SuperStressed
New member
My procedure will be done on L5-S1. Any ideas on what to expect?
PLIF Surgery Tomorrow!!!!!!!
- Thread starter SuperStressed
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backhurtz
Guest
Thankfully you are having a fusion at the least mobile area of the spine. Because of that, you won't have much if any loss of ability to bend. Painwise, it can be rather intense for the first week or so, then it tenRAB to lessen as time goes on. Most patients are discharged with a walker, to help with stability while you are recovering. You won't be allowed to bend, lift or twist, or drive until your surgeon tells you that you can. Don't smoke......
It can take up to a year for the bone to heal enough for it to be stable, so patience is your best friend.
Watch for an increase in pain levels beyond the normal post op pain, or increasing nurabness, difficulty using the bathroom, or a better way to describe it is a difference in how toilet paper feels on your bottom....if any of that happens, you need to see your surgeon right away......
Get a high rise toilet seat because bending down to reach your normal level will be difficult and painful.
Walk, as much and as often as you can.
Best of luck to you and your surgeon as you heal......
Back
It can take up to a year for the bone to heal enough for it to be stable, so patience is your best friend.
Watch for an increase in pain levels beyond the normal post op pain, or increasing nurabness, difficulty using the bathroom, or a better way to describe it is a difference in how toilet paper feels on your bottom....if any of that happens, you need to see your surgeon right away......
Get a high rise toilet seat because bending down to reach your normal level will be difficult and painful.
Walk, as much and as often as you can.
Best of luck to you and your surgeon as you heal......
Back
Also, get a shower stool and a grabber tool. The grabber tool will allow you to pick things up off the floor without having to bend over. As for the stool, I would just sit on it with my tail bone hanging off the back end while the shower was going and have my husband wash my hair and stuff. You can get these and the other supplies mentioned right at the hospital from the PT department. They will come visit you in your room on your last day and make you walk yourself around the room with your walker, get yourself dressed, make sure you can go to the bathroom, and mine even took me to a flight of stairs and made me walk up and down it. I remeraber how proud of myself I was for that!
It is pretty painful, so don't let that surprise you. But it will improve. Upon waking up from anesthisia I never thought in a million years I would be walking up stairs 3 days later.
Good luck and post about how it goes when you can!
It is pretty painful, so don't let that surprise you. But it will improve. Upon waking up from anesthisia I never thought in a million years I would be walking up stairs 3 days later.
Good luck and post about how it goes when you can!
SuperStressed
New member
It's almost 11 hours post-op (1:56 AM CST). I can't sleep because this Morphine is making me itch like a jailhouse cat. The IV Benadryl isn't helping it one bit. I will have no skin when I leave.
At 4:18 Am the nurses brought in Dilaudid in a PCA Pump. The drip is continuous, but it must be a very small dosage. It usually works but, I'm still in pain. There's also a muscle relaxant added (Robaxin), and it's not one of the usual ones I take. So far, pain mgmt here sucks.
It's 12/11/09 12:13 AM. I got up and walked from my bedroom to the hallway yesterday, woo hoo! I guess that wore me out because I slept most of the day. I guess that's because I've been up all day in pain the first day out of surgery itchin & scratchin from the morphine. The dr is trying to wean me off of the hospital meRAB before I go home. I take stronger meRAB at home than what they've given me here, so what's to wean, LOL?
It's 12/11/09 12:39 PM. I walked a lil farther today. They are gonna take my catheter and tube out of my back today. They said I can go home tomorrow! Woo hoo! I feel like the Bionic Woman in this back brace!
At 4:18 Am the nurses brought in Dilaudid in a PCA Pump. The drip is continuous, but it must be a very small dosage. It usually works but, I'm still in pain. There's also a muscle relaxant added (Robaxin), and it's not one of the usual ones I take. So far, pain mgmt here sucks.
It's 12/11/09 12:13 AM. I got up and walked from my bedroom to the hallway yesterday, woo hoo! I guess that wore me out because I slept most of the day. I guess that's because I've been up all day in pain the first day out of surgery itchin & scratchin from the morphine. The dr is trying to wean me off of the hospital meRAB before I go home. I take stronger meRAB at home than what they've given me here, so what's to wean, LOL?
It's 12/11/09 12:39 PM. I walked a lil farther today. They are gonna take my catheter and tube out of my back today. They said I can go home tomorrow! Woo hoo! I feel like the Bionic Woman in this back brace!