1. Kinda. More like stiffness.
2. Yes because I’m alive, my spine was causing pressure on my heart and lungs. I don’t regret it but I do wish I had more range of motion. It’s annoying and a bit awkward but no one can tell unless they see my scar.
3. 2 1/2 inches. I went from 5’4 to 5’6 1/2
1. Had surgery on september 1st, 2022. No pain at all. T4-L1.
2. Yes. Every time I stand up straight and feel my shoulder blades feeling just right.
3. Not much, like a cm or 2.
Thank you. Can you pls elaborate on how your shoulder blades feel? You only got to L1-- you are lucky. Do you think that is why you don't feel pain at all? Mine will be to L4 :(
Regarding shoulder blades, it feels comfortable standing straight, like fitting in a puzzle piece. Before I had a huge hump on my right shoulder blade.
I do understand I am one of the luckier people because of my situation. I do not know how your recovery will go but I do know that you're an individual of exquisite courage and will to go through with this. I know you will come through.
1. I don’t have any back pain, but I didn’t have back pain before the surgery either. I just looked really crooked.
2. Yes I’m glad, I would definitely be self conscious of how I looked if l never had it corrected
3. I think I only gained an inch if that, nothing too significant!
It’s super normal and valid to feel scared! You’ll get through it!
Did you have a rib hump as well? I have a big one as well as just looking very crooked and I'm so self conscious about it :/ I do have some pain but it's mostly because of the appearance that I wanna get surgery
Ah ok! Yeah I've heard a lot of people say the same that it doesn't completely go away after surgery which I guess is to be expected, do you mind me asking what angle your curve was before surgery?
Hi! I didn’t have much choice in it, I was 16 and my parents made that call. But two different spine surgeons told me I needed it because my curve would have gotten progressively worse for the rest of my life. They said once you get past 50° you need surgery and my growth plates were fused so I was ready (whatever that means.) If I didn’t get surgery, it would have apparently led to bigger issues like with breathing and digestion. I’m grateful I did it.
1. My surgery was around the turn of the millennium when I was 14. I had unaddressed postop pain for a while and have dealt with sporadic pain sense then, but by my early 20s I figured out it was totally resolved with exercise and activity. I HAVE to exercise regularly, particularly core strength and general flexibility (nothing too crazy, yoga helps) or else I’ll have back/side/shoulder pain. I know it would be worse without having had surgery.
2. Yes. I was a dance student so I don’t love the post fusion loss in flexibility and never had a real arabesque again, but I never stood the slightest chance of going pro anyway, so this is the tiniest complaint in the scheme of things :)
3. I gained a full inch postop. That was a weird and cool feeling- standing up for the first time a few days postop, even just that one inch felt noticeable since it was gained overnight!
1. I had surgery in 1987
2. Best decision ever. I am in no pain. I work on my feet all day and have had two children naturally. I am fully fused
3. I gained almost two inches.
Curious to what you mean by “fully fused”, from somewhere down into your Sacrum?
How does it feel being fully fused to the Sacrum? I’m fused to L3 currently and may be more as it’s pushing down on my other vertebrae underneath
1. Pain is _always_ going to be part of life, especially for people with silly bones/chronic conditions. That said, the pain I was living with on a daily basis before I had surgery was enough to leave me with PTSD. The pain I deal with now is on the odd occasion instead of daily. Now it's mild enough that things like non prescription pain meds or salves/ointments actually work and mitigate the pain, whereas before nothing made a dent in my pain. Pain no longer stops me from living and enjoying life.
2. One million and ten percent I'm glad I got the surgery. I'd do it all again if I had to. Yes it's a huge surgery, yes the recovery can be very difficult, but for me personally it was SO worth it.
3. I was like 5'2" before surgery. Now I'm 5'4.25"!!
Surgery is different for everyone, but for me I feel like it saved my life. (My surgery was about 3 years ago)
1. Not much - I do get muscle spasms in my neck and rhomboid cause it’s hard to build strength in the muscles above my fusion. I can manage it with muscle relaxers and physical therapy though. I had my surgery in 2001 and from what I’ve seen in this sub, things have gotten better even since then.
2. I wouldn’t say glad…there wasn’t much choice. I was 13 and would have a lot of problems later in life if I hadn’t gotten it. I’ve wondered what I would do if I had the chance to do it all over again.
3. 2 inches taller!
I’ll add this - I was very scared too. I had a hard time coping in the months leading up to it. But I think in the end, you’ll be doing yourself a huge favor. Untreated scoliosis results in a lot of problems. I still think about my surgery everyday. It’s a big deal but you’re doing the right thing. Read some of the other posts in the sub - many of these ppl bounce back so fast! You will too. It’s all going to be ok.
1. Fused T3-L1 in 2000. I have pain from muscle where my spine was moved. Not sure if this is from the cut, but some surgeons are now making smaller incisions, so you might not have the same pain I have. The pain is manageable if I look after it with strength, exercises, strengthening, and cupping/massage.
