Re: update on my surgery

[Guest guest]

,

Hi back at ya! I have been keeping an eye out for a post from you..I

figured you might be starting to feel well enough to update us. I am

glad to hear you managed to get yourself through another grueling

surgery and hope you start to really start to feel better when your

weather improves. There is nothing like cool rainy weather to make

every joint ache is there?

I noticed too that after being on celebrex for so long for my back

that it may have been covering up some other " issues " ...and am

wondering if I will eventually go back on NSAIDs after the spine

mending is complete.

Welcome back and good luck with your recovery.

Cam

[Guest guest]

Hi ,

It is great to hear from you! I am so glad you're through the surgery. I have

heard others with scoliosis who got good relief from nerve pain from a drug

called Neurontin (US brand name) or Novo-Gabapentin (Canada brand name). For

your knee, if it's arthritis type pain, try Glucosamine & Chondroitin. This is

an excellent natural alternative to anti-inflammatory drugs with no known side

effects. I have taken them for years with great results. I had surgery to

correct a bleeding ulcer and can't take traditional NSAIDs, and they have saved

me. It takes a couple of weeks to start working, but I haven't had any knee pain

at all since I started taking them. My arthritis pain used to keep me up at

night.

Best wishes for a fast recovery!

na

P.S. my daughter is 7 weeks post-op from scoli surgery (her first) and she's

doing great!

Update on my surgery

Hi! I had my 6th Scoliosis surgery Apr. 5 at Kaiser Oakland Hospital, with Dr.

Baines and Dr. Gorek.

They redid the non-fusion, used bone from my hips, plus the bmp stuff. Then

they attached hardware down to L5. I had told them absolutely not to put the

bolts in my pelvis, since I wanted to be able to reach my feet, and having the

bolts really limited me.

The only good part about having surgeries before, is that you know if you can

just make it through the first few days of hell, you will start to feel better!

I'm now supposed to start walking around my neighborhood (unfortunately, we

are having rain and cold weather in " sunny California " . And I get really tired.

We have stairs in the house, and going up them gets me out of breath.

I had terrible nerve pain in my left leg, so they gave me Prednesone. But that

tends to make me dizzy. I'm almost through with that, though.

I'm taking Norco, and a few other drugs, too. Cold packs and heating pads help

the most, though.

I can't take my Celebrex, so I have a lot of knee pain. Funny, you would think

the other drugs would help, but I guess it is because none are

anti-inflammatory.

in Oakland

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

[Guest guest]

Dear :

Hang in there. Like you said the worst part is over. I don't know why but

this worked for me when I was going through some rough times after surgery.

I would envision myself a month from now feeling stronger and better and just

say to myself " this time next month I will feel much better and I know this

will pass " . Sounds corny but for whatever reason it helped.

Best of luck to you.

Kathy

[Guest guest]

, It's great to hear from you so soon. Take good

care of yourself while you recover. I hope each day

you feel better than the one before. Keep us posted

when you are up to it. -Kathi in NJ

--- nbrenn@... wrote:

> Hi! I had my 6th Scoliosis surgery Apr. 5 at Kaiser

> Oakland Hospital, with Dr. Baines and Dr. Gorek.

>

> They redid the non-fusion, used bone from my hips,

> plus the bmp stuff. Then they attached hardware down

> to L5. I had told them absolutely not to put the

> bolts in my pelvis, since I wanted to be able to

> reach my feet, and having the bolts really limited

> me.

>

> The only good part about having surgeries before, is

> that you know if you can just make it through the

> first few days of hell, you will start to feel

> better!

>

> I'm now supposed to start walking around my

> neighborhood (unfortunately, we are having rain and

> cold weather in " sunny California " . And I get really

> tired. We have stairs in the house, and going up

> them gets me out of breath.

>

> I had terrible nerve pain in my left leg, so they

> gave me Prednesone. But that tends to make me dizzy.

> I'm almost through with that, though.

