Went today to the neurosurgeon today, nice enough chap. We went through the whole nine yards. Touch your toes, touch his toes, I tell ya, it was thorough! He told me it was just what we thought, a ruptured disk. He showed me the rupture on the MRI film, pretty noticeable. I told him it looked a dog with a hat on, he posed the rest of his statements to the wife! Surgery scheduled next week, 3/10, remove the extra disk, clean up any floating bone.
The neuro guy was sure to explain that surgery can bring on an exacerbation, even the anesthesia can be rough. I'm not particularly worried about it, I feel horrible anyway, so how will I know. I am going to do the prednisone therapy, so that should take care of any post surgical thingys. I wanted to ask if he could do a tummy tuck while he was in there, the wife told me that was inappropriate. She's just acting big because she works for a doctor.
7 comments:
Hi Andy:
Read your post about surgery on 3/10 and it concerned me in a few ways.
Back surgeons know little to nothing about MS, so you need to educate him as to how you DO NOT want to feel if you wake up with a exacerbation.
To avoid one following surgery, tell anesthesiologist you have MS and you should have prophylactic IVSM before surgery. After my first two surgeries resulted in bad relapses, I've been getting them before all the subsequent surgeries and have had good outcomes.
It is best to get IVSM 500mg to 1000mg two hours before surgery - usually done in the prep room. This relieves any bad effects from anesthesia and surgery and 90% guarantees you won't have a relapse.
MSer's react different to anesthesia because their tolerance is higher and their concentration of pain meds is higher in their body. So be aware you may be more groggy than you would from having a tooth pulled. Personally, I'd rather be groggy for a few days after any surgery! LOL
Tummy tuck -- if your doc is a real pro, and has done many of these surgeries - he can figure out a way to pull the skin together in your back tighter before he sews you up - thus creating a tighter belly. LOL Just joking! Maybe after you are recovered, you'll be able to walk that belly off in daily walks.
A word to the wise - it would be to your benefit after your surgery to ask for 3 to 5 day IVSM to avoid bigger MS problems, and then you can do the prednisone taper in order to get down to the daily oral dose. It works better that way. IVSM will also help you with the inflammation from the surgery and pain.
Just a few unsolicited thoughts, as usual, Anne
Glad to hear they are going to finally try and get you some relief.
So I guess this means giving the kids horsey back rides is out for a short time while you recover.
Well I do feel for you, anne has some good advise. I did not know about IVSM, would ask. Hope it will all be just fine, in the long run.
kim
Anne - I am meeting with my regular neuro, I'm going to ask him to help me with the neurosurgeon. Never a dull moment here, thanks for the help.
Slammer - They are going to carry me as if I was pharaoh!
kim - I am going to take care of the IVSM tomorrow.
awb
I've had 3 surgeries and none affected my MS at all. Man, can't you catch a break? (Uh-oh, don't break any bones...)
Diane - I don't allow myself to feel pain, unless it hurts really bad, like paper cut.
awb
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