Has anyone here gone through scoliosis surgery in the past? I had mine few months ago. Mind sharing your experience for post operation?

your back bone bend to much?.
I also had scoliosis, but doctor not recommend me for an operation.
It;s to danger, if you still can prevent it, try to prevent it.
try to swim everyday.

I did my scoliosis surgery. The doctors recommend me do the surgery. Going for chiropractor here is expensive (I mean the good ones) and then have to go every week continuously, some maybe for years, so I decided to go for surgery. I had financial aid from the government. Swimming makes my spine more worse, I tried. Dangerous? Nowadays, the percentage of successful surgery quite high 95%. That's what the doctors told me.

Where did you do your surgery by the way, and which surgeon (was it orthopedic)
operated on you ?

I did it in a local government hospital. To save $$. Yes, orthopedic surgeons. Few of them from other countries. It's natural to have other surgeon from other nationality to join in for operation.

I did mine 9 years ago...living normally like any other person on the street...people wont even notice it unless i told them lol

surgery is recommended if the curve degree has exceeded 40 degree as on a long term prospect, further bending of the spine would affect your internal organs. there is always risk when doing operation, more so a major one like this...but in the hands of experienced surgeons there is nothing to worry about.

How old are you when you did your surgery? Do you have extreme curve degree??? Yup, mine exceeded 40 degree. That's why I had the surgery.

Had mine after SPM, so around 17 yo...i was diagnosed with idiopathic scoliosis at the degree of 36 and it gradually increased to 41. As bracing did not help, my ortho recommended me for surgery.

I had mine since 12. I had brace too but doesn't help. My ortho suggest go for operation but I decline since not painful with the scoliosis until this year starting to have backache, then I go for it. I was 60+ degree before operation. Do you still have rib hump after surgery? I have a little after surgery but not very visible. My hump reduce a lot after surgery. Has your scar faded?

I never had an obvious back hump at 41 degree curve and even less so after the surgery. In fact I became a few cm taller

And yes my scar has faded mostly

What I'm curious is why did your ortho allow the curve to reach 60 degree whereas the threshold was 40 degree? How often did you do a check up prior to your surgery? I did mine every 3 months before surgery. Post surgery follow ups were done every 6 months for first 2 years, subsequently being annually for 4 years. Thereafter it's follow up every 2 years. Next year will be my 10th year after surgery and I'm happy to say there is no complication/issues so far

No, my ortho recommend me for surgery that time, but I didn't do it. Partly because scared. But now that I did it, I am quite happy. I check up for every 3 months too. My post surgery check up is schedule to one month after surgery, then three month, then 6 month time interval. Yeap, I got tall...too tall in fact, I was tall before surgery. What do use use on your scar? I use bio-oil. Effect quite good. fading fast. I am 3 months post-operation now.

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Added on November 12, 2012, 6:18 pmBy the way, where are you fused? I am fused from T6 to L3.

This post has been edited by candy_9330: Nov 12 2012, 06:18 PM

Nothing ...just let the body heal itself. All I did was eat sleep and physiotherapy.

Dont mind me asking...how tall are you now? My friends say I'm tall although I'm just 176cm...maybe it's because my back is straight most of the time with the implants in it

Cant remember the exact location...probably around T7 to L4. Mine was quite long...the scar was visible from my neck backside to my waist.

This post has been edited by justin85: Nov 12 2012, 06:25 PM

Haha, I am 173 after surgery. My scar is also long. U did physiotherapy at hospital? My doctor only told me to exercise at home...

yea i did it in hosp before being discharged.

I think I couldn't run away from surgery anymore................
my parent will bring me to the doc and do xray again right after spm (almost 1 year didn't go check up anymore).. the last time I got my bone xray'd was like .. last year if im not wrong.. my curve is at around 35degrees something (I assume it's over 40 now.. I can feel it?)

*I went to GH for the past few years until last year my parent decide to bring me to private hospital..
GH doctors are quite unconsistent and keep changes from time to time.. sometimes trainees are in charge

I don't really want to go through surgery... .. a bit of scared.. and the money is another problem for me..

