Scar tissue and Fusions

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marshrose

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Okay, so as my mind is wandering from one subject to the next, does anyone here who has had a fusion, have trouble with scar tissue now, regarding their nerve, pains, recent MRIs showing thats their extended problem??

I have had 2 back surgeries in 5 months, and the surgeon said there was not much scar tissue to contend with when he went back in- It was good to hear that as it's weighed on my mind- but now I've had a fusion, bigger incision, bigger surgery, do you contend with more scar tissue as it's a fusion this time or is that truly just a person to person thing that just 'happens' in the healing process????

Thanks for any insight, I know alot of you have had fusions on here so I am curious to know if you are contending with scar tissue or not. I know reading on my own all the walking helps free up the nerve from scar tissue, and helps the healing process, I am just curious who is dealing with the scar tissue now from their surgeries, and if so, were you unable to walk much and that may be why you are contending with it?
 
I developed painful scar tissue at around 3-4 months post-op. I started PT at around 4 1/2 months or so, and my PTist did a lot of deep tissue work, breaking up the scar tissue, and showed me how to do it on my own, too. It did wonders! Within a week, I had no more pain from it, and as it slowly came back every once in a while, I just worked it again as she had shown me and it quickly broke up.

Now it hasn't come back at all for over a year and I don't need to work the scar areas anymore. For a relatively skinny person, it's not hard to keep the scar tissue at bay. At least there's one benefit to being a stick!!! :D For those who are normal to heavier, it's a bit harder, but certainly not hopeless. The hard scar tissue is when it's deep or wraps around nerves. Hopefully, that won't happen to you. It's not that common, but it's always a possibility. The kind that can be broken up by you and/or a therapist is much more common, and even that doesn't happen for a lot of people.

I hope this helps to allay some of your fear.

Blessings! :wave:
Emily
 
I had no idea someone could break it up or teach you how to do it that's wonderful to hear, I thought it was just something uncontrollable that happens like a crap shoot I was having to worry about, I am glad you posted!!!!!!! I feel better, I had no idea someone could break up scar tissue!

So BlueAtlas, do you know when you fuse or are you just told? I mean, do you just start to feel better farther out from surgery, or moreso the fact that the fusing is taking place and taking more pressure off of your back??

I cant sit on my couch relaxed, nor recline it much, and went for a ride in the car yesterday and the bumps got me, and the 'seperating' feeling over dips and such bothered me alot, and the bumps around benRAB got me too- how long until that goes away?
I mean, I couldn't sit on my couch for more than an hour prior to surgery anyway, so really no big thing as I'm usedto being just flat on my back or side but, when does it let up?

I know one person said about 3 weeks they really noticed a good difference and a milestone so, do you find that to be true with all the fusing you've gotten??
I haven't driven in 6 months so I am hoping I can soon. Unfortunately after yesterdays car ride I see I am still not ready for that :(
 
It took me about 2 months or so before I felt reasonably comfortable in a car. Keep in mind, though, that I had 8 levels done, for a total of 14. Your experience should be easier!

For me, I felt and heard a grinding noise whenever I turned in bed for the first couple of months. It was disconcerting, to say the least! It was clearly all that hardware rubbing around. Even my husband could hear it! As I got further along in my recovery, that got less and less. That was the only indication to me that I was fusing. I didn't feel any different. Sorry. I wish I could say I had. We all just wonder if we're fusing or not until we get those wonderful worRAB after an x-ray.

I was sooooo careful. I was determined to not do any single thing, not for one second, that could in any way jeopardize a fusion happening. I considered it my "job" to be in recovery and to do everything within my power to promote bone growth. I wore my bone growth stimulator exactly as directed, I walked like crazy, ate healthy meals, wore my brace so I would never accidently move the wrong way and mess things up, and last but definitely not least, I prayed and asked a lot of people to also pray for me. I was showing bone growth at only 6 weeks, and I was fully fused at 6 months. Recovery did take longer than that for me, as I did become dependent on my brace and had a hard time getting out of it. It took a long time before I felt like I had gotten my strength back. Even at the year mark, I was still seeing improvement.

It's a long road, but well worth it. I still have pain everyday, still take Vicodin everyday, but I'm so much better off. I'm actually disabled, but I can cook simple meals, do light housework carefully, and take care of my family. They understand my condition and they all chip in to do what I can't. I even have beautiful gardens again! One of my sons helped me last fall to plant bulbs. He dug the hole where I showed him, I dropped in the bulbs, and he helped me cover them up. He was so sweet, never a complaint, and now we have daffodils, crocuses, and hyacinths blooming. So beautiful! So take your time, let yourself heal, get your strength back, and try not to rush it.

My first big milestone was the 3 month mark. I started to feel much better, more human again, at that point. You'll be at that point before you know it! Take it a day at a time.

(((((((hugs)))))))
Emily :)
 
GEEZE 14, heck no, YOU are a MUCH stronger person than I - omg.

I could not fathom it. All I do is lay, I go this wed to the dr, and hope he does says something! I usedto cry on the way to the dr every time, for fear he'd give up on me and tell me I'd be stuck how I was, after the first surgery, prior to us knowing I was reherniated so large. I am doing better with this surgery, and it even healed faster too, last time it took almost 7 weeks for the entire scab to be gone, this time it's healed so much faster and nicer, this whole thing has been better, I am more 'mobile' if you call it that lol, and I can MOVE in bed, and I am not dying in pain, I even sleep for about 4 hrs straight before I gotta wake and roll over or take a pill.

I have been running to the bathroom endlessly, I think all that stuff I took is now catching up with me, I lost 4 lbs (yes I went on the scale lol), It could be water weight, but hay, I'll take it to make myself feel better. My stomach is not as big now, it's still rounded and swollen, last time it took a few months to go away. Fat/swelling-who knows.

I can't wait to go for a walk= or at least try to. There is alittle waterfall down the far end of my street- that is where I am going to try to get to when I get the OK to do my steps (4 flights) and try to go outside. I feel like a hermit. I showered on my own yesterday and paid for it, only last night eve and thru the night, today im sore but not as bad. The pred pack is weaning off so IDK how much of the old pains going to come back again- it always did after i was thru w the pack.

Well I am very glad you are here to post it makes it easier thats for sure, IF YOU CAN GO THROUGH ALL THAT- I CAN DO THIS LOL

I have tried to cut down on my smoking, yes, I have cut it in half, it's very hard to do when you've smoked for 20yrs. I read that is not good for if you want to fuse, but I am doing so much better this time around and once I can walk I think that will help too, it is such an iffy thing- this fusing and whatnot, I dont have a brace or anything- I just had one level done. I just use a cane all the time now.
 
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