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)

Quote:

Originally Posted by abbygirl312 (Post 145495)

Well, after 12 + years of constant pain, they are preparing for surgery. My question is; did you have this new technique done, or the old one where they took part of the hip bone? Abby

Just wondered if you had the bone taken from your hip or the bone bank? Have heard that the pain is almost as bad from the bome harvesting as the surgery itself. Im in the same boat as you were in, having suffered for 13 plus years. How did everything turn out for you?

Its reassuring to read some positive stories about this procedure. Im a month out from my operation and am doing as much research as I can to prepare myself. My story is similar to many on here. I have been living with severe lower back and stabbing leg pain for 14 years. Have the bottom 3 discs all ruptured and there is narrowing in each of these levels of my spine. Im hoping for the best and am completly confident with the surgeon Ive decided to go with. All the best for those going through this struggle. Its something I wouldnt wish on my enemies.

Hey All! :)

Yes im still around and thought it was about time i checked in here again to see if the thread is still going and to my joy, it is!....well im into my 7th year now since my Op and since i started this thread!, my how time flys, things are great and the back is as good as ever i am glad to report!....i'm 37 now and yes not a day goes by that i don't feel my little friends down there in my lower back holding everything together and keeping me pain free, but like i've said before , it doesn't hurt at all and its a nice reminder of where i came from and to look after my back. In saying that i still play football every week, i also hit the gym 4 or 5 times a week now, nothing holds me back (no pun intended) , maintaining the muscle strength is also key to preventing any damage and giving support to the rods that hold everything together, hence i try to stay active and fit, in saying walking is just as good as anything if that's all you are able to do, this also helps with your flexibility (of which i have lost nothing, i can still touch my toes and twist fine). I am going to go back and answers a few previous posts if they aren't to old and if anyone has any questions , please ask and i'll try to advise as best i can and check this on a more regular basis. Yes my reason's for starting this thread were to counter all the horror stories i read like yourselves when i was pre-op. Im glad to see this has reassured so many out there and to also read of your own success stories :)

Cheers!
Mike

Quote:

Originally Posted by bmatz25 (Post 936265)

Hey mate,

I had bone taken from my hip, but now i understand that they can use a synthetic lab grown bone (my mates wife is going in and shes using the lab grown bone but its not cheap!) , i would go for that if its an option though as the location where they took the bone from my hip was painful for three times as long as the op. location itself.

Cheers
Mike

No neuropathy,.spasms, cramps, or pain? I'm flying to New Zealand. They can redo mine.

Quote:

Originally Posted by djaypapaross (Post 966894)

No neuropathy,.spasms, cramps, or pain? I'm flying to New Zealand. They can redo mine.

no,no,no and no :)

I don't know the details of your op. , did you have the same thing done as me?...how long has it been since your op. ?

Mike

Hey Mike,
Thanks for the encouraging words. I am scheduled for L4-S1 fusion in about 8 weeks. VERY SCARED!!! First that something could go wrong and secondly that it won't allievate the pain. Like you i have had thoughts of suicide, even going so far as to plan it out. I'm very happy i came across your post, it has given me hope. Keep posting and letting us know of your progress..

Thanks, Mike.

Hey mate,

As long as you have researched your surgeon and have you plenty of good reports from nurses and patients about the surgeons work, then you should be fine, remember don't rush the recovery, give it LOTS OF TIME ....and you will be just fine buddy :)

Any questions you have just ask me mate.

All the best
Mike

Quote:

Originally Posted by GatorMike (Post 973425)

PS

All those suicidal thoughts will be gone from your head after the Operation also mate, and i can tell you that from personal experience ;)

Mike

Quote:

Originally Posted by GatorMike (Post 973425)

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.

Thats good to hear a great out come from this surgery, mine was not. But when I was researching before my surgery there was not alot of success story's , so I am gald you posted it may give hope to people who are facing the same situation?