Re: Contemplating Surgery for my Scoliosis/Lyrica

January 11, 2008

I wish you the VERY best with you surgery. Since you have had such a good

outcome I'm sure you will do well this time. My surgery was done from the front

and the back. I did OK for the first 5 years, and had started having problems in

my hip. Walking had gotten very difficult- popping that I could hear and feel. I

never got a good answer for that because in the meantime I broke the rod and

fusion trying to reposition an uncooperative patient by myself. The first

scoliosis expert assumed I had herniated my only unfused vertebrae at L5. He

told me to go home, stay on bedrest until the pain stopped and 2 weeks after I

had no pain. That was in January 2003. The pain never stopped. I finally got

enough relief on morphine to be up and have limited activity. I tried to sew

some purses, sat too long and ended up back in bed for 7 weeks. At that time I

saw Dr Boachie in NYC. He did a workup. Or rather he ordered a workup and before

I could have the last test done, a discogram, my

insurance ran out. Dr Boachie felt I probably needed the fusion extended into

the sacrum because of deterioration below the fusion ( T1 to L5). The Dr at the

pain clinic has told me that he does not think the surgery would get me out of

pain to any great degree. I am not sure exactly why he feels that way, but I

respect his opinion. Of course Dr Boachie could not give me any assurances

because surgery is always an unknown to a great degree, and because I was not

able to complete the workup. I'm not sure exactly where all the pain comes from.

I am in good health otherwise, very active and hyper before the back stuff set

me back.

I am ashamedly passive about parts of my care. Before my initial fusion I found

the best dr I could, or so I thought, and I did not look into any details. I

never worked in ortho so I knew nothing about exactly what would happen and

didn't want to think about it. I have not looked up Lyrica. I do know it is used

in seizures and slows/blocks nerve impulses. Because of that it can affect how

the mind functions as well. It isn't specific. I have a significant problem with

short term memory and word retrieval at times. For me it is worth it. I take 50

mg three times a day, along with methadone 10 mg, 2 tabs 4X's a day and morphine

15 mg 1-2 tabs as needed for breakthru pain. All of that still doesn't take care

of my pain but makes it easier for me to have a good life. I have to be careful

not to sit/stand for too long. I am amazed at how much information so many

people in this group have. I did not have the internet before my surgery. That

definitely helps.

Let us know how your surgery goes. Bea

Randie Meyer <taknitlite@...> wrote: What is

Lyrica? I've never heard of it. I'm so sad to hear that you have so much pain. I

was in so little pain after my surgery-T4-L5 compared to before, I was only

taking a Tramadol everyday for the minor aches and pains. I've been in so much

pain for so many years it all becomes relative I guess. But like you, I too

broke my rods and have an unfused area from L2-L4. I'm going in for revision on

the 30th, and this time it'll be done anterior-ly. My first 2 were done only

thru my back. Since I was doing so well before I have to believe this is going

to get me back.

Do you know why you are in so much pain still? Is your health good otherwise?

I'm not married so I've opted to give up sex altogether. The difficulty moving

is so annoying I hate doing anything that brings my attention to what I can't

do. I think that having the surgery in later years makes it much more difficult

because my nephew had his whole spine fused at 17 and he hardly notices. I had

mine at 48.

Re: Contemplating Surgery for my Scoliosis

My first shocking discovery after surgery at age 45- T1 to L5- was that I had a

really hard time reaching my rear. Wiping was a struggle. When I mentioned it to

the dr he said it was a frequent complaint. Your idea about getting part of the

curve fused would have to be investigated by a really really good scoliosis dr.

The stress on the spine above and below the rods is a big problem for me. A lot

of neck pain and deterioration at L5. I was older than I know they like to

ideally do initial surgery. As far as other problems- I can't be nearly as

frisky when my hubby and I are having sex, but we have adjusted. It is difficult

for me to get in some of the positions we used to use. My husband is so caring

and patient- the best. The meds I am on- methadone, morphine, Paxil and Lyrica,

with a Flexeril thrown in from time to time, make it harder for me to have an

orgasm. Again, we have adjusted. I don't put pressure on myself. Until I broke

my rod and the

fusion and had so much

pain from that and the deterioration, I had limited myself from things like

knee boarding and slaloming, just because things like that weren't that

important to me. Now I can't sit or stand for any long period of time, run,

jump, climb, etc, without being in bed for anywhere from a day to months at a

time. More surgery could possibly help, but possibly not.I would be much less

flexible and no one can say what new problems could occur in the years to come.

Everyone has to decide what would be best, weighing all the facts. I will not

have more surgery unless I can't get out of bed at all. Good luck in working it

all out. Bea

Dawson Darling <tweaker_bms@ hotmail.com> wrote: After some complication in a

cleft palette surgery gone awry -trouble

establishing an airway since they couldn't see down there with the

curve for intubation- I got a push to more look into getting my

scoliosis corrected. Originally it was thought it would correct this

problem, but the orthopedist thinks that may have been exaggerated.

Still though in finding out I would gain 6-7 inches height (I am only

5' 4 " male), which agrees with my true height calculated via femur

measurement, and that my lung capacity was only 44% of normal because

of the curves...I'm to get it done anyway.

Strictly speaking since there are no major concern caused by the

scoliosis yet, and that's it's not really degenerating much

further...then anyone else in the world, it is pretty elective surgery.

Well I shouldn't get ahead of myself...for this we're considering

getting the correction done surgically the old rods-in-the- back thing.

In hearing about the movement restrictions with this I'm considering

just getting the major curve in the middle upper back corrected (75

degrees I believe) leaving the lower back still flexible. But anyway

what I want to know is:

What are peoples experiences with this type of treatment, and what

other things have people done? Has anyone had complications from this

surgery or most generally does it seem to turn out fine? What else

possibly have I not heard of? And do people have any stats for thing

going wrong down the line?

I also have concerns regarding the decreased flexibility, how much

have people seen it to effect their daily lives, housework, swimming,

sex...?

Lets not be shy here.

-Daws

January 12, 2008

That's interesting about your hip hurting and then your rods breaking. I was

having increasing pain in my right hip and also my leg, my shin actually, would

throb. The ortho thought maybe I hadn't fused but I didn't like him so I didn't

do anything. Then the rods broke. And oddly enough, the pain in my leg stopped.

Now I have terrible pain in my left ribcage. It sticks out to the side so much,

yet my scar is still straight. My rods broke in the lumbar, and that area is

curved. My hips keep moving out of place. I was going to just live with it, but

it got so bad I went to Phoenix and the ortho there recommended the revision. If

it doens't work, I'm done with surgery. I'm so sick of planning and recovering,

planning and recovering.