L4-S1 Fusion Success Story

patientL2009 · 07-31-2009, 11:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kiwimike

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

). 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.

Were you on medication prior to surgery? Perhaps addictive meds? Did you need medications after surgery and for how long? I would like to know.
Thanks for your success story. We need to hear more like this on the forum for encouragement. Also, what problematic side effects did you have during and after surgery?

bloomer2 · 07-31-2009, 10:15 PM

well just over 3 weeks post op now, and although I feel mostly better each day, I would say I still actually feel worse than before the surgery. hopefully that will change soon, I'm still on percaset and am trying to ween myself off this stuff, too many side effects, I'd rather have some aches than the side effects of the narcotics. still no bending or lifting of any sort, and have started some therapy two days a week, sometimes the aching after the therapy hangs on into the next day, but i guess thats expected. still cant sit or stand for any extended time, but the walking does help. I know i just need to lay low and be patient, I'll get there eventually.
bloomer

bloomer2 · 08-13-2009, 12:16 PM

I've quit the pain meds entirely about 5 days ago, at this point I'd rather have some pain and discomfort rather than the side effects from the narcotics.
Still going to rehab, working on very light resistance training for arm and legs and core muscle groups. theres still quite a bit of discomfort and its tough to get any sleep at night, things still feel worse than before the surgery at this point. but it seems to be improving slowley.
I start to wonder did I have the right proceedure or am I slow to heal?
keeping my fingers crossed.

evie · 08-19-2009, 04:52 AM

Just a long term experience and a heads up for redo fusions if necessary. In 2000, I had a l4/s1 fusion (from the back) with pedicle screws and shavings from the pelvic bone. For about 3 months, I was blissfully painfree only to have the pain return in full over the course of the following year.
1/2 year after the fusion, we could see one screw being lose and almost exactly 1 year after the first fusion I had a 2nd fusion done, a 360 (=from the back then turning over to do it from the front as well) from l3/s2. Again, shavings and bits from the pelvic bone were used.

Today, my back is almost painfree except for the times when I limp due to other problems acting up. I also have nothing but respect for my surgeon who, on a hunch and despite no evidence at all except the lose screw (xrays/ct/mri showed a solid fusion with no indication of non-fusion anywhere), decided on a redo where he found not just the lose screw but a non union all over (when they pulled it all literally just fell apart).

I just wish, the rest of my body couid be fixed as my back has been fixed.

libra · 08-25-2009, 07:00 AM

I had my s1-l5-l4 fusion on feb 25, 2009. According to the xrays, the fusion was a success. But the pain is now worse than before fusion. I can't get into see doctor until sept 17th. My pain is mostly in right hip area. It is muscular spasm and nerve pain, but it makes it so I can hardly walk sometimes it is sooo painful. It appears that my hip is rotated, don't know if that is a result of surgery or from prior severe car accident. But physical therapist believes that is partly responsible for pain. I can't sit for longer than an hour or walk for long at all. I have had to quit work and am applying for long term disability. I also have parkinsons so can't blame it all on back. I am pretty depressed about all this. The surgery was a last resort and now doesn't give me the relief I was hoping for. I pray he won't recommend more surgery because I don't think I could bear it.

batfish55 · 09-03-2009, 09:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by libra

I had my s1-l5-l4 fusion on feb 25, 2009. According to the xrays, the fusion was a success. But the pain is now worse than before fusion. I can't get into see doctor until sept 17th. My pain is mostly in right hip area. It is muscular spasm and nerve pain, but it makes it so I can hardly walk sometimes it is sooo painful. It appears that my hip is rotated, don't know if that is a result of surgery or from prior severe car accident. But physical therapist believes that is partly responsible for pain. I can't sit for longer than an hour or walk for long at all. I have had to quit work and am applying for long term disability. I also have parkinsons so can't blame it all on back. I am pretty depressed about all this. The surgery was a last resort and now doesn't give me the relief I was hoping for. I pray he won't recommend more surgery because I don't think I could bear it.

really? that sucks. i'm sorry to say it, but based on my experience, i'd guess that's all to do with other stuff. possibly injuries from that bad car accident, and i have no idea the other effects of parkinson's.

