What you wish you knew before surgery...

[Liz82780]

Is there anything about surgery or the recovery process that you wish someone had told you?

If you were getting ready to decide to have surgery, what would you want to know beforehand?

Thanks!

[selmaS]

Hi...one thing I wish I knew b4...hmmmmmm

I guess it would be how long it would take for my hair to grow back and what I could do with it in the interim ....I know it is not a huge issue, but, it was frustrating for me at times as to how to handle it....

I got the info and support from everyone here to help me with all the rest of the stuff...so it was just dealing with how I looked bcuz of how I felt during recovery....I had to make jokes about my hair do....

  We have a list of items to take to the hospital and one item I wish I knew about b4 hand and that was ear plugs...a hospital is a very loud place especially at night when we should be sleeping.....

    Good luck

  "selma"

[cash242]

The one thing I wish I would have known is how long the recovery really takes.  I assumed that all of my issues would be gone and as I became more active the headaches (small ones) came back.  Everyone that says take it slow really means it even when you feel great you have to hold back or you truly pay for it the next day.  It is so worth it, I feel more like my oldself than I have in years so even though everything might not be gone it is so much better than before.  I am a better person, mom, wife and all of that now.  It is a huge surgery.  I also didn't realize that I wouldnt be able to feel a lot of the back of my head for a couple of months but the feelings are almost all back.  I wish I would have looked into this forum first so you are steps ahead of me.  I wish you all of the luck and just take it easy!!

[pamk5]

Hey Liz... I just had decompression almost 4 weeks ago now.  The thing that I wasnt really prepared for was the horrible mood swings.  The rest of it I think I was probably more than prepared for.  They have calmed down some now but for the first 2 weeks it was pretty bad.  I was told it had to do with the brain misfiring since it was decompressed.  Other than that it has been a pretty uneventful recovery.  I am absolutely glad that I made the decision to have surgery and would absolutely do it again.  I like CW felt better after surgery than I had felt in a long time so it is easy to over do it.  Definitely have to take it slow. I hope this helps.  

Pam

[mikeaustralia]

I had a c5/c6 and c6/c7 fusion 3 days ago. Stayed in hospital for about 40 hours and am home now. Arm pain disappeared with the operation though there is a little tingling back in my hand now which I am assured is likely to disappear over the next few weeks.
Surgeon has encouraged me to be sensible, take it easy etc. I was really surprised how well I felt after the operation and didn't require any pain relief (though lots was offered, almost felt guilty not taking it).
There were guys in the ward around me having much more serious neurosurgery, and whilst they all looked in good shape after the operations themselves, they both had started off with c5/c6 c6/c7 fusion or variants about 4-6 years ago and their current solutions, whilst probably improving their pain, looked really alien to living a normal life.
As I don't want to see this operation be the precursor to more, I now do have a question for the surgeon (which I will ask in a few more weeks) - how does one hold off further degenerative deterioration and avoid more operations? Hopefully the surgeon will tell me it is possible.
Despite everything going ok, I'm pretty flat today - so maybe ask about post-operative depression too.
I didn't really have any option but to have the surgery or drastically alter my lifestyle (ie stop surfing). Surfing is hopefully going to win as 57 is far too young to stop. The surgeon has said 4 - 6 weeks to get back in the water is not unrealistic and that's definitely my target.
All the best. Be as fit as you can and go for it.

[ChiariWolf]

Well it's been about a year and a half for me. No regrets whatsoever if that is what you are looking for here. But there is one thing that I wish I'd more fully understood beforehand.

That is how important it is to push recovery. I woke from the surgery feeling much better than I'd felt in years. Yes, while laying in the intensive care unit the day of surgery I felt better than I had in years. This continued in the days in weeks following the surgery.

However after a couple of weeks I honestly believed I was fine. So tried a few fairly simple tasks around the house and quickly found out I should have listened. I wish someone had really expressed to me ahead of time the need to take it easy for a while.

But if your body is telling you that it's time for the surgery. It most likely is correct.

CW