Guest guest Posted January 24, 2003 Report Share Posted January 24, 2003 Diane - Good luck to you on this. I had a laminectomy at L3/L4 a while back. No fusion. It went smoothly. I was walking 6 hours after the surgery and released the next day. I spent a month off work because the muscles they cut need to heal. A PT person should teach you how to get up from a lying position to standing. You won't want to sit much. Tough until those muscles heal. I had a cousin to help me and an old Nintendo. Joe > > i'm having spinal fusion surgery in the next 4 to six weeks. what i > know so far is it will be posterior, and will involve at least L4 and > L5. I've had a lumpectomy 15 years ago. i was born with a Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted January 24, 2003 Report Share Posted January 24, 2003 Chri, thanks for the info on neuro-surgeon. I didn't realize they did this surgery also. My boyfriend wants me to get a second opinion. What are the pros and cons of either surgeon. i've had surgery before but it was a os and he passed away. I've had my new doc for three years, but have only seen him twice. He seems nice but thats no critera for surgery. thanks to all. this is a great place to visit. It really helps to hear from others when your going thru all this. Have a great day to all. Love, Diane -- In spinaldisorderssupport , <Ckelly@v...> wrote: > > > Hi, > Gosh, I'm probably NOT the person to give you any info then <G> I had 2 > failed back surgeries last year and I am still in chronic pain My > fusion is at L4, L5 & S1. You didn't say, are you going to an Ortho or > Neuro? If I had it all to do over again, I would have a Neuro do my > surgery. I wish you all the best and we are a great source of support! > > > > Ask me about my new MSM lotion for aches/pains! > http://www.scentsappeal.net > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted January 26, 2003 Report Share Posted January 26, 2003 >thanks for the info on neuro-surgeon. I didn't realize they did this >surgery also. My boyfriend wants me to get a second opinion. What >are the pros and cons of either surgeon. i've had surgery before but >it was a os and he passed away. I've had my new doc for three years, >but have only seen him twice. He seems nice but thats no critera for >surgery. thanks to all. this is a great place to visit. It really >helps to hear from others when your going thru all this. Have a great >day to all.>> LOL Oh gosh yes....get a second, third, hell, even a fourth opinion if you need one! Just make darned sure that your happy with what the Dr says before you accept any kind of surgery! Just keep us updated K? Ask me about my new MSM lotion for aches/pains! http://www.scentsappeal.net Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted September 11, 2003 Report Share Posted September 11, 2003 I am scheduled for L4 - S1 spinal fusion in Nov. Anyone have any encouraging or positive experience with this surgery? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted September 11, 2003 Report Share Posted September 11, 2003 > Anyone have any encouraging or positive experience with this surgery? < I had a L4/5 fusion in May. Although still having problems, I would say there was some improvement in my pain and condition. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted September 12, 2003 Report Share Posted September 12, 2003 , I had my L-5/S-1 fusion on May 5th, I am doing great.. I knew 2 days after the surgery that My pain was gone.. I am doing things I have not done in years.. and my doc said I should be the poster child for Spinal fusions.. Good luck on your surgery.. Mine has given me my life back!!! Sue > I am scheduled for L4 - S1 spinal fusion in Nov. > Anyone have any encouraging or positive experience with this surgery? > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted October 16, 2003 Report Share Posted October 16, 2003 hey your in good shape! No pain? Its takes months to make the fusion! Don't sweat it! Do not yourself try to read an xray..you can't unless of course your a radiologist Bone lines mean nothing in most cases...trust me even healthy bones (work in the ER) :) You are doing great! Don't look back or start to worry because you think you see something... RE: Re: Spinal Fusion I had a C3/C4 spinal fusion on sept 17, one month ago. Today I had my x-ray. Just like the one I had one week after surgery, every thing is perfectly in place. But there is still a grayish line between the bone plug and my 2 vertebrae. It is a cadaver bone. I am 36 and very fit. Nutrition guru, non smoker, runner. disk failed due to car accident. No pain anymore. Neck feels strong in morning and muscles tired by bedtime. don't even sleep with brace. feel no pain if I move neck in any direction now. 2 weeks ago I could not move side to side without feeling very stiff and giving up. I am getting kind of worried. I was told by my doctor that the start of fusion will remove the line on the x-ray and it will look like one big bone, not separate parts. The graft is still very large compared to my normal disks. Doctor also said that it would get smaller as fusion consumed graft over 3-6 months. Anybody had an x-ray like this at one month. My doctor is too too too busy to see me until October 30. So I dont know what is up. So I am asking the question. Chris Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted October 16, 2003 Report Share Posted October 16, 2003 Thanks . You said the same thing as my wife. She said you feel great, stop worrying. Of course, I never ever want another operation so getting the bone to fuse is very important. And no, I am not a Radiologist. I am learning now that it takes months. Did not know that before. I should of joined this group long ago. Most people here know exactly how it works. I am still confused. I thought you wore a neck brace for 6 weeks until the bone fused. Then you were