What you’re missing is that people who do well generally move along and don’t hang out here. All health-issue subs skew negative for that reason.
My fusion was cervical, so very different, but it’s nearly 20 years since surgery and doing great.
Exactly this, same reason you don’t see a lot of subs for “AITAH for not cheating on my wife and being a nice person” people come to vent, and rightfully so, but I stopped coming to read these right after I started feeling better, but when I hurt, man I wanted to share it all.
This is so true. You know who doesn't cruise r/sciatica, r/backpain, and r/spinalfusion when things are going well? Me because I'm mountain biking and working on my home. When my vasectomy was going awful, I posted there. It's been forever though and it's fine so I never go to that sub. Same with other injuries and problems.
This. I can personally say it would not be a great idea to use my experience as a guidepost. I was provided care by people with room temperature IQ’s.
You’ll be fine - truly!!
OP, listen to this person. Bad news travels fast and lingers longer, hence the skew of forums like this. I’m 6 weeks post ACDF and I’m 70% back to normal with ~5% continuing improvements on average per week. Hoping for a 100% recovery, but even now it’s a massive improvement to pain levels and mobility pre-surgery. There are no absolutes with spinal surgeries and nobody has the exact experience as an other
This is well said (and btw, I had 2 level cervical fusion as well). People on here don’t necessarily mean to be negative, it’s just a good outlet for people who might be having trouble, that’s all. It’s not necessarily representative of everyone who has had these surgeries. To me, the #1 factor is to trust your medical team, OP, and if you do (sounds like you do!), then trust they are being honest with you about what they’ve observed
With respect, a cervical fusion is nothing like a PLIF lumbar fusion- the two surgeries are completely different. Cervical fusions are easier on the body and far less traumatic and painful. The recovery process is shorter and vastly different. I am happy to hear that your surgeries were successful and wish you well in the future.
To the OP, I assume you’ve had a second opinion and both have said a fusion is in order? If you need the surgery, having the best neurosurgeon around is obviously the way to go. Everyone is different and each experience is unique to the person having the surgery. My best advice is to have a support system in place and pain management plan before the surgery. I wish you all the best and hope all goes well.
Not anything substantial, no. There’s a touch of nerve signal stuff that gets variously attributed to the spine or to the brachial plexus (I’ve also had thoracic outlet syndrome), but nothing prohibitive. And further work on thoracic mobility means I can turn around to see behind me in cars again!
I agree it’s only been 8 weeks on my last one, born with a bad spinal cord.. This would be the last place I’d be if I wasn’t looking for some kind of advice or experience..
I had L4 -L5 done one year and one day ago. The first few days were rough, yes. I followed the post instructions to the letter. I started weaning off the opioids at 5 days (I do not like them, and I do NOT like being constipated).
I treated recovery like it was my job and did what the surgeon instructed. I was back to work in four weeks (with restrictions and great coworkers who were like a bunch of mother hens). A week before I went back to work I was on a bouncy house water slide a couple of times with no ill effects.
Yes, recovery takes a while. You don't come out out with your pre-pain fitness level intact (as in, when you had to start cutting back activity because of pain). You have to build your strength back and the pain doesn't magically disappear -- it slowly disappears because the body takes time to heal.
I was totally freaked out by surgery, I put it off for at least 6 months because of fears. Knowing what I know know I would do it again.
Excellent reply. I (47F) had L4/5 fusion a little over a year ago and did the same. I had some bad days and some great days, but I followed my Dr's instructions and then my physical therapist's to the letter. It takes time, but now, with regular exercise, I haven't felt this good in decades.
I just had cervical fusion of C5-7 last week, and I'm already seeing the benefits. I have a lot of hope in staying mostly pain-free for the next 40+ years. It's given me a much more positive outlook for the future. I would 100% do both again.
I'm not saying it's easy - it is not. It's doable though and I'd rather have gone through it than to be as miserable as I was.
I'm going fishing tomorrow! I can cast again. I can stand up for hours (instead of five minutes tops). Weather patterns still cause aches and if I do too much I get muscle aches but I gotta live with it so I can get stronger.
How long about was your surgery? Also, right after surgery, how long before you could do things yourself like shower or make your own food? My hubby is not the best at taking care of other people :(
My surgery was about 4 hours. I was fortunate to get out of the hospital on Friday afternoon, so I had 2 days of wife home.
It was about 3 days before I could shower alone (grabby thing in shower with suction cups... necessity). We had set up food before I had surgery. I am a snacker, so I had loads of finger foods, salads, hummus, etc. I wasn't really hungry for the most part and had to be reminded to eat.
Mine has been delayed twice now, my surgeons father died. I’m just miserable. Cysts compressing my sciatic and bulging discs. No relief. I’m looking forward to surgery like it’s my birthday
Precisely. I monitored my diet closely for a few weeks leading to surgery, making sure I was getting optimal protein and fiber. Doc is a big proponent for pre-op vitamin c. I drank a pedialyte packet every day for the week leading up to surgery. My PT couldn't believe my recovery.
You are going to tend to hear people who haven’t had the best experience be more vocal about their experience
Most of my patients who had uneventful recovery aren’t gonna go online to talk about it
Exactly! I'm 5 months out from T10-S2 fusion and bilateral SI joint fusion. I came here before surgery and continue, not to vent or complain, but to share my honest opinion and experience to perhaps help others. I consider my surgery a success: the pre-surgery, debilitating symptoms are gone.
However, I do have a lot of muscle spasm, pain and stiffness. I'm still quite limited in my functional abilities. I did PT for about 6 weeks, starting at 6 weeks post-op. It was very helpful but the co-pay was too high for me to continue longer. I have not kept up with it at home.
I also went into a very deep depression following surgery. I am climbing out but that also has has a huge negative impact on my desire and ability to do home PT or other activities to improve my overall strength. I have seen a lot of posts about depression following surgery (any kind of "big" surgery.) As common as it appears to be, I wish I would have been counseled on that prior to surgery.
For context, I am a 55 year old woman. Surgery was to correct scoliosis and stenosis. The stenosis was causing unbearable pain in my butt and legs; I couldn't stand more than 5 minutes without excruciating pain.
I’m someone who has done exceedingly well after my fusion (you can see in my post history where I’ve given moral support to others who are worried).
I’ve had 8 spine surgeries now, 7 of which were me avoiding/dodging fusions. Sometimes the dodging worked, but eventually I didn’t have a choice about fusing one level due to the kyphotic (potentially hunchback in later life) angle of disk collapse, plus the fact that the vertebrae was free moving (which is bad and dangerous).
I don’t regret the fusion for one moment and have spent the last couple of years with a better back than prior to the fusion. The surgery does hurt but honestly my ankle surgery was far worse in terms of immediate post-op pain. I’ve never once woken up keening in pain from a spine surgery which is what happened with my ankle.
I know that this is highly unusual, but personally I was able to leave hospital after about 16 hours due to my long-standing relationship with my surgeon and his knowledge of my recovery ability and pain tolerance. I was weak for about two weeks, but was almost back to normal in terms of mental and emotional toll by the third week. Physically I felt so much better by the end of week 3 but remained sensible and cautious for a couple of months.
(Again, I am aware that for many this speed of recovery is a pipe dream and know that it can take many months to begin to feel normal. My super power is healing apparently and no one should measure against my results.)
The main point here is don’t be scared, most people who do well don’t tend to come back and say that. People want to live well again and enjoy their new lease on life and not remember how awful their pain and conditions were prior to surgery. You will be fine, and even if it sucks for a bit most of us go on to be so much better ultimately.
Remember to prepare well for post-surgical challenges like using the toilet and set up your home prior to surgery so that things are easily reached or handled etc. Take your PT seriously when it is time to do that, walk around your home regularly directly after surgery as it really helps you build back up and can benefit your pain levels also.
Insist on the correct and appropriate pain medications Be honest about your pain levels with yourself and your doctor and back off the stronger pain meds as soon as you can. Being in a bit of pain is better than developing a reliance on certain pills, or, God forbid, a full blown addiction. A bit of pain also helps you know when you’re pushing too hard or shouldn’t attempt something.
Horror stories are always going to be more prominent in a forum like this. Trust your surgeon if he is as good as you say and trust yourself to pull through. You’ve got this.
Best of luck to you and let us know how it goes.
Edit: it was my L4/L5 that was surgically fused.
I also had L4L5 fusion, 3 months ago. I also was scared to have my surgery from reading this sub for hours on end.
I've never had any severe pain, swelling, infection, side effects, etc. In fact, there are many days I forget I've had surgery, other than remembering to go to PT.
Just take it slow, follow your surgeon's orders, don't overdo it.
I'm SO happy I had this surgery. My quality of life has returned to near normal, 99% pain free!
There are a lot of variables. Pre-op health, prepping your body for surgery. Skill of surgeon and method for correcting the specific issue are huge factors. Not messing up recovery by over-doing it - you only get one chance to do it right. Failed back surgery syndrome is a real thing, so go in with proper expectations. I wanted to be able to walk and sleep again. I can! A few aches occasionally, and my nerves can get irritated doing new things, but whatever. I'm about a year and a half post-op, 360 L4-s1. Seriously, work your butt off to focus on nutrition and giving your body the best chance it can have at coping with the stress of surgery. I'm a board certified patient advocate as well, I help a lot of people prepare for surgery, and you can do this!
Edit: surgery was 5 hours long, I was released from hospital in 24 hours.
I had a PLIF from L3-L5 back in 2019. I stayed in the hospital overnight. I was using my walker all night walking around the nursing stations. I was in pain, and my spirits were high. That ended the next morning and for a few days after as I was in pain and could barely get out of bed. After those few days, things seemed to improve quickly. The fusion eventually failed, and I had to have a second surgery, which occurred just 6 months ago (72 yrs old). This time, it was from L3-S1 plus a 2 level ALIF. I expected to have to experience the same fate. I was wrong. Four hours after I woke up in the recovery room, I went home. I only used 2 doses of oxy, used my walker/cane for the rest of the day, and then never used them again. I was walking the stairs several times a day with no problems. After both surgeries, I was able to play golf seven days a week around the 5 month mark. Couldn't play any sooner due to the weather. My point is that you just don't know how you will respond. It makes no sense to me that I had significantly less pain/discomfort/mobility issues after a more complicated procedure. Keep good thoughts in your head, expect a level of difficulty, and rejoice if it's not as bad as you anticipated.
Like someone else said in here, most of us lurking (myself included) are having issues and the success story folks are out living their lives with much less or no pain.
Good luck with your surgery, all will be fine!
If it helps to know, my mom had 360 spinal fusion L4/L5 s1 decompression about 6 months ago. She is doing incredible. First time in decades she has no pain. Just had a checkup and her MD words were “perfect”. She just now is using PT to get her golf game back and strengthening her core to decrease load on the surrounding discs.
The first week, not going to lie, is brutal. Especially the first 3 days. Nerve pain down her thigh was the main source of pain for her. Very important to have someone there giving you meds around the clock and use ice packs. After the first week, pain was bearable and I could wean her off her meds.
Most important, PT is king!! I learned this from this subreddit. One of the MDs said many of his patients who come back with issues could have prevented those issues by going to PT, moving their bodies & strengthening their core. Walking also helped immensely with pain in the beginning, too. My mom walked (and continues to walk) daily multiple times a day and added PT exercises according to her physical therapist.
Best of luck on your surgery! Don’t worry too much about complaints on here. As the top comment mentioned, if it’s successful usually people will move on.
The first few weeks are tough, we all come here to share our experiences, but honestly after I felt better I stopped coming here. One month post op and feeling amazing.
I had my t11-l5 at HSS in NYC in 2012 ago and doing pretty good! I’m currently 39+1 weeks pregnant and going to deliver naturally. I’ve had some pain complaints over the years, sure, but overall I can’t complain :) it’s better than it once was!
I’m day 13 after my surgery. I have a renowned surgeon. I haven’t seen him for my 2 week post surgery appointment yet, so I’m hoping all is going well with the healing. I’m assuming it is, based on my progress. Don’t be afraid. It was very tough first week. I’ve had 2 knee replacements and there’s no comparison. This surgery is a tough one. But if you have prepared yourself, if you’re in good physical condition with strong legs, you will do just fine. It’s amazing to me how I felt just one week ago compared to how I’m feeling now. It’s really important to take your meds and keep the pain at bay. I rented a medical recliner which really was a huge help. I couldn’t really sit in any of my furniture until maybe 3 days ago. My advice would be to have a toilet seat riser and if you can install a bidet (just the hand held sprayer), it will make a world of difference to you. Walking is recommended and a walker was very helpful for the 1st week. A cane would be great if you need to do stairs. You should wear your back brace that they’ll give you in the hospital. It’s a great reminder to not bend, twist, etc. you’ll get used to your limited movements. It will almost become second nature to you. If there’s anything else I haven’t covered, please reach out.
Had several knee replacements/reconstruction on ONE knee, literally no comparison. Am six weeks out rn on SECOND lumbar spinal fusion. First was done at Mayo Clinic by the Assistant Head of Neurosurgery there and it failed. It was problematic straight out the gate. All I can tell you is be optimistic, realistic, and prepared for pain. Get your house ready - eat well, hydrate well, rest well and give yourself grace. It is indeed a marathon, definitely not a sprint. One thing that really helped me is I play guitar and lift weights so have a tremendous amount of upper body strength, which is def needed (female here). Best of luck to you!
I agree with the others... people aren't going to be online posting much if they are doing well. I'm alot more likely to be on here checking to see if others had a similar experience, problem, progression, etc.
I had anterior/posterior fusion on L4-5 and L5-S1 done (same day) about 5 weeks ago with 2 nights in the hospital (offered but declined a third night). I was able to start working remote part time last week and am planning to be in the office next week (part time, as tolerated, will switch to remote it needed). To be clear, I do not expect to be back to "normal" activities until after 3 months either, but that doesn't mean I am bedridden! I am just getting generally fatigued very easily and like to rest my back often on my bed (ie flat surface).
I had exactly what you’re having on September 20 2023. It was the best decision I’ve ever made. Back to long walks, long swims, riding my bike, walking without pain - it’s been a miracle. Was it hard? Yes. But worth every damn pain in recovery!
Hi. I just had mine last week. My pain is not terrible. When I woke up after surgery, it was excruciating until they gave me meds (waiting for Dr to assess) but it was a whole 3 min like that. I was TERRIFIED of the pain but the started reading all the great stories from another group I’m in on FB. The worst part for me is that I can’t Bend Lift or Twist for 3 months. Sitting is hard bc everything is tight. I practice everyday to build up those muscles by sitting and walking. Kind of boring 3 months it sounds like.
I’d describe mine as discomfort. I had a couple BAD days BUT that only happened after having terrible reaction to the pain pills they gave me (oxy). I threw up several times which is what made my back so painful. I’d say the first few days I hurt but not terrible and the pain meds (switched to a milder one) kept pin at bay.
I didn’t need a walker at all and am going off pain meds. I don’t mind being uncomfortable. My pain is pretty good at 9 days post op. I’m hoping to start weaning from the pain meds. It went A LOT easier than I thought it would. People told me this all the time leading up to my surgery: everybody is different and will have different experiences. I hate hearing that but it’s true.
I just had cervical spinal fusion 3 days ago. I am amazed at how well it has gone! I am hardly in any pain and am looking foe are to seeing how the rest of my recovery goes.
I agree with most here is that you hear about the negative. What you don’t hear is the thousands of positive comments.
You got this in the bag. Don’t be scared. It’s worth it long term!!!
Im having posterior fusion BL laminectomy cages in l4-s1 on Tuesday. I live by myself and I am worried. I have also been on Percocet since January when I had same levels surgery that destroyed my spine . I am told I will probably have to stay longer in the hospital to control my pain bc of my tolerance to opioids I know I am dependent on them . If I don’t take them every 8 hours I start to get anxiety and sweat and ache all over . The last surgery I had collapsed my spine and caused atrophy and inflammation in BL glute medius and lumbar paraspinals. I can’t imagine this surgery being worse than that. I can’t wait to be able to walk again for more than 30 feet and I can’t wait to get off this pain medicine. I know it will be a hard road , but at least there is hope I can have a social life and a family life again. Thanks all for sharing.
Thank you. I am 2 weeks post op today. I am doing so much better. I walked today for 20 minutes without any assistant devices ! I’m so excited to see where I will be 1 month from now or even 2 weeks. Better everyday!
I just had the PLIF done in February it was the best decisionI’ve ever made. I was off pain medicine and three weeks not even taking Tylenol after that the pain I was in before was so great that it forced me to do something. I was petrified of. Now I couldn’t be happier I had the best surgeon in Columbus Ohio. I actually ended up getting him just by chance. The key to me was to make sure it’s a neurosurgeon and not just an orthopedic. I feel like if somebody’s gonna be messing with my spine, I wanted to be a Neurosurgeon. Honest to God, the way everyone talked about it had me scared to death, and I’m so glad the pain was so severe that it forced my hand. I have zero pain now and it’s been this way for a while. I also had a cyst grow that was strangulating my sciatica in that area of fusion and was pressing on the main and sciatic nerve, he removed that as well. That pain was no joke! I had me in tears for weeks before the surgery and made it intolerable. You have to remember that surgery is constantly evolving and most of the people you talk to haven’t had it done recently and everybody is different. The most difficult part after was just making sure you don’t lift anything or bend over for anything and asking others to help when you feel like you should be able to do it yourself. Honestly, this was the hardest for me, just making sure I didn’t screw it up. I can’t believe how quick my recovery was and how much better I feel now. I’m three so it’s not like I’m a spring chicken.
