Exhausted 5 months after spinal fusion
Posted , 17 users are following.
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
george_56036 myc1
Posted
After major surgery all of your bodies resources including sugars will be utilized in an attempt to heal the wound left by the surgery. As such you will feel fatigued until the healing catches up with your normal routine. Baxk surgeries are particularly prone to long recoveries so you should expect fatigue for an extended period of time. It's the body. What can you do? Exercise.
jim61401 myc1
Posted
Curious - how soon did you come off your meds post surgery and are you experiencing more exhaustion in relation to weather changing - again curious as I am 3 months post surgery and a minimal amout of meds and colder weather causes more pressure and discomfort when sleeping which is affecting my energy and stamina. I had L3-S1 Fusion - 8 hour surgery - 6 days in hospital - 8 screws and rods - our size and gender are almost duplicate - not sure on age - I am 52 male, 6'3" - 225lbs - I lost 17 pounds post surgery and gained 10lbs back.
JerBear myc1
Posted
WOW, I guess someone always has it worse! I was searching for anyone having back pain 5 months after L4L5 TLIF surgery and found this thread. I am having pain only when I bend and wanted to check to see if it was "normal." I am 5 months post L4L5 TLIF and everything was going great until about 3 weeks ago; I started having sever pain but only when bending. I spend one night in hospital and was released before noon next day. I took pain meds (oxicontin) for 3 straight days and started weaning off on days 4 and 5. I didn't take any pain meds after 5 days. I thought everything was going great until I started getting, perhaps, overconfident in my surgery. I have a follow up next month but wanted to see if anyone was feeling the same type of bone pain. I suffered nerve pain (sciatica) before, which was nearly suicidal pain!
I haven't had any experience with feeling tired though. My wife and I hike as much as possible. I sleep very well but take over the counter sleep aid (basically benedryl) to help me fall asleep.
I hope this helps others by sharing my experience. I certainly hope those continuing in pain to feel relief... I am sympathetic!
Best to everyone.
JerBear
Posted
And just for frame of reference I am male, 6'1" and weighed 215 lbs before surgery and now 225 lbs (so, yes I have gained 10 lbs).
angilos1710 myc1
Edited
Hello all, So here is what I've found out. I just had my 4th spinal surgery. I just had an ALIF surgery on the 13 of December 2023. They cut me front and back. Surgery cost nearly $1.2 million after all was said and done so it was a very heavy, extensive surgery. Just added that so everyone knows this wasn't a simple surgery. I was told that any sort of Fusion surgery causes extreme fatigue, even up to a year or more later because as the bone grafting and Fusion begins to take and your body heals, the Fusion itself pulls as much energy and positive blood cells as possible to repair, reconstruct and fuse the area. It's compared to the same affect as if you were to be in the freezing cold and your body trys to make up for the loss of heat so it pulls all of your energy to try and warm you. I wish I had more but I am yet to find a cure to this or something that helps. No amount of caffeine or rest helps. I find myself sleeping for 6 to 8 hours and even after, I pass out, literally, two to three times more through the day.
I would deeply appreciate the help. And if I find anything that helps, I will get back on here and post. God bless you all and my prayers and thoughts are with you and your healing.