r/spinalfusion

I just passed the 6 month anniversary of my L4-S1 fusion. I'm 44F. Recovery was going really well and everything I started trying (walking, trail walking/easy hikes, short bike rides) seemed to feel good and strong until this last month, where maybe I crossed some kind of line and over did it. I also got sick with a cold and was coughing for several days, which actually really hurt. It's been a month and I don't feel like I've fully recovered. I've had lower back pain and soreness and now chores and daily life seems to irritate it. My surgeon is not worried and thinks its par for the course with recovery not being linear, and just says to do more PT. I have my 6 mo. xray in a few days and just feeling discouraged as I was hoping to be back to some activities this summer. It feels like I'm somehow regressing.

I am 15 weeks post-op an L4/L5-S1 fusion and am doing okay… minus nerve pain. It started around week 7/8, right around when I went back to my desk job, and has been a pain (hehe) since. It’s pretty much right where my fusion was done/where my old pain was before surgery, with some in the center of my lower back and the left. It’s constant and goes to my right buttocks.

My surgeon has me on Lyrica and it helps, but not completely. They have me doing sciatica-based stretches as needed throughout the day. It’s about as good as we are going to get for now, I guess.

They had me get an X-ray just to check the hardware but they feel strongly that nothing is wrong, but want to be safe. They said they’d only contact me if my imaging showed any undesirable signs and to keep taking the Lyrica and stretches until I see them 3 months from now.

I was told that my nerves were extremely compressed and I had a high amount of arthritis removed, so the pain I am feeling is unfortunately expected. I hope this is the case.

Anyway, I’m making this thread to share my experience and to have others here hopefully make me feel better by saying they also had this and how long it took to go away (or if ever). I’m not having a good time right now.

Any bad experiences of severe neuropathy after lower lumbar fusion? I’m 54/M, 5 weeks post alif L3-5, tlif L5-S1, 360. I felt pretty descent a couple weeks post surgery. Woke up one morning and the neuropathy is out of control. I take 600 mg, 3x a day Gabapentin.
Can anyone explain their post surgeical experience w/ neuropathy, feet throbbing and lower back pain?

They explained it with “you’ll be in a twilight state” ?? I’m very panicked laying flat on my back. Wondering what those who struggle with this did? TIA!

I have my T4-L2 surgery tomorrow and just got my period. Is there anything I should expect with this?

I'm guessing the nurses will have to help me with it. I would love to know in advance so I know what to expect.

https://preview.redd.it/46qnd7ptvebh1.png?width=1542&format=png&auto=webp&s=627f7c48f83a09edf2fe098cb3272cf862ec5f90

I'm hoping to hear from people who've been in a similar spot, because I feel pretty alone with this one.

Quick history:

• First lumbar surgery at 14, second at 21 (both microdiscectomies, L5-S1)
• I have a Coflex device at that level
• Despite it, I've got a recurrent herniation at L5-S1 again at 34, with left-sided sciatica down to the calf
• Just had two epidurals (not helping much)
• My imaging shows a very high pelvic incidence (87°) and high sacral slope — basically my anatomy loads that bottom level really hard (Roussouly Type 4)
• The three levels above are also degenerated (see image)
• That segment is already really stiff, and it hurts in both extension AND flexion

To not bore you with my whole story right now, I'll just start with this: I've dodged fusion a couple of times already over the last 7 years or so. I've always stayed very active. I know my limits, and how and what to train. So I've done that, and it has kept me strong.

A few months ago I started having more pain than usual. I began sitting less and standing more, changing my training to protect my back and let it "rest." I kept doing mobility work 3 times a day while moving less overall. So I kept scaling my life back to accommodate the pain. But despite all my best efforts, I ended up in the emergency room, because I couldn't move anymore from the pain.

It's been a little over a month since then, and the pain is still very much there. I'm taking Ibuprofen 600 x2, Novalgin 500, and Pregabalin 150 x3 daily, plus a long list of supplements to reduce inflammation. I stopped taking Tramadol 100 x1/day because it wasn't really helping much and I wasn't looking forward to dealing with withdrawal.

Besides that, I'm on my second week of PT, which has helped, but it's too early to say for sure. I'm doing all the exercises whenever I'm not in too much pain. I can sleep, but I have a lot of pain in the morning (9/10), which gradually reduces to around a 5 or 6 after my first round of meds.

