Hi Toni,
I am new to all this forum discussions... I was 14 when I had my first spinal fusion. They fused me half way down my back in hopes to correct the lower curve. 4 years later I underwent another fusion, this time leaving only L4 and L5 open..(not fused).

I married 9 months later and got pregnant a month after we married. I have been in pain since I was 5. I don't know any different. I went in for another surgery but was supposed to get all the hardware removed when a Dr decided that it was too much to take it all out and wasn't convenient for him, so he fused one more vertebrae and added more hardware. I never recovered and had surgery 2 years later due to a hook coming loose from the previous surgery.

That was the best thing I have ever done, was to remove the hardware. It is not needed after 3 months of recovery from surgery.

I have since had one more child and they were all a miracle. I am in constant pain. Some days I can barely get out of bed. I am 34 now and I wish that someone would have explained to me the trade offs from spinal fusions. I never would have gone thru with it. There is ALWAYS an alternative to everything....now my L5 and S1 and both SI joints are fusing on their own. It has been a year now and it can take up to 8 years to complete. The pain is debilitating and excrutiating! Because the rest of me is fused, the pressure from the fusions is causing damage to lower spine and hips. Joints all over my body are over worked. If anyone were to ask whether they should have spinal fusions, I am against it. We are too young for this. All I can do is keep my chin up and do the best I can. Good luck to you and I will pray for you.