Spinal fusion surgery

What have been your results for those who have had this surgery. I have been out of the shop for over two months. I can't repair tractors (my job) and can't play with my old tractors and junk. I'm hoping the surgery brings relief and allows me to function again. Prayers will be appreciated.

You got 'em...Bob

Prayer sent. Whenever they mess with your spine it is serious stuff.

I had a Great Uncle that had it done. Lived a few years after a accident with
all kinds of pain & Couldn't do much of anything. Had the surgery & made a wonderful
difference in his Life, he wished he'd had it done sooner . Prayer's & Wish you Luck..

Depending on what's wrong ? Have you looked into the spinal decompression ? I'd rather try that first as it is non evasive. Was some place in Akron/Cleveland ? advertising on TV around here.
One of my Uncles was a truck driver and his lower back developed some problem. His first surgery seemed to go ok but he likely did not follow directions and played golf too soon. He had to have another one and after that I think he is good. Goes to Florida every winter to play golf. I'm not exactly sure what he had done though.

Larry,

My wife has had two spinal fusion surgeries. They were both successful greatly improved her life. However, They were very painful. The recovery time was a couple of months for each of them. She says that she will never have another one, but hopefully, she'll never need another one.

If you go that route, you would be wise to plan on being laid up for a while with a great bit of pain. The doctor removed bone from her hip to graft into the fusion. She said that the area where they removed the bone was a painful as her back itself.

Not trying to dissuade you from the treatment - just relaying what she (we) went through when she had it done.

Tom in TN

I had a disk repaired in leu of fusion, did not want to lose the mobility

I needed spinal fusion 12 years ago, L4 &L5. I read how for some, spinal fusion can put them in a wheelchair and you will poop through a bag. Back then they didn't have an X-ray machine to locate nerves.

Now I hear on the news, If you can walk in to the Dr's office you don't need fusion.

I've also heard that after fusion, you may not be in pain, but you are limited to what you can do, can lift.

My neighbor had fusion, then got hooked on pain killers. He recently committed suicide. No idea is it was the pain killers or what. So not all surgeries are a total success.

When I find out someone has had fusion, I ask if they are still in pain. The majority are a few years after surgery .

While I was in the Dr office getting a second opinion, I talked to other patients in waiting room. They had surgery and needed a second, a third.

Keep in mind things may have changed, but 12 years ago I decided to change my life style, limit my self to what I can do. If I don't, I feel it for weeks.

9 hr flight to Hawaii was a back killer. Riding on a rough lawn mower is a no no too. No ZTR's in my future. I gave up my motorcycle riding too. No twisting, bending over or heavy lifting.

I have to sleep on floor to keep spine aligned.

Do you remember Rush Limbaugh had spinal surgery, then later made the news because he got hooked on pain killers.

There are more junkies hooked on Rx pain killers than dope from the street.

There are more drug overdoses from RX drugs than people killed on nations highways.

Keep what I said in mind, then decide. I live with back pain. I don't do any drugs. I do walk a lot to strengthen back mussels to hold spine in place. BTW, my daughter just found out she too needs fusion.

You have to decide what you are going to do. An epidermal will help with back pain. I know a concrete finisher who has to get one about every year or so.

IMO, try other options first. Good luck.

Prayers sent your way Larry.

I had L4 & L5 fused. Best thing I ever did after years of pain and numbness in my legs. Was a bit unnerved at first but sure glad I did it.

i suffered for years before finding a doctor to do more surgery after a failed one,..doc. fused 2, i think it was L5-S1,...feel great and don't notice any lack of flexibility...

My eldest son, in his mid 40's, was suffering a lot so he did the spinal decompression and he is getting along great now. I think he might still do the decompression thing occasionally, not sure as he is never one to complain.

My L5 and sacrum have been one happy solid piece for 14 years. I cant touch my toes but I have had no other problems. Find a Doctor that does back surgery and only back surgery. I had a neighbor that my Doctor would not work on(she just wanted a quick fix for a short term problem,she is fine now without the surgery). I have another neighbor that had surgery like mine and started feeling good so he tossed a couple of hay bales,then a few more,5 years later he needed surgery again(his words not mine).
I did just what they told me to do, and I have done great. The Doc asked what I was doing for work at a followup visit,I told him I was delivering tow motor fuel tanks. His face turned white, and I told him that he had said the best I could hope for after surgery, was a hundred pounds, a hundred times a day. He then told me he did not mean for me to do it! I was off work for one year. The spine center,St Louis MO(Barns-Jewish Hospital)DR Bridwell

I just had spinal fusion with instrumentation on my L4/L5 4 weeks ago---most all pain gone at 2 weeks and at 3 weeks resumed Volunteer FD duties--doc says limited to 10 lbs lifting for 6 weeks and limit myself on bending and twisting
bone fusion is supposed to be pretty well completed at the 6 week mark

Had L4 and L5 fused 2 years ago.In more pain now than before.Also hooked on pain pills. I would not have it done again.Hine sight is easy I guess. I would go for another opinion. Best of luck to you and prayers.

I am having L4-L5 fusion with instrumentation. I started having back trouble at about 35. At that time I was mowing 12-15,000 bales of hay a year, pitching silage out of 2 silos sometimes 3 when the unloader quit. I unmowed a good bit of that hay. Also carried many many 50 lb bags of fertilizer, seed corn etc. L4 is slipping forward on L5. The spinal cord is compromised considerably. The MRI showed the spinal cord pinched to less than half size. I'm hesitantly looking forward to getting my life back. The Dr is very highly regarded and only does the spine. Still I have my concerns with the many reports I see on the net of people that haven't had great results (not with my Dr) Wow, I used to pull heads on 4020's myself, no lifting devise other than me. I've lifted other stupid heavy things also. There is a warning here.

you have given your back a heavy workload thru your life---I have always used a back brace when doing heavy work to keep some of the strain off the spine and muscles and will continue to do so.I think i have fared much better than many of the guys on here. Good luck to you!!

I had the fusion surgery in my neck about 8 years ago. I believe it was C4,5,and 6. About 2 weeks of soreness from the surgery and haven't looked back. It turned out great. The fellow that did it is a surgeon at Andrews Sports Clinic in Birmingham. All he does is spines.

Larry,
Ask Dr if after fusion will you be able to go back doing what you are currently doing. Bet he says NO. Dr says I could have been born with my condition. Or it could have been caused by trama to spine. I grew up on a dairy and lifted more than I should. Been very active all my life, but 12 years ago my back couldn't take it any more. I'm 67 and learned how to live with my condition. Looks to me like you are going to have a life style change ahead, with or without surgery. geo

Dr said after the fusion is complete I will have no restrictions. We will see if he still says that after surgery. I no longer have a choice, surgery or loose leg function. I was shocked seeing a series of back x-rays when played in sequence, how much L4 was sliding back and forth on L5. My surgeon couldn't believe I had lost control of my bowels or bladder. Yes I know bad things can happen with this surgery.

(quoted from post at 19:46:11 02/18/16) I had the fusion surgery in my neck about 8 years ago. I believe it was C4,5,and 6. About 2 weeks of soreness from the surgery and haven't looked back. It turned out great. The fellow that did it is a surgeon at Andrews Sports Clinic in Birmingham. All he does is spines.

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Larry hope it goes well for you!

Rob, I'm looking forward to the same thing. I've been putting it off for over 10 years because it scares me to death to be honest. You have given me some confidence, thank you.

Rick

Prayers are sent! But please get two or three other opinions - you may not be able to fool with tractors after the surgery, either. It helps with the pain but does not necessarily restore function. In fact it limits function in many cases. YMMV so please talk to a couple of other doctors.