[cheryl.b]

Hello,
I am new to the forum. I am 42 years old. I had a four level fusion T2-T6. I have always had a good back with no problems. I started having pain in my upper back and found out I had a tumor on my spine growing in toward my chest cavity. I had to go out of town to St. Louis to have this surgery. It was a posterior approach. I saw the x-rays and all the rods and screws look so scary. I am four weeks out and still in a lot of pain. The tumor turned out to be a hemangioma. My question is how long will I be in so much pain.? I also worry that I won't be able to work or do the things I used to do. Will this fusion cause so much stress on the other vertebra that I might have to have another fusion? That is scary for me because this surgery was so rough on me. My back was so healthy that it is frustrating to me to have it broken and fused. I am still having to take percecet every four hours. I am a scrub tech and I am on my feet all day. Standing now causes much pain between my shoulder blades. Reclining and laying down is the most comfortable. I hope someone can tell me it will get better. I have read that more than two level fusions can cause problems. I am trusting God that I will have complete fusion . I am in more pain now then I was before the surgery. So if anyone has a successful multi fusion I would love to hear your story.
Thanks,
Cheryl

[Jomar]

Hi Cheryl,
considering you had a fusion & a tumor ..
What time line did the surgeon give?

my niece had most of her T spine and some Lumbar fused due to severe scoliosis.
Hospital for 2 weeks I think, then recovery at home and 3 months after she is Ok for PE , running, jumping etc.

Are you getting any phys therapy?
There is PT for pain relief - low level laser, ultrasound, heat, massage- you may have to ask for some.

[cheryl.b]

Thanks for the response. The doctor said About twelve weeks I can probably go back to work. I cannot imagine that now with all the pain. He did not say anything about pt, but wanted me to walk a lot. I think pt sounds good. I am going to call my doctor and find out about that. Being eight hours away from my surgeon makes it kind of hard for him to know if I am on the right track. I sure hope someday I will be jumping and working and enjoying life again.

Cheryl

[Sambouka74]

Hey Cheryl, I am 34 and had an emergency thoracic fusion on 11/25 of T-8 and T9. (I have a bulging disc below that that isn't a problem yet)I had a herniated disc that was compressing the spinal cord and I was having trouble walking and using the bathroom, so they upped my surgery by a month cause they were afraid I'd end up paralyzed from the thoracic down. They broke through my ribs on my left side, moved my lung to the side, then used part of my rib for the fusion, along with a rod and 2 screws. How big are the rod and screws you have? I keep forgetting to ask my surgeon about mine. (I just added that to my list of questions for next visit). When you say posterior, do you mean they went straight in through your chest? I guess the technique they used on me is newer or something. I am still in a lot of pain though and I'm 2 months out from my surgery. I will be on temp disability till May according to the paperwork they filled out for me. If I feel like this in May, there's no way I'll be able to return to the work force, even part time. It hurts to sit, stand, or walk for any substantial length of time. I have to wear a brace (have you ever heard of a scoli jacket? It's similar.) whenever I'm not laying down, and believe me, I need it. How are we supposed to survive financially? We make too much for food stamps, temp disability is crap, and I'm paying $400/mo for my health ins, not counting copays for meds and doctors. The hardest things for me is waiting for time to pass while I'm so dependent on everybody, and knowing the strain I put on everybody. The second hardest is I don't know from day to day if what I'm feeling in my back is normal. I have had my follow up MRI and they say I look great, but I hurt like hell, and they just say, remember you just had major surgery, it's going to take time to heal. I also have fibromyalgia, scoliosis, and degenerative disc disease, so that doesn't help. Fibro patients feel pain, heat and cold more intensely then other people too for some reason. I use the National Fibromyalgia Association website for info, some of it applies to general health that you might like to read.
I have found that if you take a notebook and write down every question you have about your back as you think of it, you will have a nice list to bring in to your surgeons, or call them with and you won't forget to ask as far as your question, "Will this fusion cause so much stress on the other vertebra that I might have to have another fusion?" My surgery was a complete nightmare for me, I'd haver had surgery before. The hospital and staff were good, but I do NOT want to do it again. Why are you on your feet all day?, scrub tech or no, you should have been written out of work for minimum of 3 months for a thoraacic fusion. I have pain in my blades and mid back so bad I am near tears frequently. I take Flexoril, Lortab, Relafen (an anti inflammatory that's similar to ibruprofen) and something call Dextromethorphan as another pain killer, it has to be compounded at a special pharmacy. Lying down is the most comfortable without a doubt, and I am just this past week able to lay on my side and I even drove my car last week, but stuff like that makes me exhausted and in way too much pain. I am a lot better than 2 months ago, but I can tell I have a long road ahead. My surgeon said I'll never be 100%, but that they could get me close, but that full recovery status might take a year. Well, hope this post helps someone. ~Crys

[cheryl.b]

