Without going into alot of detail. I met with a surgeon today and was given two options. Two level fusion S1-L5 & L4-L5 or leave it alone and it might fuse itself in 10 years or so? I have done everything over the years except surgery. My resent MRI,CT and Discogram confirm that both of these levels are where my pain is.
I have two more appointments set up with other surgeons to see if they agree with the first.
Any advise would be greatly appreciated.
Without going into alot of detail. I met with a surgeon today and was given two options. Two level fusion S1-L5 & L4-L5 or leave it alone and it might fuse itself in 10 years or so? I have done everything over the years except surgery. My resent MRI,CT and Discogram confirm that both of these levels are where my pain is.
I have two more appointments set up with other surgeons to see if they agree with the first.
Any advise would be greatly appreciated.
If you are getting two more opinions, that's great. That's an abundance of caution. Assuming the two new surgeons have all of your records and information you can see if they give you the same recommendation as doctor #1. It seems to me you are doing the right thing by getting a couple of other opinions.
I forgot to say that all three surgeons are Spine Surgeons. And yes I'm taking all of my current MRI's, X-ray's, CT, Discogram and all reports that go with.
Also did not say my age 53yrs. And my job, a Maintenance Mechanic.
All.depends on how much pain you are in. I was ready to end it all, had double.fusion this last July, and completely happy I did it! Good luck, multiple.opinions is super smart. Have you tried PT, injections, other things already? Surgery is always the last resort.
All.depends on how much pain you are in. I was ready to end it all, had double.fusion this last July, and completely happy I did it! Good luck, multiple.opinions is super smart. Have you tried PT, injections, other things already? Surgery is always the last resort.
Yes I have done PT, injections, RF (where they burn off the end of the nerves)Message,Etc.
As far as meds go. Over the counter meds don't help me. And if I take any of the stronger ones, I can't do my job safely and should not drive.
Sounds like you are on the right track then. Just know.that if you have a double fusion you may not be able to.return to Your old career. Ask each surgeon that ? Specifically. Also, for me, I am not allowed to.return to.work.for.6-12 months, so ask.that also. Best of luck and keep us.posted on what they say.
Hi!
I presume your job is pretty strenuous, is in it? Easy to suggest change the job, especially at age 53, but trust me, if you have fusion, I hardly believe you will be able to do strenuous job anymore.
I am glad you go and see other doctors. See if they can offer you something but the surgery. I am not a pessimist by nature, but have to say that during my own ordeal after spinal fusion I met too many people with permanent disabilities after this type surgery, to just tell you : go on and do it. This would be unfair on my part.
If I would know than, what I know now - I would live without it. But again, this is my opinion. Even though the word fusion means same thing, every surgery is different. Some surgeries may take only 4 hours, mine was 10 1/2. Of course recovery and success rate is different too.
All depends how much pain you live in now. Before my surgery, my pain was 6, I worked with it, was unhappy, but lived my life somehow.
My Dr promised I will have better life quality and will be back to work in 8 weeks. 4 month after surgery when I was asking why don't I get better and not back to work, he said I have to be patient, it takes up to 2 years to fully heal.
Now, after couple more fusions, where pain of 7+ for 24/7, tons of pain medication, I wonder what would happen if I wouldn't do that?
But I never knew...
One thing is for sure: if you have a choice not to go for spinal surgery - take it.
But if you must - wishing you all the best!!! And hope everything will be great for you.
The doctor did talk about doing core strenghen exercise. With my L4-L5 being bone on bone, would this stop the pain that I have from the nerves being pinched? I can see that the area would be stronger.
Has anyone out there have any luck doing this?
I had a second opinion today, number three next Monday 10/8/12. Today's Doctor said that I only need the one level fusion instead of two. (L4-L5) He said because I'm bone on bone already that I wouldn't lose any more range of motion. L5-S1 might need to be fused sometime down the road but if it was done now, it would start causing issues with L3-L4.
Ok that makes sense if the second level is not completely degenerated yet. Doesn't getting additional opinions feel good? Meaning it gives you more control to decide what you need to do. It did for me.
I feel 100% better after talking with him. I did alot of web surfing about fusion and spine doctors. That's how I found this doctor in my area. He had real good reviews and the hospital the he works out of was rated one of the top 100 in the states.
