44 yr old got fused -L4-L5-S1
 

i will spare u guys the agonizing tale of pain . if you r here , then u already know.

i had L4-L5-S1 fused--plates ,rod,cage. my back pain at the spine is GONE . apparently my doc used material from my left hip along with the piece of s1 floating around in there . my left hip is now my nemesis . i did not expect to go thru this without pain and recovery time , but i'm here to say my left hip hurts like hell !!! i'm a pretty tough guy and was blessed/cursed with a very high threshold for pain . oddly though i have a higher resistance to pain meds , sedatives etc...
so when i say i'm in pain....the average person would be screaming . i've done some of that since the op as well as been in tears .
i'm active and stubborn . right away , post op , i would take advantage of feeling way better a particular morning and push myself....no walker or cane and enjoy the day . BIG mistake .i payed dearly . all it took was my shoe catching something , causing me to twist and i had to jerk my body to catch myself from falling . my hip especially let me know about my poor judgement .

so now i use the walker almost every time i get up , no matter if i'm only going 6 feet away . i started taking it easy and now i can walk 1/8 mile in my driveway . still sore but walking seems to be the best exercise .
its humbling that my 4 yr. old daughter puts my socks on for me but just be prepared to take things slow . i now have been streching and i have put my own socks on 4 times now . lol .
i would like to point out a few things . the side of my left leg still feels bruised and has areas that are numb . i see the doc today , so ima ask about that . going to the bathroom is still a great chore , trying to turn to wipe(if u know what i mean ). i recommend a raised toilet seat (handicap retail store), but be SURE its one that will touch the floor . mine doesnt and i fell . soaking in epsom salt as soon as u r able was great for me . after a 2 hr soak i was feeling great .
my spine is still feeling great and no pain in my right hip AT ALL since the op .
getting this done lifted my spirits tremendously . if u r thinking about having this procedure done , maybe dont put it off for 4 yrs like i did . you r already in pain so u may as well get it over with . although my doc suggests not racing mountain bikes and hitting trees any more i think ima be just fine .
good luck to evreyone .
BY THE WAY--coughing and especially sneezing , even laughing hurt pretty badly . i had muscle spasms due to that . for me , diazapam/valium works well . so try to get your doc to prescribe those now(before u leave hospital) just in case .

Hi Bak To Bak You mentioned your surgeon was in Seattle. Who did you see? Was it at Swedish? Thanks! You can PM me if you want. Diane

hello bak2bak
 

Oh yes, I sympathize with the pain issue. The first two weeks in bed miserable, the third barely better. I put it off too, because they said at first they could do no better. I had C6-7, then redone C3-7. Hope you continue to get better. I had good results, and yes it was worth it, as there are no more shocks in my arms. That was an ouch I don't want to repete for sure! Ginnie Keep on moving....good luck in your recovery.:)

update on fusion L4-L5-S1
 

WAS DONE ON 2-24-11

still quite a bit of pain from the left hip which never hurt to begin with .
when i went in for a followup of my choosing , the pain and numbness in the left hip were dismissed as " nerves waking up , and muscles being used that wern't b4 " . i am a very intuitive person . that being said , i think it's more a case of side affects that cannot b governed or accounted for while doing surgery .
dr. rooney was honest and told me that the numb areas on my left thigh (which never hurt b4) could possibly be permanent . small price to pay if my back is fixed .
I still have not started PT , because there's stil so much pain to the left hip . i have been stretching on my own ...and had a brweak through . I JUST CUT MY TOE NAILS BY MY SELF !
i still have quite a bit of trouble in the bathroom (#2) , but there's no way i will ask my wife to help .
i have found that 2 things feel great ! however should b avoided in my opinion .
1-heating pad all day and night .
2-sitting in your normal " favorite chair " as you normally would .
i suggest an almost hot epsom salt soak ...minimum 1 hr. no heating pads , especially during the night
stretch a bit while n the tub .
updates to follow . it sounds like i'm still n a lotta pain , but i think it's the healing process .

i reccommend dr rooney . as i am very intuitive , i know he is telling it like it is .
he has a great "bedside manner" , and his staff helped greatly thus far .
i will note that i told everyone b4 surgery that if i wake up with an aspiration tube down my throat .....i'd probably hurt someone as that ia a great fear of mine .

woke up ....no tube !
private rooms , great response time by staff on everything . btw....the food is great there , lol .

i am still on the learning curve as to what to do & not . still quite a bit of pain since the op 2-24-11 .....my original pain area no longer hurts . new ones have replaced those . lol .gavity sux in the course of healing lol , laying flat is king . good luck .

Learning is key...
 

I had C5-7 fused with titanium discs, cadaver bone n screws on march 2, 2011... So at 4 weeks post up I'm still learning like you what my personal limitations are. I never thought I would still be hurting a month after surgery, but I am. I am able to do more on my own each day ( I can shower all by myself like a big girl now, lol, have to laugh...) my biggest issue is the cervical collar I have to wear 24/7 which creates the worst back n neck spasms, omg, and muscle relaxers knock me out, so it's a trade off, be a slug or be in more pain. Like you my original pain seems better, but has been replaced by new pain, irritated nerves, and terrible sore neck. But on the mend. Gravity sucks, you're right, but don't stay in one spot too ling, vary your positions often, and I find alternating my beloved heating pad with ice and biofreeze does take the edge off.

