I have been having trouble with my back for about 2 years. The only surgery that my doctor will do is fusing L3-L5. I talk myself into having the surgery, then talk myself back out of it again. What persuaded you to have the surgery?

For me it was a quest to regain control of my life. I was not improving. I had persavered with a range of conservative treatments for 12+ months with little if any sustained improvement. Surgery at that time was rated a 80% chance of success while continuing down the track I was going was not likely to result in success at all. I guess it was the waying up of these options my history and what I wanted to achieve that assisted me with my decision. Its never easy to make a decission of this nature. I would suggest you document the pros and cons and then discuss them with a third party who is both objective yet has you best interests at heart. Often chatting with a third party assists you to both clarrify and justify to yourself the decision you are making. Good luck

losy :bouncing: :confused:

What kind of trouble are you having with your back? How bad is it? Are you seeing a spine specialist? My biggest problem was I could hardly walk (I wasn't on any pain meds) and that's why I agreed to surgery. I had an orthopedic spine specialist, two years off a fellowship, and he did a laminectomy and fused me from L3-S1. I'm doing great. If you are bad enough you'll agree to surgery. Just make sure you get an absolute specialist.
fly

Quality of life moves you toward the decision. And in my case, becoming paralyzed while waiting for surgery brought the decision day to me instantly.

I had tried 6+ months of conservative treatment that was not helping, and the pain was getting much worse on a daily basis. I was living on pain meds to the point I could barely function. I was afraid of how much worse it could get as it was getting so bad so fast. When the doctor offered fusion as an option with a high success rate to make the pain stop... I took it :)

L3-L4 has advanced DDD. All the disk that he is talking about fusing are bulging and also have moderate DDD. He said the spine is unstable (can't remember the techical word for it-starts with a s). The nerve test showed that the disk is on the nerve on both sides of L5. I have tried all the conservative treatment and none has helped for any length of time. I have trouble walking-I drag my foot and leg pretty bad when it's flared up, and sitting is very painful. If I lay down on the couch, it's a struggle to get back up.

Hi, Sheltie Fan!
I was glad to read your question because the same question has been causing me great anxiety. My surgery is scheduled for Feb 3, fusing L2/3 and L3/4 because of instability not disc trouble. I'm not CONSTANTLY in pain like some others and I have pain meds but I don't take them because respt or sleep works ALMOST as well, but I can't get up from chair, sofa, car seat, or bed without major pain and I can't walk or stand for more than about five minutes. Still, everyone in my family is against this surgery and frankly, some of the horror stories on this board have me scared to death. I hope I'm making the right decision. Can anyone out there describe the BENEFITS of fusion surgery, even though I know I'll be in a lot of pain for several weeks afterward?
I know my fears are normal, but what if I'm one of the ones who ends up needing more surgery later??????
Robbie

At the time of my surgery, I was living in the Bahamas so I flew to florida. They told me that if I didnt have the surgery (ALIF) that I would be paralyzed. I saw 2 other docs and they all agreed on surgery, so thats what I did. The surgery was in 2001 and it is a non - union :( NOW they are talking a second surgery - im 28 and trying to start a family so I am at a total loss on what to do since i am living on meds. Make sure you consider ALL of your options prior to having a fusion done.

The benefits are simply quality of life. I'm 14 weeks post-op and am feeling great and back to activities I haven't done in years.

Everyone has their horror stories about any given surgery or hospital exeprience. Some people just like to tell things for shock value, some dwell on the negative. I'm sure you have encountered people like that.. the glass always half empty types.

While it's good to know all the risks, and I do appreciate the fact that people share their experiences, good or bad, just know that we all enter into it hoping for the best.
Doctors aren't God. Medicine isn't without error. However, it's my belief that we don't hear more about the good experiences because most of those people move on and get busy with their life.

For me, it's pretty much the same as the others. I had tried all sorts of conservative practices and was only getting worse. When it got to the point that I could no longer stand, walk, sit or lift 5 lbs. it was either surgery or disability. I want to live more and I want to work. I was only 40 and couldn't imagine laying around and constantly changing my position for the next 30 some years. I figured surgery could only help. If it didn't work...I wouldn't be any worse.

My suggestion is this. You go into any surgery knowing that nothing is perfect and there are no guarantees, so once you have made a fully informed decision to have surgery...think positive and look for the positive stories. If you look for them, the negative stories will be found. Don't go looking for them. It will go a long way in recovery.

Your in my thoughts and prayers,

Lorie :angel: