Back Surgery Advice

[chicagoHdiscs]

I'm having surgery in mid-October (2 discs, lower lumbar fusion). What do I need to prepare for my recovery at home? I know I need a raised toilet. Can anyone else provide ideas that will make my life easier?

[maggiemae]

The website spine-health.com has forums like this and there is a list there of everything you can do/have to be prepared for you surgery and recovery. Good luck.

[1171]

you should contact a discharge planner at the hospital--that's what they do.

[Bad Boy Bad Boy]

I do know you want to keep plenty of ICE and Cold Pack at your reach for some time after surgery.

Have meals Prepared ahead of time when people are not around to help you.

Make sure all medication is Pre-Filled ahead of time.

Have a Cane and Walker ready to Balance you for a while.

Start walking as soon as you can, even if a few feet. Use walker or Cane.

Ask your Doctor about Taking (((B))) Vitamins for a while.

[nursedina]

chicagoHdiscs Wrote:I'm having surgery in mid-October (2 discs, lower lumbar fusion). What do I need to prepare for my recovery at home? I know I need a raised toilet. Can anyone else provide ideas that will make my life easier?

Hello Chicago - Ive had two fusions done.
SPine-health is a great resource as some have mentioned.
I can give you a quick list of what helped me the most -

1. have someone in the hospital with you if you possibly can (you will be on major major drugs and wont remember most of what is said and done to you)
2. for ride home, have a garbage bag to put on the passenger seat so you can slide in (sounds silly, but it really helps)
3. at home have raised toilet seat with arms, walker, cane, (there is also a little thing you can buy to help you with wiping your butt, sounds funny, but it really helps), shower chair, grabber is MUST!! You will have no bending lifting twisting restrictions and they are STRICT...if you do bend twist or lift you risk ruining the fusion.
4. prepare meals in advance if no one is there to help you, but i strongly suggest someone be there with you.
5. water bottles, weekly pill boxes to put meds
6. magazines, books, TV, movies, etc...you will be in bed for awhile
7. lots of pillows to prop yourself up and to put between your legs to sleep on your side
8. telephone near you with list of important numbers (doc, ER, surgeon, pharmacy, ambulance, loved ones, etc..)
9. dressing material to change dressing on your incision - large gauze, paper tape (the clear stuff will stick like hell to your skin)
10 - hard candy, small snacks around your bed

the best advice I can give you is to have someone there to help you. Its a big surgery and its very hard to heal on your own.

also, as soon as you are able to , start moving. I started to walk up and down the hall, then out my door a few feet, then further each day.
Walking is GOOD! bending, lifting twisting is NOT GOOD!

If you have any questins, feel free to contact me, I will answer any questions I can.

GOOD LUCK! and let us know how you make out

[Manley2]

Hey not sure since I've not had a fusion but for the SCS surgery we got one of those whole body pillows for two reasons. One it could sit between my wife and I so she did hit my back while sleeping and the other since they cut me open in the middle of my back I could not lay on my back. I got very tired on being on my side so with this pillow I could lay on it so I was not all the way on my side or all the way on my back. This made a small void for the middle of my back and was nice. Again not sure if that part will work good for the fusion but I bet it will help keep you from getting bumped in the back