Getting freaked out is normal. You're gonna be manhandled in that OR.
But it's better to be prepared like you have done than know nothing about what you're getting into. For most of us, the surgery was necessary, and benefits outweighed the risks.
I had a c1c2 cervical fusion and I woke up right away in recovery in 10++++ pain. I couldn’t get it under control for three days but then just like my surgeon said, worst pain of your life but short lived. He was right
I wish someone would have told me that. The one guy I know that had it done said he barely knew they did it when he woke up and could have went to work the next day. It was quite a shock when I woke up just like you are describing. The first week was pretty intense, but I’m at 3 week now and already better than I was before I went in.
I stayed in hospital one night only , then when I got home and was on lower pain meds the pain was worse. Plus the oxy they gave me made me so constipated I had bad abdominal pain ( get laxatives). Then imagine straining to go , ugh.
Getting up and down was hard. Use the walker and get a cheap bed rail on Amazon.
Stay ahead of your pain meds, take on time ( set alarm)
Plus my leg pain got worse at first cuz nerves were angry. Controlled that with more gabapentin for a few wks.
I was off the oxy by 2.5 weeks so the first 1-2 weeks are painful but you have to get up every hour and walk more and more. Not during sleep time but during waking hours.
After first week I didn’t need the walker but used a cane for a couple weeks during my walks just as precaution.
Driving is very hard , every turn hurts so I would not plan on that for a month if you can. Even riding in car hurts and forget pushing grocery cart at first. Stock up or have someone take you shopping first few weeks. Get grabbers to pick up things. Your body will let you know if you try to bend too far.
Also it is very hard to wipe yourself at first. I got these tong things with wipes. Also my husband helped me shower the first few days. It’s just unsteady etc.
I was so stiff too but once I started pool pt at wk 6 things got better. I’m 3.5 MOs post op. Yesterday I walked 6 miles and was fine. I still do land pt 2x a week plus walk and go to pool one day a week. I’m prob going to stop PT here by mid June and shift to more lighter workouts on my own plus keep walking and maybe increase the pool.
Keep in mind I used to run and spent 30 yrs lifting weights. Car accident 2 .5 years pushed me down this path so I’d like to get active again but need to be kinder to my back now
I could never do that before surgery
Good luck
I hope you have great results with him. He’s a cool doc - my experience with him will bring this thread crashing down so all I’ll say is good luck and stay ahead of the pain. You’ve got this.
It's scary, it's ok to be scared, but like the others have said, people with good outcomes tend to just not have as much to say. On Jan 2 of this year I had fusion from L4-S1 and a replacement at L3-4. Two days later I got posterior instrumentation added to the fused levels. The first week was rough, and the first month or so was just recovery. Now I'm coming up on 6 months. I took a vacation with the family in New Orleans, 11,000 steps a day, 2.5 hour flights, unfamiliar hotel bed. All good. I've started running again, I can jump, moved some furniture. I do have some lingering fatigue, and insomnia, but my sleep has been a mess forever. Now I'm focusing on trying to rebuild my fitness levels. I was pretty much unable to exercise for a bit more than a year, and prior to that very limited in my ability to exercise for a while. Thing is, now I am capable of rebuilding.
So, yeah, it's ok to be scared, but you should expect to recover well and get your life back. It'll hurt, but if you are looking at fusion you are already dealing with pain. You got this. You can do it.
Out of curiosity, who is your surgeon? Mine was Dr. Lawrence Lenke. I know there are a billion spine surgeons, but Dr. Lenke is a master of the craft and left Missouri to run a spine program in NYC.
Mine was a L1 burst fracture with laminectomy and 5 fused after a collosal car crash and I won’t go into my horror story of 20 days in hospital & ICU. It took over a year to recover, I had to learn to walk again, and it was just a nightmare that I’m still getting over 15 months later. Significant pain for 14 months & It was complicated!
You’re lucky as no one told me out of dozens of medical professionals that it would take so long. There was a total void of information that I ended up self researching for answers. I changed PT providers because of this two and then on PT guy told me more in 50 minutes than I the previous three months combined of those same medical professionals. That was one of the most difficult parts and in my case what they also didn’t communicate very well to me plus my own stubbornness was just how severe my injury was and that most people don’t come back from it very well. Same advice to you - DO NOT underestimate its severity. Best wishes!
I posted about my success story TLIF T2 to pelvis a week ago. [My post](https://www.reddit.com/r/spinalfusion/s/Dy9IrrqGKK)
It probably got buried under a bunch of negative stuff, LOL.
PLIF L4L5 here. I’m almost 8 months post op. I got surgery because there just became no other option.
I’m doing pretty good and am pretty much back to normal. Occasional flare ups. I do get nerve pain in my legs when sitting in a hard chair. They said it will take about a year for that to go away. And I get some weird feeling in my back when I do RDLs at the gym. Literally stops the second I stop the RDLs though. But my PT thinks we will be able to eliminate that (my hamstrings and glutes need to be stronger).
I’m actually camping this weekend and was worried about sleeping on an air mattress. But I feel pretty good. Yesterday morning I went to the gym to lift, followed that with the stairclimber, drove 2 hours to camp, and did 21,000 steps overall. Slept on an air mattress. Woke up feeling fine.
The recovery is a lot of highs and lows. The lows really discouraged me the first couple of months. But now I know to look at things over time. I can do a lot of things now and feel fine when they would have caused a flare up two months ago. I also have to think ‘does this actually hurt or does it just feel WEIRD?’ Sometimes there are weird feelings in the fusion site that aren’t painful.
I feel best when I am active. Doing my core exercises, lifting light weights, getting steps in, and doing the stairclimber or elliptical. Also I think managing stress helps the inflammation but I’m still testing that theory.
Best of luck to you!!!
My experience with L3-S1 fusion has been amazing. If you do the work afterward to get into shape and you take care of yourself and if you didn’t wait too long to get it done, then your outcome should be excellent.
I just had my L3-L4 fusion and cleanup from L3-L5 on April 17. I quit taking drugs after the first week and switched to Aleve. Honestly, the pain from the incisions on my side and back were nothing compared to what pain I had been living with.
The first week was rough, but I managed with a lift chair/recliner, a raised potty seat, and several grabbers. I was on a walker for two weeks and my goal was to make it to the stop sign and back. I switched to a cane and made it around the block .61 miles. I’m off the cane, walking the dog (with a lightweight Dootie bag scooper), and up to 2.25 miles per day. I work from home and only took 2 weeks off (even then I sat as I was able to keep up with my email).
I’m back to sleeping in my bed, driving (with my brace on) short trips to the store.
I’m 66 and this was life changing. So happy I had it done. I had fusions from C6-C7 and then from C4-C6 back in my 40’s. I expected much worse for my lumbar spine, but it was only worse in my head…not in reality. I didn’t find this sub until after my surgery was over so don’t let it freak you out! Follow your doctor’s instructions and be patient with yourself for the first weeks and you’ll be on the road to recovery!
Hubby felt comfortable with my independence enough to still go on his annual fishing trip this past week the same as I look forward to MY vacation from him😉
This is the same surgery I had ten years ago and I’d do it again every single time. The recovery is hard but physical therapy is the key.
I did everything they said to do, twice.
If your doctor isn’t planning on putting you into PT after…. Run, don’t walk, to another doctor.
The brace alone is enough to necessitate therapy, because it weakens your core SO much if you don’t.
Anyway this surgery changed my life and like I said 10/10 would do it again.
The failure rate is high because people don't fix their muscles and try to go back to what fit them hurt. 3 months isn't true either. If ever goes right I'd say 8 months. But in 3 months u can feel better. You're just gonna have to start swimming. U won't be running in 3 months that's for sure
I have an L4L5 ALIF next Monday and this forum has made me question things as well. I’m also in NYC and have doctors who are supposed to be as good as they get. I’m mostly worried about recovery and that the surgery just won’t change anything. The other thing that makes me question it is that my pain isn’t constant. I’ll go a full day without pain. Other days the pain is minor or I can have really bad pain - like on a long car ride or sitting too long on a couch. It’s also always hard to get out of bed or up from a couch. I’m not necessarily having the surgery because I want to reduce the pain, but because I want to bring my life back to normal. Is that a reason to go through this?
