Need a spinal fusion

[cristbaby]

I just got back from the Dr. and he is telling me that I have to have a spinal fusion done. I am in a lot of pain in my back, I can hardly walk at all. Apparently it takes 3 or 4 months to recuperate and possibly a brace. I am not looking forward to this. I still have to get some new xrays and a new spinal MRI. Anybody have any encouraging words for me??

The surgery was done on August 15th and I just went for my first walk, a very short one but I never thought I would be walking this fast. The pain was intense for the first 5 days but I am now able to be in my brace and up most of the day. Please send lots of pixie dust that I will be able to walk well again. It's just amazing!

 

[escape]

My MIL, age 72, had a spinal fusion this past February. It took her about 1-2 months to get comfortable enough to be out of bed for any great length of time. She was quite sore for a while but she managed. She's also had to wear the back brace and will have to continue till mid-July (6 months total).

Despite all that she went through with the surgery and recovering, she said her back pain has gone away and that the surgery was definitely worth it. It was hard for her to walk before but now she has no problems - with her back, that is.

cristbaby, good luck with your surgery, should you have it done. The recovery period sounds like a lot of time but it's really only a glitch in the scheme of things. Being able to walk again without pain will be worth the trouble.

Keep us informed on what you decide to do.

 

[LJC1861]

Cristbaby,

Where is the location of your herniation? I have had 2 done in my neck....C5-6 and C6-7 in 2 separate surgeries. With both I reagained full range of motion and the pain was gone instantly. I was out of work for only 2 weeks with each of them and although there was some pain at the site of the bone graft in my hip( with the first one they used my bone for the graft and the second they used bone from the bone bank) the pain from the actual surgery site was minimal. I wore a brace for 3 months with both, but it didn't slow me down all that much.

I recommend a website -- www.spineuniverse.com which was full of great information about spines and spine surgery.

Please feel free to PM me if you have any questions at all.

Linda

 

[cristbaby]

The location is the L-4,L-5, S-1. I am very scared to have this done but my life is the pits right now. I can't walk or pick up my grandchildren and I'm only 57.....but I walk like I am 87. I just hope I find the right surgeon to do the job.

 

[Dan Murphy]

Good wishes, cristbaby. I do know several folks who have had the surgery and all are doing well, much better than prior too. My best.

 

[grinningghost]

I hope this encourages you. I had a fusion done in November, 2004. C-6, C-7. I have had nothing but success with it. The pain is totally gone. I had zero complications, and besides the scar on my neck, I did great.

Even the scar is finally fading away.

Good luck to you. A positive attitude goes a long, long way!

 

[LindaR]

I had a fusion done in the same spot as the OP. Are you seeing an ortho or a neurosurgeon? I would get a second opinion! I KNOW you are in alot of pain right now, but the fusion doesn't fix much. Are you grafting bone from your hip or using donor bone? My doc didn't want to use donor bone.........and I now have arthritis and some other problems in the hip that he grafted bone from. It took me MONTHS (about 9) before I even felt human again. I have permanent nerve damage.........I'd get a second opinion.........this is MAJOR...you will never be perfect again.

 

[Virgo10]

I'm going to play devil's advocate here. At one point in my life I was also considering a SF. I went to three different surgeons and got three different opinions. One said he could basically cure the dead after a 10 minutes appointment. One said that my condition was genetic and would just continue on even with a SF and the other said let's see what happens. With the opinions so widely different, I choose to forget about the surgery and do the best I could. Let's just say I didn't have a lot of confidence in the doctors.

Bottom line... I'd get a second or even a third opinion before I made up my mind to have this operation.

I'm happy for those of you who had such great luck and amazed. Over and over I've heard only horror stories about this surgery.

 

[grinningghost]

I had a fusion done in the same spot as the OP. Are you seeing an ortho or a neurosurgeon? I would get a second opinion! I KNOW you are in alot of pain right now, but the fusion doesn't fix much. Are you grafting bone from your hip or using donor bone? My doc didn't want to use donor bone.........and I now have arthritis and some other problems in the hip that he grafted bone from. It took me MONTHS (about 9) before I even felt human again. I have permanent nerve damage.........I'd get a second opinion.........this is MAJOR...you will never be perfect again.

Just to comment on this. My doc DID use donor bone, and maybe that's why I'm doing well. Not positive, but it could be part of it.

 

[Breezy_Carol]

I am a physical therapist. I have seen some people who have had the surgery and had a lot of problems. I would definitely have a second opinion.

