MinnesotaEric
Super Member
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.
I have a double fusion and a total of three back operations and I've been walking around with a blown L3/L4 since 2006. They now offer replacement disks, the holy grail of orthopedics. Before getting fused, ask about replacement disks.
also, keep in mind that these guys are all carpenters and they look at you and ask themselves if I can do the thing I do to you.