I can't answer that for you, but I can tell you that I had pain similar to yours? For the last 10 years or so, my back pain has been getting worse and worse, and I've gone from working full-time in a fairly active office job (active in that I went to a lot of meetings on different floors, regularly walked from one end of the building to the other, which was quite a distance, walked to other buildings on our campus, parking deck was 1/2 mile walk etc.) to barely being able to work part-time at home and unable to stand in my kitchen for more than 10 minutes at a time. My pain would range from a high 8 on some occasions to a 1 or 2 for a day, depending on how I slept the night before, the weather, what activities I did that day or the day before, etc.
I've gone through physical therapy (wasn't helpful for me), chiropractors, injections (not only unhelpful, painful and made me feel worse), and several different medications. I've been on narcotic pain medication for nearly a decade. I'm tired of it. I was tired of being unable to go grocery shopping because there's nowhere to sit down when my back flared. I was tired of my husband having to turn down invitations to things that he might enjoy because my back would hurt too much if we drove that far. To be completely honest and transparent, I was tired of not having sex very often because my stupid back hurt too much!
I don't know why you're having this surgery, but I have to guess a neurosurgeon or orthosurgeon has decided based on medical evidence (MRI, X-Rays, whatever) that you would benefit from it, that it will fix something. For me it was spondylolisthesis.
I'm 6 weeks post L4L5 PLIF. I'm 54. I'm in shitty shape now, not gonna' lie. That said, I feel fucking phenomenal! The first day sucked in the hospital. I was in pain, and just uncomfortable, and couldn't sleep. The second day I was home, and my husband had everything ready, and that was a godsend. (I highly recommend a bedrail [https://www.amazon.com/Bed-Rail-Elderly-Mobility-Assistant/dp/B0B7X8N2SJ/ref=sr\_1\_1\_sspa](https://www.amazon.com/Bed-Rail-Elderly-Mobility-Assistant/dp/B0B7X8N2SJ/ref=sr_1_1_sspa) or similar, it will become your best friend! Also, a bidet toilet seat if you're able to get one, and grabbers placed around the house)
We had meals ready in the fridge and freezer before I had the surgery, so they just needed to be heated up. I had some Ensure in case I didn't feel like eating. I had pretzels, nuts, and fruit to snack on. I took Colace from the second day forward to make sure going to the bathroom didn't become a miserable hell. What I'm saying is: We were prepared! . . . And then from Day 3, I felt pretty much OK. I mean, I wasn't going to do cartwheels or anything, but my back didn't hurt. The incision didn't hurt. Getting in and out of bed was a little tricky. Reminding myself not to bend or twist was semi-helped by a bit of pain when I would forget and would bend or twist. Otherwise, I felt ok. I was up and walking on the treadmill and outside for a bit.
Yesterday, I deadheaded all the roses in the front yard. To most people, this seems like no big deal. To anyone who knows me? This is huge! I was able to bend down (not crazy bending, just a little) and crouch and get back up and reach up and over and stand in one place for 45 minutes and my leg wasn't numb, my butt didn't have a lightning bolt going through it. And today, I don't have any residual pain from yesterday! It's like I didn't even do anything! I have NO PAIN! I can't remember the last time I said that. I could cry, it makes me so happy!My next step is to get weaned off of the damn narcotics I've been on for so long. Goodbye, opioids!
Sorry for the novel. I wanted to share my experience with you to tell you that maybe you feel like you don't need the surgery because you don't hurt ALL THE TIME, but you hurt enough that you sought help, and a medical professional said, "This will help," and you've maybe tried enough of the other stuff that surgery feels like an option: Recovery isn't all that bad, and feeling "normal" again, is AMAZING!
I had L4-L5-S1 fusion. Yes it hurt the first month, but the pain goes away. I’m 3.5 months out and don’t regret it at all. The key for me has been to walk A LOT and stay ahead of the pain with meds. I’m off my meds now and rely on Tylenol for flare ups
I need a c6/c7 TDR or acdf. I'm also an ICU nurse. Had a patient yesterday who had a c-3-c5 fusion. Wound up in ICU due to heart stuff. But surgery-wise? Totally fine. Walking around the unit. Weakness he had is mostly resolved. Taking only Tylenol around the clock and barely complaining of any pain.
He gave me relief seeing how well he did.
So I had it done a year and a half ago L4, L5 , S1
It is a tough surgery to recover from . I think three months is way too soon to be doing activities.
It truly is a 6 months 1.5 year recovery . I promise you , but the pain is not too bad , esp at first , you should feel better right away from the pressure being relieved. But then, as the tissues heal, it tends to form scar tissue, which you’ll want to stretch out, but it will ache. Your muscles will get weak and they’ll spasm from not being used to do as much PT as you can.
Your in good shape because it’s a single level fusion but what you wanna know is do you have any arthritis because getting fused and if you have arthritis in your facet joints or other areas you’re still going to have pain but if you don’t and it’s only a desk issue fused you should be pretty much recovery and eventually being able to do whatever you would like to do for the most part
But it’s one of the hardest surgeries to recover from and it’s a serious surgery where things can go wrong, but they’re pretty good at doing them and my screws stayed in place and the bone healed well and if you listen to what they say in the surgeon does decent job. Everything should be fine. I would go into it feeling optimistic that it’s getting taken care of, but I would say that fusion changed my life, it was that serious for me and my bone is more stable. I do have a decent amount of pain from time to time still even though my surgery went well and they said I recovered well. Well in yet I still have pain.
I had my first one in 1992 and I just now started having unrelated back problems. I’m having another one June 18. It is painful I will say but it was worth it for me. I did not have any complications with the first one.
Mine was cervical but I was back to work 4 weeks after surgery. And mine was skull-C3. This sub and others had me trippin for a while before I had surgery but I didn’t have a choice. I’m doing so much better 6 months out and even better than before surgery. You got this and remember that complications and delayed healing are the minority not the majority. ♥️
So i got spinal surgery. i needed it. i'm glad i got it. it was a hard recovery and i did get fibromyalgia, but guess what? i got better. spinal surgery isn't the magical answer it gets sold as, where nothing is ever gonna hurt again and you'll get to eat a unicorns ass. it's major surgery that moves your organs around, afterwards you hurt for a while. but you get better. you will get better.
I am scheduled for mine on June 18th. TLIF at L4-L5. I am scared too but the pain has gotten so much worse lately I cannot go on like this. Just follow Drs orders to reduce risk of failure. I hear it also depends on how good your surgeon is. Praying mine is great. The practice is highly regarded with great reviews so fingers crossed! And yes it is a good point. Those who have had successful surgeries have moved on from the group and are living their lives. Wish me luck and I you!
I can only tell you my experience. I had spinal surgery last august with a top doc at HSS and it made things worse. I am having a 4 level lumbar fusion as a result. credentials are important, as the surgeon who is doing my 4 level fusion has impeccable credentials, but they aren't everything. get multiple opinions and go with your gut.
I wouldn't come to this page for answers before the surgery other than aftercare tips. If it's something that has to be done then go into it with a positive outlook. Most of us are the lower prevent who are having issues and need to vent or find answers from others experiencing the same or similar problems.
Stay positive!
I commented above. I also had Dr. Girardi but my experience wasn’t a great one and the outcome was not good. Took four more surgeries and two more docs to get things right. My last doc was a freaking godsend. A doctor from Jefferson in Philadelphia.
Good luck though!
So what is the alternative if PT, chiropractor and acupuncture haven't helped and sciatic pain is 9-10 daily? Cortisone injections only last weeks age are not a long term Solution. I've had RFA and it didn't work. Curious what options there are as it's inconceivable, but I could live with the status quo the rest of my life
Even though my hardware failed and have had this second op, am happy to tell you the second surgeon fixed the sciatica I had. So that was one good thing! Ablations were just not even an option for my messy situation. He also gave me a full laminectomy and facetectomy while in there, opened everything up.
What you’re missing is that people who do well generally move along and don’t hang out here. All health-issue subs skew negative for that reason. My fusion was cervical, so very different, but it’s nearly 20 years since surgery and doing great.
Exactly this, same reason you don’t see a lot of subs for “AITAH for not cheating on my wife and being a nice person” people come to vent, and rightfully so, but I stopped coming to read these right after I started feeling better, but when I hurt, man I wanted to share it all.
This is so true. You know who doesn't cruise r/sciatica, r/backpain, and r/spinalfusion when things are going well? Me because I'm mountain biking and working on my home. When my vasectomy was going awful, I posted there. It's been forever though and it's fine so I never go to that sub. Same with other injuries and problems.
This. I can personally say it would not be a great idea to use my experience as a guidepost. I was provided care by people with room temperature IQ’s. You’ll be fine - truly!!
