Hi blah69nz
I have not been on here in a long while and I was searching today for things to do with my VP shunt but saw your post. I had a L4/L5-L5/S1 fusion done in Dec of 2006. I was 43 years old at the time. I had blown one of the discs out somehow and the L5/S1 had slipped forward to the point of interfering with my spinal column and the nerves between the two. Have no idea how all that happened! Anyhow, my pain was in my hips, lower back, left buttock, left thigh at the back, but that was it. My ortho was convinced that as the pain did not go all the way to my heel that I did not have a signifigant injury and not one that was bad enough for a two level fusion at my young age. A myleogram proved him totally wrong when the dye that was injected into the disc just came right back out of the disc! I had to go through all kinds of stuff - physical therapy, pain management, nerve blocks, you name it, I tried it, endured it and grinned and bared it but to no avail. That was a wasted and very painful two years! In money, time and pain. So, we did the surgery, two level fusion, on Dec of 2006. My surgeon is one of the ones who does the surgery with a 12 inch incision in the front - from belly button to hip - then does the standard two 6 or 7 inch incisions on either side of the spine with the one inch ones above each of those for "extra tools". I was in the hospital for five days, count em F-I-V-E days! I woke up and told the nurse that they really needed to give that lady in tnext room something as she was screaming at the top of her lungs - she gave me a rather odd look and told me it was me screaming! Anyhow, I had these things on my legs that would inflate and deflate all the time so I would not get blood clots, I had a morphine pump that was set for me to push that lovely magic button every 8, yes EIGHT, minutes for the entire time I was there. I have never been in that much pain in my life. I was practically cut in half for this but not every surgeon uses this approach either so talk to yours about their technique. I had a hard brace that was fitted before I went to the hospital that I brought in with me and had to use that for three months. I also went home with a walker, a shower chair, and lots and lots of help. I did not ever think I would be able to even bend over again after that. Of course, surgery heals and so does the body afterwards. I did so very well for the first 3 months and then, for unknown reasons, I started hurting in the same places again. All the scans said I was okay, my fusion was straight, but could be the hardware. I had 4 rods and 6 screws. One screw was a little off kilter. Finally my surgeon told me there was nothing else he could do for me and let me go. I have been in pain management ever since. I have what is called "failed back syndrome". So, it did not help me at all but there are lots of good stories out there about it too. Guess it depends on your problem and if there are extenuating circumstances behind them. I have DDD also as well as bone spurs all the way from my neck to the bottom of my spine too so maybe that is the problem. Would I recommend the surgery? No. I would say to follow your Dr advice, get a second and a third opinion and then decide if you can live the way you are or not. If not, go for it. I wish you luck and hope it works for you! Sorry this is so long, wanted to cover all the bases for you.