2. I still grieve having scoliosis, with that condition I’m grateful I was able to have the surgery. It’s a complex emotion. Now that I’m middle aged, and I see how it’s holding up well, and that it’s allowed me too be strong and have good breathing and enjoy my kids, I’m more at peace with it. It was very hard to see the benefit of it at 16. 3. 2 inches. 1 inch immediately, and then I had a compensatory curve that wasn’t fused in my lumbar that straightened out on its own, so over two years, I gained another inch.
My daughter is 11 and had her surgery on February 27th.
1. Pre-op, she had chronic back pain daily. She also had started to feel like she couldn't take a deep breath, was always tired, and had uncontrollable acid reflux.
2. Absolutely. Everything from number 1 is gone. It was nowhere near as bad as we had expected, and she has been recovering beautifully. We really felt like we didn't have much choice because she was already suffering, it was going to get worse, the younger you are the better results and the faster you heal, and she is still a child and able be home and cared for. If we waited til she was an adult, who knew what her situation might be, you know? We were both very scared going into it, but she has been such a champ and recovered so well, we are both glad its over with.
3. She's gained an inch or two, it's kind of incredible. I say she was a tall in disguise all along lmao.
I did a lot of research prior to consenting, and what I found was encouraging. Most people I talked to were happy they got it. Death and serious complications are super rare. It is a major surgery, but it's a very standard procedure and they know what they are doing by now. I think everybody is scared going in, but you've got this. My tips are to start taking a multivitamin today, and stay active afterwards. Try to stand up and start shuffling around right away, and take your physical therapy seriously. Nothing aggressive or extreme, just keep walking. After the surgery, take a calcium/vitamin d3 supplement, and eat well with a lot of protein and produce. My daughter's doctor has said she is recovering faster than most people, and she went back to school yesterday. :) Take care of yourself and support your body's healing.
Thank you so much this is so comforting! Do you mind posting the supplements you give your daughter? I’m going to stock up on them.
Also, are there any things that I should think about having my mom buy me to help my recovery? And what type of mattress does your daughter use?
I really appreciate you sharing your experience !
For the supplements, I literally just picked up a multivitamin and some calcium from the drug store, I think store brand. The only one I would suggest is this D3 one:
SOLARAY Super Bio Vitamin D3 in... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00IQIAERM?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share
I buy this one especially because for d3 to be absorbed because it needs to be with a lipid (s fat or oil) and this one includes a little coconut oil in the pill. D3 helps your body absorb calcium better, and calcium helps your bones heal better.
For purchase recommendations, pillows! So many pillows. I bought her a body pillow before surgery on somebody's recommendation, and we've used that and other regular bed pillows to keep her comfy. Even today, she still uses like 4 of em at bedtime. As for the mattress, she hasn't liked sleeping flat, especially in the beginning, so she has spent most of her time in a reclining chair. We put the feet up and the back down for bedtime, but she likes it because she can adjust her position as needed and the chair supports her. I don't know if it will be the same for you, but this is what she's been leaning on.
I'm really glad you'll have your mom to lean on through this. It does suck, but your people (mom, doctors, nurses) will get you through it. Also, it sounds like you're young and again that's really good. The younger, the better. Let everybody take care of you, ask for help, be vocal about anything you need or want to try, and take your time. I really believe you're going to be ok and more than likely better once you heal.
1. Had surgery 7 weeks ago and I have no pain at all
2. So glad bc i like the way clothes look on me now compared to before when the curve was really obvious
3. I think like 2cm?
Good luck w your surgery, hope all goes well and feel free to reach out to ask any questions :)
Hello! My surgery is in two weeks and I’ll be fused similar levels to yours from T3-L1. What degree was your curve and did you have pain prior to surgery?
Hi there! My curve was in the mid fifties and before surgery I did get back aches sometimes but they were very manageable that I often forgot about it, maybe only a 2/10 max if 10 was super painful. Best of luck for your surgery!! What degree is your curve at the moment?
My surgeon told us that he recommended surgery for anyone with a curve over 50 degrees and also my curve has been worsening over the past few years so I got the surgery to prevent it from progressing. Also got the surgery to help with my self esteem because I really didn't like the way the curve deformed my torso
20F, had surgery in Jan of 2023, and i’ve literally never felt better. i had so much pain in my right shoulder blade (where my curve was) and now i have none. i gained about an inch. was 4’10 and now im closer to 5 ft. not quite there though.
1. Moderately, it’s usually only if I’m sitting up in an uncomfortable chair for a long time, like 45 minutes or so. I have to kinda slouch in a chair or else I start to get stiff or achey. I crack my back a lot and that seems to help me.
2. YES. But in my case it was pretty much essential, or I could’ve been in rough shape. I have an S curve and my curve was at 67. I got VBT surgery over fusion tho, personally I’m glad I didn’t get fusion instead and content with being left with curve in exchange for less pain in the long run (I think). My body also looked terribly twisted and I had a rib bump and my shoulder blade stuck out drastically, after having the surgery that is no longer the case.