I'm working from home and keeping my life as normal as I can, but to be honest, I'm pretty bedridden at the moment. I mention this because it's important: it means I can "afford" to be patient and try the conservative route, doing everything available as therapy before deciding whether to go for surgery or not.

My current goals are to bring my pain down by half, to be able to sit and walk longer, to keep improving strength and mobility as much as possible, and to rest and take care of myself.

I wanted to share a bit of my story and where I'm at right now, hoping to find people who've been in a similar position. I've seen 2 specialists this time, and they both tell me the only thing that makes sense is fusion . that nothing else will take away the nerve pain and the back pain.

I want to end by saying that in this hard moment, I'm just trying to stay calm, take whatever step I can in the present that might help, and make good decisions. I've been trying to play the long game for years, and I feel like a spinal fusion will be the end of me as I know myself — physically, at least. My discs above are already pretty damaged, and I really don't want to end up in a streak of fusion operations. I find myself in the exact place I've tried to avoid for decades. Is there really no other option?

Do you guys think I can get through this without surgery? Right now it feels like I can't. Tell me your honest opinion. Is it possible to cut this pain in half and get back to training?

Hello 👋

I have Cervical cord compression, and my neurosurgeon has recommended ACDF surgery.

I'm feeling pretty anxious, especially about the risk of adjacent segment disease (ASD). I've read a lot about it online, and it's honestly making me nervous.

If you've had ACDF, I'd really appreciate hearing about your experience.

- How was your recovery?

- How long did it take before you started feeling better?

- Did your symptoms improve after surgery?

- Have you developed ASD or any other long-term complications? If so, how long after your surgery?

- Is there anything you wish you had known before having ACDF?

I'm trying to make the best decision possible, and hearing real experiences from people who've been through it would really help.

Thank you so much for sharing your experience.

Hello,

I had a spine fusion on my L3-L5 and I was wondering if anyone who had the same, what were your symptoms if you had any, 4 months post op. I’ve been having some issues and wondering if it’s normal or if it gets better.

When I over do it my hips and lower back, torso gets really stiff and hurts to point I can't walk or sit up and bending over is god awful.

Good day everyone. Little back story here (pun intended - trying to keep my mood light). About 2 years ago I started having a lot of issues in my lower back. As a typical man that I am, I didn't listen to my body nor my wife. For context, I'm 44M and I work as a traveling engineer. That said, there's no telling if it was work related or just something I did to cause the issues. This past Christmas, I was home for holidays and couldn't take the pain anymore so I made a Dr appointment in January. After 2 CT scans, 4 X-Rays, and 3 injections, the Dr gave me 3 options. First was to ignore it and he'll see me in 6 months. Second was to try PT. Third was fusion. Well, due to the nature of my career, I can't be a liability to myself, my company, or my customers. Fusion seemed like the best option. The Dr put me on restrictions to not bend, twist, or lift above 15 lbs (i have to lift 50-80 lbs multiple times daily).

Well, surgery is just a few days away and I'm honestly freaking out. First, my anxiety is through the roof. I have bipolar disorder so it's not that simple as to just shut off my brain. I do try though. Second, I keep having this horrible morbid thought about dying on the Operating Table. My wife and I had a family member die that way in the last few years. Third, I'm genuinely worried that I won't be able to return to work after recovery. Lastly, I'm very freaked out by the recovery time and pain levels. I'm worried about how I'm going to be able to sleep, sit, stand, walk. I've got a cane and a walker but the part that concerns me here is the Dr wants me to only put up to 50% of my weight on my right side. My left side isn't as bad as my right but it is definitely messed up.

I'm really hoping that my anxiety is unjust and I'm worrying for nothing. However, I also worry about my wife. She just had gastric sleeve surgery 16 days ago so she's still unable to lift anything over 10 lbs. To add insult to injury, we have 3 children, all teenagers, with our youngest being ASD.

I'd really love to hear everyone's expectations vs their experienced reality.

Thank you all for reading.

I’m only 6 and a half weeks post fusion so I know it will be a while, but I’ve realised I may not be able to do what I want once I know fusion is successful and I’m allowed to move more freely. I have a disabled child so I’m unable to work. It’s been 13 years since I had a “real” job. I’ve had my spinal injury for 6 and a half of those years. I’m a 45yo F.

