Re: 8 month check up

[Guest guest]

Hi ,

Thanks for the update... I am also having pain near the screw/pelvis area and will be seeing my dr in a few weeks - Please keep me posted on how things go as I am almost 6 months post op and sounds like we are having similar issues.

Also, what type of work are you doing?

Take care, Ken.

From: starrc44 <starrc44@...>Subject: [ ] 8 month check up Date: Friday, November 21, 2008, 12:45 PM

Hi,I had my almost 8 month check up with Dr. Rand yesterday. My X-rays looked good and he said I have healed well but he was surprised by how much pain I was in. We did a catscan and it confirmed that structurally everything is fine.I have a lot of lower back pain. We did identify that some of it is due the screw on the left side of my pelvis. He wants me to try a SI (sacrial injection?). I'll do it sometime in December. Anyone had luck with this? I'm hoping this is not the first in another string of hospital visits/procedures that I will have to do to feel better. I have started using a heating pad in the evenings and that helps a bit.The rest of the pain...could be that I have to live with it or could be all the things I'm doing now. Through the course of our conversation and check-up, I realized that between my job, 6 yr old child, and other responsibilites, I am probably not

getting enough rest and am working pretty hard. Also, I'm probably doing normal everyday activities that I might need to reconsider. We talked about starting some swimming or pilates or something to start building up my muscles again. I used to work out 3 times a week prior to the surgery despite the back and leg pain so I'm looking forward to this part. Finally, he told me to take Tylenol round the clock to see if that helps.Just wanted to provide an update in case it helps anyone else...

[Guest guest]

, another option you might try exercise-wise is pool physical

therapy, if you can find a therapy facility near you with a pool.

You're probably not close enough to Lowell, but C. told me

about Therafit, and Dr. Rand was happy to prescribe pool PT for me so I

went there for six weeks (though I could have had up to 12). I still

go there to do the exercises in the warm pool, and swim as well, since

they also offer fitness memberships. (They seem to have turned down

the thermostat a bit as it used to be a pretty consistent 92 degrees,

and now it's closer to 90, but that's still a lot warmer than most

swimming pools.) But if you haven't done any PT other than that which

got you up and walking, I suspect you could find it helpful. I was

amazed that some of my low back pain, which could be quite sharp at

times and well past the 1 year mark, really was muscular, and responded

well to exercise.

Sharon

starrc44 wrote:

Hi,

I had my almost 8 month check up with Dr. Rand yesterday. My X-rays

looked good and he said I have healed well but he was surprised by how

much pain I was in. We did a catscan and it confirmed that

structurally everything is fine.

I have a lot of lower back pain. We did identify that some of it is

due the screw on the left side of my pelvis. He wants me to try a SI

(sacrial injection?). I'll do it sometime in December. Anyone had

luck with this? I'm hoping this is not the first in another string of

hospital visits/procedures that I will have to do to feel better. I

have started using a heating pad in the evenings and that helps a bit.

The rest of the pain...could be that I have to live with it or could

be all the things I'm doing now. Through the course of our

conversation and check-up, I realized that between my job, 6 yr old

child, and other responsibilites, I am probably not getting enough

rest and am working pretty hard. Also, I'm probably doing normal

everyday activities that I might need to reconsider. We talked about

starting some swimming or pilates or something to start building up my

muscles again. I used to work out 3 times a week prior to the surgery

despite the back and leg pain so I'm looking forward to this part.

Finally, he told me to take Tylenol round the clock to see if that

helps.

Just wanted to provide an update in case it helps anyone else...

[Guest guest]

,

I second the warm water therapy pool to start...and a transition to

swimming later on as you gain some strength back.

While I didn't have coninuous pain at the point you are at, I

certainly had such frustrating limitations that if I pushed, I hurt,

and in my darkest moments I thought were never going to get better

and life stunk and I hadn't gotten anywhere near as back to normal

as I expected. if you go into the files you can see my post op

recovery journal...and there is one for 7 and 8 months. I couldn't

reach my feet, I used my grabbers constantly, my hamstrings were so

short I couldnt sit on a chair and stretch my legs out straight in

front of me. I remember when I finally went to try out bikes as I

mentioned I intended to do I was so unable to comfortably ride one

that I dispaired ever riding again. None of those things were true a

year later.

