r/spinalfusion

Find it really hard to accept that at 9 weeks post op, everyday I go to sleep and wake up that I don't feel better than the day before.

I feel like I have good days and bad days. Will it always be like that ?

I'm a L4-5 fusion patient.

When did you all feel the biggest difference in pain reduction and better mobility ?

At the moment I can carry out my errands in the morning by late afternoon / evening I'm knackered and in pain. If I lay down in bed for 20-30 mins in the afternoon and get back up it's like my body can't handle my weight and it's really painful for 10-15mins. But yet i can sleep all night and wake up in the morning with minimal pain.

DMX results came back with significant C1-C2 instability. Main findings: Bilateral C1 overhang with 2.7mm of sideways sliding on each side over my C2. Reversal of my cervical lordosis with apex at C4 and Increased ADI space.

Looking into getting prolotherapy. Thoughts? It’s been a long 7.5 years of symptoms (dizziness, fatigue, light sensitivity) from whiplash. Really grateful for everyone’s thoughts!

How were you feeling a month after 360 L5/S1 fusion? Mobile at all?

The list of prior posts was getting long, so here's a link to my 2 month post-op post with other previous posts linked:

https://www.reddit.com/r/spinalfusion/comments/1sqox9g/2_months_postop_alif_l5s1/

Slowly but surely, my pain levels and function are improving. As I sit here today, I can say I'm pretty much where I was at prior to the surgery. That sounds better than it is, though, because before the surgery, I was in pain and my disability level was pretty high. For the 6-7 months prior to the surgery, my pain level fluctuated up and down and my ability to do things also changed with my level of pain pretty wildly, even hour by hour sometimes. I have made very slow, yet pretty steady progress over the past few months since the surgery and have had no major setbacks. It's difficult to tell day by day if I'm improving, but week by week I can notice small, overall positive changes.

I had my second follow-up on May 7th. They took X-rays again. There were no signs of loose or broken hardware, and no subsidance of the cage. I asked if they could see signs of bone growth and I was told they would need to do a CT scan to determine that. I'm not currently experiencing any "red flags", so there is no current plan to do a CT scan. So I guess there's just no way of knowing for sure if the bone is growing/fusing unless they do a CT scan? For reference, I just had an anterior approach with a titanium plate affixed to the front of my spine in addition to the titanium cage (see my two week post-op post for x-ray photos). Not sure if anyone else has experienced this, where they just assume nothing is wrong if there are no serious symptoms of pain. I was pretty vocal about how I wasn't very happy with how I was recovering, and the amount of pain I was still in. I was told I was within the normal range of experience that patients usually have with this procedure, and it could be several more months before I felt "normal".

I asked about activity levels and exercises. I was cleared to slowly increase steps throughout the day and overall activity levels. I was also cleared to begin doing some PT exercises I did in the past, but not to do a bunch at the same time so I can pin-point if doing a certain exercise hurts me. So far, I've been able to do that with some success and movement absolutely makes me feel better as long as I don't overdo it.

I was also told to take OTC NSAIDs for pain, as I've been avoiding doing so out of fear of non-union. So now I'm taking Aleve and muscle relaxers. Hard to say if that has moved the needle much or if I would have continued to recover had I not started taking them. I know that's a pretty heavily debated topic on this subreddit. I'm going to continue to take them until I feel the need not to at this point.

I returned to work in a limited capacity on Monday. That was pretty brutal, as my main drivers of pain are my sitting and standing tolerances, which are still garbage. I'm very deconditioned still from months of being almost bedridden, so I hope that as I continue to get better and more active, it'll become a positive feedback loop where the more I move and get stronger, the less pain I am in, which will allow me to move more and get stronger, etc.

This was a long one. As always, I'll answer any question anyone has. Best of luck to whoever is considering this surgery. This has easily been the hardest thing I've gone through, but I'm finally starting to see a light at the end of the tunnel.

I’m 20 M getting a L4 to T4 spinal fusion in 9 days. I’ve been lurking on this reddit for a while just to get a general idea of what to do post surgery, i.e. walk as much as I can, rest + eat well. Was wondering if there’s any additional small things y’all have done post surgery that helped you recover a little bit more that I can incorporate myself? As well what gadgets y’all used post op (already got a long charger, grabbers and a recliner to aid in the first couple months)?

The other post got flagged. Let me know if you want to let your story be known. Completely confidential.

Can handle take as needed opioids with zero side effects or addiction issues (how they make anyone high is beyond me...), so obviously I'm one of the people they refuse to give any. Zanafex (tizanadine) I handle quite fine with zero side effects but take sparingly so they actually work.

Gabapentin/neurontin makes me feel insane, terrible and illiterate - unable to even function, much less work. I'd rather be in pain. Lacosamide, not quite as bad mentally (but not good) - with added heart arrythmia (no good after a heart attack a couple years ago).

