L4-L5 decompression (poss. fusion) surgery next week ... scared!
 

Hi all ...

I've had back pain on and off for the last several years, tried going the chiro route and in February, started having lower shin numbness. Told my chiro, she went ahead and adjusted me and as soon as I got in the car to go home, the pain was unbearable. And the leg pain continued for the next 2 weeks - I couldn't sit, stand, sleep ... I laid on my side for 14 days and woke up sobbing in the middle of the night.

Finally got into an orthopedist, and had an MRI ... I've attached the pic. (Cheesy red arrow added by me!)

There's a massive fragment blocking about 70% of my spinal canal, I have foot drop and my doctor can't believe I'm not in more pain and having other issues. (Turning 40 has been wonderful!)

I'm scheduled for L4-L5 decompression and possible fusion - he'll decide once he goes in if he'll do the fusion.

This is all happening so quickly ... and I'm hoping someone who's gone through something similar can add their thoughts & experiences.

My surgeon said no cooking/cleaning for 2 - 3 months. This large amount of time is shocking to me ... it seems, so ... well, long.

How long will it be before I can drive again?

Am I really going to be down for the count for 2 - 3 months?

Is there a big difference in recovery time between just having the decompression and having that and a fusion?

Recently, on national news and in the papers etc., it's stated that there has been entirely too many unnecessary fusions and back surgeries as of late. Consequently, more and more people are ending up disabled. I've seen this happen myself, and I'm one of them. I've not had fusion but I've had surgery and now I'm disabled because of it.

I don't think I'd opt for fusion and I think I'd tell my doc. From what I've seen on your film, it doesn't look like you NEED it. It looks to me like you have a herniated disc that may be pressing on the cord, and the part that's herniated needs to be removed. THAT'S ALL. The rest of the disc remains in. Even doing that, it can make the other levels unstable ~ ask me, cause that's exactly what I had done, and the levels above herniated afterwards. The same WILL happen after fusion.

I'm just warning you of future trouble, because fusion WILL cause further instability. Your doctor will not warn you of that and he will probably deny it. But it happens all the time. Ask almost any fusion patient. I don't want you to become another statistic.

I wish you the best of luck. God bless and keep us posted. Hugs, Lee

Thank you for your feedback Leesa ... I appreciate you taking the time to answer me.

My doc will decide during the surgery if I need the fusion - I have researched him thoroughly and really feel he is the best in the area and I feel quite comfortable that he will make the best decision. Initially, from looking at the MRIs, he felt that all I would need was the decompression - but asked for the flexibility to make the decision on the operating table.

McKatie,
I am new on here and just read your post. I did not have to have decompression although I did have L5S1 fusion using my own bone from lt Ileac Crest. I can tell you that YES you will be under strict restrictions and if fused you will have to wear a brace for 3-6mo's. I was allowed to drive after 3 weeks post-op But absolutely NO BENDING,STOOPING, ALLOWED TO DO VERY LIGHT HOUSE WORK. They want you to walk walk walk! I was to be walking by the end of 3mo's post-op. they sent me home with an ICE PUMP in which I was put on that 3-4 /day. after surgery and to use after I walked if I felt an increase in pain and or swelling. I am 48 and was very active and this is a hard blow to us as we go from being so active to living a very sedate life. BUT trust me, if you do anything that u are not supposed to do, the price you will pay if so not worth it. I live alone and do not have a good support system even with my Church family and I was feeling better and there are things that have to be done and had to do them, but when I did I was very careful and always have my brace on- but it would cause me to be down for a day or so. Its very hard and I hurt for you as I understand your fear and questions. I would assume that the restrictions would be the same for decompression as the spine has to be allowed to heal properly and you have to follow the restrictions or you will end up in more pain and will not heal properly. Keep us posted as I would really like to know if you have to have fusion. I pray you do not. It is so hard for those of us who are younger and very active to be told that we cannot do even the simplest of things. but remember that when it comes to our spine, those simple are no longer simple after any kind of back surgery. I am constantly forgetting to not bend down to pick something up but my back lets me know. taking a shower is a chore for me. Ask a lot of questions to your surgeon and if you have family you MUST have them do the things that you are not to do even though it is hard to accept and do. That was so hard for me after I came home from surgery to have to have my 26yr old daughter having to get me in the shower and helping me bathe. I had to have a shower chair and a bed side commode at 48! but I did what I had to do to make it easier on her and on me. Talk about swallowing your pride- hang in there and i would be more than happy to talk to you if you need to talk. let me know and I will give you my cell # and or email addres

