Hey Mate, i lived with back pain for 10 years before going through with this,like you i had ups and downs, but mostly downs in the last year. It is the most heavy duty way to tackle the problem, but if you have exhausted all other options ( i talk about this in my earlier posts) then go for it, i wish i had done it 4 years earlier than when i did, but the surgeon i saw wouldn't do it and sent me away to try other things. (which i did and failed) so i went and saw another one 4 years later as it was no better and he did it and today i am still painfree completely. Only you know how badly this affects you, i was at the stage where i had not so pleasant thoughts in my head as this was getting me down so much. Thats when i really stressed to my surgeon that this was affecting me mentally as well as physically.

Hope that helps mate
Mike

i am highly considering this surgery and would like to know how it has affected your life. I have had chronic back pain for almost 6 months now and have been diagnosed with an odd deformity where my 5th lumbar vertebrae is connected to my sacrum so much that i don't really have one but yet i still have a disk and motion is trying to occur there. This has strained my abnormally fused L4 and L5 joint and it is cracking.

I would do it again
 

Hello all- Yep, I would do it again, the discectomy/laminectomy/fusion at L5-S1 which I was at last allowed on an urgent basis a little over five years ago. The horrific spine pain abated once surgical pain was overcome, and I hoped I was "home free." Unfortunately, I was among those who, having had to wait so long, too long, either chronic neve pain was in store or the nerve had just been too injured in the car wreck; thus I now await Spinal Cord Stimulator surgery.... getting close.

I am among those who are proponents for surgical solutions when indicated and early enough that the solution might help the patient avoid lasting nerve injury. Were I able to roll back the clock five years, yep, I would do it again, although I would push harder for relief of pressure on my nerve/cord.

Best to all,
Mark56 :)

reassurance
 

It is so wonderful to FINALLY hear about successful fusion stories, I am due a second opinion in june (after allergy testing) and am terrified to have to make a decision in case I regret it! I have had back pain for 7 yrs but have managed it with alternative treatments (chiro physio etc) but when the nerve became compressed and I couldnt stay on my feet for any length of time I had to see neuro. his first (and only) option was ADR and fusion. I felt this was very drastic and am getting a 2nd opinion just to make sure as I do not think my MRI was overly bad other than nerve issue. (well normal wear and tear for a 38 yo with previous back injury/fracture) thankyou all for posting your success stories it is so reassuring!

Michelle:D

Hi SS
 

Hey there Michelle- May your second opinion go well for you! I do understand all of this surgery stuff can be frightening; goodness, approaching SCS implant work myself, I was initially frightened. It took a good deal of soul searching, research, and listening to others along with a healthy dose of prayer that I was able to find my answer within. Agony is also a good inspiration to seek help.

After my first major invasive work... discectomy, laminectomy, fusion I NEVER wanted to return to an OR.... EVER. It wasn't many months later I was back on the table once again due to growth of a spur which PUSHED on my nerve again. I found my answer.

I hope and pray you will find yours,
May health and peace be in the future for you,
Mark56:hug:

Thankful for success stories!
 

I had L4-L5 TLIF 5 1/2 weeks ago. I have been pleased with the results overall. The downside is I am still having some nerve/leg pain in my left leg. However it is much improved and a different type of pain. I am very pleased with my doctor. He was highly recommended and every time someone from the medical community, other drs. included, would ask me "who is your neurosurgeon?" and I answered Dr. Smith, they all would say "Yeah, he's the best there is!". He was very pleased with my surgical procedure, said there was good bone and everything lined up perfectly.
My question is how long should I expect to experience pain in the left leg & occasional back spasms? I am still taking pain meds & muscle relaxers as needed. It is very hard not to be depressed because I have been a very active person in the past. I have been an active member of my church choir and orchestra and have missed a lot lately. Any encouraging words would help.
Thanks for letting me vent,
Susan

The Calendar of Pain
 

Hi Susan, and venting is what this forum provides along with caring and information. So it's OK to vent. Really.

My neurosurgeon was especially caring, telling me to look for a year to lapse during which I could hope to see improvements re nerve pain and issues. I saw him throughout the year. More diagnostics were run. Nothing mechanical was indicated. He shared with me the likelihood my nerve was injured more than hoped, and referred me back to my physiatrist. Working there, we took on another year and then another of hope for improvement. No improvement came in my case despite further injections, studies, physical therapy, and such. For this reason and due to the long lapse of time, my doc spoke to me of the chronic nature of my condition and we changed direction from MORE physical therapy et al to my present course of SCS implant. I am now awaiting a surgery date for the permanent implant since my trial implant was so successful.

Thus, my hope for you is that you find improvement in the weeks to come as you follow your doctors recommended care. Perhaps the doc included physical therapy to commence in a few weeks, and once you are healed up as to your incision sites maybe some therapy pool work will help those nerves calm down. I know it felt good as I was doing it.

All of the best to you,
Mark56 :)

I am so glad to hear help can be achieved.
 

I have a broken l5 s1 connection and may have to have 2 level fusion because of an Anterior Tilted Pelvis and I was doing heavy squats and that broke the L5 S1 connection.

Has anyone had a fusion because of an Anterior Tilted Pelvis/Fracture?

Three years post surgery worries
 

Hi Mike,

I had L5-S1 fusion surgery when I was 21, now I'm almost 24. My quality of life is so much better now than before! I wore a huge plastic/foam back brace for a little while in high school and did physical therapy from age 14 on (while participating in way too many sports). I put off surgery til the ripe age of 21 and it changed my life. I tried never to take pain killers before the surgery because my biggest fear would be an addiction coupled with back pain the rest of my life. It has been almost three years since the surgery, and while my back definitely gets stiff more quickly than the average person (and I sometimes feel the screws, two knob-like things stick out when I bend over, too!) my pain level is NOTHING compared to what it used to be. I will take muscle stiffness/screws over not being able to walk more than a couple feet/numbness, and severe pain.

I started googling forums on lumbar fusion now, three years after the fact, because I'm afraid that I pushed my back too far. Three months out of surgery I decided not to run, so instead I joined a water polo team, after about 9 months I started running again. I now play basketball/run all the time, but recently the area on my back right above the surgical spot has created a "dip" and I'm afraid that I've put too much pressure on the L4. Sometimes I get little twinges of more severe pain in the surgical site, but they don't last long and I haven't had a bit of nerve pain in my legs since before the surgery. I read in your posts that you run/play soccer, etc post-surgery, and hopefully you still check this forum! I'm worried that I'm doing damage to my back, but it is extremely difficult for me to not be active.
Any advice? How is your spine doing? Any recommendations? I'm afraid to go to the doctor about this, both for the expense of more x-rays, etc, and the fact that they will probably tell me no more running/basketball.
Thank you so much!!!!

-K