they made me wear. He said that someone actually did that once, and was running down the street with their gown flapping open hee hee, that’s funny. Once I was in the surgery room I told them that they should at least hang some nice pictures up or something, and make it more cheery…. The anesthesiologist put my IV in (which I didn’t feel at all), and put some medication in it, and after that…I can’t remember a thing. The surgery was 3 hours. When I finally woke up in my room, I had a lot of discomfort. They gave me morphine, and 2 percocets, and a valium. I could’ve sworn that I saw chocolate floating? I also told my husband that our cat looks like a monkey, and a few other wacky things. Usually I can take one pain killer, and it will knock me out for the rest of the day, so this was a lot of pain meds for me.

The next day they sent me home, and I was feeling pretty good. Definitely hard to swallow stuff, but other than that I felt good. The ride home was really hard, and I started to feel nauseated. Once I was home I sat up in my bed, and was planning on watching a movie, but I kept on getting more and more nauseated. I tried to throw up, but quickly realized that that would not feel real good. Unfortunately I threw up anyways, and pretty much for 7 hours straight, until I could not take it anymore.

I did not have any pain meds in me anymore, and I was completely miserable. Hunched over, and with puke bucket in hand my hubby took me back to the hospital. They gave me another IV (which was hard to do, because I was so dehydrated), and gave me meds for nausea, and different pain meds. I’m pretty sure that it was all the pain meds, that made me so sick.

I have been feeling better during the day, but I think that I over did it, and I am now hurting pretty bad. My shoulder radiates with pain up to my ear? Is it normal to be so sore? I was considering going back to work this week, but now I’m not so sure. How much is too much? It’s really hard to sleep comfortably! I usually take a valium, and that helps.

Sorry have to quit typing for tonight, cause it is making me more sore…

~Annette

ThoreauFan · 08-29-2006, 02:23 AM

Rest, rest, and then rest some more.

Don't even worry about work right now.

dennisgb · 08-29-2006, 09:01 AM

NO WORK!

Stop even thinking about it. Take care of yourself first!

You docs should have restricted you from working.

They also should restrict you from thinking about it!

Kissa · 08-29-2006, 10:18 AM

I'm sorry to hear you had such a hard time the first few days. I would bet that the reason you got so sick was from the morphine. Individuals who are not narcotic tolerant often end up getting quite sick from morphine. It does stay in your system for more than just a few hours. I'm glad your husband took you back to the hospital.

Are you on any pain medications now? If so be sure you take them as scheduled, getting to the pain before it gets out of control is really the key. If you aren't please call your doctor and have him prescribe something. You should not be without basic pain control.

While I was not working when I had my surgery done, I do know several who were. Most individuals are off work for up to 6 weeks. Are you able to do that? Do you have short term disability available to your or is the company large enough to allow you to use FMLA?

I found that my surgical pain subsided about two weeks post op. The thing is I would over do things because I felt good from the pain meds which would put me in a loop of more severe pain. As others said please rest and let your hubby take care of you! Let him spoil you, you deserve it. Even though you were only in the hospital 24 hours it doesn't make it any less of a serious surgery!

It is normal to be sore. Please use ice for 20 minutes every hour if needed. Do not use heat unless directed by your doctor because it can induce swelling. You just had major surgery, you WILL be sore for a while! And when you start therapy you'll find new pains cropping up so please do rush things and expect to feel 100% right away. Most of what you feel now isn't from your cervical problem but from the actual proceedure itself. You will get better though!

I think for me it took 2 or so weeks before I could even spend a half an hour at the pc. I didn't start doing light housework for probably 4 weeks because it just simply wore me out too quickly.

You aren't a super human, many of us have been through this too and we know it does take at least a few weeks before you feel remotely human.

good luck and again, please get some rest!!
Barb

PNo · 08-29-2006, 11:27 AM

Welcome home and get lots of rest - work will always be there, as will the dirty dishes, house work and laundry, the world won't come to an end if you if you take your time and let them sit. You should take care of yourself.