Wednesday, August 12, 2009

The Titanium Implants

First and foremost, thank you to those who visited this blog and left your comments. Please please don't hesitate to get in touch with me (my email address is available here) because this condition that we have can be a very hard thing to handle on our own. Perhaps by building a network, we can be there for one another and feel a little less lonely about suffering from Scoliosis.

There is a need to reach out and talk about things we don't get to talk about with our everyday friends (and family) who don't experience Scoliosis, and my aim here is to share my personal experiences as a Scoliosis patient. I hope one day others will share their experiences here too.

I talked about the titanium implants in my personal blog. If you've the time and wish to know about removal of titanium implants, do give it a read.

FYI, I had my fusion in October 2002, and had the implants removed due to infection in April 2008. A screw had broken and caused the implants to become loose (in laymen's terms). The area surrounding the implants became infected, and there were some symptoms involved.

Here I'd like to talk about the symptoms I experienced when infection developed due to the titanium implants. Perhaps this will be helpful to someone out there some day.

The first thing that I noticed was that my spine started hurting more and more. I'd given birth in December 2006, and by December 2007, I was experiencing pain nearly 24 hours a day. I thought it was because I was overdoing it. Our boy was hefty so I attributed the pain to the fact that I was always carrying him, so that was why the good ol' spine was always in pain. It's difficult to explain how the pain was like, but if you've had surgery and have implants on your spine, you'd know what I mean when I explain it like this.. it as if the implants were starting to bother me a lot more and the areas around the implants would throb and sometimes there were sharp pains that came suddenly.

By January 2008, I started developing high fever. The fever came on a daily basis, only subsiding whenever I took paracetamols. They did blood tests and at first could not find anything wrong. A month later I was still having fever everyday. A blood test at Assunta Hospital showed that there is infection somewhere in my body, but they could not detect the source. Then an x-ray showed me my worst fear; one of the screws on my spine had broken and the doctors suspected that that is causing infection in the surrounding area.


I frankly could not comprehend the news. It was difficult to accept the fact that they would have to open me up again, this time to remove the implants. Putting them in there was VERY painful. The pain is something I was not willing to go through again. Therefore I opted to see my surgeon (Prof Muhamad Razak, HUKM) to discuss pain management. At that time, removal of the implants was not an option for me.

By end of February I was on pain meds (Arcoxia being the drug of choice). The pain however did not go away. Even with the medication, I hardly slept because of the pain. It was difficult to get out of bed and work.

By March the pain had spread down my left leg and my left leg started losing sensation. By April I could hardly walk and had to be supported by family members when walking. I fell many times because the left leg could not support my weight and the right leg was getting weaker as well.

So in the end, a surgery was performed to take the implants out. The broken end of the screw, however, is still here in me.

4 comments:

Steven Wong said...

Hi, i am looking for a support group for scoliosis, because of the condition in my son. Would you recommend the Schroth method which seems to have published many before and after pictures of the treatment?

Thanks.

Steven Wong
email:wkp2020@yahoo.com

Natasya Fellina said...

Hello you.I found this blog in internet last week.I was lookin for scoliosis thingy in Malaysia and it came out with your blog then I saw the other link to this blog.Anyway let me introduce myself first.Im Nurul Natasya Fellina Rosli.Im 16 y/o.Currently Im staying in England since last Jan but will going back to Malaysia this week.I had this scoliosis since dont know when but realised I had it from last year after I done my appointment with the doctors in UIA.

Last year I was in a bording international school in Gombak.Its under UIA and 100% private school.I felt pain on my right shoulder like BLOODY HURT.Its weird for me because Im not that active girl in sport or else.Besides I got athma as well.Then I decided to go to the UIA clinic with my warden because apprntly my family was in Dubai,visiting my dad.The doctor said that I have to do X ray to check whats happening to my bones and all.So few weeks later,I ahd my second appointment at the same clinic.It was 3 hours appoitnment I have to wait like hell,with all the suspicious and Erghhh god knows how I felt.Then the doctor said I got scoliosis and he rang my dad and told him that I have to go to the hosp for further medical checkup for my back.My dad was rushed going back to Malaysia after he heard about it.

After I had my PMR,my mom decided to do another appointment at KPJ seremban with my dad's doctor.Die pernah operate my dad's ankle.I did another Xray and the doc ukur my tulang yang bengkok semua,it was 40 degree something.Doc nasihatkan I utk Xray but yeah it costs as hell! So my mom just suro I pakai corsets jer.

Around january 2009
I moved to England cs my dad kene trsfr sini so whole fmly i ikot sekali.I havent check my back for a year now.Hm

To tell you the truth,last 3 weeks I had this really pain in myself.Gosh mulemule I demam panas till I cant get up from my bed and guess what I cant feel my own sense.Its bad isnt it?Suddenly I feel like something tajam cucuk dada kiri and bawah ribs i till i cant move.I was sweating all over my body.My mom found out that tulang belakang I kat area bahu tu dah bend ke kiri.Sebelum nie I nye back bone bend kat hips cant rmmbr whether kiri or kanan.The pain lasts till 4 days.It was sucks.On the fifth day,I was crawling and crying and menjerit tengah malam,around 2am bcs ribs I memang dah sakit gile and I cant breathe properly.Its like there's something tersekat adn rse lungs I sempit gile.My dad was about to call an ambulance but my mom says NO T_T She take a good care of me.Oh my mom is a doctor as well! Em die ckp my diaphragm and muscle kat bahu kiri i cramp.Haih Allah je tau ape I rse and time I crawl tu one thing jer I pk,Im not gonna die tonight I will have lots of fun wth my friends I will be just fine.Besok die I strt pergi sekolah,even I still cant breathe properly I try to stand up by myself and yes,evrything's alright now.Syukur alhamdulillah

My mom says that I cant operate now cs I nie kurus sgt,like seriously even I makan byk pon xgemok2 haihhh.But Insyallah I operate next year after spm.Wish me luck

Actually Im really scared.A part of me taknak operate cs i know it costs too much! while at the same time duit22 tu boleh gune utk bende y lagik bgs.Another half of me just nak those pain tu hilang.Entahlah I pon xtaw lah.but I rase I memang ade scoliosis dr kecik cume tu lah bru sedar last year kan? cs my ribs dr kecik tak equal.Hope you will read all my shits haha seriously I taktau nak arrange and cakap macam mane dah.Hope you faham :)Would love to hear some news from you Aunty!

Love,
Natasya Fellina XX
natasyafellina@yahoo.com

Unknown said...

Hi im Robin and turn 29 years old in 2013. I'm a scoliosis patient and had the titanium implants operation in last 8 years. Through my experience, i feel much better after the operation but of course is not 100% perfect after the operation because according to the doctors they only could twist the bone up to 92% straight. I was lucky because the operation were really successful and the titanium rod really suits my bone and i really thanks GOD and everyone out there supporting me. My advice is those with scoliosis should not hesitate go for check-up and below 40 degree can still wear the braces. But my case is 72 degree curvature at that time and i had no other choice but have to go through major operation. Scoliosis patient still given a chance to live a normal life with all thanks to titanium implants.

Thanks

Robin Ong
e-mail: robinstrife85@gmail.com

saralee said...

hi,
is it possible to get some details from u regarding the spinal inc place. i really cant stand the pain n i can hardly breath right as wel as having my nerves rasa panas also painful. my doctor would just give me painkillers. nothing works anymore. hope to hear from you.

sarah
saraleecious68@yahoo.com