Take care, here is to a fast pain free recovery for us both!
Thanks for sharing your progress it's nice to know one is not alone in this.
Cathie

Dear bak2bak,

I have not had spine surgery but my husband has had 3 the last just 2/25/11. When he had his first lumbar l4-l5 in 2003 they did take bone from the hip and inserted a bone stimulator in the hip area and like you that was the worst pain. Do you have a bone stimulator in the hip area? In 2006 in went to a different doctor because the surgery from 2003 was not working well. In 2006 when he had the complete revision everything removed and all new put in and they took out that bone stimulator that gave him such problems. Once they took out that bone stimulator in 2006 he had great relieve but he still says to this day it's still tender to the touch around that hip area. In 2006 and 2011 they used cadaver bone instead of taking from the hip.

You sound like your doing great. I'll tell you the same thing I tell my husband "do what you can don't push it". My husbands second lumbar was a great success and miracle he really suffered prior. Hope you continue to recovery so well.

Gabbycakes

the hip
 

as it turns out , they did not need material from my hip at all . the pieces of broken vertebrae were sufficient i guess . doc's explanation of severe hip pain was that ....as required certain nerve roots are detatched so they dont get pulled when they decompress with the titanium . that can lend itself to waking up nerves and maybe killing others . i got the feeling they really dont know y my hip hurts so badly . it was just a generic answer that they give every1 . i am walking mostly now without the walker , but use the cane later in the day as the pain increases due to my being vertical now . my doc did tell me that the large area at my hip along the side could be a permanent problem ....spots that feel like a very bad bruise if slightly touched and numb areas . I am ok with that as long as the rest of the pain goes away . i still recommend epsom salt bath soaks 1-2 hrs . i think the buoyancy of the body , allows enough opposition to gravity's affects , if i had a hot tub i'd b n it every day ..lol oh yeah...if you cough , sneeze , or laugh . try to bend to a half fetal position , doing so seems to prevent the spasms for me anyway . I sneezed once when i layed flat n bed (after feeling great all day ) and the pain in my hip brought me to tears ...which takes a lot of pain for me to have tears ! so i keep a body pillow under my knees ...just n case . hope your hubby is doing better .

spelling
 

i just noticed i wrote "gavity"---i meant gravity .

hope you get dr rooney
 

i went back for a visit and while there , asked if i could see an xray of the parts now in me . he even gave me a cd to take home ! i fabricate metal for custom jobs so i was very intrigued . he actually took the time to THOROUGHLY explain it to me in technical terms . i was shocked , most docs just rush through a visit as if they dont have time to be bothered .

hello back to bak
 

Hello and I am glad you are recovering. All the next six months you will find out just what you can do. Believe me, if you over do it, you will know about it. I am 8 months almost to the day of surgery and I spent one hour pulling weeds outside today. Nice to be able just to do that. I had doner bone on a C3-7, none out of my hip. I heard that can be an ouch for a long time. I thought I was too sore for PT at 4 weeks, but I did start and finish the program. It did help me, and it was not pushed on me to do more than I could. PT was a good experience, and helped me to get on my feet sooner. I was afraid of it too at the beginning. Don't put it off too long if you can. Good luck in your recovery. ginnie

I am you I had my fusion on Jan 25th my hip pain is gone thank god but I have what doc says is phanthon pain. My body was so use to having pain the nerves still have memory... makes no sense to me. I am on oxycodone and it does take my pain away. Is anyone else having phantom pain?

well i'm sorry u hav a collar , i would b nuts by now if i had to deal with that along w/everything else . good luck .

phantom pain
 

what i dont get is , why is my phantom pain on the other side that had never hurt before . my left hip is still killing me . i also still have a large numb area on my hip area in the skin .

