Re: recovering from surgery

[Guest guest]

HI Wayne,

Sorry to hear that you had to go through this! I hope things stay well

and that your hook-up makes up for it.

[Guest guest]

Good idea Wayne. My doctor gave me a number to call that would reach him

if I needed anything or there were any problems. Didn't have to use it..

but it was nice to have.

susan & hobbes

michigan

>A word of advice: Before your surgery, pin down your doctor about

>whom to contact in case of trouble and how to contact them. Try to

>get a couple of back up options. It could save you some grief.

>

>Wayne Kraft

>

>

>

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

Keep your activities to a minimum and do what the doctor has told you to do

nothing else. I had I had my skull slip off my spine 17 weeks ago, they did

from C0 to C5 fusion and installed hardware good picture of the work on my

journal page.

" just keep smilin and they won't know how much pain your really in "

And good Luck!!

Mark from Boston

_http://journals.aol.com/immort1/PAININTHENECK/_

(http://journals.aol.com/immort1/PAININTHENECK/)

[Guest guest]

Hello everyone, my name is tonja and i'm a new member. I have had two back

surgeries and am now trying to live with pain. I had my first back sugery in

Sept of 1998 when I had a triple lamenectomy L2-L5. Eight months later I had a

three tier fusion L2-SG1. I am still going to PT and just recently had epidural

injections into my spine. I don't know what it is like to have a cervical

fusion, but please do what ever the doctor says to do. DON'T do anything he says

not to. I was in a brace for 16 weeks and I had an infection so i had PICC line

for 12 weeks. It was HELL....I'm now on Neurotin and it seems to help me sleep,

but i'm still in pain. I live in Rochester Minnesota and i'm being treated at

the Mayo Clinic..I had my surgeries in Ohio. I'm so glad to have found a great

spine support group.

Tonja

recovering from surgery

Just trying to find other people who have had cervical fusion

surgeries and have gone through the healing process. I had posterior

fusion surgery 5 weeks ago. I fractured my c7 and tore ligaments in c6

and t1. they fused the three together. I was lucky enough to not have

any neurological damage so far and am just wondering what happens from

here. The doctors don't say much and I get worried that i am trying to

do much or to little any advice or peoples past experiences would

really be helpful

thanks

[Guest guest]

I had a two level anterior cervical fusion in January. I'm still

having pain, but I am optomistic after my first visit with the PT

today. Recovery is kind of a catch 22 in that the best thing for you

is moving, but you have to be careful not to move in the wrong way, or

overexert yourself. Staying " low key " is good, but if you stay

sedentary too long, the simple act of moving muscles you haven't used

in a while will produce pain.

Be careful. Be smart. Be kind to yourself.

Good Luck!

>

> Just trying to find other people who have had cervical fusion

> surgeries and have gone through the healing process. I had posterior

> fusion surgery 5 weeks ago. I fractured my c7 and tore ligaments in c6

> and t1. they fused the three together. I was lucky enough to not have

> any neurological damage so far and am just wondering what happens from

> here. The doctors don't say much and I get worried that i am trying to

> do much or to little any advice or peoples past experiences would

> really be helpful

>

> thanks

>

[Guest guest]

I had 5 level anterior and posterior cervical fusion in 2000. I am

happy with the results. The doctor made it sound like I would be

good as new and I'm far from it. He now tells me that there is so

much nerve damage that there is no hope. They used my bone, not

donor bone, and that is the worse part of the recovery. My hip,

front and back are still so tender I can not lay on that side at

all. I know several people who had the same surgery, the same doctor

and they are fine. They have gone back to work while I live on

morphine. I had to wait months for workers comp to approve the

surgeries and that the doctor said is the main reason I am in so

much pain. Everyone is diffrent. If I had it all to do over, I would

do it. I am going to have the same surgery on my back soon. good

luck.