 

[lUVTOGO]

My sister had this surgery at the age of 36 and she now walks with a cane and is permantley disabled. She just had a spinal nerve thing (sorry don't know what it is called) implanted temporarily to help ease the pain until she gets a permanent one put in. I do believe the Dr. was negligent also as she has had 3 surgeries since then to try to help correct the problem and she had 3 hernias after the surgery... which also required surgery as the Dr. went thru the stomach on the first one. I'm not saying everyone's will turn out this way..but I know she is regretting ever having back surgery 5 years ago.

 

[huckster]

i am facing a second back surgery over the past 5 1/2 years, first was a laminectomy L3 L4 that did wonders! looking at being fused ... i am taking alot of time .. i have heard good and more bad, get many opinions,ive tried threapy , streiod injections and many meds i refuse to live on opiates as my son WAS an addict , and i have saw and lived that life NO WAY..I have tired many other meds nerontin etc no help , . i will not be fused until i cant stand it anymore. pain in my legs cant sleep well miss many days of work my life will have to become null.when it gets down to it it is your decsion
most back problems are not life threating .. but they are a big hinderance..
Best of luck to you will keep you in prayers and pd.. for a pain free life..

 

[Kitty 34]

I am a physical therapist. I have seen some people who have had the surgery and had a lot of problems. I would definitely have a second opinion.

ITA

Physical therapy helped my back problems immensely!! One DR talked surgery but another told me to try therapy. SO glad I did!!

 

[DWDreams]

I would definitely get a second opinion at least, this is not minor surgery obviously. Make sure you find a doctor people can recommend in this area. Also, regarding the bone graft issue, as far as I know it's usually considered better to use your own in terms of healing of the fusion site, though it does bring other issues in terms of the donor site. On the other hand, if you smoke they likely won't use your own. Smoking also reduces the healing potential of the fusion regardless of whether its a person's own material or donor material.

 

[Denine]

I had a spinal fusion 20 years ago in the same location (L4 to S1). I had bone taken from my hip, no instrumentation. Now, here comes the difference, I was in a body cast for 3 months. You wear a brace now.
Granted, I was only 17 at the time, but I felt 80.
I had a successful outcome, but my problem was not a herniation.

Good luck!

 

[Fan2CSkr]

The location is the L-4,L-5, S-1. I am very scared to have this done but my life is the pits right now. I can't walk or pick up my grandchildren and I'm only 57.....but I walk like I am 87. I just hope I find the right surgeon to do the job.

I was wondering if this is the first time surgery has been mentioned? What measures have been taken thus far? Have you been through any PT? Are you a candidate for Epidural Spinal Injections? http://www.spine-health.com/topics/conserv/epidural/feature/ep01.html What meds do you take or have you tried?

What is your actual diagnosis? There are a host of different procedures when doing a fusion. I would get a second and a third opinion and go from there. Do you have neurological issues as well? What tests have been done so far?

IF the final outcome is a lumbar fusion, do your homework when picking a surgeon there is NOTHING more important.

I recently had an Anterior/posterior lumbar fusion and my outcome has been a HUGE success. There are so many factors to consider when deciding the pros and cons for YOU to have this surgery. Feel free to ask me anything.

 

[cristbaby]

Thank you everyone for your replies. I will definately be getting a second opinion and possibly a third before I decide to have this done. I feel that I have exhausted all other roads for help.......PT, epidural injections,root block injections and a brace and I don't want to live like this anymore. I'm not looking for a complete cure because I have alot of issues other than the discs but I just want a little relief from the pain without being on so many drugs. I will keep you informed as to how I am doing and thanks again for caring.

 

[cristbaby]

A quick update......I will be getting a mylegram (not sure of sp) done on Friday 7/7. I have found a surgeon that I trust and am sure he is right in the fact that surgery is the only option other than living with the pain and being physically habdicapped for the rest of my life. Hopefully with this mylegram he will be better able to see what is going on. I now have almost complete numbness in my right leg so it is very difficult for me to walk at all. Keep me in your prayers and hopefully I will get some relief. Thank you all for being there for me.

 

[HaleyB]

Well I am late to the party but I did want to say good luck.
I have a SCI and know all about the pain you speak of.

 

[cristbaby]

Well, surgery will be on August 1. Please keep me in your prayers and send lots of pixy dust my way. Thanks



Well surgery was cancelled on the 1st because I had a really bad cold. It got rescheduled on the 15th with much success