Hi Cyrs,
Wow, I feel your pain. Sounds like you got more going on than me. I will say the pain sounds similar. Yes they went posterior meaning my long incision is on my back next to my spine. They thought they might have to cut the front to get to the tumor but the doctor's were able to do it from the back. They retracted my lung as well. It sounds like you have a two level fusion? They fused T-2 through T-6 on me. I don't know the sizes of my rods. I know I have a lot of screws I saw them on the x-ray. I am now five weeks out. I am doing a little better since I wrote last. I am on percocet for pain. I also take flexeral for the muscle spasms. My fear also is that I will have to do this again. Like you this surgery was horrible and I had a reaction to the pain pump after surgery so they took it away from me. I was in severe pain until I could hold oral pain medicine down. I still have pain in my chest on the left side and pain under my armpit. That is the side they retracted to get to the tumor. I talked to my doctor about having to have more surgery in the future. He told that the vertebra that are not involved in the fusion have to take more stress. He said that the percentage of needing another fusion goes up three percent each year. So in thirty years it becomes a 90% chance. That would put me around seventy. He said that not all people have symptoms and I might be able to live just fine with the degeneration of the above and below vertebra of my fusion. I just can't think about that now. I am young and strong and I bet you are to. My doctor said I will be able to go back to my job and live my life as normal. He said I will probably be up to that when I am twelve weeks out. I sure can't imagine that now. Just a short walk and my back hurts so bad between my shoulder blades. I am really looking forward to my appointment when the doctor will tell me he can see fusion starting. I want to hear that real bad. Every movement feels like my screws are coming loose. The last x-ray showed they are fine. Have you showed fusion yet? I don't have to wear a brace but I know the brace you are talking about. I also know the stress you have over the money. We are used to two incomes. When i do go back to work it will be very part time. What is your occupation? please keep me informed of your progress. I wish you well.
Cheryl

[Sambouka74]

Hi again Cheryl. Our stories are so similar and yet so different at the same time! I am 34, I've been a medical receptionist at 4 different offices over the last 8 years. I had T-8 and T-9 fused. That's horrible about your reaction to the pain pump. I have improved a tiny bit, I've started ignoring the pain more, which is probably a stupid thing to do. I see my surgeon next week for my 2 mo follow up, I'll try to ask him about the reoccurence factor.
I don't know if I have fusion yet, I never thought to ask.
I feel like something is broken when I'm tired.
Hang in there. Talk to you soon. ~Crys

[cheryl.b]

Hi crys,
I just had my six week x-rays done. I heard the guy in the back say "look at all the hardware" I really hate hearing that. He will send it to st. louis for my surgeon to see. My fear is I will break a screw or something. So your two weeks ahead of me. Yea, my nurse said if you have pain for more than two hours after an activity you over did it. So let your pain be your guide. I have found it hard not to do things that you see need to be done, but this is a slow process. You should start seeing bone fusion at about twelve weeks. It takes six months to a year for complete fusion. That is what you want to hear from your surgeon. Fusion is very important. You are young and if you don't smoke or take anti- inflammatories your fusion should be no problem. I hope to go back to work part time in six weeks. I still need pain meds every six hours or so. I do sleep through the night with out them. Well keep in touch,

cheryl

[Sambouka74]

Hi Cheryl, I had x rays and an MRI done last time I was there and they said everything looks great. I wear my scar and hardware with pride. To me it says, I'm a survivor. We are both lucky we can walk and that we are not paralyzed from the waist down. Even if you have to tell yourself every day, look at it this way, you made it through, and you are able to walk. Walk proud. I was told the hardware is Titanium and that is a very strong substance. It doesn't brake easily. So if you take it easy on yourself, you should be just fine. It is hard not to over do it. But when you spend the day in bed cause you over did it, then you figure it out real quick.
Take your time doing things. I think your crazy going back to work already. Be safe, be happy. Take care and I'll talk to you soon. Crystal

[cheryl.b]

Crystal,

You are so right. Thank you for that word of encouragement. I will wear my scar and hardware with pride as well. I am also glad I am walking. By the way I am going back to work in six weeks not right away. I will work only part time. I need the income things are tight right now. I am glad your x-rays are great. It is nice to speak with people that are going through this. Even though I am not real good figuring out these forums. I am not real smart with computers and online communication. I think it is kind of fun though.

Cheryl

[Sambouka74]

Hi Cheryl, what's new? Sorry, it took me so long to write, I only check it like once or twice a week. I try to be grateful every day that I can still walk and that I'm still just as attractive and my face isn't what's wearing the scar. I went to the mall today and went grocery shopping with my husband. I was panting with exertion, but I had fun, and by the time I was in a lot of pain, I was home and I was able to lay down. What hurts the most is to sit. I go the 1st or second week in march to see my surgeon again, I just saw mine this past week. He said my screws and stuff are tiny. He said for my type of surgery complete fusion will not occur for 1-2 years. They will take a CT next month and depending on how it looks and how I feel, I can start trying to go without it. I've already been trying to go without it for short trips from one room to another in the apartment and I feel very sore and weak almost immediately. So I'm not very close yet. He said it's normally not a surgery that they would ever even recommend if they can avoid it, but it was either that or become paralyzed, so they didn't have choice. I would love to work but it hurts to sit for any real length of time still. So untill that gets better I will not be able to do any kind of work that requires me to sit. I usually don't do forums either but I was pretty desparate to compare notes with someone with a similar story. I'm going to try to start a local support group through my doctor's office. Put up a sign at the office with my email address and meet at the local coffee house! I need new friends that know what I've gone through!! Talk to you soon, hope you have a good Valentine's if I don't talk to you before.-Crystal