Irene

>

> Just trying to find other people who have had cervical fusion

> surgeries and have gone through the healing process. I had

posterior

> fusion surgery 5 weeks ago. I fractured my c7 and tore ligaments

in c6

> and t1. they fused the three together. I was lucky enough to not

have

> any neurological damage so far and am just wondering what happens

from

> here. The doctors don't say much and I get worried that i am

trying to

> do much or to little any advice or peoples past experiences would

> really be helpful

>

> thanks

>

[Guest guest]

Francisco, this is Wes I just had my surgery about a month ago. You are gonna feel full fast! Also the soft food diet will be about 3 weeks to a month. Do NOT rush it I came off it and ate a corn chip and thought I would never recover. I must have cut my Mucuos layer my Dr. said and it took a week to recover. The heartburn normal I had heartburn up until about a 2 weeks ago did your dr put you on pepsid or any other kind of meds? Also if I read that right you cannot eat with liquids well for me without liquid to chase down the food it aint gonna happen, but Remember every recovery is different. One person may say in 3

days they were eating a triple cheeseburger from wendys, while you may struggle to get a pea down at first. Man following my surgery I was depressed as hell seemed like I did the wrong thing and it was a failure, but its a time thing, I am just now able to eat very small meals, and you have to eat SLOW, CHEW alot, and still watch what you eat. Just do not rush things go slow, and if you have a set back chill out it will heal. IF you have any diet questions email me or post.....

Thanks,

Wes

Recovering from Surgery

Hello everyone!I am not a very active member in the group since I don't like dwellingon my (our) illness too much but, I think its time for me to give youan update on my situation.Some of you might remember that I was waiting to my Heller Myotomy fora while now. Well, it was finally done this past 24th of March. So itis now 10 days since.I have had a open myotomy with a partial fundoaplication of mysurgeon's (Prof. Dr. o Costa in Lisbon, Portugal) own creation.Further down the line I will post information on him and his team onour database.I stayed in hospital 6 days after surgery and had my stiches removedtoday. I had no complications with the surgery or anything significant so farI'm told. Some details:- went from a liquid to a soft diet at the hospital in about half a day;- having little to no problems with eating so far, most notable issueshave

been fullness after meals and some acid reflux at night in bed(doctors say this should pass);- recovery should be about a month for general purposes and 2/3 monthsuntil being able to have any physical strain;- I have an official diet in writing to follow, some people here don'tseem to have one.About my diet, since this could very well be beneficial for some ofyou. The general purpose of the diet seems to be avoiding irritationof the esophagus/stomach.*no fatty meats or fish*no fried or oily foods*no raw fruits (except bananas) or vegetables (yes this includes salads!)*sweet foods only in small quantities*no drinking with your meals *maximum time between meals 3 hoursThe list goes on, let me know if any of you would like to know more.That's it for now folks, wish me luck with my recovery.Francisco---Heller Myotomy+partial fundoaplication

24/03/2008

You rock. That's why Blockbuster's offering you one month of Blockbuster Total Access, No Cost.

[Guest guest]

Hi Wes, thank you for your message.

The fullness is starting to decrease a little I think but is still

there. I am definitely going to stick to the diet I've been given and

that is also why I am not going to have drinks with my meals. I made

that specific comment because I had read that about people on here

still having to push food down with liquid after surgery. It sounds a

bit unreal to me to be honest since that's what I needed to do before

the surgery and part of the reason why I had it in the first place! I

don't know why exactly my diet requires that I don't have any drink

with my meals but I haven't been feeling the need for them to wash the

food down. Go figure.

Thanks also for the reassurance about the reflux, the doctors here

also say its normal. At the moment I'm taking PPIs every twelve hours

as well anti-acid packets if I'm in a fix.

The reflux indeed got me down a little bit after surgery and I'm still

waiting and seeing how this recovery will play out but hopefully we're

both home free, at least in the mid term.

Funny you should mention peas on your email since its one of the

things that I shouldn't eat. If you have time to reply can you tell

me what kind of things are you eating now, are you eating raw fruit

and vegetables for example, what about seasoning in your food. Carbon

beverages? Alcohol?

