Hard Wear Removal Surgery

jsewell · #1 (**permalink**) 12-05-2012, 10:31 PM

I can still walk better and sit painfree in the lumbar area one week after shots. But my thoracic area is in pain. It feels almost like it could be a broken rib. I didn't do anything i remember to break it, but i don't remember doing anything to break my spine either!! I guess i will get it xrayed next monday if it still is hurting this much. Always something.
Judy

jsewell · #2 (**permalink**) 12-13-2012, 04:15 AM

My thoracic area hurts mostly when i am walking. It now kind of covers half my body as it wraps around from front to back. That plus my incontinence issue has come back after a few weeks off.
This is not the way i planned middle age.
My primary doctor called at 7 this morning. He spoke with my spine surgeon , they are both a bit worried about this incontinence issue. i think once i tell someone it came back i will be sent to a neurologist. OH, my gastro doctor also thinks it is probably neurologic.

judy

Maria · #3 (**permalink**) 12-13-2012, 03:24 PM

Hi Judy,
Is your thoracic pain hurting badly whenever you walk as in the house or just do errands or do you mean as in taking a walk (prolonged)? I'm just wondering. Is it anything like it was before you had surgery? I hope not.

Re the incontinence is that at just anytime? I had some incontinence long ago before my first discectomy. It wasn't stress incontinence as it'd just all of a sudden appear.. it did go away after my first spine surgery at L5S1 and came back briefly before my 2nd spine surgery but not quite as bad.

Lately my back has been doing better. Got a new bed. Tatami platform bed with 2 two tatami mats (very very firm) and placed a rather thin and soft cotton futon over it and then had to add several layers of comforters as the surface is really hard however extremely good for my back.

I've been able to walk more and go to the gym here and even been able to sit a bit more at the computer. Don't want to overdo anything however as I know this old back of mine even tho that last flare up was "different" tho may have been L3 acting up considering that everything felt "higher up" in terms of pain most of the time (than low lumbar altho that occurred as well).

Was supposed to have an appt. with my PTP OSS Dec 17th but I was not on the schedule so that has been put off until January. That's Ok w/me as I have all my medical stuff to get out of the way re end of the year cramming everything in. The back is WC so that can be anytime. Just hope my back doesn't go out before the appt. happens!

Anyway keep us posted re what's going on. I hope you do get a referral to the Neurologist to rule out what's happening with the incontinence and hope the thoracic pain isn't too bad.

Are you still volunteering at your doctor's?

jsewell · #4 (**permalink**) 12-13-2012, 04:40 PM

My thoracic pain scares me, it is new. I did not have it before surgery. I didn't have it right after, i would say it started a few weeks ago. I told my spine surgeon who doesn't even want to hear of trouble with my thoracic spine. Only because i have been through so much and i have the lung deficiency do to DrRegan's thoracic surgery.
It gets worse when i am up , i haven't yet been able to go for a walk. i just mean if i am standing and cooking or walking in the grocery store or Christmas shopping.
My surgeon said he will inject it in the office, just the one spot if it is still bothering me in January.
I could go to a neurologist if i wanted to , i don't need a referral. My primary was going to send me when i saw him last week, but i had gone a few weeks free of problems so i said i would rather wait. But it happened each of the last 2 days , once out shopping and i have no sensation of it. Mine is mostly fecal incontinence . Maria is that what you had ? I don' t like this at all!!
That is my update up to the day!!
judy

Maria · #5 (**permalink**) 12-14-2012, 01:52 PM

Judy,
wow the thoracic pain sounds scary to me to as does the incontinence. Mine was urinary and it would just happen as well. All of a sudden it was like "whoops!" Never had fecal incontinence. Either way not pleasant and would be something I'd want checked out sooner than later. Do you have any saddle numbness? For a while I was concerned I might develop a fecal incontinence prior to my 2nd back surgery as I had a very numb sensation around my anus. What happened was after that sensation I developed the disc bulge at L4 or at least pain started like my old pattern at L5 and I went to my Neuro. So first I had the numbness, then the pain (by this time I was probably already bulged at L4 ... the numb part that is but I always seem to think that the pain represents the starting point of something. Not necessarily true I imagine).

I think you should see your Neuro ASAP. That's just me. Before things progress if they're going to.

Have you talked with Mark about the thoracic or other? I would.

Ok take care and keep me posted. Maria

jsewell · #6 (**permalink**) 12-15-2012, 08:25 PM

At first i really thought the thoracic pain was a broken rib. My doc said there was no point in x-raying as there is nothing you can do for broken ribs. True, i have had at least 4 or 5 in the past that were confirmed. He told me to come back the first week in January and he would give me one injection in the painful area. Now that it has spread from front to back, i don't even know where he would inject. But of course when i get outside the office door and go to make my apt they tell me he has nothing available until Jan 21st. I told them this is a problem when a doctor wants to get you out of pain ,if it still is there in a few weeks and then you have to wait even longer. So i am on a list if anyone cancels. But i must remember this always happens to me.
I think i am holding my breath when doing stuff like putting dishes away because when i am done and breath it really hurts for a few breaths. More than the usual.
I am not panicking yet!
judy

Maria · #7 (**permalink**) 12-16-2012, 06:33 AM

Judy,
Did you have thoracic outlet syndrome before or thoracic bulges? I have forgotten why you had the surgery done w/Regan.

That stinks re doc's office not being able to make an appt. sooner for you to get out of pain. A month is a long time to wait esp if you're hurting when you're breathing!

I walked so much today that my tendonitis got reactivated while I was walking. I mean I walked and walked and walked like I've not walked since before I had my foot surgery! Hope tomorrow my feet will be Ok and my back too. Kinda hurting sitting here.

Ok better go and lie down and hopefully ward off anything that I've brought upon myself today!

take care~ Maria