I'm 10 weeks post-op from a L4-S1 fusion. Worked very hard on core and other strengthening to be in shape for the surgery. Was walking 5 miles a week post-op. At 10 weeks I've been cleared to do anything I want except running, jumping, and lifting over 40 pounds. Personally, I wouldn't want to go through the actual surgery again, so am glad I had both levels done at the same time. As you seem to be doing, find a good doc who is up to date on current procedures. Best of luck.
I personally agree with Jasper: I would NOT want to have this done twice either if I was given a choice Is have both levels done if It's for sure in your future as It's very rough initially to.recover so.only once would be my personal ideal as well.
If I had both levels done now? It would put a lifetime lifting and I would most likely have to change jobs. If I can make it 6 or 7 more years with the one level fusion? I can then retire and maybe work part time.
I get what you are saying and it makes total sense in your situation. I may or may not.work again and I have fall back desk skills. Did Your Dr say you could lift again after a one level? I had the double and won't lift more than 10 lbs ever. he said. Good luck. I hope a single level is easier for.you than a double was for me.
I get what you are saying and it makes total sense in your situation. I may or may not.work again and I have fall back desk skills. Did Your Dr say you could lift again after a one level? I had the double and won't lift more than 10 lbs ever. he said. Good luck. I hope a single level is easier for.you than a double was for me.
Yes, He said with one level I would have no weight lifting limits. Both of the other Doc that wanted to do two level said 50lb. limit for life and I would most likely need to change jobs.
If you are getting two more opinions, that's great. That's an abundance of caution. Assuming the two new surgeons have all of your records and information you can see if they give you the same recommendation as doctor #1. It seems to me you are doing the right thing by getting a couple of other opinions.
Have you thought about the artificial disc replacment? I had it done and it was great for a time. I work were I work in a prison and was on a riot team. Due to the abuse of my body fighting offenders etc.... The disc faild. I had to have several surgerys. If I had a diferent job it probably would have worked. You might want to look into it.
I frankly would be suspicious of that one doctor's estimation of what you can do after fusion. In your original post you indicate that both segments are affected and they are not really sure which is causing the majority of your pain.
There is always the possibility that you will have one disc taken care of and the other will be sufficiently painful that it will negate the results of the one level surgery.
Also I don't see how fusing just one level will remove the weight restrictions. That runs contrary to everything I was told by the various surgeons I consulted with. If anything, fusing the one level will just cause additional stress on the adjoining levels.
I too was reluctant to have more than than bare minimum done when I was first confronted with the need for surgery. I thought they could always go back in and do more, but they couldn't "undo" the multiple fusion....At the time, I didn't realize the various negatives of "going in" more than once. Had I known then what I know now, I would have had the multi-level fusion to begin with and saved myself the additional years of expense, testing, and pain...let alone my insurance carrier almost succeeding in refusing to pay for additional surgery.
Some of the dangers of multiple surgeries in the same area are the formation of additional scar tissue, risk of infection, both in the OR and afterward. Once the body has an implant, the risk of infection increases, and the very real but rarely mentioned risk of the development of arachnoiditis...a rather unknown condition that we would all want to avoid at all costs.
This is a big decision for anyone faced with it. There are no guarantees and none of us has a crystal ball to know how the surgery will turn out and how our lives will be without it. I wish you well as you grapple with all the issues.
All I can say is everyone I know that has had surgery on their back, never came out the same. I know you are not the same, but I mean, they ended up taking more medicines, needing to see more doctors, and to be brutally honest, it ended up killing my mom. She had fusion in neck and lower back after 25 years of nursing. She died unemployable, disabled, and on 6 different pain killers just to get through the day. I now have back issues...but once I got off the pain killers, it was just amazing how much better I actually began to feel. I know its a tough decision...hope of getting your life back, or the risk of the unknown...but just remember through all this...no matter what the dr tells you, you know your own body...and the moment you open it up, and begin changing the most important piece of structure, the spine, and you fuse it into pieces, who are they to tell you that everything will be alright....and if you feel any hesitation AT ALL...then do not go through with it...hell in 10 years there is no telling what they could do...10 years ago, imitation discs didnt exist, which is why the had to fuse to begin with....hope that helps.
