NeuroTalk Support Groups - L4-S1 Fusion Success Story

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- - L4-S1 Fusion Success Story (https://www.neurotalk.org/spinal-disorders-and-back-pain/15857-l4-s1-fusion-success-story.html)

As I am sitting here not able to do much more (I am a bit stir crazy)I started wondering what if my L5-S1 Spinal Fusion didn't work. I started feeling a bit down, wondering if I did the right thing. I googled it and voila, came upon this forum. I am amazed at how many others have the same questions, fears, how many want to return to their active lives. Mike, you are a God send, I don't know why your words of patience and resting and not over doing are resonating more than any one else, even my doc. I had a plastic soacer inserted between l5 and s1 and the disc removed, 2 plates and 4 titanium screws. This was done anterior and via a 3 time c-section incision. I am down to 1 percocet a day. I have to say that I never expected the post op pain to be as bad as ai was took me by surprise. I too have a bit of nerve pain (just set in today), nothing like I had before. The nurse told me nerves take a while to regenerate, I hope it goes soon. The other thing that really amazes me is how long people have suffered , I tried all other avenues, chiro, PT, cortisone injections X4 for 1 year and knew I couldn't go on like this. I am 40 and in great shape for the first time of my life, and want to keep it that way.

Reassuring that you are doing so well, I am supposed to have a posterior fusion of L4-5 in a few weeks time and I'm very worried about it all. It is fantastic to find a positive thread as most are terrifying!

I would really appreciate any advice about what to expect post op. Does one sit or lie? On the back or side? How long should there be someone else around to make the coffee?

I am also booked to travel to the UK via the States. I live in New Zealand, so that is 2 12 hour flights and all the hassle that is involved with travel. Is it feasible to do 3 months post op?

I am eager to hear anything positive that anyone has to offer.

Many thanks

Caroline

been a while....

for anyone reading this regularly, like i did pre-op, sorry it's been so long.

i had post-op #3 today, and the xrays couldn't look any better, so says my doc. i could, tho. i'm having a helluva time losing this weight i found on my couch while i couldn't do anything. but here i am, 3 months post op, and i've been riding an exercise bike for a few weeks now. (not allowed to jog yet)

i haven't taken any pain pills for about a month now, tho i still find i'm sore often, but not too bad. i did make the mistake of leaning over the bathtub to wash the dog a coupla days ago tho. she's docile enuff, but that little bit of leaning over for 5-10 minutes reminds me that i'm far from finished rehabbing.

still, it's all on the up-and-up. don't listen to all the horror stories. just make sure you get a GOOD doctor who does nothing but back surgeries, and is respected by his colleagues.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Corronz (Post 495977)

caroline -

i expect the doc will tell you to do whatever is comfortable for you, so long as you do NOT bend over or twist. or lift anything over 10 pounds.

after both of my surgeries, i slept on a futon up in couch mode. it was firm, so my back didn't sag, and in couch mode, i wouldn't be able to roll over off my back.

as for how long you'll need someone to .... umm... wipe your butt, as it were, that might depend.... in my case, i had surgery on a tuesday, and went home on the following friday. i used my walked that nite, and part of saturday before i decided i could get around just fine without having to struggle with the walker. i was still shuffling around like a drunken 75 year old, but i was getting around.

i hope that helps.

as for the plane ride.... man, only if you got to. if you're like me, you SHOULD be fine, but i'd be worried about going anyplace where i couldn't get to my doc before i was certifiably healed.

good luck!

Quote:

Originally Posted by kiwimike (Post 81241)

Firstly i just wanted to post this to encourage all those out there that are thinking of having spinal surgery because there are good success stories out there. Before i went through mine i had read alot on the internet about peoples horror stories and it almost put me off having it. but the constant thoughts of suicide were annoying me and i didn't want those things in my head anymore and i thought it surely can't get any worse than it is now. So i had a L4-S1 posterolateral fusion with instrumentation and now 3 months later i am pain free. Please be encouraged , these guys can get it right, sure there are horror stories out there and i know that those people to can be fixed, just hang in there (thats you Pam :wink: ). And to those who are thinking about it please go for it, because you don't want to carry on as you are with pain and always think to yourself, "i wonder if the surgery would have fixed it ?" , i waited 10 years before i finally had the courage to go through with it and i wish i had done it years ago.

