Anyone ever had a spinal fusion?

[CZP1]

I have been dealing with back pain for 4 years. In a nutshell, lower back andI went and had x-rays, MRI and said I have dengenerative disc disease, spinal stenosis (narrowing of spinal canal). So after dealing with all the PT, pain injections, meds nothing working. I decided to get a second opinion from a neueosurgeron and he knew from looking at MRI all the stuff mentioned above and said that there was nothing he could do, but from the symptoms and pains I was describing said I should have another x-ray. After having another x-ray with actually leaning forward (like bending over) it showed the slipped vertebrae in L3-4. He said you can live with it but if you have been dealing with this for 4 years there looks like alot of damage yada yada....so recommended a TLIF (transforminamal lumbar interbody fusion). So I have some rods and screws in L3-4.

I had the surgery on Oct 11th, 3 day hospital stay and things are going great, only thing is the spasms from the nerves waking up, the pains that were never there before but other pains are gone. I am going nuts

I whine to hubby, and my son

they are helping but I want to do things like I used to do, they tell me rest. Doctor said it will take about 6 months for mine to fuse and the nerves even longer. I am on a 10 lb. lifting limit and put some groceries away last night and apparently the back said "Oh no you don't" and sharp pains in lower left hip/back area, which by the way is numb since the surgery (forgot to add) and we are watching that.

I just wanted to know if this is all normal, they tell me it is. I am going nuts just laying around the house. I am thankful that I can walk and have all functions but God give me patience!

Thanks, I needed to vent~sorry for all the icons they are fun!

Chris

Fixed some grammer errors

 

[Georgia]

My wife saw this and asked me to reply. I apologize if I don't follow the normal writing rules of the forum.

Arthritis destroyed my L4-L5 and L5-S1 disks, causing me to have sharp pain in my leg when I would stand more than a minute. So I had surgery on Mar 29 to remove the disks and fuse the bones together. The whole contraption is held together with 2 rods and 6 screws.

The nerve paid ended completely with the surgery. The pain from the muscles takes much longer to heal and then of course the muscles are VERY weak and have to regain their function. At the 6 week point that you are at, I was still very limited and was still about a month away from returning to work as an attorney. The lifting limits are critical (mine was described as a gallon of milk) to give the long process of bone fusing and muscle healing the time it needs. The muscle pain and weakness sounds normal (turning over in bed is still not easy; you use back muscles more than you think), but if you have continued numbness, you should consult your doctor. You and/or your insurance is paying for the follow-up.

Unless your doctor has said not to, walking is a very good form of exercise. Maybe I was just lucky in my wife's patience, but your family (and you) needs to understand that any restrictions are essential.

My prayers for your continued recovery.

Paul

 

[CZP1]

Thanks Paul, hubby and son keep telling me to lay low but I can't sit still. I appreciate your response.

 

[Flying minis]

My husband is about 1 year post op from this - it was the best thing he ever did! It was "heck" for a while after the surgery, but he is able to do so much more again without pain now. He can even ride again! The biggest thing, as the other poster said, is mind your restrictions! and do any rehab you're told to, and walk, walk, walk. It really will get better.

 

[Katiean]

I had a c2-3 fusion. I had suffered for years with it. When I could no longer take the pain and swelling in my hands and arms I had surgery. I never felt better. I had one side effect. In the front of my neck the nerves would spasm and it felt like someone was grabbing the skin and pulling it out from my neck. However, my pain relief was short lived. Surgery was in September. By mid February I was released with no restrictions and no pain. March 17th I was leaving work sitting at a stop sign when I was hit from behind. He hit so hard he bent the frame of my van and damaged c4-5. They took out the hardware that I had and did the fusion with a larger piece. I have not had one pain free day since. However, my best advice is do exactly what your Dr tells you. You will have a much better recovery.

 

[SampleMM]

I've never had anything like this done so no words of wisdom here but wanted to say that I hope you get feeling better. This all sounds extremely painful.

 

[SammyL]

My twin brother had a spinal fusion when we were seventeen I believe. He has cerebral Palsy. Either way, the only thing I say is REST, REST, REST. You will feel better soon!!! Good luck!

 

[Sanny]

I'd broken my neck and it never healed well and I ended up having a two level fusion at C4-5 and C5-6 with donor bone used in the fusion and titanium hardware to hold it all together. I dealt with pain and muscle spasms and other issues for over a year before I actually had the surgery and it is the best thing I ever did once I got the courage to do it. I had to do surgery because I started having numbness and tingling in my entire left arm and hand and my hand/arm strength was getting weaker and weaker (and I am left-handed). Because of the location they had to go in from the front (basically slit my throat open - gross) to do the surgery which really freaked me out but you can't even see the scar now) the surgeon cut it along a natural skin fold/wrinkle in the neck. It was hard right after just because I can't handle the pain meds that normally would be given - I get really dizzy and nauseated with morphine and Vicodin and even Tylenal 3 with codeine so I had to suffer with some of the pain with regular Ibuprofene and tylonal. I will say I had tight muscles, similar nerve issues, etc. for a while in my neck and left shoulder/upper back after the surgery and I did go to a chiropractor that did massage, adjustment and acupuncture and I think the acupuncture was what really made the difference in the end. I have had no issues since the surgery (6 years or so ago).

The biggest advice I can give is to follow doctors orders, and DON'T push yourself - I know it seems silly when you are limited to under 10 lbs which is the gallon of milk but you will regret it if you do too much (like lifting) that you are not ready for or supposed to be doing (or you risk everything coming apart). Lifting weight or doing too much twisting and turning causes lots of microscopic cracking in the surgical area and it all could actually weaken enough to crumble (ewww). I also have no idea if you are a smoker or not but I do know that from what my surgeon said and from what I learned researching things before I had the surgery was that smokers have a very high risk of this sort of surgery failing or not fixing things - something about the smoking, even second-hand smoke affecting bones ability to heal and to heal strong.

I think I was very VERY careful for six months after my surgery and I went to the chiropractor on a regular basis for a year after my surgery and now it is about 6-7 years later and I've had no problems at all. The only time I even think about it now is when I am driving because when I am changing lanes I have limited range of motion for turning my head and looking back and I am so used to it that I just sit up straight and twist my whole torso. For some reason right after the surgery every time I went to our Target store I would set off the sensors at the doors and we all suspect for some reason my new neck hardwear was somehow setting it off. I also have a card that I should carry when I fly because I occasionally set off metal detectors and I'd have no way of proving to them that it is hardwear legitimately inside my body!!

Good Luck and I hope you heal well! Take advantage of your "limits" and let your family wait on you a little bit.

 

[AppyLover2]

I had a very successful laminectomy about 25 years ago. As someone else said, it was the best thing I've ever done for myself. The flip side of the coin though, my SIL had fusion surgery last Christmas and just went in for a CT Scan yesterday to see why he's still in such pain. Right now he's trying to schedule an appointment for a 2nd opinion.