I grew up watching and helping my grandfather restore antique furniture as his business, and I loved it. Over the last 20 years I’ve transformed a lot of the furniture I owned, and then when I wasn’t able to work due to kiddos illnesses, I turned to hobby rehab, getting pieces off FBMP or even random pieces left out on the road, restore/flip and sell it on. I’ve thought I’ll do that again as a side income stream around my caring duties once my spine had healed. But I have doubts I’m going to be able to lift, be bent over sanding, using power tools etc

Has anyone gone on to do physical work after having a lumbar fusion? If so, how long after your fusion could you start/get back to it? I was slow rehabbing 2 pieces before my surgery that are still waiting for me in the garage. I go in there and see all my tools and those pieces of furniture and I’m desperate to get back to them.

This past weekend, we attending my nephew’s wedding. I was scared about the fact that I had to be in heels for this event. There was no option, since it was a black tie wedding/reception.

I was psyched up and ready to feel pain the next few days afterwards. I premedicated myself with Tylenol before the wedding. I was going to not dance at all, and if I did, I was going to take off my heels. That didn’t happen. I danced for at least an hour straight with my heels on! I had a blast!

The next day, I was so happy that my back was completely normal. The only thing that was sore were my legs and my butt, as they should be. My back was fine! I was so elated, I plan on sending my surgeon and his staff a Thank You card. I finally have my life back!

This is for those of you on the fence about surgery. I suffered for way longer than I should have, but hindsight is 20/20. If you are on the fence, ask yourself what you have to loose. If the answer is “not much” considering your current quality of life, just take the plunge. You never know….

Pet peeve time that I can’t really say anywhere but here. On August 6th, I’m having a revision of my existing L2-S1. The hardware that is only partially fused (L3-L5) will be removed and the hardware at L2 that failed completely will also come out. My new surgeon will also perform multiple osteotomies to correct my existing “flat back”. And then fuse from T10-pelvis.

And my wonderful best little girl, my Yorkie mutt is dying of advanced mast cell carcinoma. The oncology vet said she expected a week or two was all we had with her until she’d crash and I’d have to make that hard call. That was ten days ago. She’s still hanging in admirably. Being pretty close to her usual Yorkie self. We rescued her almost by accident! I’ve never liked small dogs before she came into my life and now, i can’t imagine my life without her. I’m her human. I will miss her terribly.

I’m not fine. My adult kids ask me, “how are you?” I’m. Not. Fine.

But I just can’t seem to say it. So I plaster a smile on my face and say the opposite of how I am, wondering why on earth they believe me?!

Thanks to you all for listening to my pity party. I’m not fine. But I’m really trying hard to remember that saying “everything will be okay in the end and if it’s not okay, it’s not the end”.

Has anyone had lumbar decompression done endoscopically for nerve compression caused by spondylolisthesis and/or facet arthritis? I get leg and foot pain when standing and walking. Did endoscopic surgery help alleviate pain and increase standing and walking tolerance? Have the results lasted or is fusion of the segment a probability?

I am having my scoliosis surgery in a week, and I am wondering what I should pack in my hospital bag. I am an 18 year old female and having my surgery done in the UK. My doctor said that I will probably be in hospital between 5 and 7 days. Can anyone give me any recommendations on what I should bring with me?

Had my L5-S1 fused Oct ‘24. My pain is the exact same. MRI looks fine, fusion took fine. Docs literally say “there’s no physical evidence to explain ongoing pain.” Therapy says to meditate about it. PT exercises do not help. Pain doctors label me drug-seeking. I don’t qualify for govt assistance like disability bc I’m young and otherwise healthy, and to even start to apply I have to prove i’ve been out of work for a calendar year straight. (soooo, be homeless first? got it.)

I’m getting a spinal stimulator this monday the 6th. Pls spare me the “don’t do it” scary stories of them not working bc I have tried everything else. If it doesn’t work it doesn’t work, but I have to try everything in my arsenal before I give myself the permission to end it all. I’m 29. Oh and I don’t want to remove the hardware bc it hurt before it went in, so why would ripping it all out and further irritating the area help? My pain is pretty localized to exactly where my scars are and I still get nerve pain down both legs sometimes. Yesterday I literally couldn’t walk, and had to call out of work. My savings is gone. I officially have zero dollars. Please help

2 weeks post ACDF for C5-7

I read as many stories here as I could find before going in, and here is my contribution.

Surgery was the correct choice for me. Instantly all the headache and nerve pain was gone. Recovery is slow but oh-so-worth it.

