[Artificial Disc Replacement / Lumbar] XLTDR Success!

[Billy]

Went in yesterday for my surgery. Seems everything went perfect. I have very little pain. I can only imagine how I will feel after I heal.

Looking at my spine before and after is remarkable. Before I was crooked and now I'm aligned up.

[trkdoc714]

Billy,

Congratulations on the successful surgery! It's great to hear the pain is minimal and that you have such a healthy attitude for recovery.

It amazed me waking up and being relatively pain free when just a few days before, I was using a cane and scoping out resting places on short walks.

Follow your doctor's instructions to the "T" and your recovery should be uneventful.

Welcome to the other side,

Bob

[Justin]

Hi Billy,

Congratulations on being on the other side of surgery! Your films look great! I'll echo Bob's comments: listen to your medical team's post-op instructions. Please keep us posted on your progress.

[ouch2]

Congrats Billy! So glad to hear you feeling so good so soon after surgery. Wow, nice that you are posting only a day after surgery.

Wishing you all the best in your recovery. I will be following your posts. Be careful to take things easy, walk as much as you can, with breaks in between. Stay ahead of your pain if you have somem and listen to your doctor's restrictions.

All the Best!

Karen

[Billy]

It's morning of day 2 - Yesterday I did a lot of walking. I felt great! It began to catch up to me about bedtime. The stiffness began to set in making it difficult to get up and down.
I had to get up twice to make water. Lots of tightness and pain, I was trembling once I got back in bed and relaxed but I was able to fall back to sleep rather quickly.
This morning I took my meds and I'm now having a cup of coffee and feeling better. Most of the pain is in the incision and in the muscles that were manipulated. To be expected…

[Billy]

End of day 3 - This morning there was hardly no pain getting out of bed but I did almost pass out in the bathroom. First, things got bright then brighter. I had to sit down on the toilet before I fell out. My wife came to the rescue and was fanning me but I was feeling so faint feeling that I could not even see her face. I eventually get my strength back enough to make a dash back to the bedroom and rapidly climbed back in bed where I was coming out of my faintness and sweating.
My wife made me coffee, I took my meds, called my Dr where his PA called me back and told me to continue to do my breathing exercises and said I was probably lying around to much. Not true. If anything I have been doing to much. Anyway I recovered and felt really good today. Not to much muscle or ligament pain getting up or down. Been eating well but still no BM since the day before surgery. The biggest concern to date is it's hard to go pee. It's hard to get the flow flowing and it will trickle or maybe even stop 3-5 times before my bladder empties. Other than that I'm impressed with the XLTDR.
I've had no pain in my back or legs. I haven't done to much walking but even my big toe on my right foot seems to have it's restored sensation. Prior to this that was lost and it would get worse the more I walked on it.
Still a long way to go but everything looks very promising.

Just wanting to post something each day my first week back to let others see how my progress is going...I have a good feeling about this device so far.

[trkdoc714]

Billy,

You might want to use a laxative today if nature doesn't call. Constipation can be a hindrance to recovery. I ended up drinking magnesium citrate to get relief.

The dizziness could be the after effects of sedation during surgery. Be careful until it's out of your system.

Good luck,

Bob

[ouch2]

Are you at home already Billy? Are you taking anything for your bowels as that can be a real problem post op.<br><br>Hope that you don't have any more episodes of feeling faint.<br><br>Karen

[Billy]

Are you at home already Billy? Are you taking anything for your bowels as that can be a real problem post op.
Hope that you don't have any more episodes of feeling faint.
Karen

Haven't had anymore spells like that. Just taking Ducolax every morning. I did manage to make a movement today. I had gone to the store and picked up some suppositories but gave it one more try to let nature take its place and I did manage without the suppository. Other than that I feel really good. Just stiffness but I keep getting up and down a lot throughout the day to keep it minimal,
My left hip has this deep burning like the muscle was/is ripping. I suppose that is normal.

[trkdoc714]

You might be experiencing some distraction pain from regaining your disc height. It eases and disappears over time.

It's good you got "moving" on your own. The suppositories are the worst. It took me nearly 2 bottles of water to get one down and it never did work.

Relax and heal well.

Bob