My Spine - Lumbar
How will I feel afterwards ?
Most people feel fine , but occasionally you may find yourself shaking as though you are very cold . This is quite common and soon stops . Some patients may have a painful throat and dry lips , possibly because of the presence of the breathing tube during anaesthesia . This usually clears up after a day or two . Rarely you may experience some muscle aches . These are most common across the shoulders and neck and may last for a few days . Ways of treating pain is discussed elsewhere in this chapter .
You may feel nauseous or vomit after operations although this is less likely with modern anaesthetics . Please inform the anaesthetist if this has been a problem for you before so that steps can be taken to reduce the chances of it happening , or treat it if it occurs .
Some people experience tiredness after an anaesthetic that may last several days . Your anaesthetist will try to relieve any discomfort you may have . You might be repositioned before the onset of surgery . We take great care with positioning , and use padding for all pressure points . However , on occasion patients have body aches from being in the same position for a long time .
After the operation
After the operation you will be moved to a recovery room where your condition will be monitored . The drip is not usually needed for any longer than about 24 hours after the operation . Your operation site may be quite painful at first and initially you may be given injections to ease the pain ( or a PCA - see the section in this chapter ); when the pain has lessened , tablets can be given . Your surgery may be discussed with you in the ward by the surgical team .
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