i had my fusion 1/13/09, just a month before you, and i'm largely ok. when i get pain now, it's always localized to my lower back....where the surgery was. it feels like i spent 8 hours moving furniture, after an hour or two of strenuous activity. frankly, with as lazy as i've been forced to be, i find that my feet can't go as long as my back can now.

maybe you just have a long-running muscle strain around your hip? i'm not sure how to fix that tho...

i wish i had other suggestions for you, but all i can say is good luck, and go for a second opinion if your doctor wants to cut you again.

u2nance · 09-12-2009, 11:42 AM

Hi. MY BACK IS KILLING ME! I have arthritis very badly in my whole spine. A section of 4 lower disks are wearing into the bone now (I've lost an inch in height), I have stenosis, inside spurs, a cyst, and scoliosis. I went to a neurosurgeon for a consult, and they agree that I'm a good candidate for spinal fusion of the 4 disks. I just had both my ankles fused over the coarse of the year---a MIRACLE! I have to admit, the spinal thing is bit scarier. I've been getting steroid injections, but they aren't really helping. I really need some solid encouragement that spinal fusion is the thing to do.

kiwimike · 10-29-2009, 07:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by patientL2009

Were you on medication prior to surgery? Perhaps addictive meds? Did you need medications after surgery and for how long? I would like to know.
Thanks for your success story. We need to hear more like this on the forum for encouragement. Also, what problematic side effects did you have during and after surgery?

Hey Mate, i wasn't on any prescription meds at all pre-op, i just adapted with it and took panadol on the really bad days (basic over the counter painkiller in NZ). I got given very heavy pain killers after the surgery but opted not to take them as i felt this would mask any possible damage i might do to the fusion during the early days of healing, i wanted to know when i was pushing things too hard or maybe lying in a position that was putting pressure on that part of the spine (again i just took panadol to take the edge off when i wanted to sleep at night). I felt like i had been in a car crash straight after the op. but the short term pain i felt then is a small price to pay for the freedom i have now (The doctors wanted me on Morphine, they said that was normal to require that and were surprised that i didn't really take any pain killers after the op). It was only 2 weeks of that before the pain really started to wear off and the freedom of movement started to come to me, until then i was crapping myself that i had made myself worse!, but fear not everyone thats not the case. Patience! .I will be 3 years post-op this december with only the minor side affects that i have spoken about in pre-posts (the funny weather thing!) i can tell you that i really go hard when playing football now, its always in the back of my mind now to be careful and remember what i have been through, but i don't let it inhibit me at all.

I hope that helps and feel free to ask me anything else, that goes for everyone out there!.

Cheers
Michael

Chrissy4581 · 11-04-2009, 09:29 PM

Hi there. This is my first time on here. It's very comforting to hear a success story!!!

I am 28 years old and my back has been giving me pain since age 7. I've recently had x-rays, MRI, CT Scan and a Discogram done. The discogram was the worst pain I have ever felt in my life!

I've been to 2 surgeon's and they both tell me my only option is having a 3 level fusion done on my L-4, L-5 and S-1. I don't even know what "normal" feels like! I've been through PT, Chiropractors, Cortisone shots, etc. and nothing seems to help. I've never taken any meds up until a few weeks ago because it is becoming so unbearable.

I'm am scared to death to have surgery. Both surgeon's told me I have a very slim chance of not having to go back for surgery all the way up my spine and are hesitant to perform the surgery.

My diagnosis: severe tears in all 3 discs - torn, slipped and bulging. Also have a fracture in my spine, spondylolisthesis, spina bifida and a curve mild enough to not perform surgery on.

Sorry for rambling, but I am so glad I found this and have others to empathize with.

Thanks!

Busymom3 · 01-18-2010, 11:14 PM

Hello again. I continue to read this thread occassionally after all this time. Well I was going to have the fusion some time ago and the dr and I decided to wait and see because I seemed to be having no problems. Well that was a year and a half ago and here I am again.
Can I ask how long most people went with this kind of pain before surgery? I don't have chronic issues just very severe pain every so often, intervals at a year, sometimes a few months. This is all confusing.
Thanks for your help! Thanks for all the advice and positive feedback in this thread.

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