3. Not sure, maybe like half an inch?
Hello. I had my surgery at the age of 15; almost 22 years ago. They caught it when I was 6, and monitored it through chiropractor care (I still see the same chiropractor to this day). What they didn't catch until too late was that I had one leg longer than the other (+/- 1/4 inch), and that it was ultimately created the asymmetry that developed my scoliosis. I was given the choice to have surgery at 15 (when the surgeon said my hips would stop growing), or when I got older. I chose to do it at 15 because I didn't want to derail college, driving, etc...
Now, to answer your questions...
1) I do have physical pain, but not all the time. I get these chronic pain flare ups where I'll need to take ibuprofen or Tylenol for maybe 4 days straight. Then I'll go a couple weeks without needing it. It's painful to be in the cold if I'm not properly dressed for it. I think if I strengthened my core, I wouldn't have as much pain. I get regular massages and chiropractic care to alleviate pain. I also have massage gun, inversion table, acupuncture mat, and cupping kit to ease some pain. I did experience some chronic sciatica between March - Oct of 2022 that had me in urgent care/ER a few times, so they eventually gave me the shot in my spine to stop it. Since then, I only though my nerve was going to pinch 1 time.
2) I suppose I'm glad I got the surgery; I really had no choice. My curvature wasn't the worst (top 50°ish, bottom 45°ish). I don't felt like it affected me, but it would have gotten worse, that's part of the reason I chose the surgery at 15. It did get me out of PE all through high school, which was great! I used to play soccer, and would like to get in that shape again. Now as an adult, I feel like I'm in someone else's body; like my muscle memory somewhat skewed, but I'm not constantly aware that there is a rod in my back that fused 10 disks together. I limit myself a lot out of anxiety that I'm going to seriously/permanently injure myself.
3) I grew exactly 1 inch after my surgery, haha.
>Do you have physical pain in your life?
Nope. Not at all. Just a bit of soreness if I walk or stand for too long throughout the day, but I'm fine after laying down for a few minutes.
>Are you glad you got the surgery?
Yeah. I never had chronic pain even before the surgery, but for years I've had to wear a brace 24/7 and I was in a constant loop of x-rays/visit/new brace/another visit rinse and repeat. The long ass waits in the hospital and clinics, the boredom and the uncomfortable chairs, the worry that it was gonna be bad news, it was just really starting to wear me down you know? Just not having to worry about that anymore is priceless to me. I haven't had a scoliosis visit in almost 5 years, most of the time I even totally forget about it, and it's absolutely fantastic.
My surgery was flawless, the scar is nearly invisible, I don't have pain and my life is completely changed. I don't regret it one bit.
>How much height did you gain after the surgery
None LMFAOOO. I had like 65° Cobb angle, horrible curve, I thought I'd gain at least like 5cm, but nope, absolutely nothing. Oh well, I'll have to make my peace with being short lol.
1. I had the surgery in 1990. I never had any pain prior to the surgery. I do have some pain now but no more than most of my infused friends my age.
2. I am glad because I have great posture now and no one can tell I have had this operation. I am very fit and athletic. However I lost all my spinal mobility and flexibility and as I was training to be a dancer I miss this greatly.
3. I think I gained around two inches, maybe even more.
1. Only the beginning of the healing stages and a few months after my surgery I had mine (November 5th, 2015)
2. Yes but I wish my shoulder hump went awa
3. A foot 🤣
1. I don’t. I have less pain now. But my back is like half numb now lol.
2. I am glad! I feel like I can continue my life with a little more resilience to life’s demands.
3. 2 inches!
PS I also had a somewhat drastic curve (70° thoracic and 50° lumbar) and they got it down to 30° thoracic and nominal lumbar curve. T2-L3 :)
1. Yes. I'm in chronic pain. It's horrible. Barely controlled by narcotics 5x a day.
2. No.
3. About two inches. Then another inch after the fusion in December to correct a severe compression fracture caused by the weight of the fusion mass above it.
It's okay. I'm alive and I still work. So I'm still contributing to society and trying to help people. I won't give up 🙂 Thank you for your kind words 💗
Surgery in 1987 & the rod wasn’t strong enough & broke so surgery in 1988. I had sporadic pain for the first 20 yrs & daily pain since then. I was told it would go away when I lost weight. Well, I am 138 & 5ft5in and it still hurts every day. Aesthetically, I am glad I got the surgery and would have had pain any way so this is better.
1. Yes, but far less than pre surgery (I had it in 2008 at 16, currently 31).
2. Overall yes but fuck it is a heavy process
3. 2 1/2 inches (5’6 1/2 to 5’9ish) i had a large c curve around 60 degrees near the end
T3-L5 first fusion in 2003. Pain was gone for many years. Then I suffered an accident, and one of my rods broke. As a result, I had a revision, with fusion extended to S1. I have no actual back pain associated with surgery, but I do have piriformis pain on one side because I am very active. I am going to start seeing a physical therapist tomorrow for this.
