Posted , 12 users are following.
I'm really confused. Some people say it's good others say its bad. I need to do something. Can someone please give me some advice. Thx.
0 likes, 26 replies
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leonard87499 mike38116
Posted
Not sure what you mean by your "good and bad" characterization of surgery. I guess the surgery is good if it fixes your symptoms. What are they by the way?
mike38116 leonard87499
Posted
2 bulging discs and spinal stenosis.
What I mean is do people have regrets about having fusion done. More pain after and repeated surgery
mike38116
Posted
And limited movement
jamie270771 mike38116
Posted
hi Mike I've had spinal fusion in 2015 it cured my sciatica pain but I get nerve pain now so it's hard to no if you will be any diffrent as surgery is diffrent for everyone if u want to chat further bit more in detail my experience message me mate
Seafarer123 mike38116
Posted
As others have said already: first it depends on what your symptoms are. When I was contemplating back surgery my general doctor advised me to only have back surgery when the pain was so bad, and untreatable by conservative measures, that it was severely interfering with my life. His reasoning was that in his experience, when his patients had their first back surgery, it often led to the need to have further back surgeries down the road. It may solve the initial complaints you had but can also bring on new ones.
A fusion operation can also be a pretty big deal just in and of itself - with post-op pain and a long recovery period in which you have to be minimally active (depending on how the surgeon chooses to do the fusion).
I would say if you are in severe pain that can't be treated by other means (narcotics, epidural steroid injections, a radio-frequency ablation, physical therapy, traction, a spinal cord stimulator, etc.), and if your life is miserable, then yes, you should probably consider the surgery. But definitely try other, more conservative treatment first. Don't have a fusion surgery, for example, because you are averse to taking any kind of medication. Me personally, I would get over that aversion real quick and take the medicine. But if you've tried everything and your life is just too restricted then yes, probably the surgery is a reasonable choice...
richardA54 mike38116
Posted
Speaking from a lot of experience and pain, if you can holdout, wait until you can find a surgeon with experience with the new artificial disc. You are your own advocate.
Kimmieme mike38116
Posted
it depends on if the surgery works or not. mine gave me stability but the nerve pain is still there. ive talked to people who regret it and those that dont. It is a very hard recovery that is for sure.
CHICO_MARX mike38116
Posted
Been there...all fixed. For a single-level (the disk between only two vertebrae) fusion, find a neurosurgeon who has done a lot of LLIFs...Latereral Lumbar Interbody Fusion. Docs go in from your side, remove the disk and inset a small device that works like a "car jack". Once installed, they use an Allen wrench to expand the device to further separate the vertebrae thereby opening up the compressed foraminal canals pinching the nerves and causing the stenosis. Then they backfill the device with a tiny bone graft from your hip to start the fusion bone growth and close.
I had a TLIF (rods and screws) fusion from L3 through S1. 12 days in the hospital, 4 months of rehab, 6 months in a brace. A few years later, I had the LLIF at L2-L3. One night hospital stay, no rehab, no brace, stenosis gone in one day. MIRACLE OP!!!!!
Search YouTube for "Globus LLIF Procedure" for an animation of the op and then "Globus Calibur" to see how the device works. The company has many different models (Calibur, RISE, Intercontinental, etc.); the surgeon chooses the appropriate one for your case. For me, he used the one with the supporting screws plus the capability for a lordatic adjustment instead of needing the yellow supporting rods you see in the animations.
IF you have stenosis and IF you need a surgical fix, this is the ONLY way to go...period. I can't imagine ever doing a posterior TLIF again and dealing with all that aftermath. Do NOT get talked into rails and screws when the LLIF is available. Disclaimer: I'm Not-A-Doc and don't know your case. The TLIF may be the appropriate fix for you but I would absolutely look into the LLIF as your first option.
JerryR mike38116
Posted
I agree - put it off as long as you can. I've met many people who have had back surgery. Very few of them have had only one.
Kimmieme JerryR
Posted
very true my surgeon said 1 leads to 2 or 3 or more. I put mine off 3 years ended up no better
CHICO_MARX mike38116
Posted
I disagree about putting it off. I also advocate climbing the "Ladder of Care". I always start with my doc or chiropractor. Sometimes, massage, PT and acupuncture works good for me too. I NEVER take RX meds to mask the symptoms...especially gabapentin. Always...ALWAYS...find the root cause of your problem.
Next step is an orthopedist (joints) or a neurosurgeon (brain and spine). A lot of times (because insurance demands it be done before authorizing any surgery), you will get pain injections under fluoroscopy. For joints, docs try cortisone injections. For osteoartritis, there are products like Synvisc which "oils" the joint and relieves "bone on bone" pain. These modalities work for some people but not for others.
Personal aside... Pain shots in my spine NEVER worked for me. Cortisone, for me, lasts a few days, tops. Synvisc in my knees, however, worked extremely well after four knee scopes (two each side) for things like a torn meniscus repair, etc.). Three shots over 14 days would last 11 months each round. Got me through all of my 50's.
Sometimes, however, there is no solution but surgery. If you have tried everything but are still living in pain (horrible quality of life), then get the damn thing fixed once and for all. I've had a lot of sciatica over the decades and I always got past it with chiropractic adjustments...except one time. When chiro didn't work, I tried acupuncture then PT then pain shots. Finally went to my neurosurgeon who saw something weird on the MRI but needed to go in to see exactly what was wrong.
He found a bone spur at L4/L5 literally "crushing" my sciatic nerve root (HIS words for it, not mine). Quick same-day laminectomy, major pain gone instantly, residual nerve pain gone in less than a week.
