Anyone had a lumbar fusion?

   / Anyone had a lumbar fusion? #1  

BravoXray

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I've been enduring lower back pain, shooting pains in my legs and increasing numbness in my legs for a few years, and in a week I'm going in for a two level spinal fusion of L3, L4 and L5. I'm not looking forward to the surgery and recovery, but was told by the neurosurgeon that if I didn't get it done soon, I could lose the use of my legs. After looking at the MRI and X-rays, he said he was surprised I could walk as well as I can.
Originally, back in 2018 I had the surgery scheduled for late December with another surgeon at another clinic, but called it off because I was just put off by the personality and manner of the surgeon, even though he is highly regarded and recommended. I just didn't feel comfortable having him do the surgery.
Last summer when I was seeing my GP, I asked her if she knew of a good surgeon. She said "Well here's the guy that all the other doctors go to." That sounded like a pretty good endorsement, so I was finally able to see him in early December and the surgery is scheduled for January 24th.
My experience with the doctor that did the initial evaluation and the surgeon left me with an entirely different feeling of their competence, and was much more at ease in their company. I have recently talked to a former patient and the daughter of a former patient and both couldn't give him enough praise for the treatment and results, so that is very comforting.
It looks like I'll spend three nights in the hospital and then go home, if everything goes as planned. Fortunately my present house guest is a recently retired RN, so I'll have my own personal Nurse Ratched (One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest) to watch me.
If you've had this surgery, what was your experience.
 
   / Anyone had a lumbar fusion? #3  
My Sister had it done last year. She said the results are well worth any post-op discomfort. My Mom had it done 50 yrs ago. She's 99 and still walking. I'm still putting it off. I'm chicken I guess. Keep us posted on this. What is your age?
Prayers for a complete and speedy recovery
 
   / Anyone had a lumbar fusion? #4  
Good luck with your surgery. A friend just had fusion with hardware placement from T12 to S1 due to degenerative disease of the lower spine. He said it was worth it. I too can relate to your situation. I have had low back pain since 2019 due to osteoarthritis causing stenosis or narrowing of the spinal canal. I am scheduled Jan 27th for a laminectomy of L2,L3,&L4 with decompression of the nerve root. They just remove the back of the vertebrae to decrease pressure on the nerves and clean out the arthritic material around the nerves that is pressing on them. Just an overnight stay for me.
 
   / Anyone had a lumbar fusion? #5  
I`ve had bone fusion and plates & screws put in my spine. Its no picnic. The cold weather wreaks havoc with me though. But that`s because i`m all plated up.
 
   / Anyone had a lumbar fusion?
  • Thread Starter
#6  
Thanks for the well wishes, I appreciate it.

Good luck with your surgery.

I have had low back pain since 2019 due to osteoarthritis causing stenosis or narrowing of the spinal canal. I am scheduled Jan 27th for a laminectomy of L2,L3,&L4 with decompression of the nerve root. They just remove the back of the vertebrae to decrease pressure on the nerves and clean out the arthritic material around the nerves that is pressing on them. Just an overnight stay for me.
That's basically what I am having done, a laminectomy, just one vertebrae lower. Same problems, arthritic narrowing and stenosis.
The reason I'll be in for three days is that they will put in a drain tube and have to make sure there is no infection. Once that is removed I can go home.

So now I'll have a couple of rods in my back, a metal shoulder joint replacement and a plate and screws in my left fibula from a skiing accident years ago. I'll be worth a lot of money just in the titanium I'm carrying around.
 
   / Anyone had a lumbar fusion? #7  
I got hit head on by a truck in the wrong lane. There was a lot of severe damage and they missed, apparently, a couple vertebra that had shifted. So, after a few years, I started to have pretty bad problems because of stenosis. The stenosis resulted from my spine trying to stabilize itself. Since I had already had over a dozen orthopedic surgeries from the truck impact I was very reluctant to have another surgery. I already had 60 grand worth of metal in both arms with some extra in my pelvis. But the pain was too much so I had the vertebra relocated so that they were back in line, had a carbon fiber spacer installed in place of a ruined dish, and had plates and screws installed to hold everything in place while my back healed. The pain is gone and has been for over 18 years. The surgeon told me after the surgery that I would have been paralyzed in 6 months or less if I hadn't had my back fixed. Recovery took about 6 months. This was because of the extensive work that had to be done. I am very happy with the fusion.
Eric
 
   / Anyone had a lumbar fusion? #8  
I got hit head on by a truck in the wrong lane. There was a lot of severe damage and they missed, apparently, a couple vertebra that had shifted. So, after a few years, I started to have pretty bad problems because of stenosis. The stenosis resulted from my spine trying to stabilize itself. Since I had already had over a dozen orthopedic surgeries from the truck impact I was very reluctant to have another surgery. I already had 60 grand worth of metal in both arms with some extra in my pelvis. But the pain was too much so I had the vertebra relocated so that they were back in line, had a carbon fiber spacer installed in place of a ruined dish, and had plates and screws installed to hold everything in place while my back healed. The pain is gone and has been for over 18 years. The surgeon told me after the surgery that I would have been paralyzed in 6 months or less if I hadn't had my back fixed. Recovery took about 6 months. This was because of the extensive work that had to be done. I am very happy with the fusion.
Eric
Wow - I feel silly I ever complained about mine. Glad it work out so well.
 
   / Anyone had a lumbar fusion? #9  
Had c2,3,4 or c3,4,5? fusion done in neck replaced the blown out doughnuts and vertebrate with titanium however, not in my lumbar spine. I was apprehensive and passed initially on first opportunity due to underlying condition and ignorant stubbornness to try and fix it myself with "natural" non surgical means, but kept getting worse, before surgery by far the worst chronic pain I ever experienced. I had my surgery in 2018, I'm certain, if I didn't have it done it would have driven me to drink after almost 15 yrs being on the wagon. Been almost 5 years no noticeable side affects, cool scar on neck lol, some slight arthritic stiffness when turning head, minimal tingling in extremities and no pain like I experienced before. First few days was a little tough recovering that's about it. I feel like I owe the neurosurgeon hat did my surgery at least the decency to try and take care of my self better. Anyways I'll never be that apprehensive to get surgery done again by professionals who dedicated there lives to helping folks out. Anyways Hope my meme hijack can put you a little at ease, Best of luck.
 
   / Anyone had a lumbar fusion? #10  
A friend of ours just had her 2nd one (motorcycle crash). She's finally free of a walker, brace, cane, & pain after 10 years. Upper neck.
 
 
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