>

> I'm taking Norco, and a few other drugs, too. Cold

> packs and heating pads help the most, though.

>

> I can't take my Celebrex, so I have a lot of knee

> pain. Funny, you would think the other drugs would

> help, but I guess it is because none are

> anti-inflammatory.

>

> in Oakland

__________________________________________________

[Guest guest]

This is Harb

I am still recovering form my fifth scoliosis surgery that was in Raleigh, North

Carolina, with Dr Hey. They removed the old fusion in L4 and L5 and then

refused with better system from L4 - S1. Dr Hey had to reshape the curve

(natural lordosis) by 9 degrees to correct the flat back. Also, they cut from

the front and inserted spacers (titanium cage) to help my posture to a much

better erect position. I am very happy with the results of my back. However, I

am still suffering with nerve pain in my right leg. I am on Neurotin which

tends to help the pain that is coming from the nerve path. They suspect that I

still have a pinched nerve or a fragmant of bone that might be pressing. So I

might have to be under the knife again, but not as serious of a surgery as

before. I will keep you posted

A note on Dr Hey, I have never seen a more personable doctor. Any time I leave

an email message or a voicemail, he returns my call immediately and take the

time to talk to me. He is just a wonderful man. I would recommend him anytime

Harb

nbrenn@... wrote:

Hi! I had my 6th Scoliosis surgery Apr. 5 at Kaiser Oakland Hospital, with Dr.

Baines and Dr. Gorek.

They redid the non-fusion, used bone from my hips, plus the bmp stuff. Then they

attached hardware down to L5. I had told them absolutely not to put the bolts in

my pelvis, since I wanted to be able to reach my feet, and having the bolts

really limited me.

The only good part about having surgeries before, is that you know if you can

just make it through the first few days of hell, you will start to feel better!

I'm now supposed to start walking around my neighborhood (unfortunately, we are

having rain and cold weather in " sunny California " . And I get really tired. We

have stairs in the house, and going up them gets me out of breath.

I had terrible nerve pain in my left leg, so they gave me Prednesone. But that

tends to make me dizzy. I'm almost through with that, though.

I'm taking Norco, and a few other drugs, too. Cold packs and heating pads help

the most, though.

I can't take my Celebrex, so I have a lot of knee pain. Funny, you would think

the other drugs would help, but I guess it is because none are

anti-inflammatory.

in Oakland

---------------------------------

[Guest guest]

> Hi ,

>

> It is great to hear from you! I am so glad you're through the surgery. I have

> heard others with scoliosis who got good relief from nerve pain from a drug

> called Neurontin (US brand name) or Novo-Gabapentin (Canada brand name).

I am taking 2-3 of these a day, too. They didn't seem to help with the nerve

pain, but who knows?

For

> your knee, if it's arthritis type pain, try Glucosamine & Chondroitin.

I tried this several years ago, it didn't work for me unfortunately.

>

> Best wishes for a fast recovery!

Thanks!!!

in Oakland

>

> na

>

> P.S. my daughter is 7 weeks post-op from scoli surgery (her first) and she's

> doing great!

>

>

na, I'm so glad she's doing great!

Much easier for the young to heal I think.

in Oakland

[Guest guest]

,

The Glucosamine & Chondroitin takes several weeks of continuous use to work. I

would encorage you to give it another try. Especially these days since all the

other stuff is supposed to kill you or prevent proper fusion. Hang in there

girl! It will get a little better each day. I will be sending thoughts and

prayers your way.

na

Re: Update on my surgery

> Hi ,

>

> It is great to hear from you! I am so glad you're through the surgery. I

have

> heard others with scoliosis who got good relief from nerve pain from a drug

> called Neurontin (US brand name) or Novo-Gabapentin (Canada brand name).

I am taking 2-3 of these a day, too. They didn't seem to help with the nerve

pain, but who knows?

For

> your knee, if it's arthritis type pain, try Glucosamine & Chondroitin.

