Hello every one,
i have severe DDD L5/S1,pain every day,very bad in morning when i first wake.Also hip groin and thigh pain.Im 41 and live in the uk.Seen a spinal surgeon at a good orthopadic hospital who suggests fusion,but i dont really want it done,as i have heard it puts strain on the discs above.I take glusomate and just started to take MSM.What is everyones opion on fusion and are there any alternatives to fusion...please help...i need your opinions,thank you all very much!!!
There are alternatives, fusion is one. Do you know how bad your disc is? What has your Dr done so far as studies/tests? I would think your disc must be pretty bad if he's already suggesting fusion? I had a fusion, mine was a must because my discs herniated again & again til finally I was bone on bone.
I'm sure you'll hear from all the other's here and some have had other things than fusion.
hI,thanx for reply,theres no disc left,the gell from disc has seeped into the spinal canal and gone hard.Did fusion work for you?would you reccomend it?thank you.
I had relief and noticeable improvement. My spine was again stable, my disc debris gone and everything looked great.
Unfortunately my fusion failed. NoBody's fault. Sometime's you don't fuse.
I say yes, because as I said before I personally had no choice. I DO believe for me it's my best and only option. I am a couple years older than you and plan on living a real life for a few more years. The pain prevented that. I WILL have fusion surgery again and I WILL fuse.
i'm 7 months post-op 2 level lumbar fusion. i'm fully fused according to my OSS. my back feels good most of the time, sometimes it's a bit sore and stiff but all in all i'm happy so far. i do have severe nerve damage in my right leg and foot which is very slow to improve but getting better over time.
what does the disc above your proposed fusion sight look like now? in my case that disc looked in perfect shape so i thought if i had surgery and took care of myself after i have a very good chance that this disc could handle the load for some time to come. i was not able to get ADR so this is the reason i went ahead with fusion. i recomend that you check out all types of surgery options and get at least three opinions. also talk to docs about possible post-op nerve problems even if you don't have them now. my nerve problems did not start until after surgery.
Ask what you can expect if you don't have it. My OSS did a lamenectomy because of severe spinal stenosis and he was going to do a 2-level fusion. He ended up doing a 3-level because he found cracks after he got in there. If you have a fusion you'll have to take care of it, do things differently. The DDD isn't going to go away.
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Ddd And Worried About Fusion 