This was briefly my situation somedays my pain was bearable , other days I could hardly bend over or climb stairs, (the day I was to have the op in hospital I felt great , always the way though isn’t it! , but I still went through with it)

Heres a few tips if you do decide to go through with it.

1. Firstly ask around about surgeons, find a good one ,ring around as many medical places as you can and ask “who’s the best spinal surgeon?” I managed to speak with a patient of one surgeon who raved about her op and how good this guy was (she had the same problems as me and had the 2 level fusion done to fix it and never regretted it) so I went with him in the end.

2. If you have the op TAKE IT EASY !!!!, no running, jumping , lifting for at least the first 3 months, this was hard for me as i am an active person, but fight the urge!, the best thing you can do is walk, just a little to start with , then go further and further each day.Listen to your body, it will let you know if you over do it (i had this happen twice) I have only just started light running after 3 months but will continue to not do much up until month 6. There is still lots of healing going on inside you, even though you may feel great, TAKE IT EASY PLEASE! , i can not stress that enough. This is major surgery and your body needs lots of time to heal , don't stress it out by thinking that you feel great after 2 months and can do whatever you like. I laid out on the couch for the first 3 weeks and just watched movies, the only thing i did was my walk each day and i believe this aided big time in a successful recovery.

Well that's all for now, if anyone has any questions, please ask me!! and please all those who still have issues from things that have gone wrong , hang in there! and all those considering this type of surgery , as long as you have exhausted all other options (ie physio, chiropractic, orthopaedic methods just as i did as surgery is the last option) then go for it and i wish you the best!

Cheers
Mike :)

PS Don't expect to end up so your as good as you were when you were 18 cause i'm def. not! , but i'm active again without pain and i'm happy with no more suicide thoughts at all.My goal is to beable to play soccer again, i am aiming to play my first game on the 1 year anniversary of my operation.

Hi Mike, you are the 1st success story I have read, I've been reading so much that I am so scared to have this back fusion done, I'm s'pose to have it the end of May and I just don't know if I can go through with it, mine will be on the L5 and S1.

Quote:

Originally Posted by MarineDad (Post 461171)

Hi Mike I was really happy to read your story and I think I maybe following in your footsteps so to speak lol. I had my surgery Jan 7 2009 4 weeks out and I am feeling better, as a matter of fact something happened last night and I had no one to tell it to lol. My wife is a nurse and works nights my youngest was asleep and our oldest is a Marine so like I said couldn't tell anyone, but laying in bed last night for the first time in 15 years I had no pain while I was in bed. I just couldn't believe it, still got about 2 weeks before my first post op xray, but I am feeling pretty good that its gonna show some good things. But I would like to thank Mike for starting this thread it was great to read about your success, it gave me some hope that maybe mine may turn out like yours. Time will tell, and I wish everyone dealing with chronic back pain to seek help and I wish you allthe best. I was a 22 year sufferer. John

Hi John, I was also glad to hear your story, and yes Mike, I thank God for sending me this site, I forgot to trust in him,

Quote:

Originally Posted by sipprell49 (Post 498691)

Sipprel49, Lets hold cyberhands, I tell you I have no idea how I'm going through the hospital doors on May 11! I am holding out for lying in bed pain free like the previous poster!

Thanks for the encouragement guys and for giving us something to look forward to!

Caroline

better and better

i should really post here blog-style, just so's i can keep track of how i was just two-ish weeks ago.

unless i find myself bending over a lot (which i'm not supposed to be doing anyway), i think i'm pretty done and better and rehabbed.

a couple of weeks ago i bumped up my time on the stationary bike from 30 mins once a day to two 30 min sessions a day, 5 or 6 days a week. i also realized that since my LIFE and JOB right now IS rehab, there's no reason i can't do that gnoshing-diet plan. it's not like i'm at a desk or out in the field 8-10 hours a day. so i snack on celery and baby carrots and apples.

as a result, my excess weight is dropping off pretty fast. 4-5 pounds a week if i stick to 'the plan'. (which is basically eating a lot of plants, and no more than a mouthful or three at a time, then wait a half hour and eat again if i must)

even walked around the ren fair all day yesterday. my back and legs are just fine. my sunburned face and scalp tho.....notsofine. still, it's good to get out and do stuff again.

cheers!

