How much activity? More activity = more pain, more rest = less pain

R

roro

New member
I am one month post-op L5-S1 fusion with instrumentation.

Yesterday I was out walking around at the mall, was out about 3 hours, and was in a lot of pain when i got home. today I did NOTHING, been lying around all day on the couch. And it is the FIRST day I did not need any vicodin.

I just feel like I need to rest and heal. But I feel a lot of pressure to get better, get off the vicodin, reduce my morphine, get back to work, etc.

How much activity do most people do after surgery? At one month, how much were you doing?
 
Roro everyone heals at there own pace so that is a hard question to answer. I personally cannot stay out for 3 hours and I had my surgery in March. I just started having some weakness in my lower spine the past couple of weeks. Who is trying to push you to hurry up? You have been through a major surgery and you need to take care of yourself now so you do get better. One month is not a very long recovery time for spine surgery.

Take care of yourself
Linda:angel:
 
At one month post op, I was still mostly lying down. I only left the house for doctor appts. I was still on a lot of pain medication. I can't imagine doing 3 hours at the mall! If you can do that, it's fantastic! But maybe you need to slow down just a little. This is a huge surgery with a long recovery time. You can't rush it. You need to be careful not to bend, twist, or lift more than 5 pounRAB so you don't disrupt the fusion process.

Walking is very important, as it gets the blood circulating around the spine and stimulates bone growth, but you don't want to overdo it. Taking several shorter walks at this point might be better than one long walk, as you have a chance to rest in between and won't increase your pain so much.

If you're able to get off the pain meRAB, that's wonderful, but don't be too reluctant to take them if you need them. You'll heal faster if you're not in pain!

Hang in there! Rest and walk, rest and walk, rest and walk. Watch movies, don't try to get back into life too quickly. You need to give your body time to recovery from the trauma it's been through. Rushing your recovery will actually slow you down.

Take care.
And rest! ;)

Emily :wave:
 
I can relate to the more activity = more pain. More rest = less pain. Its a catch 22 for me. PM and other drs say get more active to fight off depression. At one month I was not anywhere doing this much. I did have a fluid pocket at my incision too though w/ spinal headache. Was back in hospital at 3 weeks post op. Three hours now and Id be in bed for at least another day and a 1/2. Please take it easy. My surgeon was pushing less meRAB too but he wasnt considering my FM either. He went as far as telling disability people my outlook for returning to work was good. He only treated my surgery. I picked him myself but really regret it now.
Hope you have better luck than me but please dont overdo it and play the one step forward, two steps back dance.
Best wishes,
Shannon
 
:dizzy:
Three hours in a mall one month out? I would have passed out. It may take a few days to get back all your newly earned strength after that. Please pace yourself RoRo!! The hardest thing to accept for me was not getting right back to my life as I knew it.I am two years out and can't do as much as I used to...but I can still do alot and live a great life. Your discs didnt' go out overnight and you can't heal overnight. You don't owe ANYONE an explanation for needing to take it very easy. If your kiRAB or spouse don't understand hand them the info from your doctor or log them on here to hear the real war stories of recovering from back surgery!:D
I was 45, active, teenagers, noraml housewife, worked full time-I wanted all that back and to be able to take care of EVERYONE the way I used to. One problem manyof us have in common is NOT putting our neeRAB first. You will be no good to them next year when you have a revision surgery because you didn't take the time to heal now. I feel so bad for you! And I empathize!!
Keep coming here for support! We UNDERSTAND!!
blessings,
Michelle :angel:
 
My family is very understanding, its actually my doctor I feel pressure from. Last appointment I thought he said I should go back to work at 6 weeks, but he wrote down 8 on the form, and I had to hear it from my boss, so I guess I misunderstood.

Hopefully by then I will be ready, almost a whole month away.

I will take it easy from now on.
 
Back
Top