ROOT CAUSE!!! Find it...fix it. Don't live in pain when you don't need to.
Kimmieme CHICO_MARX
Posted
I have to disagree as Ive had a fusion. This is not a surgery to just jump into. Get 2nd opinion even a 3rd. Find out what the chances are you are gonna relieve all the pain
I dont care what the neurosurgeons say you are never the same. I know multiple people who have had fusions none are the same some are glad they did it some are not. I never took pain meds but I do take lyrica as my nerves were destroyed from fractured vertabrae. If you can find ways to control the pain for the most part (lyrica massage acupuncture etc) Go that way. Put it off if you can. Personally if I could go back I wouldnt do it again and my nerve pain is controlled. i have a broken screw at S1 causing all kinds of havoc. So please dont jump in do your research
CHICO_MARX Kimmieme
Posted
I explicitly said that you "climb the ladder". Surgery is the final stop. I agree that it is NOT something to be taken lightly and that 2nd opinions are always a good idea.
What I did say is that if you find the root cause of your problem and surgery is the only fix, get it done ASAP and stop living in pain. I've had 4 knee scopes, 2 shoulder scopes, a hip replacement, a knee replacement, two spinal laminectomies and two spinal fusions. Before every surgery, I tried all the other possible modalities first. Unfortunately, for every case, surgery was my last remaining option.
I spent 45 years playing hockey...the game took it's toll in my early to mid fifties. But the person MOST responsible for all of my pain and suffering is my ex wife. Until I was 50, the only surgery I ever had was a tonsilectomy at age 6. Then, on that momentous birthday, she presented me with my very own AARP card!!! And THAT'S when everything started to go downhill. Grrrrrrr.......
Lesson: NEVER GET AN AARP CARD ON YOUR 50TH BIRTHDAY!!! Now THAT'S something you want to put off as long as possible!!!
Kimmieme CHICO_MARX
Posted
well no aarp card here Im only 42 I spent 26 years in pain treated like I was a drug addict yet never asked for pain meds I just wanted to be fixed. Nobody saw my broken vertebrae until 2017. I had mine under control for the kost part with meds had 3 injections 1st one kinda helped for a week 2nd not at all 3rd he stuck the needle right into the nerve good thing I was strapped down next day woke up my entire left side burning like i was burning alive. I kept going not letting it get me then my back locked up 1 if the vertebrae slipped and the bone jammed into the next broken vertebrae and I was done. Had no choice. Now A year after surgery still have nerve pain the screw at S1 broke and Im back in extreme. They cant remove screw because the fusion hasnt fully fused. So here I sit off work again thank god i have a good job that allows that. now I have thoracic and cervical issues that will lead to more surgery and I never had issues anywhere but my lumbar spine. Im not sure fusions are the way to go I hear so many horror stories
CHICO_MARX Kimmieme
Posted
Geez...the screw broke??? Have not heard of that. I've had two decompressive laminectomies and two fusions (L3 through S1 TLIF and L2-L3 LLIF). All have been successful in eliminating the underlying source of the pain. Maybe it's time to see a different neurosurgeon????? Just a thought. A second opinion can't hurt.
mike38116 CHICO_MARX
Posted
Thank You Chico. I think I have a good Dr ,found the root problem and unfortunately surgery is the only answer. I'm not a big fan of surgery but everybody is different every situation is different and every Dr is different . Also I'm doing a lot of praying. Thanks again for your input.
Kimmieme CHICO_MARX
Posted
yeah chico they asked me if I fell and I hadnt. Ive treated this back like glass since the surgery so I never had to go through surgery again.
CHICO_MARX Kimmieme
Posted
After my L3 through S1 TLIF fusion, I did four months of rehab 2-3X/week plus home exercises. I was really hard at first but eventually, I rebuilt all my lower back and hip muscles. Those PTs had no mercy and I was better off for it. Ended my sessions by leg pressing 230 pounds by the time I was done. Took a lot of work but it paid off. Never treated my back "like glass".
Then again, I've always been a rehab freak, completely overcoming a hip replacement in 2009 by being in the gym and therapy pool 5 hours a day, six days a week so I could get back to work in six weeks from the op date. Two shoulder ops got rehabbed in 5 weeks instead of 3-6 months. The only thing I couldn't push was the knee replacement because when I did, it turned into a balloon for 3 days. That recovery took a full year. The knee is a different animal.
I would consider finding a good PT who can start you off slowly but ramp you up so all those muscles can get stronger to support your back as your body was intended to do. Work with the PT to set weekly goals, increasing endurance and strength as you go. I takes time, effort and determination but the results are so worth it. When the muscles are strong again, all that pain likely goes away.
PS: I did have two unfair advantages: 1. After playing hockey for 45 years I had lots of good muscle memory and a take no prisoners attitude. Nothing was going to stop me from getting back to 100%; 2. My daughter is a graduate nutritionist plus a professional personal trainer certified by the American College of Sports Medicine which turned her into an "Exercise Nazi"!!! She won't let me get away with anything on the rehab side...totally pushed me to succeed. At 71 with 4 1/2 pounds of metal in me, I try to avoid her as much as possible to no avail. Probably get the same attitude from her when I make it to 90!!!
sar2017 mike38116
Posted
good luck with your surgery. you are having a fusion have you had a decompression before then?
I had L5/S1 discectomy/decompression 12 days ago feeling very good except for very slight nerve pain (not sure if im just being paranoid)
like yourself no other option (well their was live in misery and that is not an option)
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