15 weeks after l5 s1 fusion question

okie pain

i have the same problem only left side, percocet works fair for pain, they only give me 45% chance another fusion will take.if i lay down a lot the pain eases, cannot sit or stand long, have u noticed your back getting flat

Quietcook

Mike,

So sorry you are experiencing problems after your surgery. No, I would not think what you are experiencing is normal. I certainly never had to deal with it after surgery.

Need to ask questions though, as I don't recall earlier posts. Was your fusion done with BMP2 or the older method with bone alone? Were cages used to hold the BMP sponges? Did your doc use your own bone from the laminectomies or bone from your hip or use donor bone? Are you a smoker or did you take anti-inflammatories? If so, were both stopped prior to the surgery and you have not returned to either?

BMP fusions have a much higher success rate than the earlier bone from the hip which takes much longer to fuse without BMP. Still, although all the studies have shown a near 100% success rate, there will be failures as nothing is 100% perfect. The failures I've personally know about were either performed with donor bone which of course, just like anything foreign from another human runs a risk of rejection or in this case, not being accepted so that the fusion can work, or the person was a smoker and smoking reduces one's oxygen and we don't produce the red cells needed for the bone to form properly. Also, in a couple of boards I'm on one person posted they weren't fusing, and mentioned they were on Naprosyn. My doc insisted I stop prior to surgery and I'll not get to return to Naprosyn until a few days from now when I hit 6 months post op. I was fused at my list visit, but he wanted me to give it even more time to ensure the fusion was cured.

Also, must ask if you had a general ortho or neuo surgeon or did you have one who was a spine specialist and does nothing but spines? Truly, when we get into doing fusions, I highly recommend that we deal with spine specialists rather than someone who spends maybe 15-25 percent of their time actually doing spines. I've now had 8 spine surgeries, four fusions with this last one being 10 levels. Early own I did not have a spine specialist and I even had to deal with temporary paralysis, but all my fusions have been with the specialist. Now, I'm doing great, walking, working in my flowers and doing everything I can.

Will watch for your reply.

sandollar

Hi,
My problem was very simular to yours. My Fusion was Posterior of the S1 & L5 on February 3rd, 2005. I did great, but all the sudden my left leg was in so much pain, the Surgeon could not figure it out. His first thought was Bursitis in the left hip. I had an injection and the pain went away, then after walking around the block everyday, my left buttock, hip & leg would not work right anymore. It took the surgeon 2 weeks to figure it out. He ended up lining up all my Xrays and CT Scans in order of thier date. He found the hardware was slowly slipping backwards.
I did not want another surgery either. However I refused to live like that. The second one was not as bad, He did find a small piece of bone stuck into the Sciatic Nerve from the first fusion. He then took out the hardware from the left side and re-possitioned it.
When I woke up, I dreaded pt coming to drag me out of bed. But this time, there was almost no pain at all, recovery was only 3 weeks, not months. (I saw him today-4 weeks post-op this time and got a clean bill of health, but free to call him anytime).
Your Surgery sounds the same as mine as well as the dates too.
The bone in the nerve did not show up on any scans. He found it during the surgery. But studying the scans and xrays for so long he finally realized things were slowly moving out of place.
I have the rods, screws & cages with BMP, I have not begun to fuse yet either. He said that could take as long as 1 year, and not to worry. He first told me before the second surgery that I was beginning to fuse. However he was wrong.
Just thought I'd mention this since our surgeries were so close together. I am sure I am not the only one this has happened too. But, whether or not the Surgeon will notice any changes is a long shot, maybe you can tell him you have heard of this happening now and possibly take a closer look to at least rule it out.
StarDust
(My second surgery was 3 months to the day from the first one)

mdp3

Thanks All For All The Insight I See My Surgeon On 6 14 Will Let You No What He Says