I tried this several years ago, it didn't work for me unfortunately.

>

> Best wishes for a fast recovery!

Thanks!!!

in Oakland

>

> na

>

> P.S. my daughter is 7 weeks post-op from scoli surgery (her first) and she's

> doing great!

>

>

na, I'm so glad she's doing great!

Much easier for the young to heal I think.

in Oakland

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

[Guest guest]

" For your knee, if it's arthritis type pain, try

Glucosamine & Chondroitin. This is an excellent

natural alternative to

anti-inflammatory drugs with no known side effects. I

have taken them for years

with great results. "

Hi nah:

I was told by a dr. several years ago that I should

take Glucosamine/Chondroitin for my arthritis. I

bought a small supply because it was so outrageously

expensive, but I never got any relief before my supply

ran out. Do you recall how long it took before you

got any relief? I would be willing to try it again if

I could be somewhat more certain that other people had

tried it and gotten help from it within a certain time

period. I don't want to be throwing my money away.

Thanks for any input you can give me.

Michele

__________________________________________________

[Guest guest]

Hi ,

The stuff is a bloody fortune, but you can deduct it from your taxes or pay for

it from your health care spending account if you have one. It's certainly

cheaper than the COX2 drugs.

Experts vary on their opinion, but most say take it at least 6-8 weeks before

you achieve optimum results. Some people need higher dosages (usually athletes

or large people over 200 lbs.). The trick is to break your doses up into three

even ones a day, or find a sustained release version that you can take once a

day. I noticed a small difference after about three weeks, and had complete

relief of symptoms by 6 weeks.

I use Nature's Plus Glucosamine Chondroitin MSM. It is a sustained release

version, and I take three every night before I go to bed. It costs $36.55 for a

one month supply through http://www.vitaminshoppe.com .

Good luck!

na

Re: Update on my surgery

" For your knee, if it's arthritis type pain, try

Glucosamine & Chondroitin. This is an excellent

natural alternative to

anti-inflammatory drugs with no known side effects. I

have taken them for years

with great results. "

Hi nah:

I was told by a dr. several years ago that I should

take Glucosamine/Chondroitin for my arthritis. I

bought a small supply because it was so outrageously

expensive, but I never got any relief before my supply

ran out. Do you recall how long it took before you

got any relief? I would be willing to try it again if

I could be somewhat more certain that other people had

tried it and gotten help from it within a certain time

period. I don't want to be throwing my money away.

Thanks for any input you can give me.

Michele

[Guest guest]

I would add, to check the source, since some types absorb better than

others, which goes for any of the supplements, packaged herbs, etc.

Llweyn

Re: Update on my surgery

" For your knee, if it's arthritis type pain, try

Glucosamine & Chondroitin. This is an excellent

natural alternative to

anti-inflammatory drugs with no known side effects. I

have taken them for years

with great results. "

Hi nah:

I was told by a dr. several years ago that I should

take Glucosamine/Chondroitin for my arthritis. I

bought a small supply because it was so outrageously

expensive, but I never got any relief before my supply

ran out. Do you recall how long it took before you

got any relief? I would be willing to try it again if

I could be somewhat more certain that other people had

tried it and gotten help from it within a certain time

period. I don't want to be throwing my money away.

Thanks for any input you can give me.

Michele

__________________________________________________

[Guest guest]

" I use Nature's Plus Glucosamine Chondroitin MSM. It

is a sustained

release version, and I take three every night before I

go to bed. It costs

$36.55 for a one month supply through

http://www.vitaminshoppe.com . "

nah:

Thanks so much for your post and your advice. I'm

getting desperate so I think I'll bite the bullet and

try it again. I'll keep you posted. Thanks again.

Michele

PS. Just a quick question--why do you take 3 every

night? Did a dr. prescribe this or is it just an idea

of yours? In other words, I wonder if I could just

take one a day. I think that's what I took a few

years ago. Maybe that's why it didn't work then. But

I am a very small person.