I did follow a very simple, low impact fitness program in the water.

I was consistent in never going less than 3x a week unless I was

sick. I slowly worked on the stretching following each swim and to

this day, if I don't keep up with this plan I can feel it

everywhere. I think there are just a lot of little internal muscles

and ligaments that are in play with this new, permanant posture that

require the kind of gentle strengthening and stretch that you can

get with the water, or perhaps pilates, adapted as suggested

in " Pilates for Fragile Backs " . I guess I am trying to say, there is

strength....but don't forget the stretch part....thats where all the

pluses come!

I hope the SI injections work (I think he means that they will

inject the steroid directly into the SI joint). Let us know when you

get a date so we can be sure you follow up with us. I hope that you

also reconisder how much of an overall load you seem to be carrying

between your family and job. Perhaps a little modification will find

you the time to focus on you and the time you need to have to get a

good work out routine together that will work for you.

The good news is that the fusion is looking good and that will help

you rest easier at night. You have probably been on the tylenol for

a few days now, are you noticing anything?

Take Care, Cam

[Guest guest]

Hi,

First, I want to say that it is so helpful to hear about other

people's situations and how you all progressed over time. Every

message I read makes me feel more hopeful and reassures me that I am

on my way to feeling better.

I'm definitely going to look into some sort of water therapy. I may

also start more stretching. When I was with Dr. Rand and he was

testing my legs, I pushed down and realized how much my body needed

to be stretched.

I'll schedule the SI injection right when after Thanksgiving. I'll

let you know how it goes.

I took it easy this weekend. Lots of rest and Tylenol. The pain is

still there but not as constant. Also, this morning, it seemed to be

more where the screw is and not as pervasive across my lower back. I

really think a slow exercise routine may help...and I'm really

looking forward to feeling like I'm doing more to help my recovery.

Thanks again.

>

> ,

>

> I second the warm water therapy pool to start...and a transition to

> swimming later on as you gain some strength back.

>

> While I didn't have coninuous pain at the point you are at, I

> certainly had such frustrating limitations that if I pushed, I

hurt,

> and in my darkest moments I thought were never going to get better

> and life stunk and I hadn't gotten anywhere near as back to normal

> as I expected. if you go into the files you can see my post op

> recovery journal...and there is one for 7 and 8 months. I couldn't

> reach my feet, I used my grabbers constantly, my hamstrings were so

> short I couldnt sit on a chair and stretch my legs out straight in

> front of me. I remember when I finally went to try out bikes as I

> mentioned I intended to do I was so unable to comfortably ride one

> that I dispaired ever riding again. None of those things were true

a

> year later.

>

> I did follow a very simple, low impact fitness program in the

water.

> I was consistent in never going less than 3x a week unless I was

> sick. I slowly worked on the stretching following each swim and to

> this day, if I don't keep up with this plan I can feel it

> everywhere. I think there are just a lot of little internal muscles

> and ligaments that are in play with this new, permanant posture

that

> require the kind of gentle strengthening and stretch that you can

> get with the water, or perhaps pilates, adapted as suggested

> in " Pilates for Fragile Backs " . I guess I am trying to say, there

is

> strength....but don't forget the stretch part....thats where all

the

> pluses come!

>

> I hope the SI injections work (I think he means that they will

> inject the steroid directly into the SI joint). Let us know when

you

> get a date so we can be sure you follow up with us. I hope that you

> also reconisder how much of an overall load you seem to be carrying

> between your family and job. Perhaps a little modification will

find

> you the time to focus on you and the time you need to have to get a

> good work out routine together that will work for you.

>

> The good news is that the fusion is looking good and that will help

> you rest easier at night. You have probably been on the tylenol

for

> a few days now, are you noticing anything?

>

> Take Care, Cam

>