HI,

I originally posted on NeuroTalk about three weeks ago but only two people responded to say "hi" and "welcome". I do not know why no one else had any advice, but maybe I posted to wrong thread.

Anyway, since you had lumbar fusion I wondered if you could advise me at all. I need fusion on I believe L2-L3-L4 and one other, maybe S1, need to look at the radiologist report. I have triple major scoliosis (progression is under 40 and I think stable). I also have spondolisthesis diagnosed in 2011. I believe this in in lumbar spine and worst in two discs. I have a lot of tightness in my low back when I try to do anything more than 20-30 minutes. In January I started limping and this really scared me and it hurt. I learned that this is related to the lumbar spine issues. I also began to have really terrifying muscle spasms in my legs (both, but mostly the left leg where the limp is) and even my abdomen). This also is evidently related to the body trying to compensate for the pathology.

I was told that I should have the fusion done by Dr. Sigurd Bevard at UC San Francisco and that there were only two surgeons in the country that I should ask to do the surgery. I think the other is at the Cleveland Clinic. I wondered if anyone has gone to Dr. Bevard. Also, I sent an email to Dr. Nitin Bhatia at UC Irvine and he replied saying he wants me to come to consult with a spine surgeon they recruited from UCSF who worked with Dr. Berven there. Since I live in Southern CA getting to San Francisco would be more complicated than getting to Irvine (Although more fun!). I would go by train so I could lay down. If I lie on my back I still have Sacral pain. Only laying on my side offers relief. Pillows are wonderful!

Also, I really have no one at home after so will need to manage by myself (unless Medicare would pay for someone to visit a couple of times a week and maybe for physical therapy). Has anyone managed on their own following this surgery? I do have my two dogs to help me (A Great Dane and an Anatolian Shepherd). :-)

I wonder what it is like to have 4 discs fused? I wonder how much post op pain there might be and how long it would be until I recovered. Would they put some sort of brace on me?

I was diagnosed with Major Depression and anxiety in 2000 and since then when I have had a surgery I feel like they have not given me enough pain medication. I worry that when people have Depression they will not give you enough pain medication which is a terrible sort of discrimination.

Also, I went to an Anesthesiologist recently and he told me that the only thing they could do for me was given me a cortisol injection. I did that once a few years before and not only did it not help at all but the doctor doing the injection told me he did not feel comfortable doing it because of my curved spine.

Only once was I given enough pain medication and that was at UC Irvine in 2009. I wonder if anyone else has had this experience with pain management. They give you these nice little illustrated pamphlets that discuss how they understand the role of pain alleviation in healing but it seems that the application of that philosophy is very subjective.

Since 2003 I have been taking the same medications for pain: Hydrocodone, Piroxicam and SOMA. No one has ever increased the dose, or asked me if I needed more and I have not asked thinking that my continuing degeneration and discussion of pain levels would have prompted an increase or change in pain medication. I thought methadone was only for drug addicts. I do not really know what it is or does. I think I will ask about it.

Any thoughts or advice would be deeply appreciated. Thank you.