Steroid shots made me swell and blood pressure jump 30-40 points continually for 2 months, while I was bright red and couldn't bear the sun... along with 2 trips to the ER with bp 80 points above normal and pulse flying. Felt horrible! Another 2 months about half as bad, then finally at 4 months, I said "Wow, my neck doesn't hurt as bad - then I did a couple hours work & overnight 110% of the pain was back and constant since.

Cannot take NSAIDS either, a few regular ones and I start to get that reaction as well. Cox-2 inhibitors to the extreme. They gave me Meloxicam a decade ago and multiple ER trips and I swear, 1 more pill and it would have been the graveyard for me. Took me 6 weeks after quitting it, lying in bed with my hands on my head, trying to meditate and control my breathing and pulse, constantly checking my bp - until I was finally back to normal. My wife's coworker's husband expired before 40 taking Meloxicam, like the infamous Vioxx they finally took off the market.

They'd rather you end up deleted than give you 10 average opioids a month, when you have zero side effects or addiction issues. The problem with steroid injections, is if you have a reaction, you can't get the %$&#@!^ sh!^ out of your system for months... never again!!!

Wondering if surgery will even help after 25 years of pain, numbness, weakness, falling on the ground shaking a few times a month (and that tight muscle electrical feeling over my whole body, where I'm close to that point - probably 25 days a month)? I can't deal with being worse off after surgery... at least I'm still alive after quitting some of these other "treatments" in time.

I'm sure I needed lumbar surgery as a teenager, 35 years ago, for the congenital stenosis & associated radiculopathy and array of other lumbar nerve issues & cervical fusion 25 years ago, after getting T-boned on my side by a truck going over 70mph (didn't even x-ray me in ER, but whole body deteriorated over the next 5 years). Didn't know what was wrong with my neck until T-boned again in 2012 by a car doing 50mph & bringing the CD home of my CT scan myself & bringing it back to my next appointment and having to point out my c2 displaced over my c3, with the c3 off the c4... that finally got me an mri & a prescription for Meloxicam, which came very close to truly deleting me (which I was accused of being crazy, until the Voltaran cream they replaced it with gave me the same symptoms & I never saw another Dr. the next 10 years until I had a massive heart attack with 99% blockage an drove myself to the ER).

I'm finally getting treatment for my spine again after going back to the ER with the same chest, back, and arm pain 2 months later - as I had with the heart attack & telling them I can't tell if it's from my heart or spinal issues & the good doc I was lucky to get that time did a new CT of my neck and shoulder area, when my heart tests came back good.

I suppose this has been quite a long post, but after so many "treatments" being worse than the original suffering itself, I'm wondering what improvement I might get after 25-35 years of symptoms that people end up getting surgery for in a matter of months, so the nerve damage isn't permanent I'd assume mine is by now ?). Or is surgery just worth debating the risk for not much likely immediate benefit by now, with the chance of being worse off - versus doing it now in my early 50's, knowing sooner or later there's a huge likelihood I would need both the lumbar & cervical in more of an emergency situation when I'm even older and in worse health (severe stenosis at multiple levels now in both places, DDD, severe arthritis, spondylolisthesis, straightening of lordosis, ligamentum flavum buckling, and a ton more). Also, my mother's side, her father died of massive heart attack (clots) in his early 60's, 6 of his brothers had the same fate late 40's to 60's, and a 7th brother died of stroke (clot) at the same age & as I said before I had a massive heart attack (clot, 99% blockage) at 49.

Just wondering how many people reacted so horribly to so many of the "conservative treatments" & gathering more to consider before deciding what I'm going to do about this cervical fusion surgery & knowing my lumbar is just as bad... I will also have close to zero help or support, post-surgery. At this time, after 25-35 years, I break a tizanadine in half every few nights, take a whole one maybe once a week & can't take anything they're willing to prescribe me for pain - I guess suffering 24hrs a day all over your whole body is just another day alive after so long. Don't know how much more I can deal with though, going through with this and ending up even worse - is something I can't even contemplate right now...

I underwent l3-l4 spinal fusion surgery on Wednesday, May 13th. Surgery was scheduled for 7:30...went in right on time. Surgery was two hours in length....with two hours in recovery. I am 61 year old male that weighed 290 pounds at the time of surgery. (Weighed 340 two months prior to procedure.) Surgeon said he preferred to go in from the side rather than directly through the back. (Which was the reason for the weight loss. )(He says less complications and quicker recovery using the "side" procedure. ) I fast forward to today, Tuesday, May 19th. I am off of Oxycodone (took one in the evening for four days to help with sleeping. ) I am "relatively " pain free. Procedure was clean out disc, insert "gate" with bone graft. Screws and rods for stability. As of today, I am off all pain killers. I know it's a long journey to full success, but just a little positive story for those considering the surgery. I will try and answer any questions and provide details that I can. Best wishes to those who are in line for surgery.

I am currently scheduled for surgery at OHSU on 9/2/2026. I most likely will be needing to show at 5:00 AM. I do not have anyone who can drive me from North Portland to where I check in.

Any suggestions beyond Über/Lyft (surge pricing, might not bother showing up) Radio Cab (might not bother showing up) Broadway Cab (might not bother showing - and I’ve had this happen multiple times in the last few years) - taking last Trimet Bus of the day before, going in through the ER, then ”camping out” near where I need to check in and “sleep” while sitting up.

At this time, the last seems the most workable of a list of really bad choices.

Im a member on a few spinal fusion boards and I constantly read people waiting years and decades before they had surgery as they are scared.

I personally had 7 months of sciatica two years ago that went away with brisk walking and paracetamol.

It returned in December last year and just kept getting worse to the point I couldnt walk anymore and left me with debilitating pain on my left 🦵 leg, numbness and drop foot. A MRI scan and x-ray confirmed ddd and my L5 nerve being compressed. My neurosurgeon operated on me this year and I'm now 9 weeks post op. I wasn't scared at all as I just wanted to be pain free. It was successful to the point that pain went away. I went from a 10/10 pain (nerve on leg) to a 3/10 (pain in lower back) which I can live with and I hope it goes to a 0 at some point in the future as I continue to heal. I still have some leg weakness and numbness in toes but drop foots resolved. A bit of nerve pain comes and goes quickly but I believe it's all part of the healing process at this stage.

Since my 9 level fusion in 2019 I’ve regretted it. I wish I could go back and not have done it. I’ve pretty much been bed ridden since 2023 and it sucks. Anyone?

My neurosurgeon has told me my only surgical option at this point is a fusion at L4-5, and I want to know what others have experienced. Background info, I am a 31yo woman, and have had 2 prior microdiscectomies at L4-5 for large herniated discs. Those procedures occurred in March 2022 and November 2023. While I definitely had relief from those surgeries, since the second one I have continued to have a lot of sciatic nerve pain that has just never gone away, has worsened now and is really hindering my quality of life. I had a repeat MRI a couple weeks ago. It showed a herniation at L5-S1, and noted a lumbarized S1 that wasn't mentioned previously. Also modic endplate changes at L5-S1. I am otherwise very healthy, really no idea where these issues came from. I've always been a healthy weight, active with a lot of low impact cardio prior to the pain I am in now, no injuries, healthy diet, don't drink or smoke, I don't sit at a desk all day for work, etc., so I would think I am a surgical candidate who will heal and recover well. I guess I am questioning if surgery just leads to continued chronic pain and more surgeries in the near future, or are there people in similar situations who have done a lumbar fusion and are glad they did? If it gives me even my 30s with reduced pain and I deal with another surgery in my next decade, I could live with that, I just want my life back to some extent. Thank you for reading and responding.

Hi Folks.
I had my latest fusion - my fourth - on 02/26/26.
This time was PCDF c2-c3 and c3-c4 plus removal of spinal cord stimulator and leads .
I’ve had 2 ACDF and one other PCDF.

About a week ago, the left side of my neck has become almost intolerably painful, and it radiates down the left side: the affected areas are levetor scapulae, rhomboid major and trapezius.

The pain is pretty much 7-8, day and night.
I am taking methocarbomol, meloxicam, advil, oxy 5mg, ice, heat.
Trigger point cane.

Have been in gentle PT three times after this started - just soft tissue and very gentle stretching.

I sent a message to my neurosurgeon, going over the above, but I have always had that “impostor syndrome” thing and fear that I am being a whiner over something “normal”.

Still, I am in so much pain and don’t remember anything like this happening at this stage in my other three surgeries.

I’d appreciate any insight. This has me miserable and getting so depressed.

Thank you so much.

I had a spinal fusion 1.5 years ago, involving four levels: L2, L3, L4, L5, and S1. Overall, it was worth it; my shooting pains have disappeared, but now I experience stiffness and slower walking, especially when I wake up or do yard work. When I walk, I tend to lean forward or hunch down, which feels more comfortable. However, I try to walk upright, but the faster I go, the more I find myself leaning forward. Has anyone else noticed this more than a year after their surgery?

I’m having surgery in 3 weeks for c5c6 fusion have severe spinal stenosis and myelopathy symptoms nervous any tips for what you wish did different after surgery for recovery

These doctors have studied so much of theur lives about the spine and surgeons do multiple spinal fusion surgeries. But my doctor wasn't able to give any specific examples to me that would actually fully prove why certain activities aren't allowed after fusion? It's legally required for them to tell risks but they're not required to give us actual examples to help us understand it better.

If these activities are so dangerous, it would really help to be given real examples of people who have had fusion who have done risky things and gotten hurt from it versus people who haven't gotten hurt from it. I hate how disconnected the disability community is that this information isn't organized into an easy to find place. I'm just expected to follow doctor's orders without being given the research behind what he says.