__________________________________________________

[Guest guest]

Hi,

This stuff is sustained relaease, meaning you take one dose and it is slowly

released in your bloodstream. Most G/C combos have to be taken three times a

day, which is a pain in the rear! This one, you take all three pills at once,

and you don't have to remember to take it again until the next day.

I am very little also, 5'2 " , so you probably need the same amount as me. Start

with the recommended dose 3 per day, and stick to it for 6 to 8 weeks. If you

get good relief, you can start taking it every other day, and then every three

days. If the pain comes back, go back to every day.

Good luck, and let me know whether it works for you.

na

Re: Re: Update on my surgery

" I use Nature's Plus Glucosamine Chondroitin MSM. It

is a sustained

release version, and I take three every night before I

go to bed. It costs

$36.55 for a one month supply through

http://www.vitaminshoppe.com . "

nah:

Thanks so much for your post and your advice. I'm

getting desperate so I think I'll bite the bullet and

try it again. I'll keep you posted. Thanks again.

Michele

PS. Just a quick question--why do you take 3 every

night? Did a dr. prescribe this or is it just an idea

of yours? In other words, I wonder if I could just

take one a day. I think that's what I took a few

years ago. Maybe that's why it didn't work then. But

I am a very small person.

__________________________________________________

[Guest guest]

Ooooh. I¹m so jealous. I would have loved to go home with a CPM and ice.

Congratulations and much success to you! You are certainly off to a good

start.

Peace,

jackie

On 6/6/09 6:46 PM, " Jo Gaines " <gainesbunch@...> wrote:

>

>

>

>

>

>

> Hello,

>

> Well I had my left TKR on Tuesday and came home yesterday (Friday). I have

> been surprised at how little pain I have had. The only problem I had was with

> reacting to the morphine epidural they used. I understand I now hold a record

> at that hospital for explosive vomitting!

>

> My doctor sent my home with an ice machine and the CPM machine as well as

> exercises to do. I have been so pleased with my progress so far. Now I just

> have to concentrate on giving my body the time to heal and working on rehab.

>

> Thanks so much to all of you for your input to my questions leading up to my

> surgery. I appreciate you all!

>

> Jo Gaines

> NM

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

What is a CPM? Thanks.

-- Re: update on my surgery

Ooooh. I¹m so jealous. I would have loved to go home with a CPM and ice.

Congratulations and much success to you! You are certainly off to a good

Start.

Peace,

Jackie

On 6/6/09 6:46 PM, " Jo Gaines " <gainesbunch@...> wrote:

>

>

>

>

>

>

> Hello,

>

> Well I had my left TKR on Tuesday and came home yesterday (Friday). I have

> been surprised at how little pain I have had. The only problem I had was

with

> reacting to the morphine epidural they used. I understand I now hold a

record

> at that hospital for explosive vomitting!

>

> My doctor sent my home with an ice machine and the CPM machine as well as

> exercises to do. I have been so pleased with my progress so far. Now I

just

> have to concentrate on giving my body the time to heal and working on

rehab.

>

> Thanks so much to all of you for your input to my questions leading up to

my

> surgery. I appreciate you all!

>

> Jo Gaines

> NM

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

Hello Jo,

I also live in New Mexico and have a TKR scheduled for August. It's good to

hear that you have not had much pain.

May I ask who did your surgery? I'm scheduled with Dr. Archibeck in

Albuquerque.

Tell me more about this " ice machine " . I am familiar with the CPM and was told

that I'd be going home with one after surgery but would like to know more about

the ice machine that you mentioned.

Hope that you continue to do so well.

Shirley In New Mexico

> Hello,

> Well I had my left TKR on Tuesday and came home yesterday (Friday). I have

been surprised at how little pain I have had.

>

> My doctor sent my home with an ice machine and the CPM machine as well as

exercises to do. I have been so pleased with my progress so far.

> Jo Gaines

> NM

>