Cheers

Francisco

Heller Myotomy+partial fundoaplication 24/03/2008

>

> Francisco, this is Wes I just had my surgery about a month ago. You

are gonna feel full fast! Also the soft food diet will be about 3

weeks to a month. Do NOT rush it I came off it and ate a corn chip

and thought I would never recover. I must have cut my Mucuos layer my

Dr. said and it took a week to recover. The heartburn normal I had

heartburn up until about a 2 weeks ago did your dr put you on pepsid

or any other kind of meds? Also if I read that right you cannot eat

with liquids well for me without liquid to chase down the food it aint

gonna happen, but Remember every recovery is different. One person

may say in 3 days they were eating a triple cheeseburger from wendys,

while you may struggle to get a pea down at first. Man following my

surgery I was depressed as hell seemed like I did the wrong thing and

it was a failure, but its a time thing, I am just now able to eat very

small meals, and you have to eat SLOW, CHEW alot, and still

> watch what you eat. Just do not rush things go slow, and if you

have a set back chill out it will heal. IF you have any diet

questions email me or post.....

>

> Thanks,

>

> Wes

>

>

>

> Recovering from Surgery

>

> Hello everyone!

>

> I am not a very active member in the group since I don't like dwelling

> on my (our) illness too much but, I think its time for me to give you

> an update on my situation.

>

> Some of you might remember that I was waiting to my Heller Myotomy for

> a while now. Well, it was finally done this past 24th of March. So it

> is now 10 days since.

>

> I have had a open myotomy with a partial fundoaplication of my

> surgeon's (Prof. Dr. o Costa in Lisbon, Portugal) own creation.

> Further down the line I will post information on him and his team on

> our database.

>

> I stayed in hospital 6 days after surgery and had my stiches removed

> today.

>

> I had no complications with the surgery or anything significant so far

> I'm told.

>

> Some details:

>

> - went from a liquid to a soft diet at the hospital in about half a day;

> - having little to no problems with eating so far, most notable issues

> have been fullness after meals and some acid reflux at night in bed

> (doctors say this should pass);

> - recovery should be about a month for general purposes and 2/3 months

> until being able to have any physical strain;

> - I have an official diet in writing to follow, some people here don't

> seem to have one.

>

> About my diet, since this could very well be beneficial for some of

> you. The general purpose of the diet seems to be avoiding irritation

> of the esophagus/stomach.

>

> *no fatty meats or fish

> *no fried or oily foods

> *no raw fruits (except bananas) or vegetables (yes this includes

salads!)

> *sweet foods only in small quantities

> *no drinking with your meals

> *maximum time between meals 3 hours

>

> The list goes on, let me know if any of you would like to know more.

>

> That's it for now folks, wish me luck with my recovery.

>

> Francisco

> ---

> Heller Myotomy+partial fundoaplication 24/03/2008

>

>

>

>

>

>

________________________________________________________________________________\

____

> You rock. That's why Blockbuster's offering you one month of

Blockbuster Total Access, No Cost.

> http://tc.deals./tc/blockbuster/text5.com

>

[Guest guest]

I eat spicy food now, I drank for the 1st time last weekend how Im a cheap date now!!! Carbinated stuff is out it foams out. raw fruit is out still its all about the chewing.

wes

Re: Recovering from Surgery

Hi Wes, thank you for your message. The fullness is starting to decrease a little I think but is stillthere. I am definitely going to stick to the diet I've been given andthat is also why I am not going to have drinks with my meals. I madethat specific comment because I had read that about people on herestill having to push food down with liquid after surgery. It sounds abit unreal to me to be honest since that's what I needed to do beforethe surgery and part of the reason why I had it in the first place! Idon't know why exactly my diet requires that I don't have any drinkwith my meals but I haven't been feeling the need for them to wash thefood down. Go figure.Thanks also for the reassurance about the reflux, the doctors herealso say its normal. At the moment I'm taking PPIs every twelve hoursas well anti-acid packets if I'm in a fix. The reflux indeed got me down a little bit after

surgery and I'm stillwaiting and seeing how this recovery will play out but hopefully we'reboth home free, at least in the mid term. Funny you should mention peas on your email since its one of thethings that I shouldn't eat. If you have time to reply can you tellme what kind of things are you eating now, are you eating raw fruitand vegetables for example, what about seasoning in your food. Carbonbeverages? Alcohol?CheersFranciscoHeller Myotomy+partial fundoaplication 24/03/2008---