2 weeks post-op and I’m clear to drive. I started back to work part time from home about a week after surgery.

**Background**:
49F Started seeing a neurologist for migraines. Various unsuccessful treatment options led to PT / physio. Somewhere along the way was an MRI. And then another MRI.
Simultaneously I’m recovering from stage 4 metastasized thyroid cancer. I was diagnosed with hypoparathyroidism 2 years after thyroidectomy due to not being able to maintain blood calcium levels - symptoms of muscle spasms and tingling.
After getting calcium, potassium, sodium, and magnesium levels stabilized, I still had nerve pain. And it was getting worse.

Physio noticed I was getting weaker.
MRI noted severe progression of stenosis and uncovertebral hypertrophy with ankylosing spondylitis with my 2nd image only 6 months after the first.
Cervical epidurals made the pain a million times worse.
Muscle relaxers, gabapentin 600mg x3/day, triptans, twice weekly chiro, twice weekly physio for 18 months.

Finally got a referral to a neurosurgeon.

**Consultations**
Neurosurgeon 1 - reviewed my file and didn’t want to see me.
Clinic 2 - got me in a week later and was very thorough in reviewing symptoms, scans, and options. He said ACDF should be done within a month but not more than 6 months.
Clinic 3 - nice enough. Same conclusion but not as nice of bedside manner.
Clinic 4 - finally got me in with a nurse 3 months after referral. She dismissed all my symptoms; said I don’t have stenosis. She suggested I get my head checked.

Hmm.

I selected Clinic 2, and surgery was within a month of consult.

**Procedure**
Stop all meds 7-10 days before surgery.
Pain was so bad a day or two before ACDF that I’d cry through the night.
Surgery day:
Arrived 9am to go over everything.
9:30 - IVs and such hooked up.
11:20 - rolled me back. I was out by the time they hooked up all the major stuff.
I had a little lead inserted behind my ear to monitor spinal pressure. Little electrodes were all over to monitor nerve activity.
Incision is about 3” long horizontal about a finger width above my collar bone in the front (anterior surgery)
They move esophagus and trachea out of the way to get to the spine.
A little corpectomy here and there, shave down the uncovertebral joints (joints of Lushka), remove any bone spurs or whatever was causing the hypertrophy, remove the the discs (C5-6, and C6-7) and replace with cadaver bone; fuse all with titanium plate and screws.
1:25 - out of surgery but not awake yet
2:30 - awake but groggy
3:20 - I was up and walking around, ready to go home.

I was released same day.

They planned for an external drain tube, but I didn’t need it.
They planned for a hard neck brace, but for whatever reason I didn’t need it.

**Recovery**
Surgery Day 0 - went home to sleep.
I recommend a recliner chair or wedge pillow. I used a levee of blankets to prevent rolling.
SD + 1 - up and walking around a bit at a time
SD + 5 - off all pain meds; my shoulders are still a bit tight
SD + 9 - able to sit unassisted for an hour ish at a time
SD + 10 - back to work part time from home
SD + 12 - cleared to drive
SD + 14 - follow up with surgeon. All is well. Plan is to get x-rays at about 5 weeks post-op to check on fusion and decide whether I need any physio/PT.

I think my voice came back around day 3-4.
Around that time I started on soft foods like spaghetti o’s.

YMMV
Follow your doctor’s restrictions for your specific body.

10/10 would do it again.

I have not had a single migraine or headache since.
No more crunching sound in my skull.
No more arm pain.
No more lightning nerve pain that feels like wasps.
No more vagal nerve symptoms.
No more vertigo.
My grip strength improved almost immediately.
I can lift my 20lb cat (not sure if I should be?) but I can’t quite lift a gallon jug yet.

I had surgery a week ago from today and I'm struggle. I think the surgery just brought on so much bodily stress and it's disrupting all my regulation. I can't eat anything. I can't sleep. I feel so uncomfortable and am in barely controlled pain. My blood sugars are feeling like they're wonky. I just feel no good at all. It's just a huge challenge for my body to adapt to and I'm trying to be patient with myself and give myself time to fully heal, but I'm so tired of feeling this way already.

Can anyone relate to this experience? When did you truly start feeling the recovery from the surgery happening? Did you notice it at a certain point?

(I also had a spinal decompression done in the surgery as well, along with the fusion. My body does not like change apparently)