I was diagnosed with scoliosis when I was in form 1.. I told my mom abt my unbalanced hips and then she brought me to the hospital to check..
I did a few physiotheraphy but I can say that it's kinda useless.. I started to wear the scoliosis brace (made from silicon) during form 3.. but didn't wear it frequently.. (i usually wear it for 2,3 hours, then put off.. and wear it again.. didn't wear it when i'm sleeping)..
kinda regret now

a lot of ppl say that swimming helps.. but I don't know how to swim.. (

I can see that both of you are recovering well.. I have a few questions which always spin around in my mind... is there any possibility that the surgery will fail? And what about the after effects of the surgery?? (will feel extremely pain? blood clotting e.g??) and can both of you bend your backbones now??

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Added on November 13, 2012, 11:37 pmshould I go for surgery?
I want to spend my time on my personal stuffs for maybe a month after SPM... will try to delay the surgery maybe to next year if doctor insist me to do surgery.. (luckily I'm nto chosen for NS..)

I don't have backpain but i can feel the curve inside my body and my unbalanced back muscles.. it's weird but I get used to it..

This post has been edited by limkopi: Nov 13 2012, 11:37 PM

better to have it xray-ed again..if it's progressing steadily after all these years then you might seriously want to consider surgery.

lol i wore mine for 23hrs per day...the only time i took it off was when showering =|

there will always be risk involved for any kind of surgery, that's why try to find an experienced doc to do it. as for post op, it was kinda painful for me (couldnt even sneeze or cough ).

well try not to delay for too long...it's still easier to correct it while the curve is still manageable.

In the past, I did swimming, I didn't know how to swim either. I started out using the foam board, then gradually learn how to swim. But I gave up on swimming cause it makes my body ache a lot and not much of improvement.
Before the surgery, I ask my surgeon tons of question. I ask him about the risk, stuff like that. He say averagely 5% failure. I ask how many ppl come to do surgery at the hospital, he say 2-3 person per week. Most of them are successful. I also ask him if my hump at my back would reduce or not, he says it depends. Mine did reduce. Spine would be adjusted straight. For severe case, as straight as possible.
Effect of the surgery, hmm... so far I been good, I feel great. About bending backbone, it depends on where you are fused from. I never tried bending, cause I haven't fully recover yet.
I think you should see your orthopedic as soon as possible. Are you still in secondary school? I know that you can apply for full or partial funding from government for your surgery at government hospital. Estimated, for government surgery for scoliosis would be around RM20k, depend on how much you are fuse (spinal fusion). For private, estimated cost would be double I think. Normally application for funding would take a long time, plus schedule for spinal surgery would take a long time too. So best you see your doctor right now, and you can schedule your surgery according to whichever time you want, you can even schedule it for next year. My friend applied for the funding just for your information. Mine was also funded by government but not same type. My friend and me got fully funded for the surgery. I pay extra for some hospital bills. I would prefer private hospital cause government hospital doesn't give you much attention. Lots of houseman.
Surgery was a pain in the ass, but it's worth it. For the first month, I feel really uncomfortable but things just get a better as time pass. Hope this helps.

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Added on November 14, 2012, 11:41 amDo you exercise now? What kind? Do you still exercise at home, like do some stretching exercise recommended by your physio?

This post has been edited by candy_9330: Nov 14 2012, 11:41 AM

Not much after my surgery...i lived on as another average slouch. work-eat-sleep-repeat

only recently i started going to the gym to bulk up coz im too thin....but i hvnt touch much on back/shoulder exercises as we're not supposed to strain/compress our spines.

Haha, now I also slack off a bit, a bit lazy do exercise... study-eat-sleep-study-eat-sleep
I did a bit shoulder exercise I watch from youtube, apparently regret it since the upper end of my spine (surgery part) feels pricky. Do you feel that? Like little bit stabbing from inside.

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Added on November 14, 2012, 9:32 pmYou are fused from T7 to L4, meaning you have lumbar scoliosis like me too? My scoliosis is a c-shaped.

This post has been edited by candy_9330: Nov 14 2012, 09:32 PM

I felt it alot after surgery...but only felt it now and then after so many years

Mine is to an S-shaped