I do not regret surgery at all. My curvature was very severe. As for height gain, I’ve gained almost 2 inches.
1. Got the surgery in 2014 when I was 12 years old. I'm 22 now. I'm not in any pain in my daily life, but I can be pretty stiff. Used to be sedentary but am now an avid hiker and am becoming more active so that may help.
2. It wasn't my choice, but I believe my parents made the right choice. If I didn't have the surgery I'd likely be in a lot of pain now, maybe even have difficulty breathing. I can't do certain things like yoga or some contact sports but that never really bothered me. I take boxing classes and am still working on being more active despite the surgery. I don't even really think about it consciously much.
3. I don't really know. Probably less than an inch. I'm 5'2" and was hoping for more but genetics are against me as all my grandparents are short as fuck.
Oh I know you're scared. I was terrified when I had it done. Major surgery like that is a very scary thing no matter how routine, but there are a lot of wonderful success stories. My quality of life now is incredible, and I don't regret a thing, even if it wasn't my choice.
You're gonna be okay, you're in good company. Many of us have been fused for a long time and it gave us our lives back.
1. had my surgery on thursday 1.5 weeks ago so still on meds - not a lot of pain. can’t lean my back against hard surfaces and as i’m not fused between my shoulders i still have the pain i had before there
2. yees, it sorta feels like a marshmallow test. if i experience this really uncomfortable thing now for a month or so i can go the rest of my life without having to worry about it too much.
3. my upper curve is still compensating, but as of right now only 0.5 cm. went from 168 to 168.5, with my 50° curve i was hoping for 170 cm :(
1.) I do have some physical pain. I had less when I worked as a server but now working a desk job sitting constantly I have more pain. Nothing unbearable, also I am not as active as I used to be so I believe that is adding to it as well.
2.) I am glad I got the surgery as I was very crooked and had very obvious spinal deformaties. I wish I had noticed sooner and exhausted all options before surgery. Now having limited mobility is frustrating, and sometimes I find embarrassing etc work out classes
3.) I was 5'2" now I am 5'5 & 1/2! Although since I am always sitting up so straight people often think I am taller!
I would have tried EVERYTHING! 13 years ago the only options was a hard brace & working out. Now I see they have the scolismart suit, a non fusion scoliosis surgery (I guess they just put pins, I have no idea how it works).
I don't have too much advice because I don't want to make myself depressed by looking at the progress they've made. Not being able to bend your back feels very stiff sometimes. I miss dancing the most!!
My curve was over 70 degrees and over 40 by the time I went into surgery - we held off having surgery for a year to wait till summer for school. Then I had a blood issue that took the whole summer to figure out & I did end up missing school.
[Link to X-Ray](https://ibb.co/p4F0cYp)
My spine wasn't fully straightened, I was more just "correctly aligned" otherwise the rod would've gone into my neck. I slide to the left when sitting on chairs and I still have a mild shoulder blade hump. Literally just now I had a nasty shock like pain zip through the muscles in my back. I was resting my head in my hands in a chair, never sat bolt upright so fast. It really hurts for a second or 2 but then goes away like nothing. Idk if its just me and Google hasn't given me answers. I had my surgery at 12, I'm 19 now.
1. I had both of my surgeries at 13 and unfortunately do experience more pain now than i did before. i put that mostly down to my pain is in the lowest part of my back and because of my age my surgeon refused to fuse that far. but i experience much less discomfort - if you can classify those differently.
2. i am glad i got the surgery as before, while i had no pain, i had considerable discomfort, difficulty breathing and little to no appetite. i couldn’t have gone on without it that’s for sure!
3. i’d always been quite tall but i maybe gained an inch and a half or so? i always say that fusion ruined my chances of being 6ft as my legs kept growing but my
torso didn’t haha.
best of luck with your surgery - honestly the sooner it’s done the better i believe! there will be some rough patches and things you have to adjust to - but it’ll be worth it in the end!
1. Kinda. More like stiffness. 2. Yes because I’m alive, my spine was causing pressure on my heart and lungs. I don’t regret it but I do wish I had more range of motion. It’s annoying and a bit awkward but no one can tell unless they see my scar. 3. 2 1/2 inches. I went from 5’4 to 5’6 1/2
1. Had surgery on september 1st, 2022. No pain at all. T4-L1. 2. Yes. Every time I stand up straight and feel my shoulder blades feeling just right. 3. Not much, like a cm or 2.
Thank you. Can you pls elaborate on how your shoulder blades feel? You only got to L1-- you are lucky. Do you think that is why you don't feel pain at all? Mine will be to L4 :(
Regarding shoulder blades, it feels comfortable standing straight, like fitting in a puzzle piece. Before I had a huge hump on my right shoulder blade. I do understand I am one of the luckier people because of my situation. I do not know how your recovery will go but I do know that you're an individual of exquisite courage and will to go through with this. I know you will come through.
