I was wondering if anyone could tell me a bit about lumbar fusion surgery.I am nervous about having the surgery done.First of all in July i had surgery for a herniated disk in my L4-S1.It was a complete massive block which caused Cuada Equina Syndrome.I just had an mri about a month ago and the surgeon has told me that the disk that was operated on has now herniated again and the disk above it has completely lost all the water,is starting to herniate and has a tear.My surgeon told me i have to have a lumbar fusion surgery.He asked me if i smoke,which i do.The cages cannot be used on me for that reason,so he has to fuse the bones together.I would like to know if someone has had this surgery and what you went through.What was the surgery like including the bone graft,was there alot of pain?Is the incision very big in back and in front?I know they put a catheter(sp?)in but how would you have a bowel movement?,Is it painful to have a bowel movement?Do i have to wear a back brace?Since i have four children 9,7,4,2 could you suspect what it will be like for me when i arrive home from the hospital?Could you tell me what is most likely to be perscribed to me for pain medication.Above all would you recommend the surgery and do you regret having the surgery?Thank you for your time.I really appreticiate the information.
Tracy
Hey Tracy! I had L5/S1 fusion with only an incision in the back (yes...it is pretty large!), with bone taken from the hip (without a separate incision for that). I am 36, with 2 kids, ages 10 and 11. I would say that you will definitely need help for taking care of yourself, as well as your little ones. You will not be able to lift anything of any weight for several months, or bend, or twist, or sit in a chair for more than 20 minutes or so at a time.
My surgery was on April 6th. I was in the hospital for 2 days...usually it is 4 or 5. I did have a catheter in for a really short while, since I was up and being assisted to the bathroom the evening of surgery. The first couple of days are really hard, but it does get better every day. The first time up is a killer!! Bowel movements take a while to "kick in" since the anesthesia and pain killers usually result in constipation. It wasn't painful once I was able to go (several days later). I was given Vicoden to go home on, and only took it for about 5 days, and occasionally at night to help me get a good nights sleep...those first nights can be long. I came home with a hospital bed and a walker. I didn't have to use either for more than a week. I did not have to wear a brace, although from what I have seen, most people do.
My doc did not let me in car (even as a passenger!) for 5 weeks, and I am still waiting for the green light to drive. That should be in around 3 weeks. I am feeling pretty good. Most of my "pain" feels like muscle tightness from the incision, and I don't feel my bones grinding in there like I did before. I am glad I did it already, even though I haven't seen the full results, yet. I get tired quickly, still don't sit except to eat or use the bathroom, and haven't been able to feel normal yet!
Smoking is the worst thing you can do after fusion from what I have read....do you think you could quit during your recovery, or sometime before? Also, no anti-inflamatories (Advil, etc.).
Oh...by the way...my condition prior to surgery was Spondylolisthesis, and I had no disc left between the 2 vertebrae that were fused. If I fuse alright, I should be loads better!
Hope this helps! I'd be glad to try to answer any other questions!
Hi Melinda,
Thank you so much for the information.I am so worried about this surgery and i think the wait for it is making it worse for me.The pain that i have been in for the last couple of weeks has been incredible.My family doctor has just upgraded me from Tylenol 3 to percocet.That took alot of begging.I am not sure why it is so hard to get proper pain medication but it is so frustrating.Between dealing with the stress of the kids,the pain,and just knowing what i have to face for the future.I get so depressed.I am so glad that i found this website with people that are very supportive and understanding.I really don`t have very much support with family or friends and the doctor just seems to want to rush me out of his office.I am so very thankful for you guys on this board.Thank you again for answering my questions Melinda,it helped me alot.It made me feel more at ease.The first surgery i had i was alone and very scared.But at least i know now i have support from the people on this board! Thank you!
You are right about the wait and the depression....it is scarey, and I spent many days and nights being down about my pain, and worrying about surgery (mostly about the recovery phase). I was fortunate I guess, in that I could always lie down and make my pain go away before the surgeryD. It was soooo depressing, though, feeling so limited. I was spending LOTS of time on the couch, having my family fetch me things so that I wouldn't have to feel the pain of just getting up. I didn't take alot of pain killers beforehand....I just either dealt with the pain, or I didn't do the activities that I was used to doing. It is really frustrating, especially when I appeared to everyone else as though I were normal, young, and healthy. I still swam many laps everyday, but then could hardly get out of the pool, and had trouble bending over to pick up my towel afterwards! At church over the past several months, I finally got to where I was just saying outright that I was not going to be volunteering for anything else because of my back!
My church family helped so much during recovery....bringing 2 or 3 meals a week. Do you have friends that could help out, or extended family to come and help with housework? Married? My husband helped alot, but was busy at work, and it wore him out. He's a pediatrician, and works long hours. My kids were also old enough to be a help, rather than a responsibility. Recovery is so limiting, that "easy" tasks are forbidden. I am at the "feeling somewhat normal and frustrated" phase.....where I really want to be doing more.
Please let me know when your surgery is....I know it is hard when you don't know people who've been through this. I would've liked to have found this board before now! I can honestly say that it has not been nearly as bad as I thought it would be! I can't even tell which hip they took my graft from. I know everyone is different, and I hope your recovery is smooth! You'll get better, and be good as new, again! I know that it seems like you are never going to be back to normal, but you just have to have hope and believe that you are! I am starting to see the light after several years of being down in the dumps over this stupid back!
Take care, and God bless! Melinda
P.S. Have you done Physical Therapy, Epidural Steroid Injections, or TENS units? I did......didn't help....
Hi Melinda,
Thank you for making me feel very supported during this time.I was wondering,the bone graft that was taking did the doctors go through your back?I have had physiotherapy in the past but that was for scoliosis.Which i have also.I had electrotherapy, heat therapy and excersises too.That did not help me at all.The heat pack that was put on my back left welt marks on my skin.My appointment to see the surgeon is June 9th.That is when he will tell me when my surgery is.The last time i saw him was when he told me that i had dengentretive(sp?) disk disease and he told me just to deal with the pain for as long as i can and then he would have to perform the surgery.I preferred that because three of my four kids are in school.My husband takes my nine year old in the morning and my seven year old takes the school bus.My daughter is in kindergarten and i take her in the afternoon and then pick them up after school.My daughter has missed some school because when i wake up i am in agony.I am 31 soon to be 32.First i had to deal with the pain from the scoliosis ever since i was 14 years old.After i had my children(three of them i had no epidural because of the curve in my back)My pain was just unbearable so i went to a clinic and thats when i started begging for an MRI or a CT scan but they said that it was just pain from the scoliosis.They were wrong.It`s so frustrating when someone that is supposed to be taking care of your physical needs just doesn`t care.I really wish that i could find a doctor that is going through the same thing that we are. I have one sister that lives quite far from me so she cannot help me after the surgery and my mother is busy taking care of two of my sisters children so it would be hard for her but i hope she can help out just a little bit.Thats pretty much all the family i deal with.Take care Melinda and hope to hear from you soon.
Linear Mode