recovery update
 

MY LEFT HIP HURTS LIKE HELL !!!!! which as u guys following my story already know , never hurt to begin with .
a sneeze , laugh , or cough will still kill me if i dont bend at the waist .
last week i had just layed down , BARELY MOVED to reposition , and i thought my hip broke ......new worst pain i've ever felt . i scared my wife because i screamed as loud as possible (while trying not to ). i'm surprised the neighbors didnt call the police ! my hip is now getting worse . i quit taking pain meds cause they dont work on my body (docs never believe me ).
after working on my wifes car (at the speed of a sloth ) , i epsom salt soaked 3hrs . i knew i was gonna b paying for those repairs somehow . i did . i saved $300.00 which is great since our money has run out due to my lack of working . EVERY muscle in my body hurt like a torn muscle . it took 8 days to recover . that next morning i had to b helped outa bed . and when i tried to rush to the bathroom , i literrally had to drag my left leg . all these months prior to surgery i had been less & less active . compounded by recovery vegetation , i guess my body was almost atrophied .
so , i suggest that you do isometric workouts . i also suggest not replacing a wheel bearing hub which was a real bi#@! to do in the 1st place .
i need to go see my doc due to the hip and something new i've noticed . theres a large area of my skin around the left hip that looks mottled red , almost likened to stria . i can still walk pretty well . 1/8 mile or more a day without much pain . the doc wants me to get rid of the walker and just carry my cane loosely for emergency only . screw that ! when i do laps in the driveway...i have the walker . in the house i use the cane . i can always catch myself w/a wall or furniture---lol .
sad to say that all of this is taking a mental toll on me . i'm useless in my eyes . still need help putting my socks on half the time . and the pain is winning . i took (in a 1 hr period ) 3valium ,4 oxycod. ,800mg ibuprofen , 2 vicodin .....didnt help . my wife couldnt believe i was even awake . not only awake but soaking with my music , wine , and epsom salt . i have quit meds all together now since they dont work . not to mention i'm guessing i can still o.d. even if i'm not feeling effects . how can my body possibly b that resistant . hell , i always have to let any anesthesiologist know of my history of waking up during procedures . anyway one good thing is that all the tub soaking i do ...my 4 yr old comes n and we throw a beach ball around the bathroom .
i really miss mowing the lawn ....soon i'm hoping to get out there . i own a high end finish construction co. it's so specialized , i usually work alone . i may have to find something else to do . btw , if u wanna see what i do , go to youtube.com search "sheridan finish work " or user name "SHERM8TOR"
HOPE THE REST OF U ARE HEALING WELL , damn-do we have to do group hugs ? LOL

Hi cath
 

Hi cath, glad you are post surgery, this side of healing. I am 8 months post today and had almost the same surgery as you. C3-7, with all the fancy trimmings. I get along pretty good. Some pain at C1-2 which is a bit worrysome. Some kinks and ouches, but for the most part a good deal better.
(bak to bak,} your hip sounds terrible painfull. That can't be right. I know there is alot of pain with it but yours sounds over the top. Maybe a good idea for dr, to check it especially as you said there were molted looking area. ginnie I wish you all speedy healing and no more pain.:hug:

Hi My name is Rick i am having surgery july 5th and its a L4 L5 S1 fusion done my doctor is going to put a upaduro i hope i spelled that right in me to limit the pain and a cathader do you or anyone agree with that i am really scared

Rick, It's probably an epidural.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Epidural

Hello Im Rick i read your reply do you think a epidural will help with the pain i am having surgery done on july 5th and the doctor says he also will use bone from my pelvic please reply back thanks im really scared about all of this

I had the same surgery done but they used a man made material instead of from my hip. It fused great, it has been two years and I am still in terrible pain, not as bad as before but I was bed riden before surgery. Very very important to be as active as you can, keep walking everyday. And i agree with you about the meds. I had to call my dr. on day 2 because of the pain. they dont tell you just how bad it is.

Hi Bushman
 

I don't blame you for being scared. An epidural can help alot. Did you say you are going to have the surgery? Or just the injection. Make sure you do your homework if there is surgery involved, and get that second opinion. I had several of these shots, and got some temporary relief before I had my surgery. I wish you all the best. Welcome to Neruo Talk. ginnie

Hi Bushman
 

Forgot to tell you, ask your doctor why he prefers to use your hip graft.. I had doner material put in, and saved my hip from all the extra pain. This does hurt, so take it easy. I read your post again. I wish you all the best in recovery, the others are correct, take it easy!!!! ginnie

surgery
 

Hi this is rick again i am having surgery on july 5th they already gave me the injections and they did not work i am bone to bone on L5 S1 but thanks for the advice i am just a little bit afraid of what state im going to be in when i wake up but thanks alot

Hi Rick,

I concur with Ginnie's comments. I'll add that using donor material from your own hip ostensibly avoids issues of rejection or reaction to synthetics. That call is dependent on many factors (age, health, bone condition, etc.) including the experience/skill of the surgeon.

I've got bone on bone in that same location, and others in my neck (c5-c7).

I can appreciate your apprehension. My surgeon advised against surgery for me and recommended pain management instead. He said the body always tries to heal itself, and in time, the bones should fuse naturally. The issue of statistics with this kind of surgery (Failed Back Syndrome) also entered into his opinion and my decision.

However, each person (and their spines) are individual cases, and should be evaluated independently (by multiple opinions). There are good reasons for electing surgery and good reasons for declining. It's an individual/personal decision, and we're here for you either way.

This is a good place to ask about what happens afterward... Many folks have been through it -- some more than once. It also might be prudent to touch base with the hospital's Patient Advocate ahead of time to get a handle on what to expect (as well as here) and what they can do for you if needed.

Doc

Hi Rick
 

I wish you all the best on July 5th. I hope this works for you, and that you can get relief. Take it easy after your surgery. do you have support at home? Sorry that the shot didn't work. After I had two shots, I had to go ahead with the surgery too. we will be here for you after too. That is the origional reason why I found this site . I needed to be with others, who were going though back surgery. I was scared too Rick. I will keep you in my thoughts and prayers on the 5th. Let us know how you do. ginnie