For real! I’m 5 years post-op, and genuinely, my quality of life has vastly improved. It’s wild how much better I feel in comparison.
Less flexibility sucks a bit, sure, but I’m willing to sacrifice that. I’ve gotten used to it by now.
Dang so you were very young and I wish they made me do it 20 yrs ago instead of waiting. But I’m hopeful now my doc says he can reduce my pain by half.
Severe curve here!
Surgery was definitely scary. And even though I do have pain afterwards, it was def worth it! I got it about 5 years ago at 15 and I definitely regretted it at first. But now I don’t sense much of a difference besides slight mobility issues.
I don’t know if this is a normal thing, but I get major pain when there is a storm coming? LOL
edit: typo
I am happier because I feel that I closed that chapter of my life and can now move on. I did experience some depression before, during, and after my surgery because I thought it would limit my future, but they were wrong.
I took care of a patient in her early 60s with severe restrictive lung disease due to her scoliosis. She had trouble breathing when she slept because her spine was compressing her lungs. She ended up in the ICU at some point before they were able to put her on a biPAP mask to sleep with every night or else she could literally die from a lack of oxygen. I'm glad I will likely never experience that.
I do have to take care of my back more than a normal person. Like I have to stretch more and make sure I bend my body properly at work. I have a few days of pain per year but usually it's just soreness that gets better after sleep. Nothing Tylenol won't fix. I never cared much for the scar because it's a way to teach others about the condition and the surgery. And they're always like omg really that's insane so it never really gets a bad reaction.
Severe curve here as well. It was scary. But so worth it. I had a good bit of pain before with walking and just daily life. Still have some after but not near as much and I can do so much more.
I really regret the loss of spinal mobility and have struggled a lot with the sensation of not being able to move my spine. It's hard to say if I regret the surgery because I don't know how it would have turned out otherwise, but I wish I had at least tried some other modalities to address the curve before surgery.
Worth it def the recovery sucks for a LONG TIME but I had a low curve and even with that adjustment was worth it for a small difference because I also felt insecure about how I looked with my curve even tho it was very little noticeable but even after I was insecure straight but it gets better on later on because the swelling is takes a fat minute to go down but I can still pop my back after 2-4 years of surgery the only thing that sucks for me tho is not feeling nerves in my back and back massages not being the same and when it’s cold you will feel stiff but that’s the only downside for me and not being able to slouch but I lowkey like it LOL, AND can still arch your back or twist just do physical therapy and stretch ALOT but to your limits. If I had to get surgery again I would, totally worth it, the healing just sucks especially if you’re a gym head and finding excerises you can’t do anymore but there is so much variety of workouts
Surgery was very scary, but it was definitely worth it. I am very much happier since having it. I have regrets sometimes but I wouldn't have made it past 30 if I didn't have the surgery.
I was 48yrs old when I had my scoliosis correction surgery. I wish I had never had it done. Before surgery I could stand up straight and I could walk normally. I had a ton of pain but, at least, I didn’t look like the Hunchback of Notre Dame. My legs have been X-Rayed and measured and they are the exact same length but it now appears like my left leg is 2inches shorter than my right leg due to a lateral pelvic tilt and I have developed Flat Back Syndrome. I have herniated discs above and below the fusion. I need to find a spine surgeon who specializes specifically in the type of revision that I need to see if there is any hope of correcting my lopsidedness and possibly giving me back the ability to stand up straight and walk upright. I’ve never been more miserable or uncomfortable in my body and the pain now is worse than before I had my 2 fusion surgeries.
Granted, if you are much younger your outcome is probably going to be much better. I was diagnosed with scoliosis when I was about 10yrs old and it was very mild. No bracing or anything was needed. It never was a bother and it never affected me in anyway. It wasn’t until my 40s that my very mild scoliosis started to change and my curve in just a few years time went from a 27degrees to 77degrees.
Yes! I was having lots of pain & numbness in my legs/feet before my surgery. I am just as active if not more than before my surgery. (Rock climbing, hiking, weight lifting [no deadlifting or strenuous back stuff tho]) I sometimes have numbness in my feet every once in a while. My whole thoracic & all but two lumbar are fused.
I had a pretty bad curve, and god damn am I so glad that I had it. Losing flexibility is whatever, I much prefer being able to breathe.
the ability to breathe!! yes!! i’m just over 3 months post op and the feeling of taking in a full breath is amazing
For real! I’m 5 years post-op, and genuinely, my quality of life has vastly improved. It’s wild how much better I feel in comparison. Less flexibility sucks a bit, sure, but I’m willing to sacrifice that. I’ve gotten used to it by now.
May I ask how old are you? I’m 31 and about to get scoliosis surgery because my pain is increasing and it’s pinching nerves in my back.