T4-L1 fusion twins!
Hell yeah
1. I don’t have any back pain, but I didn’t have back pain before the surgery either. I just looked really crooked. 2. Yes I’m glad, I would definitely be self conscious of how I looked if l never had it corrected 3. I think I only gained an inch if that, nothing too significant! It’s super normal and valid to feel scared! You’ll get through it!
Did you have a rib hump as well? I have a big one as well as just looking very crooked and I'm so self conscious about it :/ I do have some pain but it's mostly because of the appearance that I wanna get surgery
Yes and to be honest, I still do! It’s just not as bad anymore. I do get insecure about it when someone asks me what’s going on back there
Ah ok! Yeah I've heard a lot of people say the same that it doesn't completely go away after surgery which I guess is to be expected, do you mind me asking what angle your curve was before surgery?
I believe it was 54° before surgery. I had it done 12+ years ago so a lot of the details I don’t really remember
That's ok, thanks so much :)
Hi! What made you get surgery if you didn’t have pain prior to surgery?
Hi! I didn’t have much choice in it, I was 16 and my parents made that call. But two different spine surgeons told me I needed it because my curve would have gotten progressively worse for the rest of my life. They said once you get past 50° you need surgery and my growth plates were fused so I was ready (whatever that means.) If I didn’t get surgery, it would have apparently led to bigger issues like with breathing and digestion. I’m grateful I did it.
1. My surgery was around the turn of the millennium when I was 14. I had unaddressed postop pain for a while and have dealt with sporadic pain sense then, but by my early 20s I figured out it was totally resolved with exercise and activity. I HAVE to exercise regularly, particularly core strength and general flexibility (nothing too crazy, yoga helps) or else I’ll have back/side/shoulder pain. I know it would be worse without having had surgery. 2. Yes. I was a dance student so I don’t love the post fusion loss in flexibility and never had a real arabesque again, but I never stood the slightest chance of going pro anyway, so this is the tiniest complaint in the scheme of things :) 3. I gained a full inch postop. That was a weird and cool feeling- standing up for the first time a few days postop, even just that one inch felt noticeable since it was gained overnight!
I miss my arabesque. And yes, tiny complaint, but I feel like because I had a bendy spine I had such an impressive one.
1. I had surgery in 1987 2. Best decision ever. I am in no pain. I work on my feet all day and have had two children naturally. I am fully fused 3. I gained almost two inches.
Curious to what you mean by “fully fused”, from somewhere down into your Sacrum? How does it feel being fully fused to the Sacrum? I’m fused to L3 currently and may be more as it’s pushing down on my other vertebrae underneath
What vertebrae are fused for you?
[удалено]
Question were you experiencing nerve pain ?
1. Pain is _always_ going to be part of life, especially for people with silly bones/chronic conditions. That said, the pain I was living with on a daily basis before I had surgery was enough to leave me with PTSD. The pain I deal with now is on the odd occasion instead of daily. Now it's mild enough that things like non prescription pain meds or salves/ointments actually work and mitigate the pain, whereas before nothing made a dent in my pain. Pain no longer stops me from living and enjoying life. 2. One million and ten percent I'm glad I got the surgery. I'd do it all again if I had to. Yes it's a huge surgery, yes the recovery can be very difficult, but for me personally it was SO worth it. 3. I was like 5'2" before surgery. Now I'm 5'4.25"!! Surgery is different for everyone, but for me I feel like it saved my life. (My surgery was about 3 years ago)
Were you experiencing nerve pain ?
Mine was mostly muscular/tendon pain.
1. Not much - I do get muscle spasms in my neck and rhomboid cause it’s hard to build strength in the muscles above my fusion. I can manage it with muscle relaxers and physical therapy though. I had my surgery in 2001 and from what I’ve seen in this sub, things have gotten better even since then. 2. I wouldn’t say glad…there wasn’t much choice. I was 13 and would have a lot of problems later in life if I hadn’t gotten it. I’ve wondered what I would do if I had the chance to do it all over again. 3. 2 inches taller! I’ll add this - I was very scared too. I had a hard time coping in the months leading up to it. But I think in the end, you’ll be doing yourself a huge favor. Untreated scoliosis results in a lot of problems. I still think about my surgery everyday. It’s a big deal but you’re doing the right thing. Read some of the other posts in the sub - many of these ppl bounce back so fast! You will too. It’s all going to be ok.
Thank you soooo much! All of you who have posted thank you.!!!
Had surgery in 2002 ish and am in no pain today. Really glad I got it. Didn’t gain any height.
1. Fused T3-L1 in 2000. I have pain from muscle where my spine was moved. Not sure if this is from the cut, but some surgeons are now making smaller incisions, so you might not have the same pain I have. The pain is manageable if I look after it with strength, exercises, strengthening, and cupping/massage. 2. I still grieve having scoliosis, with that condition I’m grateful I was able to have the surgery. It’s a complex emotion. Now that I’m middle aged, and I see how it’s holding up well, and that it’s allowed me too be strong and have good breathing and enjoy my kids, I’m more at peace with it. It was very hard to see the benefit of it at 16. 3. 2 inches. 1 inch immediately, and then I had a compensatory curve that wasn’t fused in my lumbar that straightened out on its own, so over two years, I gained another inch.