Haven't posted in awhile. 6.5 months out from S1-L4 fusion. Back Pain all gone, seldom experience soreness, little bit stiff, but not as much as I originally expected! 6 month X-Rays conclude successful fusion. Dr. finally gave me physical Therapy and told me I could resume golfing!!! Hit the ball a couple of times on the range this week and wouldn't you know it straighter and further than prior to the surgery. Next day no pain, so I did it again and no pain. Dr. says I can play 18 June 1st. You better believe that I'll be the first one on the course that day. My recovery goal was to play golf this summer. I followed the doctors instructions as well as walked 3 miles a day and continued swimming .5 miles every other day. By the time I got to the doctor for my 6 month he was amazed at my progress and attributed much of my success to sticking to the walk/swim routine. He said he wished his other patients could all do the same thing. It hurt so bad when I started but every day and every step or stroke got a little more tolerable. I'm glad I forced myself to do it, if not most the time for my self esteem. The six month results were worth the pain. For those who recently had the surgery or are considering fusion this may sound impossible but I go through my day now without a thought of pain or the fact that I had surgery. I hope all of you get to this point....I'm happy.

Quote:

Originally Posted by mariam (Post 467735)

I just wanted to thank you, for your positive, and uplifting story. I have just had done the L4-L5 fusion 4 weeks ago, and I have been reading these horror stories (too late now anyway) but I was interested to see how other people recovered from this and the long term results. What I have found have scared me a great deal, but your story is giving me some hope. I am actually doing pretty good for 4 weeks post op. The only thing scares me a little is that now I have a little sciatic pain on the left butt, which I have not have before. I only had lower back pain and left leg pain, and some days were ok, and some days were not. I had a herniated disc (discectomy) operation 7 years ago, now I developed stenosis and the remaining disc collapsed so the Dr. suggested fusion. I took Motrin almost every day, and I could function pretty well without much pain, but I was afraid that eventually I would destroy my kidneys. So I have opted for the fusion, because my Dr. said there are great results from this surgery (95-98% succes rate)He never said anything negative about the outcome. So I am hoping that this sciatic pain is only from the surgery, and will not remain permanently. Did you have this kind of pains after post op? and for how long? I try to stay positive, and I hope I'll be like you,.. Painfree !! Thanks again, Maria:)

Hey Maria , thankyou for you kind words and i am glad the thread helped you :), 4 weeks is still pretty fresh from the surgery, things heal faster on the outside than on the inside,you have had major work done, give things time to settle down inside, don't be worried about aches and pains just yet as it is still early, i know thats easier said than done, i use to lay in bed at night and think about every little ache or pain i felt, asking myself, is that permanent ? or temporary ??...lol...don't torture yourself like i did, just relax, focus on taking it easy and doing your walks, it wasn't until month 3 that i could really stretch out my body and i found that the little aches and tightness that i worried about faded as i started to do this,(including some right leg numbness, from tight butt muscles, when i stretched it out, this faded) after all having 3 months of minimal physical activity did tighten my muscles in my legs and back abit ,but now i have full flexibility back now, i can even touch my toes!...lol...

you will be fine my friend as long as you follow your surgeons advice and even be abit more cautious if you feel the need, i know i did and didn't try anything at all until i felt my body giving me the ok to do it...you will know what i mean by this...if in doubt, back off and take more time.

all the best mate
Mike

Quote:

Originally Posted by sipprell49 (Post 498712)

Hi John, I was also glad to hear your story, and yes Mike, I thank God for sending me this site, I forgot to trust in him,

No worries :) , i hope to hear about your success story soon mate and yes keep the faith, it helped me alot!