I had surgery 4/20 for substantial herniation of L4-L5
 

mckatie,

I just had a surgical procedure for my Left-sided L4-L5 hemilaminectomy and microdiskectomy and I went to the ER 2x within a month 1st time via ambulance and second visit with me crawling into through the sliding door of our van, one captain chair folded into the floor of van, and I was holding on to the other chair for balance. Absolutely the MOST EXCRUTIATING PAIN I have ever been in, nor did I ever think a person could actually be in that kind of pain....but I am sure there are so many people that actually do have to deal with excruciating pain every day, that it breaks my heart!

Thank goodness on my 2nd ER visit, my Fam Dr. told us to Demand an MRI! He said that the ER will not typically do MRI's, however my Dr. made sure that my records were updated with his strong recommendation for an immediate MRI, which the ER Dr. clearly did not want to do. Not only because I have MS, but he was so sure that my pain was due to 'muscle strain'.

After being hooked up to IV of Percocet and Valium and being in the ER since 8:30 am in the Morning on 4/15 - I was finally able to get an MRI @ 4:30 that afternoon. I never did see the initial ER Dr. again, however by 6:00 pm a Neuro Surgeon came in to see me. He pulled up my MRI scan, "which showed quite clearly that I had a substantial sized herniated disk at the L4-L5 level with significant impingement upon the L5 nerve root" (from actual report). Now this was Thursday 4/15 in the evening and we discussed what options I had. Due to insurance reasons, the Surgeon felt that we needed to get me admitted at least until Monday morning and I would be kept on steroids and pain relievers every 4 hours....and if by Monday morning it had not given me significant relief, he would have me scheduled for surgery Monday at noon. Well....by Saturday, I knew that things were not improving one bit and I still needed quite a bit of assistance to even get out of bed and onto the commode that was only one step away from my bed.

I went in for the surgery, and honest to goodness.....the pain was so much better, that within 4 hours post-op, I was actually upright and walking on my own two feet, pulling my rolling IV with me and I was able to walk around the whole 4th floor! Of course I had a nurse following me closely, asking how i was doing. I was feeling so amazing, even with the post operative 'pain' in my lower back - but that was only a small area on my back that I would imagine to be the size of a DVD disc.!!! By the next morning, I was wide awake by 5:30 am, ate some breakfast. Took a walk around the floor Two times! Plus the pain had significantly improved since the evening before. By noon on Tuesday, I was absolutely ready to GO HOME!!!! Could not believe the amount of relief that surgery did for me! I was at home before 1:30 on 4/20.

I have to say, if you have this type of surgery....remember the nurses at HSP are dilligent about giving you pain meds every 4 hours...and I found out that on Wednesday morning I was in some pretty bad pain. It took me just that one time of not 'setting myself an alarm' to make sure I had enough pain relievers in my system that I set myself and alarm every 4 hours for the next 7 days. By Wed. April 21st...I no longer needed any pain relievers to function. I was happy that I didn't require 'fusion of the disks', however I highly recommend that you follow your post op instructions very closely. I was told not to do ANY bending over to pick things up, not to empty/fill the dishwasher, wash clothes, etc. until I see the surgeon for my post op on Wednesday May 5th at 3:30 at the afternoon.

I have been able to resume normal activities as tolerated, but do not lift anything over 5 lbs until I see him. I started driving again 10 days post op.

I honestly thought my back pain had to do with my MS, because I know that
lower back pain is not unusual for MSers.....but I should of had a clue that taking Methocarbmomol for 4 months, without any relief....that there must have been a reason it didn't work for me....it really was because of the herniated disk! Yeah! So i am planning to be back to work FT on 5/6....which is 3wks post-op, and I am so ready to get back to being productive. It has actually been super hard for me to be gone for so long, that last week I put in nearly 40 hours of work at home.

I really hope your Dr. will find that you do not need your disc's fused, however if you do....you may be out of commission longer, but it is so worth not having that kind of pain....you will be so happy that you had the proceedure done.

Best of Luck to you - try not to stress about it too much - because the anxiety will only wear you down. Take it easy, take your pain meds as directed...and what ever the surgen finds, be confident that he knows what he needs to do in order for you to get the best results.

Take care....I will be thinking about you!

I just realized that you have most likely already had some surgery.....I didn't realize that your post was from a few weeks ago.....please give us an update!!