For people that have just been told they need scoliosis surgery or are waiting for the surgery it can be a difficult and highly stressful time, I know because I've been there and had the panic attacks to prove it!
I received an email last week with some questions about scoliosis surgery so I thought I would post the answers here incase they help others waiting for/deciding on surgery:
Why did you consider surgery?
The reason I considered surgery was
because I had a severe curve (over 80 degrees) and was told by my
consultant that because it was so large, gravity over time could cause
it to get worse by 1-2 degrees each year.
I also had a lot of pain
caused by muscle knots around my curve that were extremely sore and
painful every day.
I didn't really want the thought of it getting worse
hanging over me and then having to face the surgery with an extremely
large curve later in life when recovery would be much tougher.
I know
there is an argument that perhaps waiting would mean in the future
surgical procedures would become more advanced and maybe it would be
less invasive/there would be better techniques but I was young and fit
and wanted to get it over with and move on (get a career etc as I felt
my life was on hold for a while) rather than have it hanging over me.
It really is the toughest decision I have ever made
though and definitely not one to consider lightly.
It's best to talk to as many as people as possible, get advice and use the forums/scoliosis surgery book that I recommend on here as it is very good for explaining everything.
It's best to talk to as many as people as possible, get advice and use the forums/scoliosis surgery book that I recommend on here as it is very good for explaining everything.
Did you try any other solutions?
I did try lots of physio to help with pain, I used to pay privately to have weekly massages to help my muscle knots but they always came back straight away and this would only provide temporary relief.
I did try lots of physio to help with pain, I used to pay privately to have weekly massages to help my muscle knots but they always came back straight away and this would only provide temporary relief.
I also tried accupuncture, heat therapy and
did pilates and swimming.
Swimming was the thing that helped me the
most, I could manage my pain and muscle knots through swimming quite
well and my back always felt great after a swim.
How long was the operation? 10 hours
How long was the operation? 10 hours
What did you feel like when you woke up?
When I woke up I remember feeling as light as air and in no pain whatsoever - thank god for morphine eh?! I didnt really have much concept of time and kept falling asleep and waking up again and it would be hours later, it was all very surreal to be honest. I was also very thirsty, my mouth was incredibly dry.
When I woke up I remember feeling as light as air and in no pain whatsoever - thank god for morphine eh?! I didnt really have much concept of time and kept falling asleep and waking up again and it would be hours later, it was all very surreal to be honest. I was also very thirsty, my mouth was incredibly dry.
I could talk to my family ok, I remember talking to
my dad on the phone at one point the night after my surgery as he was
worried so he rang ICU to see how I was and they let him speak to me!
The next day I thought I had dreamt it and I can't remember what I said.
The next day I thought I had dreamt it and I can't remember what I said.
It can be quite scary for your family seeing you with all your
tubes etc but you will feel ok and quite comfortable when you wake up,
they make sure of that.
What is the pain like?
The pain straight after surgery is well controlled with morphine and strong painkillers. The worst part for me was when I came off ICU and went into the ward, the first few days in the ward were quite tough to be honest as you get moved about, rolled over etc and it can be uncomfortable.
What is the pain like?
The pain straight after surgery is well controlled with morphine and strong painkillers. The worst part for me was when I came off ICU and went into the ward, the first few days in the ward were quite tough to be honest as you get moved about, rolled over etc and it can be uncomfortable.
The worst for me was meal times as I couldnt sit myself
up to eat :( so I used to dread that. Once they get you up and about and
you can go to the toilet etc, which is pretty quick to be honest, it
gets alot easier.
Are there any complications?
I would advise speaking to your consultant about this as every case is different and these can depend on age/fitness etc.
Are there any complications?
I would advise speaking to your consultant about this as every case is different and these can depend on age/fitness etc.
From what I've read, severe complications seem very rare with this type of surgery as they are done quite frequently believe it or not!
There is a risk of infection/reaction to anaesthetic like there is with any type of surgery.
With any type of spinal surgery there is also risk of damage to the spinal cord and in the worst case scenario, paralysis, but with scoliosis surgery the risk of this is less than 1% I've been told due to the advanced spinal monitoring equipment they now use.
If you are waiting for scoliosis surgery, you may also find my post on preparing for scoliosis surgery useful. :)
No comments:
Post a Comment