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Exhausted 5 months after spinal fusion

Posted , 17 users are following.

myc1
myc1

After two failed disectomies I underwent spinal fusion of three lower vertabrae. Everything went perfectly, no pain at all now for 5 months. Then, two months ago, I began feeling tired even after seven or eight hours of sleep. Been getting progressvely worse and it's not unusual to sleep twelve hours or more uninterupted. I cannot last an entire day without crawling back into bed. Had all kinds of blood tests (thyroid, blood sugar, liver, kidneys etc) and everything came back perfect. So, is anyone else experiencing exhaustion months after spinal fusion? At my wits end since I am normally full of energy and on the go all day. Having sleep apnea test next month but I recorded an eight hour sleep and all I heard was occasionally mini-snores, nothing to indicate difficulty breathing. I am now seventy,  6'4" and went from 200 pounds upto 220 pounds since the sugery. Too pooped to even walk more than a few miles. Diet okay, lots of protein. 

Love to hear from you with any suggestions, even crackpot ones! Love this site. keep up the great work, guys.

myc

0 likes, 20 replies

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  • iellen32
    iellen32 myc1

    Posted

    As you had a positive outcome during five months, I can imagine how hard it has been to live with this new symptom of uncontrollable tiredness !

    I am so so sorry and hope you will get not only advices but the orientation of what to do.

    My health condition is GCA however I am following this discussion because having friends with spinal problems I want to get familiar with the subject.

    I wish you all the best - that you may feel well again as before!

    🌺

    • myc1
      myc1 iellen32

      Posted

      Hi Iellen,

      Thanks so much for your concern, it is greatly appreciated. After extensive Googling, I have found others who suffer the same sense of exhaustion following spinal fusion surgery, some for over a year, but I haven't found a single referece to it on any of the Spine Clinic websites. Hmm. Do they not know or are they as baffled as I am by it? I've read that fusion surgery is extremely invasive and it takes the two long muscles either side of the spine a very long time to heal from the trauma of being cut (and torn off the spine). So maybe I just need to be patient. Except that word isn't in my vocabulory where this is concerned.

      I have a devise. It is used to help change the brain wave patterns in the brain. I've also got a light box for helping with Seasonal A? Disorder (SAD). I purchase both of these items to help a friend with Lupus. Sadly, neither of them worked for her so I shall give them both a try and report back on their success or lack thereof.

      myc  

      Emis Moderator comment: I have removed product/company names as we do not allow repeated posting of these in the forums. If users wish to exchange these details please use the Private Message service.

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    • ellen82139
      ellen82139 myc1

      Posted

      Hi

      They always say to follow what your body tells you to do,so if it's screaming out that you need to sleep,as frustrating as it may be,go along with it.

      You had all your bloods done ok,what about your medications that you are taking,I had my fusion L3/4   A month ago today,I sleep all night,get up with my dog in the morning,then go back to bed and if I didn't deliberately get up I could sleep on.

      my meds are dihydrocodeine,oromorph,for breakthrough,is there anything new you are on.

      wishing you all the best keep in touchxellen

    • myc1
      myc1 ellen82139

      Posted

      Hi Ellen,

      Are you doing okay after just one month? In a different post I detailed I wrote a letter to my anesthesiologist to be read to me during the fusion surgery. It was basically a post-hypnotic suggestion that I would heal rapidly and be totally free of pain. It worked perfectly and I was literally up and walking around the very next morning. So my pain meds for the three years preceeding surgery was hydromorphone. Once the surgery was over I slowly diminished the doseage and was free of narcotic meds after about 10 weeks. None of the other meds I take are know to cause exhaustion, so I shall keep looking for an answer, particularly because our weather here (southern Alberta, Western Canada) has been spectacular for months. Haven't seen snow in months and yesterday broke an all-time record at 29 degrees (or 84 degrees if you live Stateside). I'll let you know how the 'machines' work after I get them hooked up.

      best always,

      myc   

    • ellen82139
      ellen82139 myc1

      Posted

      Hi saw physio today and all fine

      see consultant end of may

      thank you for your reply please keep in touch,I'm uk and its dry and windy,but lovely to see Spring coming

      kind regards,ellen

  • christine22151
    christine22151 myc1

    Posted

    Hi I am 13 months after fusion of the top two discs I was flagging for about 6 to 7 months after.... bed in afternoon every day ...my biggest prop now is walking and balance I was very active too I'm nearly 71 miss my hikes I done two mile with sticks but may have some problems with bottom of my spine just had MRI scan so will see also still have funny arm too give it a bit longer love hope it gets better. ..
  • krista17
    krista17 myc1

    Posted

    Hi,

    I am 5.5 months post PLIF of L5-S1.  While my surgeon said everything went OK, my recovery has been long, slow and painful.  I am working, but I still definitely feel reduced energy.  It isn't as bad as the first couple months post-op, but I am definitely not back anywhere close to normal!  I don't sleep well at night (because of pain mostly), and I have such a hard time making it through long days at work.  I am 35 and worried I will never get back to an active life!  So far, my pain is worse than pre-op.  I will be seeking a second opinion soon.  best of luck to you - I hope you are back up to your normal energy level soon!  Keep us posted.