ok. Am I to understand I can go around without my brace after the six week period even though my body needs months more to fuse. So titanium is strong enough to protect the bone graft??? Sorry for the silly questions. but my doctor never even told me I was getting metal parts put in. He just said I am going to take the bad disk out and put in some bone from a cadaver. You wear a brace for 6 weeks and can go back to running in 10 and lifting weights in by x-mas. Wow was I surprised one week later when I got my first x-ray and saw all that stuff. He said " I thought you knew, it will make your neck stronger than ever " . I am lucky. I know. I way underestimated the recovery. So I wont be running till x-mas instead of thanksgiving. I can and do walk 5 miles a day in my nationhood. And I get to work from home and drink good coffee. Neck gets sore after walking but the brace has to be making my muscles weak from a month of not supporting my head. If I could give advise to anyone thinking about a cervical fusion, I would say deal with the pain with all other treatments until your life is impeded, then plan for 6 months of getting better, not 6 weeks. _____ From: Ascher [mailto:wascher@...] Sent: Thursday, October 16, 2003 9:46 AM spinaldisorderssupport Subject: Re: Re: Spinal Fusion hey your in good shape! No pain? Its takes months to make the fusion! Don't sweat it! Do not yourself try to read an xray..you can't unless of course your a radiologist Bone lines mean nothing in most cases...trust me even healthy bones (work in the ER) :) You are doing great! Don't look back or start to worry because you think you see something... RE: Re: Spinal Fusion I had a C3/C4 spinal fusion on sept 17, one month ago. Today I had my x-ray. Just like the one I had one week after surgery, every thing is perfectly in place. But there is still a grayish line between the bone plug and my 2 vertebrae. It is a cadaver bone. I am 36 and very fit. Nutrition guru, non smoker, runner. disk failed due to car accident. No pain anymore. Neck feels strong in morning and muscles tired by bedtime. don't even sleep with brace. feel no pain if I move neck in any direction now. 2 weeks ago I could not move side to side without feeling very stiff and giving up. I am getting kind of worried. I was told by my doctor that the start of fusion will remove the line on the x-ray and it will look like one big bone, not separate parts. The graft is still very large compared to my normal disks. Doctor also said that it would get smaller as fusion consumed graft over 3-6 months. Anybody had an x-ray like this at one month. My doctor is too too too busy to see me until October 30. So I dont know what is up. So I am asking the question. Chris Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted October 17, 2003 Report Share Posted October 17, 2003 > > > > > > > > <<I had it removed from the back of the hip..What I have been > reading > > on here, having the bone removed from the front is just as bad.. > > > > Can anyone lay flat on their back after surgery?? I cant. I have > to > > use a pillow under my legs or I have this awful pain from where > the > > bone was removed. The pain radiates down the leg. I asked the > doctor > > if a nerve could be pinched in there, but he says no. >> > > > > > > Hi, > > Mine came from the front so sorry can´t help, I can only lie on my > back > > without pain but I normally lie on my stomach. I just wish i could > lie the > > way I like! :-))) > > Ann > > Germany > > Ann, > Your right! I wish I could sleep on my side. > Also ,does anyone have a Sleep Number Duel Air Mattress? I thought > maybe the mattress we have could be a part of the pain also. I have > read about it and they make it to be a great mattress for people > with chronic back pain. > Hi Everyone, I was doing some looking around on the web and found this interesting site. http://www.spinemenders.com/BackPainHistory.htm For uses thinking about back surgery. It might be something to look in to. > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted June 26, 2004 Report Share Posted June 26, 2004 I just had a fusion of L-4,L-5,S-1 two weeks ago...be prepared to do nothing. I ended up in the hospital for 5 days, and then in a rehab facility (which was fantastic) for a week. Only been home since Wednesday. I am managing to cook a little. Just doing things that you would normally think nothing about can wipe you out. Don't know how long it will take for me to get some endurance back, but I am definately listening to the Dr and Therapists and not overdoing it. I am buy myself in my house, and managing on my own with friends shopping for me, driving me, etc. I don't think I would be able to help care for someone else at this stage. But, on the other hand, I woke up with my previous pain gone. I am thrilled with the results of the surgery. The surgery pain is nothing to laugh at, especially the first few days. Trying to get up in the morning is the worst, takes a while to limber up. At this point, I am on vicodin, but have cut way back. Sleeping was very difficult for me in the hospital, just could not get comfortable, been better since I have been home. Don't want to scare you off - I would do it again in a minute - pain I have had for years is gone. Kris > Hi! I am having spinal fusion in three weeks. I received my > packet of info from my doctor today, and it sounds like I won't be > able to do anything for six months? Can any one tell what I will be > able to do? My husband has MS, so I do most of the housework, yard > work, even though doing so has become more than difficult. > > Also, how bad is the pain following surgery, and in the two weeks > following? I am scared to death about this, but also want to get > back to some sort of normal life. Thanks, in Boise Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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