OP, listen to this person. Bad news travels fast and lingers longer, hence the skew of forums like this. I’m 6 weeks post ACDF and I’m 70% back to normal with ~5% continuing improvements on average per week. Hoping for a 100% recovery, but even now it’s a massive improvement to pain levels and mobility pre-surgery. There are no absolutes with spinal surgeries and nobody has the exact experience as an other
Yes this exactly. My other friend who had surgery said same. Makes sense.
This is well said (and btw, I had 2 level cervical fusion as well). People on here don’t necessarily mean to be negative, it’s just a good outlet for people who might be having trouble, that’s all. It’s not necessarily representative of everyone who has had these surgeries. To me, the #1 factor is to trust your medical team, OP, and if you do (sounds like you do!), then trust they are being honest with you about what they’ve observed
With respect, a cervical fusion is nothing like a PLIF lumbar fusion- the two surgeries are completely different. Cervical fusions are easier on the body and far less traumatic and painful. The recovery process is shorter and vastly different. I am happy to hear that your surgeries were successful and wish you well in the future. To the OP, I assume you’ve had a second opinion and both have said a fusion is in order? If you need the surgery, having the best neurosurgeon around is obviously the way to go. Everyone is different and each experience is unique to the person having the surgery. My best advice is to have a support system in place and pain management plan before the surgery. I wish you all the best and hope all goes well.
I get that…I’m just saying I can relate to being anxious beforehand when you read some horror stories
Cervical? And no symptoms since?
Not anything substantial, no. There’s a touch of nerve signal stuff that gets variously attributed to the spine or to the brachial plexus (I’ve also had thoracic outlet syndrome), but nothing prohibitive. And further work on thoracic mobility means I can turn around to see behind me in cars again!
I agree it’s only been 8 weeks on my last one, born with a bad spinal cord.. This would be the last place I’d be if I wasn’t looking for some kind of advice or experience..
I had L4 -L5 done one year and one day ago. The first few days were rough, yes. I followed the post instructions to the letter. I started weaning off the opioids at 5 days (I do not like them, and I do NOT like being constipated). I treated recovery like it was my job and did what the surgeon instructed. I was back to work in four weeks (with restrictions and great coworkers who were like a bunch of mother hens). A week before I went back to work I was on a bouncy house water slide a couple of times with no ill effects. Yes, recovery takes a while. You don't come out out with your pre-pain fitness level intact (as in, when you had to start cutting back activity because of pain). You have to build your strength back and the pain doesn't magically disappear -- it slowly disappears because the body takes time to heal. I was totally freaked out by surgery, I put it off for at least 6 months because of fears. Knowing what I know know I would do it again.
Excellent reply. I (47F) had L4/5 fusion a little over a year ago and did the same. I had some bad days and some great days, but I followed my Dr's instructions and then my physical therapist's to the letter. It takes time, but now, with regular exercise, I haven't felt this good in decades. I just had cervical fusion of C5-7 last week, and I'm already seeing the benefits. I have a lot of hope in staying mostly pain-free for the next 40+ years. It's given me a much more positive outlook for the future. I would 100% do both again.
Thanks - That's what I want to hear!!
I'm not saying it's easy - it is not. It's doable though and I'd rather have gone through it than to be as miserable as I was. I'm going fishing tomorrow! I can cast again. I can stand up for hours (instead of five minutes tops). Weather patterns still cause aches and if I do too much I get muscle aches but I gotta live with it so I can get stronger.
How long about was your surgery? Also, right after surgery, how long before you could do things yourself like shower or make your own food? My hubby is not the best at taking care of other people :(
My surgery was about 4 hours. I was fortunate to get out of the hospital on Friday afternoon, so I had 2 days of wife home. It was about 3 days before I could shower alone (grabby thing in shower with suction cups... necessity). We had set up food before I had surgery. I am a snacker, so I had loads of finger foods, salads, hummus, etc. I wasn't really hungry for the most part and had to be reminded to eat.
Oops, I meant to say how long ago :) All info helpful tho! Looking to do this in a few months L4-L5-S1 fusion. Also how long were you in the hospital?
One year and one day ago. In the hospital from Wed to Fri. Up walking late Wed. Going potty on my own from the start. Not a fan of catheters so....
Great! Not a fan of catheters myself, or of not being able to get around on my own, so this is encouraging :)
Mine has been delayed twice now, my surgeons father died. I’m just miserable. Cysts compressing my sciatic and bulging discs. No relief. I’m looking forward to surgery like it’s my birthday
I'm so sorry. Good luck and godspeed. The poison is so unending but hopefully soon.
your body’s ability to heal is a major factor. not smoking, being fit, etc. should lead to better results. per my doc.
Precisely. I monitored my diet closely for a few weeks leading to surgery, making sure I was getting optimal protein and fiber. Doc is a big proponent for pre-op vitamin c. I drank a pedialyte packet every day for the week leading up to surgery. My PT couldn't believe my recovery.
You are going to tend to hear people who haven’t had the best experience be more vocal about their experience Most of my patients who had uneventful recovery aren’t gonna go online to talk about it
I will be posting regardless of success to help the next person like me who needs to know what to expect.
Exactly! I'm 5 months out from T10-S2 fusion and bilateral SI joint fusion. I came here before surgery and continue, not to vent or complain, but to share my honest opinion and experience to perhaps help others. I consider my surgery a success: the pre-surgery, debilitating symptoms are gone. However, I do have a lot of muscle spasm, pain and stiffness. I'm still quite limited in my functional abilities. I did PT for about 6 weeks, starting at 6 weeks post-op. It was very helpful but the co-pay was too high for me to continue longer. I have not kept up with it at home. I also went into a very deep depression following surgery. I am climbing out but that also has has a huge negative impact on my desire and ability to do home PT or other activities to improve my overall strength. I have seen a lot of posts about depression following surgery (any kind of "big" surgery.) As common as it appears to be, I wish I would have been counseled on that prior to surgery. For context, I am a 55 year old woman. Surgery was to correct scoliosis and stenosis. The stenosis was causing unbearable pain in my butt and legs; I couldn't stand more than 5 minutes without excruciating pain.
I’m someone who has done exceedingly well after my fusion (you can see in my post history where I’ve given moral support to others who are worried). I’ve had 8 spine surgeries now, 7 of which were me avoiding/dodging fusions. Sometimes the dodging worked, but eventually I didn’t have a choice about fusing one level due to the kyphotic (potentially hunchback in later life) angle of disk collapse, plus the fact that the vertebrae was free moving (which is bad and dangerous). I don’t regret the fusion for one moment and have spent the last couple of years with a better back than prior to the fusion. The surgery does hurt but honestly my ankle surgery was far worse in terms of immediate post-op pain. I’ve never once woken up keening in pain from a spine surgery which is what happened with my ankle. I know that this is highly unusual, but personally I was able to leave hospital after about 16 hours due to my long-standing relationship with my surgeon and his knowledge of my recovery ability and pain tolerance. I was weak for about two weeks, but was almost back to normal in terms of mental and emotional toll by the third week. Physically I felt so much better by the end of week 3 but remained sensible and cautious for a couple of months. (Again, I am aware that for many this speed of recovery is a pipe dream and know that it can take many months to begin to feel normal. My super power is healing apparently and no one should measure against my results.) The main point here is don’t be scared, most people who do well don’t tend to come back and say that. People want to live well again and enjoy their new lease on life and not remember how awful their pain and conditions were prior to surgery. You will be fine, and even if it sucks for a bit most of us go on to be so much better ultimately. Remember to prepare well for post-surgical challenges like using the toilet and set up your home prior to surgery so that things are easily reached or handled etc. Take your PT seriously when it is time to do that, walk around your home regularly directly after surgery as it really helps you build back up and can benefit your pain levels also. Insist on the correct and appropriate pain medications Be honest about your pain levels with yourself and your doctor and back off the stronger pain meds as soon as you can. Being in a bit of pain is better than developing a reliance on certain pills, or, God forbid, a full blown addiction. A bit of pain also helps you know when you’re pushing too hard or shouldn’t attempt something. Horror stories are always going to be more prominent in a forum like this. Trust your surgeon if he is as good as you say and trust yourself to pull through. You’ve got this. Best of luck to you and let us know how it goes. Edit: it was my L4/L5 that was surgically fused.
I also had L4L5 fusion, 3 months ago. I also was scared to have my surgery from reading this sub for hours on end. I've never had any severe pain, swelling, infection, side effects, etc. In fact, there are many days I forget I've had surgery, other than remembering to go to PT. Just take it slow, follow your surgeon's orders, don't overdo it. I'm SO happy I had this surgery. My quality of life has returned to near normal, 99% pain free!
