A few weeks ago I had my six month post-op check up. Where does time go?
The Doctor saw me almost immediately. It was a member of the surgeon’s team, rather than the surgeon himself, but she was fully aware of exactly what had been done and when. After being asked a few questions on whether I had any problems, and if I thought everything was healing okay, she quickly checked how they were recovering.
The only issue I have really experienced is that lately the scars and surrounding area have been getting very itchy. This has also caused me to have a few issues with dry skin, and a few occasions of “I want to itch so badly but I’m in public.” This has only started in the last month or so, and since I tend to get more eczema and skin problems in the summer anyway I think it is absolutely nothing to worry about.
Other than this, everything is great. I still generally like to wear a bra to bed for support, but I can sleep in any position comfortably even if I choose not to wear one (even on my front!). As expected, it’s very nice to be able to buy different bras, and I’ve even tried on dresses with the bra built in (though not yet found one I like).
I’ve started running again over the last couple of months. While at the beginning I had some issues with pain, I quickly figured this was because the shoulder straps of my bra weren’t quite tight enough. For around 24 hours after a run, I’d have shooting pains across my pectoral muscles. However, since tightening the straps as much as possible, running is as comfortable as I could ever imagine it being.
A few weeks ago I had a week off, and boyfriend and I headed to Go Ape. For those who don’t know, this is a tree-top assault course, which involves climbing, swinging through the air, and flying down zip wires. This is something I would never even have considered pre-surgery. The mixture of having to find suitable bra, clothes that fit, and not to mention the actual amount of movement involved would have made it an instant no-no for me. However, I had no issues. The harness was as comfortable as it can be, and I didn’t feel any pain in relation to my boobs during or after.
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I have also noticed a vast improvement in my back pain. My lower back never hurts any more. My shoulders and neck are still often sore, tight and knotted, but there is a considerable difference and the pain tends to be more prominent after movement and carrying things. I think this is likely related to my scoliosis surgery, as I can never expect to be pain free. Generally, it is manageable using ibuprofen. Since I wonder whether part of this is still residual from pre-surgery. My boyfriend has pointed out that while I used to hunch my shoulders a lot, this has decreased since the surgery. It’s possible that this better posture is helping with the pain, and also that the lower levels of pain are helping with my posture. I’m hoping to soon begin a course of sports massages (eek) in the hope that this will help to loosen the muscles and manage the remaining pain.
I am 100% pleased with the results of the surgery. Although, of course, each case is different, I would recommend it to anyone who was in the same situation as I was last year. It’s insane that a few days of discomfort have created such a huge impact in my day-to-day life, which will last.
The Laura Factor 