    • Amri1116
      Amri1116 krista17

      Posted

      Hi

      I also am 5-1-2 months post surgery from a PLIF L5-S1 and I am in worse pain than before my surgery. I'm awake at this time because my left leg is swollen and the pain in my buttocks area is intense. I went back to work a month ago and it's not easy making it through the day. I've been having hip pain and MRI shows I now have bursitis in my left hip as well.

      I feel like I'm limited in what I can do on a daily basis. Total change in my health!

      So please know your not alone and it's not in your mind, the pain is real.

    • krista17
      krista17 Amri1116

      Posted

      Thanks Amri.  I am so sorry you are also having such a hard time!  My pain in the glutes/buttocks area is also very intense. How has your surgeon been with follow up post-op?  Mine has not been very accessible.  

      I don't know much about bursitis.  What has your surgeon said about your hard recovery?  I am also limited in activities.  Some days, I can't make it into work at all, or work from home.  I have been pretty isolated since surgery and not really socializing because the things I have to do like work take so much out of me.

      Thank you for your kind words...feel free to PM me further since we had the same procedure at about the same time!  It is very frustrating,  I could go on and on and on.  It would be great to share some further stories. Take care and best of luck in your recovery.  

    • Amri1116
      Amri1116 krista17

      Posted

      Hi Krista,

      After reading your comments, I now know we are both going through EXACTLY the same area of pain in the gluteus-buttocks area!!

      I had complaint at each follow up about my limitations and pain but was told its part of the recovery. Finally this past Tuesday, he gave me an RX for a reconstruction CT scan and I picked up the images CD and report and I am waiting for him to call me back Tuesday. The report impressions seemed normal BUT he did confirm at my appt., what I was told by the hip specialized along with my P. Therapist, any pain in that area of the buttocks is nerve related in the back. Im just waiting for his call on Tuesday, to see if he may see something on the images that may have been overlooked. He did say the only way to relieve this pain is by going back into the area and fusing what may have been missed.

      I'm sorry your going through this too. It's frustrating to feel this will never go away.

      Please PM me as well.

    • myc1
      myc1 krista17

      Posted

      Hi Krista (and Amri),

      Buttock pain doesn't sound very glamorous but, forgive the pun, it is a royal pan in the butt. I suffered the exact same pain for two years and not one specialist could help me or give it a name. Then an old buddy told me he had suffered exactly the same pain when he fell as he stepped into a boat. He was told he has Periformis Syndrome. The Piriformis is a muscle in the butt. He he was given about six specific exercises to do and he does them everyday. It cured him but if he misses a day or two the pain comes back. Lots of info on the Net about Piriformis and which stretches you should be doing. Hope this helps.

      myc 

    • Amri1116
      Amri1116 myc1

      Posted

      Thank you for this information, much appreciated. I have been through 16 physical therapy sessions and I do home exercises but nothing seems to help in relieving this pain.

      I will read up on it, again thank you.

    • renee20198
      renee20198 krista17

      Posted

      Hi Krista, I just found your post and am having the same exact symptoms with the buttock/glute/hip pain after my ALIF surgery. Have you found what was causing it and also the fix? Thank you.
  • jehward
    jehward myc1

    Posted

    Hi,

    while recovery from major spinal surgery can be quick and straight forward - many surgeons forget to tell you of the body's stress response to all of this. I'm an Anaesthetist who's just has a major 3 level decompression & L4/5 fusion. I'm 7 weeks post op and understand ( & also suffer from ) the excessive tiredness. I suggest you maintain analgesia regime as pre op - enabling you to gently build up exercise level. Don't get disappointed - my wife met someone in her Pilates class who said it took 2 years to really get over things! - maintaining a good diet is also important.

    HIP PAIN - I am suffering from this too. Worse than pre-op, and I realise might have piriformis syndrome... When your surgeon / therapists allow - look at the exercises here : http://www.spine-health.com/video/sciatica-exercises-piriformis-syndrome-video

    one of the things is - that having a bone fusion - I'm not taking anti-inflammatory analgesia.... Anyway, slowly, slowly things will improve!

    so try to keep positive, and remember that spinal surgery is never 100% successful and therefore you must have been pretty bad to opt for surgery.

    I note you said your initial improvement was great, maybe you have something else complicating your recovery such as glandular fever bought on by being stressed? Sleep is the body recovering and healing, so take care. Hope you improve, slowly does it !

     

  • daniel6666
    daniel6666 myc1

    Posted

    Hi im daniel

    And ive had spinal fusion aswell l5/l4 and s1 and been dealing with it for 2and 1/2 yrs i get alot of pain in my llower back and down legg to toes but can manage it with a drug called targen it helps with the pain and picks me up a bit.and now trying plexia for long term pain relief

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