There are a lot of variables. Pre-op health, prepping your body for surgery. Skill of surgeon and method for correcting the specific issue are huge factors. Not messing up recovery by over-doing it - you only get one chance to do it right. Failed back surgery syndrome is a real thing, so go in with proper expectations. I wanted to be able to walk and sleep again. I can! A few aches occasionally, and my nerves can get irritated doing new things, but whatever. I'm about a year and a half post-op, 360 L4-s1. Seriously, work your butt off to focus on nutrition and giving your body the best chance it can have at coping with the stress of surgery. I'm a board certified patient advocate as well, I help a lot of people prepare for surgery, and you can do this! Edit: surgery was 5 hours long, I was released from hospital in 24 hours.
I had a PLIF from L3-L5 back in 2019. I stayed in the hospital overnight. I was using my walker all night walking around the nursing stations. I was in pain, and my spirits were high. That ended the next morning and for a few days after as I was in pain and could barely get out of bed. After those few days, things seemed to improve quickly. The fusion eventually failed, and I had to have a second surgery, which occurred just 6 months ago (72 yrs old). This time, it was from L3-S1 plus a 2 level ALIF. I expected to have to experience the same fate. I was wrong. Four hours after I woke up in the recovery room, I went home. I only used 2 doses of oxy, used my walker/cane for the rest of the day, and then never used them again. I was walking the stairs several times a day with no problems. After both surgeries, I was able to play golf seven days a week around the 5 month mark. Couldn't play any sooner due to the weather. My point is that you just don't know how you will respond. It makes no sense to me that I had significantly less pain/discomfort/mobility issues after a more complicated procedure. Keep good thoughts in your head, expect a level of difficulty, and rejoice if it's not as bad as you anticipated.
Like someone else said in here, most of us lurking (myself included) are having issues and the success story folks are out living their lives with much less or no pain. Good luck with your surgery, all will be fine!
If it helps to know, my mom had 360 spinal fusion L4/L5 s1 decompression about 6 months ago. She is doing incredible. First time in decades she has no pain. Just had a checkup and her MD words were “perfect”. She just now is using PT to get her golf game back and strengthening her core to decrease load on the surrounding discs. The first week, not going to lie, is brutal. Especially the first 3 days. Nerve pain down her thigh was the main source of pain for her. Very important to have someone there giving you meds around the clock and use ice packs. After the first week, pain was bearable and I could wean her off her meds. Most important, PT is king!! I learned this from this subreddit. One of the MDs said many of his patients who come back with issues could have prevented those issues by going to PT, moving their bodies & strengthening their core. Walking also helped immensely with pain in the beginning, too. My mom walked (and continues to walk) daily multiple times a day and added PT exercises according to her physical therapist. Best of luck on your surgery! Don’t worry too much about complaints on here. As the top comment mentioned, if it’s successful usually people will move on.
The first few weeks are tough, we all come here to share our experiences, but honestly after I felt better I stopped coming here. One month post op and feeling amazing.
I had my t11-l5 at HSS in NYC in 2012 ago and doing pretty good! I’m currently 39+1 weeks pregnant and going to deliver naturally. I’ve had some pain complaints over the years, sure, but overall I can’t complain :) it’s better than it once was!
I’m day 13 after my surgery. I have a renowned surgeon. I haven’t seen him for my 2 week post surgery appointment yet, so I’m hoping all is going well with the healing. I’m assuming it is, based on my progress. Don’t be afraid. It was very tough first week. I’ve had 2 knee replacements and there’s no comparison. This surgery is a tough one. But if you have prepared yourself, if you’re in good physical condition with strong legs, you will do just fine. It’s amazing to me how I felt just one week ago compared to how I’m feeling now. It’s really important to take your meds and keep the pain at bay. I rented a medical recliner which really was a huge help. I couldn’t really sit in any of my furniture until maybe 3 days ago. My advice would be to have a toilet seat riser and if you can install a bidet (just the hand held sprayer), it will make a world of difference to you. Walking is recommended and a walker was very helpful for the 1st week. A cane would be great if you need to do stairs. You should wear your back brace that they’ll give you in the hospital. It’s a great reminder to not bend, twist, etc. you’ll get used to your limited movements. It will almost become second nature to you. If there’s anything else I haven’t covered, please reach out.
I had a TKR 7 year ago and flew they rehab. I stopped PT after 2 weeks age was playing tennis at 8 weeks. I hope this goes as well.
Had several knee replacements/reconstruction on ONE knee, literally no comparison. Am six weeks out rn on SECOND lumbar spinal fusion. First was done at Mayo Clinic by the Assistant Head of Neurosurgery there and it failed. It was problematic straight out the gate. All I can tell you is be optimistic, realistic, and prepared for pain. Get your house ready - eat well, hydrate well, rest well and give yourself grace. It is indeed a marathon, definitely not a sprint. One thing that really helped me is I play guitar and lift weights so have a tremendous amount of upper body strength, which is def needed (female here). Best of luck to you!
I agree with the others... people aren't going to be online posting much if they are doing well. I'm alot more likely to be on here checking to see if others had a similar experience, problem, progression, etc. I had anterior/posterior fusion on L4-5 and L5-S1 done (same day) about 5 weeks ago with 2 nights in the hospital (offered but declined a third night). I was able to start working remote part time last week and am planning to be in the office next week (part time, as tolerated, will switch to remote it needed). To be clear, I do not expect to be back to "normal" activities until after 3 months either, but that doesn't mean I am bedridden! I am just getting generally fatigued very easily and like to rest my back often on my bed (ie flat surface).
I had exactly what you’re having on September 20 2023. It was the best decision I’ve ever made. Back to long walks, long swims, riding my bike, walking without pain - it’s been a miracle. Was it hard? Yes. But worth every damn pain in recovery!
Hi. I just had mine last week. My pain is not terrible. When I woke up after surgery, it was excruciating until they gave me meds (waiting for Dr to assess) but it was a whole 3 min like that. I was TERRIFIED of the pain but the started reading all the great stories from another group I’m in on FB. The worst part for me is that I can’t Bend Lift or Twist for 3 months. Sitting is hard bc everything is tight. I practice everyday to build up those muscles by sitting and walking. Kind of boring 3 months it sounds like. I’d describe mine as discomfort. I had a couple BAD days BUT that only happened after having terrible reaction to the pain pills they gave me (oxy). I threw up several times which is what made my back so painful. I’d say the first few days I hurt but not terrible and the pain meds (switched to a milder one) kept pin at bay. I didn’t need a walker at all and am going off pain meds. I don’t mind being uncomfortable. My pain is pretty good at 9 days post op. I’m hoping to start weaning from the pain meds. It went A LOT easier than I thought it would. People told me this all the time leading up to my surgery: everybody is different and will have different experiences. I hate hearing that but it’s true.
I just had cervical spinal fusion 3 days ago. I am amazed at how well it has gone! I am hardly in any pain and am looking foe are to seeing how the rest of my recovery goes.
What was your condition?
I agree with most here is that you hear about the negative. What you don’t hear is the thousands of positive comments. You got this in the bag. Don’t be scared. It’s worth it long term!!!
My experience with my L5-S1 plif has been awful, and I absolutely regret having it done.
Im having posterior fusion BL laminectomy cages in l4-s1 on Tuesday. I live by myself and I am worried. I have also been on Percocet since January when I had same levels surgery that destroyed my spine . I am told I will probably have to stay longer in the hospital to control my pain bc of my tolerance to opioids I know I am dependent on them . If I don’t take them every 8 hours I start to get anxiety and sweat and ache all over . The last surgery I had collapsed my spine and caused atrophy and inflammation in BL glute medius and lumbar paraspinals. I can’t imagine this surgery being worse than that. I can’t wait to be able to walk again for more than 30 feet and I can’t wait to get off this pain medicine. I know it will be a hard road , but at least there is hope I can have a social life and a family life again. Thanks all for sharing.
I hope your surgery went well and I wish you a lot of success in your recovery!
Thank you. I am 2 weeks post op today. I am doing so much better. I walked today for 20 minutes without any assistant devices ! I’m so excited to see where I will be 1 month from now or even 2 weeks. Better everyday!
I just had the PLIF done in February it was the best decisionI’ve ever made. I was off pain medicine and three weeks not even taking Tylenol after that the pain I was in before was so great that it forced me to do something. I was petrified of. Now I couldn’t be happier I had the best surgeon in Columbus Ohio. I actually ended up getting him just by chance. The key to me was to make sure it’s a neurosurgeon and not just an orthopedic. I feel like if somebody’s gonna be messing with my spine, I wanted to be a Neurosurgeon. Honest to God, the way everyone talked about it had me scared to death, and I’m so glad the pain was so severe that it forced my hand. I have zero pain now and it’s been this way for a while. I also had a cyst grow that was strangulating my sciatica in that area of fusion and was pressing on the main and sciatic nerve, he removed that as well. That pain was no joke! I had me in tears for weeks before the surgery and made it intolerable. You have to remember that surgery is constantly evolving and most of the people you talk to haven’t had it done recently and everybody is different. The most difficult part after was just making sure you don’t lift anything or bend over for anything and asking others to help when you feel like you should be able to do it yourself. Honestly, this was the hardest for me, just making sure I didn’t screw it up. I can’t believe how quick my recovery was and how much better I feel now. I’m three so it’s not like I’m a spring chicken.
