Vertebral Fracture

jsewell · #1 (**permalink**) 02-17-2011, 08:53 PM

Hi
Wondering if anyone has any idea how long it takes for a vertebral fracture to heal? Mine is in my lower thoracic area. I did not ask the doc what level, i should have. Will next time i see him for ESI's on march 2nd. I am fusing at that level and both above and below it. It really hurts with activity , even walking, and has referred pain to both hips. It is preventing me from standing up straight some times when it gets really bad .
Percocet works to make it tolerable. Unfortunately , someone in my house had their way with my perc. prescription when i first got this months supply so i am really short and can only take 3 pills per day. My dose as i have been taking them so long is 2 so that really only gives me a dose when i wake up and can barely move. Then every few days i can take 2 doses per day.

My doc fixed my 2 upper thoracic compression fractures with kyphopolasty in Nov. He wasn't sure he could get into the space with all the hardwear, but he was successful. I guess i was not complaining of the lower level at that time or just had the long fusion with osteotomies and was in pain anyway and could not separate it all.

Sorry it was such a long post when i had only one question!!!!
thanks for reading and responding.

Maria · #2 (**permalink**) 02-17-2011, 11:08 PM

At age 87 was diagnosed with a lumbar compression fracture and he had pain for nearly 2 months. I don't know whether it really healed or not but just that it took him that long to feel better. He didn't take any meds for pain at all except Tylenol extra and he could only sit in one chair comfortably with a heating pad. He had trouble getting in and out of bed until it felt better so I'm guessing it took about that amount of time to heal. He also had severe osteoporosis and severe DDD throughout his spine. He was miserable as he'd never had pain before so just kept saying "when is this going to go away?" and "that doctor is crazy.. this should be better by now" to which I had to remind him that these things are slow to heal and boy did I ever feel badly for him. I think it was the first time he ever had any inkling of what type of pain I must have been experiencing all these years!

I hope it doesn't take you any longer than this to feel better or that long even.

jsewell · #3 (**permalink**) 02-18-2011, 03:17 AM

Sounds like your poor dad was uncomfortable.
WEll it was nov 4th that my doc fixed the 2 upper fractures. I am not sure this one is a compression or not. It looked like a little square part of a corner of a vertabrae, not what i would expect a compression fracture to look like. So it has been longer than 3 months and yes i sit with a heating pad any chance i get too!!!
thanks Maria

Maria · #4 (**permalink**) 02-19-2011, 04:02 PM

I'm guessing it's a pretty individual thing even though I guess there is a supposedly predictable time frame given to people re healing of certain types of fractures.

Do you have long to wait to see your doctor again like several months (return in 3 months, 6 months) re answering any question you might have or perhaps by the time you're seen again you will be feeling better if not already.

My father was terribly uncomfortable when he had his compression fracture as he had severe kyphois and a very prominent boney curvature of his spine. He was weighing about 114 as the pain left him too uncomfortable to sit to eat and he couldn't stand look to fix himself meals (had meals on wheels once/day 3x/week). Very old school.. wouldn't eat anywhere but at the table at which he could hardly sit. I came to visit him and spent 4 months that year here I think and of course he got better just because someone was here doing the cooking and taking care of everything for him.

Sorry to digress and hope you'll soon feel better~

jsewell · #5 (**permalink**) 02-20-2011, 04:39 AM

No apology necessary. I will see my surgeon next week as he is doing lumbar injections to see if he can eliminate the pain there and the referred pain to my hip which is pretty excrutiating. That is at his surgical center where he does 10or 12 of us in a row under general anesthesia. I will not see him after for questions so it will be at the follow up apt 11 days after that or so. But i imagine i will ask him to do another kyphoplasty to try to fix it if he thinks he can get in there,but all these things take time.
and the pain goes on....
Are you back in los angeles ?

Maria · #6 (**permalink**) 02-20-2011, 11:38 AM

Still here in Fla and my back decided to crap out on me finally. My right side feels like I have a hot wire running thru over the ileac crest and when I'm upright or walk it hurts more, when I lie down it's alleviated pretty much.

I'm hoping with a few days mostly in bed (yesterday/today) that I'll be able to get about on Monday and Tues and do what I have to to get out of here with all my luggage/manage the airport scene and get to LAX and back home Tuesday night. I get in about 9:30pm. and it's a direct flight plus I always buy 3 seats to lie down on so if i can just get there to a/p and get thru luggage check/security and waiting/flying and then luggage claims on other end.. I'll be OK.. or at least I'll be back in CA!

Been away so long and have so much to do when I get back. All my muscle relaxers except injectable Toradol is there. Dumbdumbdumb. Won't make a trip again without bringing them "just in case" as the just in case happened!

wish I could click my heels and be home!

jsewell · #7 (**permalink**) 02-20-2011, 08:10 PM

I wish you could just click your heels too. One time about 2 months after surgery i flew to so florida to visit my parents and the flight was miserable. The flight was ok actually , i was miserable in pain and could not get comfortable. Now i have not been there in almost 2 years as i have not been out of pain for that long continuosly. I will remember from your unfortunate mistake to always take pain meds and muscle relaxers with me at all times. I miss seeing my parents and brothers , but darn i am not comfortable right here in my bed!!!
I hope you have someone to meet you at LAX and handle all your luggage and get you safely home from there. I was going to volunteer until i realized, dumb me cannot even drive yet and am still limited to piciking up 5 pounds. I would be loads of help, not.
good luck on your trip. Do you live anywhere near me?