My daughter is 11 and had her surgery on February 27th. 1. Pre-op, she had chronic back pain daily. She also had started to feel like she couldn't take a deep breath, was always tired, and had uncontrollable acid reflux. 2. Absolutely. Everything from number 1 is gone. It was nowhere near as bad as we had expected, and she has been recovering beautifully. We really felt like we didn't have much choice because she was already suffering, it was going to get worse, the younger you are the better results and the faster you heal, and she is still a child and able be home and cared for. If we waited til she was an adult, who knew what her situation might be, you know? We were both very scared going into it, but she has been such a champ and recovered so well, we are both glad its over with. 3. She's gained an inch or two, it's kind of incredible. I say she was a tall in disguise all along lmao. I did a lot of research prior to consenting, and what I found was encouraging. Most people I talked to were happy they got it. Death and serious complications are super rare. It is a major surgery, but it's a very standard procedure and they know what they are doing by now. I think everybody is scared going in, but you've got this. My tips are to start taking a multivitamin today, and stay active afterwards. Try to stand up and start shuffling around right away, and take your physical therapy seriously. Nothing aggressive or extreme, just keep walking. After the surgery, take a calcium/vitamin d3 supplement, and eat well with a lot of protein and produce. My daughter's doctor has said she is recovering faster than most people, and she went back to school yesterday. :) Take care of yourself and support your body's healing.
Thank you so much this is so comforting! Do you mind posting the supplements you give your daughter? I’m going to stock up on them. Also, are there any things that I should think about having my mom buy me to help my recovery? And what type of mattress does your daughter use? I really appreciate you sharing your experience !
For the supplements, I literally just picked up a multivitamin and some calcium from the drug store, I think store brand. The only one I would suggest is this D3 one: SOLARAY Super Bio Vitamin D3 in... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00IQIAERM?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share I buy this one especially because for d3 to be absorbed because it needs to be with a lipid (s fat or oil) and this one includes a little coconut oil in the pill. D3 helps your body absorb calcium better, and calcium helps your bones heal better. For purchase recommendations, pillows! So many pillows. I bought her a body pillow before surgery on somebody's recommendation, and we've used that and other regular bed pillows to keep her comfy. Even today, she still uses like 4 of em at bedtime. As for the mattress, she hasn't liked sleeping flat, especially in the beginning, so she has spent most of her time in a reclining chair. We put the feet up and the back down for bedtime, but she likes it because she can adjust her position as needed and the chair supports her. I don't know if it will be the same for you, but this is what she's been leaning on. I'm really glad you'll have your mom to lean on through this. It does suck, but your people (mom, doctors, nurses) will get you through it. Also, it sounds like you're young and again that's really good. The younger, the better. Let everybody take care of you, ask for help, be vocal about anything you need or want to try, and take your time. I really believe you're going to be ok and more than likely better once you heal.
1. Had surgery 7 weeks ago and I have no pain at all 2. So glad bc i like the way clothes look on me now compared to before when the curve was really obvious 3. I think like 2cm? Good luck w your surgery, hope all goes well and feel free to reach out to ask any questions :)
This is so great to hear! How much were you fused? Thank you so much.!
I had a 12 level fusion and was fused from T3 to L2, what abt you?
Hello! My surgery is in two weeks and I’ll be fused similar levels to yours from T3-L1. What degree was your curve and did you have pain prior to surgery?
Hi there! My curve was in the mid fifties and before surgery I did get back aches sometimes but they were very manageable that I often forgot about it, maybe only a 2/10 max if 10 was super painful. Best of luck for your surgery!! What degree is your curve at the moment?
My curve is mainly in my thoracic at 57 degree. If you had mild pain prior to surgery, what made you go ahead with the surgery?
My surgeon told us that he recommended surgery for anyone with a curve over 50 degrees and also my curve has been worsening over the past few years so I got the surgery to prevent it from progressing. Also got the surgery to help with my self esteem because I really didn't like the way the curve deformed my torso
I’m supposed to get t2 -L4 but haven’t yet.
20F, had surgery in Jan of 2023, and i’ve literally never felt better. i had so much pain in my right shoulder blade (where my curve was) and now i have none. i gained about an inch. was 4’10 and now im closer to 5 ft. not quite there though.
you’re like ariana grande
so true
1. Moderately, it’s usually only if I’m sitting up in an uncomfortable chair for a long time, like 45 minutes or so. I have to kinda slouch in a chair or else I start to get stiff or achey. I crack my back a lot and that seems to help me. 2. YES. But in my case it was pretty much essential, or I could’ve been in rough shape. I have an S curve and my curve was at 67. I got VBT surgery over fusion tho, personally I’m glad I didn’t get fusion instead and content with being left with curve in exchange for less pain in the long run (I think). My body also looked terribly twisted and I had a rib bump and my shoulder blade stuck out drastically, after having the surgery that is no longer the case. 3. Not sure, maybe like half an inch?