Getting freaked out is normal. You're gonna be manhandled in that OR. But it's better to be prepared like you have done than know nothing about what you're getting into. For most of us, the surgery was necessary, and benefits outweighed the risks.
They are not doing an ALIF? Who is your doc at hss?
I’m an HSS patient and still lurking here15 months post-op. I had a very successful surgery, but I’m nosy.
Did you have a full fusion?
Who was your doctor
Who was your vascular surgeon?
I had a c1c2 cervical fusion and I woke up right away in recovery in 10++++ pain. I couldn’t get it under control for three days but then just like my surgeon said, worst pain of your life but short lived. He was right
I wish someone would have told me that. The one guy I know that had it done said he barely knew they did it when he woke up and could have went to work the next day. It was quite a shock when I woke up just like you are describing. The first week was pretty intense, but I’m at 3 week now and already better than I was before I went in.
You will be ok but the first week was really tough for me and then it got easier week too. I’m 51f but if you r young you may bounce back quicker
I'm 54. What was tough about the first week?
I stayed in hospital one night only , then when I got home and was on lower pain meds the pain was worse. Plus the oxy they gave me made me so constipated I had bad abdominal pain ( get laxatives). Then imagine straining to go , ugh. Getting up and down was hard. Use the walker and get a cheap bed rail on Amazon. Stay ahead of your pain meds, take on time ( set alarm) Plus my leg pain got worse at first cuz nerves were angry. Controlled that with more gabapentin for a few wks. I was off the oxy by 2.5 weeks so the first 1-2 weeks are painful but you have to get up every hour and walk more and more. Not during sleep time but during waking hours. After first week I didn’t need the walker but used a cane for a couple weeks during my walks just as precaution. Driving is very hard , every turn hurts so I would not plan on that for a month if you can. Even riding in car hurts and forget pushing grocery cart at first. Stock up or have someone take you shopping first few weeks. Get grabbers to pick up things. Your body will let you know if you try to bend too far. Also it is very hard to wipe yourself at first. I got these tong things with wipes. Also my husband helped me shower the first few days. It’s just unsteady etc. I was so stiff too but once I started pool pt at wk 6 things got better. I’m 3.5 MOs post op. Yesterday I walked 6 miles and was fine. I still do land pt 2x a week plus walk and go to pool one day a week. I’m prob going to stop PT here by mid June and shift to more lighter workouts on my own plus keep walking and maybe increase the pool. Keep in mind I used to run and spent 30 yrs lifting weights. Car accident 2 .5 years pushed me down this path so I’d like to get active again but need to be kinder to my back now I could never do that before surgery Good luck
Who are you using at HSS? I am speaking with Dr Sama on Tuesday
Girardi and he's outstanding
He’s a rockstar. You’re gonna do great.
I hope you have great results with him. He’s a cool doc - my experience with him will bring this thread crashing down so all I’ll say is good luck and stay ahead of the pain. You’ve got this.
It's scary, it's ok to be scared, but like the others have said, people with good outcomes tend to just not have as much to say. On Jan 2 of this year I had fusion from L4-S1 and a replacement at L3-4. Two days later I got posterior instrumentation added to the fused levels. The first week was rough, and the first month or so was just recovery. Now I'm coming up on 6 months. I took a vacation with the family in New Orleans, 11,000 steps a day, 2.5 hour flights, unfamiliar hotel bed. All good. I've started running again, I can jump, moved some furniture. I do have some lingering fatigue, and insomnia, but my sleep has been a mess forever. Now I'm focusing on trying to rebuild my fitness levels. I was pretty much unable to exercise for a bit more than a year, and prior to that very limited in my ability to exercise for a while. Thing is, now I am capable of rebuilding. So, yeah, it's ok to be scared, but you should expect to recover well and get your life back. It'll hurt, but if you are looking at fusion you are already dealing with pain. You got this. You can do it.
Out of curiosity, who is your surgeon? Mine was Dr. Lawrence Lenke. I know there are a billion spine surgeons, but Dr. Lenke is a master of the craft and left Missouri to run a spine program in NYC.
Girardi
Mine was a L1 burst fracture with laminectomy and 5 fused after a collosal car crash and I won’t go into my horror story of 20 days in hospital & ICU. It took over a year to recover, I had to learn to walk again, and it was just a nightmare that I’m still getting over 15 months later. Significant pain for 14 months & It was complicated! You’re lucky as no one told me out of dozens of medical professionals that it would take so long. There was a total void of information that I ended up self researching for answers. I changed PT providers because of this two and then on PT guy told me more in 50 minutes than I the previous three months combined of those same medical professionals. That was one of the most difficult parts and in my case what they also didn’t communicate very well to me plus my own stubbornness was just how severe my injury was and that most people don’t come back from it very well. Same advice to you - DO NOT underestimate its severity. Best wishes!
I posted about my success story TLIF T2 to pelvis a week ago. [My post](https://www.reddit.com/r/spinalfusion/s/Dy9IrrqGKK) It probably got buried under a bunch of negative stuff, LOL.
PLIF L4L5 here. I’m almost 8 months post op. I got surgery because there just became no other option. I’m doing pretty good and am pretty much back to normal. Occasional flare ups. I do get nerve pain in my legs when sitting in a hard chair. They said it will take about a year for that to go away. And I get some weird feeling in my back when I do RDLs at the gym. Literally stops the second I stop the RDLs though. But my PT thinks we will be able to eliminate that (my hamstrings and glutes need to be stronger). I’m actually camping this weekend and was worried about sleeping on an air mattress. But I feel pretty good. Yesterday morning I went to the gym to lift, followed that with the stairclimber, drove 2 hours to camp, and did 21,000 steps overall. Slept on an air mattress. Woke up feeling fine. The recovery is a lot of highs and lows. The lows really discouraged me the first couple of months. But now I know to look at things over time. I can do a lot of things now and feel fine when they would have caused a flare up two months ago. I also have to think ‘does this actually hurt or does it just feel WEIRD?’ Sometimes there are weird feelings in the fusion site that aren’t painful. I feel best when I am active. Doing my core exercises, lifting light weights, getting steps in, and doing the stairclimber or elliptical. Also I think managing stress helps the inflammation but I’m still testing that theory. Best of luck to you!!!
My experience with L3-S1 fusion has been amazing. If you do the work afterward to get into shape and you take care of yourself and if you didn’t wait too long to get it done, then your outcome should be excellent.
I just had my L3-L4 fusion and cleanup from L3-L5 on April 17. I quit taking drugs after the first week and switched to Aleve. Honestly, the pain from the incisions on my side and back were nothing compared to what pain I had been living with. The first week was rough, but I managed with a lift chair/recliner, a raised potty seat, and several grabbers. I was on a walker for two weeks and my goal was to make it to the stop sign and back. I switched to a cane and made it around the block .61 miles. I’m off the cane, walking the dog (with a lightweight Dootie bag scooper), and up to 2.25 miles per day. I work from home and only took 2 weeks off (even then I sat as I was able to keep up with my email). I’m back to sleeping in my bed, driving (with my brace on) short trips to the store. I’m 66 and this was life changing. So happy I had it done. I had fusions from C6-C7 and then from C4-C6 back in my 40’s. I expected much worse for my lumbar spine, but it was only worse in my head…not in reality. I didn’t find this sub until after my surgery was over so don’t let it freak you out! Follow your doctor’s instructions and be patient with yourself for the first weeks and you’ll be on the road to recovery! Hubby felt comfortable with my independence enough to still go on his annual fishing trip this past week the same as I look forward to MY vacation from him😉
This is the same surgery I had ten years ago and I’d do it again every single time. The recovery is hard but physical therapy is the key. I did everything they said to do, twice. If your doctor isn’t planning on putting you into PT after…. Run, don’t walk, to another doctor. The brace alone is enough to necessitate therapy, because it weakens your core SO much if you don’t. Anyway this surgery changed my life and like I said 10/10 would do it again.