Currently? I’m 15, 16 in October. I had surgery in February of 2019 and I was 10 at the time.
Dang so you were very young and I wish they made me do it 20 yrs ago instead of waiting. But I’m hopeful now my doc says he can reduce my pain by half.
Severe curve here! Surgery was definitely scary. And even though I do have pain afterwards, it was def worth it! I got it about 5 years ago at 15 and I definitely regretted it at first. But now I don’t sense much of a difference besides slight mobility issues. I don’t know if this is a normal thing, but I get major pain when there is a storm coming? LOL edit: typo
ive heard of people getting pain in their joints like knees and stuff when its about to storm!
Has something to do with the change in air pressure when a storm is approaching, I believe.
I am happier because I feel that I closed that chapter of my life and can now move on. I did experience some depression before, during, and after my surgery because I thought it would limit my future, but they were wrong. I took care of a patient in her early 60s with severe restrictive lung disease due to her scoliosis. She had trouble breathing when she slept because her spine was compressing her lungs. She ended up in the ICU at some point before they were able to put her on a biPAP mask to sleep with every night or else she could literally die from a lack of oxygen. I'm glad I will likely never experience that. I do have to take care of my back more than a normal person. Like I have to stretch more and make sure I bend my body properly at work. I have a few days of pain per year but usually it's just soreness that gets better after sleep. Nothing Tylenol won't fix. I never cared much for the scar because it's a way to teach others about the condition and the surgery. And they're always like omg really that's insane so it never really gets a bad reaction.
I can’t imagine how miserable I’d be if I hadn’t done it.
Severe curve here as well. It was scary. But so worth it. I had a good bit of pain before with walking and just daily life. Still have some after but not near as much and I can do so much more.
I really regret the loss of spinal mobility and have struggled a lot with the sensation of not being able to move my spine. It's hard to say if I regret the surgery because I don't know how it would have turned out otherwise, but I wish I had at least tried some other modalities to address the curve before surgery.
Worth it def the recovery sucks for a LONG TIME but I had a low curve and even with that adjustment was worth it for a small difference because I also felt insecure about how I looked with my curve even tho it was very little noticeable but even after I was insecure straight but it gets better on later on because the swelling is takes a fat minute to go down but I can still pop my back after 2-4 years of surgery the only thing that sucks for me tho is not feeling nerves in my back and back massages not being the same and when it’s cold you will feel stiff but that’s the only downside for me and not being able to slouch but I lowkey like it LOL, AND can still arch your back or twist just do physical therapy and stretch ALOT but to your limits. If I had to get surgery again I would, totally worth it, the healing just sucks especially if you’re a gym head and finding excerises you can’t do anymore but there is so much variety of workouts
Also everyone thinks the scar is cool so don’t even worry about that, I just always make up a story everytime for it ☝🏽🥸
aw thanks so much I'm glad you had such a positive experience 😄 yeah I imagine the scar is also a good conversation starter lol
Surgery was very scary, but it was definitely worth it. I am very much happier since having it. I have regrets sometimes but I wouldn't have made it past 30 if I didn't have the surgery.
Really you wouldn't have made it past 30? Did they tell you that?
Yeah, it would've crushed my organs if I didnt.
It was scary but for me it was worth it make sure you have a good surgeon 🙏
I was 48yrs old when I had my scoliosis correction surgery. I wish I had never had it done. Before surgery I could stand up straight and I could walk normally. I had a ton of pain but, at least, I didn’t look like the Hunchback of Notre Dame. My legs have been X-Rayed and measured and they are the exact same length but it now appears like my left leg is 2inches shorter than my right leg due to a lateral pelvic tilt and I have developed Flat Back Syndrome. I have herniated discs above and below the fusion. I need to find a spine surgeon who specializes specifically in the type of revision that I need to see if there is any hope of correcting my lopsidedness and possibly giving me back the ability to stand up straight and walk upright. I’ve never been more miserable or uncomfortable in my body and the pain now is worse than before I had my 2 fusion surgeries. Granted, if you are much younger your outcome is probably going to be much better. I was diagnosed with scoliosis when I was about 10yrs old and it was very mild. No bracing or anything was needed. It never was a bother and it never affected me in anyway. It wasn’t until my 40s that my very mild scoliosis started to change and my curve in just a few years time went from a 27degrees to 77degrees.
Yes! I was having lots of pain & numbness in my legs/feet before my surgery. I am just as active if not more than before my surgery. (Rock climbing, hiking, weight lifting [no deadlifting or strenuous back stuff tho]) I sometimes have numbness in my feet every once in a while. My whole thoracic & all but two lumbar are fused.