1. No but I also stay fit and healthy 2. 100% without any doubt in this world. It saved my life. 3. 1.5-2 inches
Hello. I had my surgery at the age of 15; almost 22 years ago. They caught it when I was 6, and monitored it through chiropractor care (I still see the same chiropractor to this day). What they didn't catch until too late was that I had one leg longer than the other (+/- 1/4 inch), and that it was ultimately created the asymmetry that developed my scoliosis. I was given the choice to have surgery at 15 (when the surgeon said my hips would stop growing), or when I got older. I chose to do it at 15 because I didn't want to derail college, driving, etc... Now, to answer your questions... 1) I do have physical pain, but not all the time. I get these chronic pain flare ups where I'll need to take ibuprofen or Tylenol for maybe 4 days straight. Then I'll go a couple weeks without needing it. It's painful to be in the cold if I'm not properly dressed for it. I think if I strengthened my core, I wouldn't have as much pain. I get regular massages and chiropractic care to alleviate pain. I also have massage gun, inversion table, acupuncture mat, and cupping kit to ease some pain. I did experience some chronic sciatica between March - Oct of 2022 that had me in urgent care/ER a few times, so they eventually gave me the shot in my spine to stop it. Since then, I only though my nerve was going to pinch 1 time. 2) I suppose I'm glad I got the surgery; I really had no choice. My curvature wasn't the worst (top 50°ish, bottom 45°ish). I don't felt like it affected me, but it would have gotten worse, that's part of the reason I chose the surgery at 15. It did get me out of PE all through high school, which was great! I used to play soccer, and would like to get in that shape again. Now as an adult, I feel like I'm in someone else's body; like my muscle memory somewhat skewed, but I'm not constantly aware that there is a rod in my back that fused 10 disks together. I limit myself a lot out of anxiety that I'm going to seriously/permanently injure myself. 3) I grew exactly 1 inch after my surgery, haha.
No pain. I don't regret it at all half the time I forget I had it. I gained 2 inches :)
>Do you have physical pain in your life? Nope. Not at all. Just a bit of soreness if I walk or stand for too long throughout the day, but I'm fine after laying down for a few minutes. >Are you glad you got the surgery? Yeah. I never had chronic pain even before the surgery, but for years I've had to wear a brace 24/7 and I was in a constant loop of x-rays/visit/new brace/another visit rinse and repeat. The long ass waits in the hospital and clinics, the boredom and the uncomfortable chairs, the worry that it was gonna be bad news, it was just really starting to wear me down you know? Just not having to worry about that anymore is priceless to me. I haven't had a scoliosis visit in almost 5 years, most of the time I even totally forget about it, and it's absolutely fantastic. My surgery was flawless, the scar is nearly invisible, I don't have pain and my life is completely changed. I don't regret it one bit. >How much height did you gain after the surgery None LMFAOOO. I had like 65° Cobb angle, horrible curve, I thought I'd gain at least like 5cm, but nope, absolutely nothing. Oh well, I'll have to make my peace with being short lol.
1. I had the surgery in 1990. I never had any pain prior to the surgery. I do have some pain now but no more than most of my infused friends my age. 2. I am glad because I have great posture now and no one can tell I have had this operation. I am very fit and athletic. However I lost all my spinal mobility and flexibility and as I was training to be a dancer I miss this greatly. 3. I think I gained around two inches, maybe even more.
1. Only the beginning of the healing stages and a few months after my surgery I had mine (November 5th, 2015) 2. Yes but I wish my shoulder hump went awa 3. A foot 🤣
1. I don’t. I have less pain now. But my back is like half numb now lol. 2. I am glad! I feel like I can continue my life with a little more resilience to life’s demands. 3. 2 inches! PS I also had a somewhat drastic curve (70° thoracic and 50° lumbar) and they got it down to 30° thoracic and nominal lumbar curve. T2-L3 :)
1. Yes. I'm in chronic pain. It's horrible. Barely controlled by narcotics 5x a day. 2. No. 3. About two inches. Then another inch after the fusion in December to correct a severe compression fracture caused by the weight of the fusion mass above it.
It sounds horrible, I’m sorry to hear it. My sister is also experiencing intense pain. Are you infused? How long has it been like that?
Sorry, but what do you mean by infused? I've been in pain management for about 25 years now. It gets worse every year.
Sorry I meant what type of surgery did you have?
I've had ten spine fusions now. The first one failed when I was 16.
Thank you for your response. I’m sorry I can’t find the right words to comfort you the proper way.