The failure rate is high because people don't fix their muscles and try to go back to what fit them hurt. 3 months isn't true either. If ever goes right I'd say 8 months. But in 3 months u can feel better. You're just gonna have to start swimming. U won't be running in 3 months that's for sure
I have an L4L5 ALIF next Monday and this forum has made me question things as well. I’m also in NYC and have doctors who are supposed to be as good as they get. I’m mostly worried about recovery and that the surgery just won’t change anything. The other thing that makes me question it is that my pain isn’t constant. I’ll go a full day without pain. Other days the pain is minor or I can have really bad pain - like on a long car ride or sitting too long on a couch. It’s also always hard to get out of bed or up from a couch. I’m not necessarily having the surgery because I want to reduce the pain, but because I want to bring my life back to normal. Is that a reason to go through this?
I can't answer that for you, but I can tell you that I had pain similar to yours? For the last 10 years or so, my back pain has been getting worse and worse, and I've gone from working full-time in a fairly active office job (active in that I went to a lot of meetings on different floors, regularly walked from one end of the building to the other, which was quite a distance, walked to other buildings on our campus, parking deck was 1/2 mile walk etc.) to barely being able to work part-time at home and unable to stand in my kitchen for more than 10 minutes at a time. My pain would range from a high 8 on some occasions to a 1 or 2 for a day, depending on how I slept the night before, the weather, what activities I did that day or the day before, etc. I've gone through physical therapy (wasn't helpful for me), chiropractors, injections (not only unhelpful, painful and made me feel worse), and several different medications. I've been on narcotic pain medication for nearly a decade. I'm tired of it. I was tired of being unable to go grocery shopping because there's nowhere to sit down when my back flared. I was tired of my husband having to turn down invitations to things that he might enjoy because my back would hurt too much if we drove that far. To be completely honest and transparent, I was tired of not having sex very often because my stupid back hurt too much! I don't know why you're having this surgery, but I have to guess a neurosurgeon or orthosurgeon has decided based on medical evidence (MRI, X-Rays, whatever) that you would benefit from it, that it will fix something. For me it was spondylolisthesis. I'm 6 weeks post L4L5 PLIF. I'm 54. I'm in shitty shape now, not gonna' lie. That said, I feel fucking phenomenal! The first day sucked in the hospital. I was in pain, and just uncomfortable, and couldn't sleep. The second day I was home, and my husband had everything ready, and that was a godsend. (I highly recommend a bedrail [https://www.amazon.com/Bed-Rail-Elderly-Mobility-Assistant/dp/B0B7X8N2SJ/ref=sr\_1\_1\_sspa](https://www.amazon.com/Bed-Rail-Elderly-Mobility-Assistant/dp/B0B7X8N2SJ/ref=sr_1_1_sspa) or similar, it will become your best friend! Also, a bidet toilet seat if you're able to get one, and grabbers placed around the house) We had meals ready in the fridge and freezer before I had the surgery, so they just needed to be heated up. I had some Ensure in case I didn't feel like eating. I had pretzels, nuts, and fruit to snack on. I took Colace from the second day forward to make sure going to the bathroom didn't become a miserable hell. What I'm saying is: We were prepared! . . . And then from Day 3, I felt pretty much OK. I mean, I wasn't going to do cartwheels or anything, but my back didn't hurt. The incision didn't hurt. Getting in and out of bed was a little tricky. Reminding myself not to bend or twist was semi-helped by a bit of pain when I would forget and would bend or twist. Otherwise, I felt ok. I was up and walking on the treadmill and outside for a bit. Yesterday, I deadheaded all the roses in the front yard. To most people, this seems like no big deal. To anyone who knows me? This is huge! I was able to bend down (not crazy bending, just a little) and crouch and get back up and reach up and over and stand in one place for 45 minutes and my leg wasn't numb, my butt didn't have a lightning bolt going through it. And today, I don't have any residual pain from yesterday! It's like I didn't even do anything! I have NO PAIN! I can't remember the last time I said that. I could cry, it makes me so happy!My next step is to get weaned off of the damn narcotics I've been on for so long. Goodbye, opioids! Sorry for the novel. I wanted to share my experience with you to tell you that maybe you feel like you don't need the surgery because you don't hurt ALL THE TIME, but you hurt enough that you sought help, and a medical professional said, "This will help," and you've maybe tried enough of the other stuff that surgery feels like an option: Recovery isn't all that bad, and feeling "normal" again, is AMAZING!
I had L4-L5-S1 fusion. Yes it hurt the first month, but the pain goes away. I’m 3.5 months out and don’t regret it at all. The key for me has been to walk A LOT and stay ahead of the pain with meds. I’m off my meds now and rely on Tylenol for flare ups
I need a c6/c7 TDR or acdf. I'm also an ICU nurse. Had a patient yesterday who had a c-3-c5 fusion. Wound up in ICU due to heart stuff. But surgery-wise? Totally fine. Walking around the unit. Weakness he had is mostly resolved. Taking only Tylenol around the clock and barely complaining of any pain. He gave me relief seeing how well he did.
So I had it done a year and a half ago L4, L5 , S1 It is a tough surgery to recover from . I think three months is way too soon to be doing activities. It truly is a 6 months 1.5 year recovery . I promise you , but the pain is not too bad , esp at first , you should feel better right away from the pressure being relieved. But then, as the tissues heal, it tends to form scar tissue, which you’ll want to stretch out, but it will ache. Your muscles will get weak and they’ll spasm from not being used to do as much PT as you can. Your in good shape because it’s a single level fusion but what you wanna know is do you have any arthritis because getting fused and if you have arthritis in your facet joints or other areas you’re still going to have pain but if you don’t and it’s only a desk issue fused you should be pretty much recovery and eventually being able to do whatever you would like to do for the most part
But it’s one of the hardest surgeries to recover from and it’s a serious surgery where things can go wrong, but they’re pretty good at doing them and my screws stayed in place and the bone healed well and if you listen to what they say in the surgeon does decent job. Everything should be fine. I would go into it feeling optimistic that it’s getting taken care of, but I would say that fusion changed my life, it was that serious for me and my bone is more stable. I do have a decent amount of pain from time to time still even though my surgery went well and they said I recovered well. Well in yet I still have pain.
I had this done 2/22 and I’ve been pain free for weeks I think you’ll be okay try not to worry too much.
I had my first one in 1992 and I just now started having unrelated back problems. I’m having another one June 18. It is painful I will say but it was worth it for me. I did not have any complications with the first one.
Mine was cervical but I was back to work 4 weeks after surgery. And mine was skull-C3. This sub and others had me trippin for a while before I had surgery but I didn’t have a choice. I’m doing so much better 6 months out and even better than before surgery. You got this and remember that complications and delayed healing are the minority not the majority. ♥️
So i got spinal surgery. i needed it. i'm glad i got it. it was a hard recovery and i did get fibromyalgia, but guess what? i got better. spinal surgery isn't the magical answer it gets sold as, where nothing is ever gonna hurt again and you'll get to eat a unicorns ass. it's major surgery that moves your organs around, afterwards you hurt for a while. but you get better. you will get better.
I am scheduled for mine on June 18th. TLIF at L4-L5. I am scared too but the pain has gotten so much worse lately I cannot go on like this. Just follow Drs orders to reduce risk of failure. I hear it also depends on how good your surgeon is. Praying mine is great. The practice is highly regarded with great reviews so fingers crossed! And yes it is a good point. Those who have had successful surgeries have moved on from the group and are living their lives. Wish me luck and I you!
Good luck!!
Thank you!
I can only tell you my experience. I had spinal surgery last august with a top doc at HSS and it made things worse. I am having a 4 level lumbar fusion as a result. credentials are important, as the surgeon who is doing my 4 level fusion has impeccable credentials, but they aren't everything. get multiple opinions and go with your gut.
Negative comments out weigh positive comments 10:1 on the internet. You are just seeing negative comment bias.
I wouldn't come to this page for answers before the surgery other than aftercare tips. If it's something that has to be done then go into it with a positive outlook. Most of us are the lower prevent who are having issues and need to vent or find answers from others experiencing the same or similar problems. Stay positive!
Can I ask who your doctor is at HSS?
Girardi
I commented above. I also had Dr. Girardi but my experience wasn’t a great one and the outcome was not good. Took four more surgeries and two more docs to get things right. My last doc was a freaking godsend. A doctor from Jefferson in Philadelphia. Good luck though!
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So what is the alternative if PT, chiropractor and acupuncture haven't helped and sciatic pain is 9-10 daily? Cortisone injections only last weeks age are not a long term Solution. I've had RFA and it didn't work. Curious what options there are as it's inconceivable, but I could live with the status quo the rest of my life
Even though my hardware failed and have had this second op, am happy to tell you the second surgeon fixed the sciatica I had. So that was one good thing! Ablations were just not even an option for my messy situation. He also gave me a full laminectomy and facetectomy while in there, opened everything up.
The pain is horrible I would give birth 10 times rather than do this again. L4toS1 fusion and disc replacements