Discussions that mention vicodin

I've made my decision (I think). I called my neurosurgeon and scheduled my surgery. It's set for May 12. (gulp) Now the fear and doubting is setting in, so help me out. What am I getting myself into? He said he is going to do an "inner fusion" at L5-S1, using bone from my hip. He also told me I can expect to be in the hospital 4 days, but he would let me go home as soon as I can walk, eat, take only oral meds for pain and I want to go home. (He has no idea how stubborn I can be. I went through 46 hours of labor and had my daughter an hour before they were going to make me have a C-section just because I overheard my nurse say she was "sure" I would have to have a C-section!) But beyond that, I have no idea what I'm in for.

Is there any chance it won't be as bad as I'm afraid it's going to be? :eek: I have a fairly high tolerance of pain, so maybe it won't hurt so much? Right now I'm in pain every day, but I try to get through it and I haven't even taken a vicodin since my discogram last month. (not that I haven't needed it, like I said, I'm just stubborn)

Give me an idea of what to expect the first week or so. Please? Will I know right away if the surgery helped? Will my pain be different? I don't honestly expect that I will wake up after surgery and have no pain. (although that would be nice!!) I'm just hoping that I will be able to tell that it's pain from the surgery and not the same pain I've had for the past 2 years.

Thanks for your help. You can expect to see me here alot over the next few weeks as I freak out more and more :D

Becky

Quote from rowboat:

I've made my decision (I think). I called my neurosurgeon and scheduled my surgery. It's set for May 12. (gulp) Now the fear and doubting is setting in, so help me out. What am I getting myself into? He said he is going to do an "inner fusion" at L5-S1, using bone from my hip. He also told me I can expect to be in the hospital 4 days, but he would let me go home as soon as I can walk, eat, take only oral meds for pain and I want to go home. (He has no idea how stubborn I can be. I went through 46 hours of labor and had my daughter an hour before they were going to make me have a C-section just because I overheard my nurse say she was "sure" I would have to have a C-section!) But beyond that, I have no idea what I'm in for.

Is there any chance it won't be as bad as I'm afraid it's going to be? :eek: I have a fairly high tolerance of pain, so maybe it won't hurt so much? Right now I'm in pain every day, but I try to get through it and I haven't even taken a vicodin since my discogram last month. (not that I haven't needed it, like I said, I'm just stubborn)

Give me an idea of what to expect the first week or so. Please? Will I know right away if the surgery helped? Will my pain be different? I don't honestly expect that I will wake up after surgery and have no pain. (although that would be nice!!) I'm just hoping that I will be able to tell that it's pain from the surgery and not the same pain I've had for the past 2 years.

Thanks for your help. You can expect to see me here alot over the next few weeks as I freak out more and more :D

Becky

My son is 5 days out of surgery from a 2 level PLIF with bone harvest from iliac crest. He went home on day 3 . It was his own chosing. He is doing remarkably well. He does have some numbness in his right calf (he went in because of his left leg), but the doctor said it should get better and that it was probably from nerves being inflamed from the surgery. He said it isn't that bad though. He is walking up steps now and doing pretty well with his walker. The first two or three days were no picnic, but he told me that the pain he had from his discogram was worse. The pain he went in for is now gone.

The took the bone harvest from the iliac crest from the same incision. There was only one incision. He has no idea even which side of the hip they took it from. It hasn't bothered him any more than the spinal fusion itself and that's what he was most afraid of.

His surgeon is very conservative. He believes only in walking and not doing PT for at least 6 weeks and if he's doing good then, maybe never. He is wearing a clamshell brace and will wear it for 3 months. He says he's in some pain but takes only half the amount of pain meds they have ordered for him and he quit the morphine pump after 1 1/2 days.

It took him a long time to decide to bite the bullet and do it. Time will tell if it was worth it. But the visiting nurse and home PT (teaching him to do just steps) said they couldn't believe how well he's doing only 5 days out after surgery. It's early yet so we'll see.

I wish you a lot of luck in your surgery. I know a lot of people who were really glad they did it.

Bobi

What's a PCA? If it makes it not hurt, I'm all for it!!

When is your next surgery?

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Hi Becky,

a PCA is a pt controlled analgesic pump - it's hooked up to your i/v and each time you press the buttom pain medication is released (usually morphine) it is preset and only a pre-set dose will release every so often. I think mine was either every 7 or 8 minutes but that 1st night I spent the entire night squeezing that sucker even though I knew it wasn't time, then I got smart and started watching the minutes on the huge clock on the wall, instead of counting sheep I counted minutes til I could squeeze again ~ you'll be all for it:cool:

My next surgery hasn't been scheduled yet but will be sometime in May - already looked at the calendar won't be the same days as yours though, for my doc is in the ofc (seeing pt's) on Tues/Thurs. I will find out at my next appt on Tues 4/26. Am debating to enjoy Mother's Day 1st but was kinda leaning towards setting date for before in hopes of having my homecoming on Mother's Day - that was all before my appt was pushed up another week:( so looks like that answers that, if I don't see him til the 26th that will be pushing the calender to get it done and home by May 8th we'll see though.

So sorry your so sick on top of everything else:(
try using a pillow when you cough maybe you won't pull things so much..the guy's comment is right - it is good about the level your having in that all can be done in one incision - unsure if he'll be able to do mine like that - that would be a big load off of me if this is the case. GREAT that your mom and you are so close, maybe you will do fine and sleep through day one - I've heard stories of others who did, perhaps you could just have her on the ready and if your fine with things of course she can always go home and get some rest :angel:

I also saw where you said you hadn't taken your vicodin since the Disco, wow Bec! that's something in itself your right you do have a high tolerence for pain - and this and your desire to get your life back will serve you well in your recovery!!!!!

I pray this surgery helps you Becky and I honestly feel that it will. I want you painfree enjoying life and your precious little girls!

as far as showering with the brace = no idea will have to let the veteran's answer this one for I didn't have a brace with my 1st one (keep wondering if that is partly why I'm having a re-do fusion?) you WILL need your mom's help the 1st week or so at home, it will be rough and you'll be pretty much dependent on your family then. After the 1st week or so you'll be much more mobile and up and about the house with your walker. I know showering at 1st was a big production for me - hubby was IN the shower with me the 1st time and believe me it was not romantic more comical than anything else. My Dr wouldn't allow tub baths the 1st few weeks, he said to much stress placed on the fusion site getting in and out of the tub and also of course the chance of slipping and falling.

I hope you feel better soon and can spend so time with your family and start getting things ready for your big day.

Hugs,
Bionic