4 weeks post op and FRUSTRATED! - Spinal Cord Disorders Message Board

Dutchgirl · 06-19-2007, 08:39 PM

I am having a couple of real bad days.... and I am severely frustrated with people not understanding!!

I am again wishing that I had the cervical collar, because then it would be more visible that I had surgery! I am trying to work a couple of days a week, and my boss (who believe me has been sooooo understanding this last year with my Aug. 2006 ACDF surgery) wants me to let him know when and how many hours a week I can work, so that he can count on me being there, but I am not ready to be able to set a specific schedule yet.

I worked 5 hours last Friday and that sorta did me in, and now both my arms are completely numb and my neck is killing me, plus I have that lovely feeling of spiders crawling all over my head and shoulders. I couldn't go to sleep last night, because of the nerve pain and the restless leg syndrome that I have had real bad since surgery. I called my work today and spoke to several people and they asked how I am doing and I said that I am hanging in there and they were soooooooooooooo surprised that I was in pain again, because they thought that I was doing sooooo good??????. Well I was the first 2 weeks and now that everything is trying to heal I am hurting!

What I don't understand is; shouldn't I be more careful since this is my second surgery in 9 mos? Or am I just being a big crybaby and because I have a good attitude most of the time (except for today) and put a smile on my face so that everyone actually thinks that I am now healed) I should just be able to go back to work and be fine??

This kind of frustration creates depression!!

Thanks for listening........

settingsons · 06-20-2007, 02:16 AM

Dutchgirl,

I know exactly how you feel. I get a goodish day now and again and people think you are normal, and then it flares up in a really bad way. I feel that people think that 'he is just fussing over nothing'. Unfortunately unless they experience the surgery and have problems then they will never understand. I think it would helpful if a neurosurgeon somewhere who has had an ACDF surgery and has had such problems could explain it to their colleagues what it is like.

I am almost 5 months post-op and have not returned to work. I find just a couple of hours of the computer does me in, so I am not surprised that 5 hours affected you so badly and you are only 4 weeks post-op (and it is your second surgery). As it still is early days for you, you are bound to still be having problems. I know how difficult the work situation is, but you should probably try to stay off wok a bit longer otherwise you might delay the recovery process.

Best wishes.

julie10 · 06-20-2007, 09:26 PM

I was off work for 2 1/2 months post ACDF surgery - I was very fortunate because my boss was great and concerned that I not do too much.

I'm 6 months post ACDF and still have back pain and nerve problems in my lower extremities. I look perfectly normal, except I cannot walk very far, or be very active. So, sitting at work at my computer should be okay, right? Not! I think it's one of the worst things we can do.

I have some more tests scheduled, but I'm afraid I'm going to be told, "just deal with it" until the nerves settle down, if in fact they ever do.

If I were you, I'd go buy myself a collar and wear it to work!

Also, be sure to take care of yourself when you are there - take frequent breaks, get one of those microwaveable heat pads and wrap it around your neck for short intervals while you are working - it's another one of those visible signs that says, "all is not well here, folks!"

If you are normally upbeat person and if you are like me, then you feel guilty and angry with yourself for having a bad day - you are NOT a crybaby - give yourself permission to have bad days, and cry if you want! Just don't get stuck there - from what I'm experiencing and reading on these boards, it's a long road.

Best Wishes.

Dutchgirl · 06-21-2007, 01:24 AM

Thanks I appreciate the support very much, and believe me I should know from last time that all of this is normal, but somehow I forgot? What's hard as a woman is the monthly problems worsen for a while, due to the stress that the surgery caused, and I am pretty emotional right now. Yippie Yeah.... It's so hard to feel like your crazy sometimes, because when you look at me you wouldn't really know that I have spinal problems and the scar has already faded quite a bit. It's all on the inside and who can see that?

I had just barely started to try and go back to work full time before this second surgery and I had a very tough year last year. I was reading through my old posts from last year and read a post from someone who told me that a lot of people that go through this surgery go through some form of anxiety/depression within the first month of surgery. I actually ended up having Post Traumatic stress disorder from the surgery last year, and also from these horrible meds that they had me on. Some days I could not leave my bed or the house.

I am really glad that I posted last year after my surgery, because now I can read through them and realize that all this is pretty normal. I really agree with the typing thing and people think that it should be easy to sit there and type, but that is what causes me the most pain too and there are a lot of times when I want to answer these posts, but I can't because my arms/hands are so numb.

Thanks!

monarog · 06-21-2007, 09:02 AM

Dutchgirl,

I'm sorry to hear about your struggles. I totally get the frustration where you basically look "normal," but feel terrible. Sometimes I wonder if I looked more mamed and wounded it would be easier for people to get it. Of course, I say that tongue and cheek but it's tough sometimes.

I feel so fouled up some days, my entire nervous system feels shot and just so messed up...I start to wonder if I have some other problem that no can find. I guess time will tell. Good luck, please let us know how things are going for you. Take Care. Mona