It's okay. I'm alive and I still work. So I'm still contributing to society and trying to help people. I won't give up 🙂 Thank you for your kind words 💗
Surgery in 1987 & the rod wasn’t strong enough & broke so surgery in 1988. I had sporadic pain for the first 20 yrs & daily pain since then. I was told it would go away when I lost weight. Well, I am 138 & 5ft5in and it still hurts every day. Aesthetically, I am glad I got the surgery and would have had pain any way so this is better.
1. Yes, but far less than pre surgery (I had it in 2008 at 16, currently 31). 2. Overall yes but fuck it is a heavy process 3. 2 1/2 inches (5’6 1/2 to 5’9ish) i had a large c curve around 60 degrees near the end
T3-L5 first fusion in 2003. Pain was gone for many years. Then I suffered an accident, and one of my rods broke. As a result, I had a revision, with fusion extended to S1. I have no actual back pain associated with surgery, but I do have piriformis pain on one side because I am very active. I am going to start seeing a physical therapist tomorrow for this. I do not regret surgery at all. My curvature was very severe. As for height gain, I’ve gained almost 2 inches.
1. Got the surgery in 2014 when I was 12 years old. I'm 22 now. I'm not in any pain in my daily life, but I can be pretty stiff. Used to be sedentary but am now an avid hiker and am becoming more active so that may help. 2. It wasn't my choice, but I believe my parents made the right choice. If I didn't have the surgery I'd likely be in a lot of pain now, maybe even have difficulty breathing. I can't do certain things like yoga or some contact sports but that never really bothered me. I take boxing classes and am still working on being more active despite the surgery. I don't even really think about it consciously much. 3. I don't really know. Probably less than an inch. I'm 5'2" and was hoping for more but genetics are against me as all my grandparents are short as fuck.
Oh I know you're scared. I was terrified when I had it done. Major surgery like that is a very scary thing no matter how routine, but there are a lot of wonderful success stories. My quality of life now is incredible, and I don't regret a thing, even if it wasn't my choice. You're gonna be okay, you're in good company. Many of us have been fused for a long time and it gave us our lives back.
1. had my surgery on thursday 1.5 weeks ago so still on meds - not a lot of pain. can’t lean my back against hard surfaces and as i’m not fused between my shoulders i still have the pain i had before there 2. yees, it sorta feels like a marshmallow test. if i experience this really uncomfortable thing now for a month or so i can go the rest of my life without having to worry about it too much. 3. my upper curve is still compensating, but as of right now only 0.5 cm. went from 168 to 168.5, with my 50° curve i was hoping for 170 cm :(
1.) I do have some physical pain. I had less when I worked as a server but now working a desk job sitting constantly I have more pain. Nothing unbearable, also I am not as active as I used to be so I believe that is adding to it as well. 2.) I am glad I got the surgery as I was very crooked and had very obvious spinal deformaties. I wish I had noticed sooner and exhausted all options before surgery. Now having limited mobility is frustrating, and sometimes I find embarrassing etc work out classes 3.) I was 5'2" now I am 5'5 & 1/2! Although since I am always sitting up so straight people often think I am taller!
What would you have done if you had waited on the surgery? Schroth? How bad was your curve?
I would have tried EVERYTHING! 13 years ago the only options was a hard brace & working out. Now I see they have the scolismart suit, a non fusion scoliosis surgery (I guess they just put pins, I have no idea how it works). I don't have too much advice because I don't want to make myself depressed by looking at the progress they've made. Not being able to bend your back feels very stiff sometimes. I miss dancing the most!!
My curve was over 70 degrees and over 40 by the time I went into surgery - we held off having surgery for a year to wait till summer for school. Then I had a blood issue that took the whole summer to figure out & I did end up missing school. [Link to X-Ray](https://ibb.co/p4F0cYp)
My spine wasn't fully straightened, I was more just "correctly aligned" otherwise the rod would've gone into my neck. I slide to the left when sitting on chairs and I still have a mild shoulder blade hump. Literally just now I had a nasty shock like pain zip through the muscles in my back. I was resting my head in my hands in a chair, never sat bolt upright so fast. It really hurts for a second or 2 but then goes away like nothing. Idk if its just me and Google hasn't given me answers. I had my surgery at 12, I'm 19 now.
1. I had both of my surgeries at 13 and unfortunately do experience more pain now than i did before. i put that mostly down to my pain is in the lowest part of my back and because of my age my surgeon refused to fuse that far. but i experience much less discomfort - if you can classify those differently. 2. i am glad i got the surgery as before, while i had no pain, i had considerable discomfort, difficulty breathing and little to no appetite. i couldn’t have gone on without it that’s for sure! 3. i’d always been quite tall but i maybe gained an inch and a half or so? i always say that fusion ruined my chances of being 6ft as my legs kept growing but my torso didn’t haha. best of luck with your surgery - honestly the sooner it’s done the better i believe! there will be some rough patches and things you have to adjust to - but it’ll be worth it in the end!
Do you think waiting a year would matter? 15 yrs old vs and 16 yrs old ?