Calling all Spinal Fusion TW members

@303tacoma , hope your surgery went well.
@CrippledOldMan hope your doing well .
Had epidural this morning, now relaxing. I'm already feeling it in the piriformis and that's good. Hope this works.

 

Hey feeling quite good considering the huge slit in my neck!!
Actually getting feeling back infingertips too.
Hope you guys are feeling well too!

 

Like this? and 2 months later
Just giving you a idea of how much you'll improve. Scar wise.

Felt the steroids go in and start working, some pain easing. My biggest thing is side effects insomnia, headache, upset stomach it's gonna take a couple of days to disappear got 2.5 hours of sleep last night . Normal for me on steroids starting to do things like laundry, feed the animals. They told me to wait a few days to play frisbee with the Maligator and throw the ball. All in all doing better.
Glad you are feeling better too .

 

Yeah that looks pretty good
Mine looked really gnarly yesterday about 15 hrs after.

It looks better today just didnt take a picture.
Glad youre feeling better too.

 

Day 3 after epidural slept last night . Now I can start doing some things and see what/if the shot did any good.

 

Hopefully things fall into place for you.
im having a hard time not doing anything, this is gonna be a long road.

 

I get it.

 

Ok after nearly 5 weeks from last epidural shot doing better. See neurosurgeon on Monday and talk about my next step to returning to work. and what kind of work I should do or stay away from. I have put in some applications for not so strenuous jobs already.
Keep your fingers crossed and I will update.

 

Went to neurosurgeon today he's on board for me to return to work with a 75# weight limit. Going back in December or so to discuse permanent nerve damage or not. he did say I do have some bulging discs up and down the spine but nothing needing attention. And we agreed that my next job should be less physical and more adverse in not doing the same thing I was doing with regards to pulling, pushing, lifting and climbing. No more LTL truck driving.
All in all it was positive.

 

I hope everyone on this thread is doing better.Heres my latest sob story. I had to quit my PT about 6-8 weeks ago. I started having serious pain in my upper body and neck area. Radiating pain shooting down my right arm into my hand. I know that my right hand suffers from carpel tunnel, and other issues. Scheduled an appointment with the Neurosurgeon and we had a new MRI done on my neck. I told him it was my rotator cuff in the right shoulder. Well it looks like he's correct. I have serious arthritis and calcium buildup in my neck, with some mild compression. But the worse part is the spinal stenosis causing a pinched nerve in I think C4-C5 that controls the nerves running down both arms. It's just worse on my right side. So now I'm back in PT for my neck. If this doesn't help the next step will be an injection, and after that you guessed it, Fusion on that joint.

Sometimes I just think that I can't catch a break no matter what. But right now I'm willing to try anything. As you can see it's 1:39 am and I'm not sleeping through the night like I was the first 3-4 months after my surgery in February 2024. What a bummer!!!

 

No like at all best wishes for a easy fix.
Me on the other hand last epidural shot working. Went back to work not driving LTL truck. But working in a PVC pipe plant as the FNG but won't be working very hard.

 

That sucks
Hopefully the pt helps. I feel for you.

Im glad youre back working and feeling well.
Im at the tail end of my 12 weeks off.
The numbness in my hands is different than the numbness before my surgery.
My shoulder muscles are like rocks and wont release,tried trigger point injections, worked for a week. Neurosurgeon PA sent me to PT for Medical Massage and gentle stretching. Its helped a bit.
I went ahead and went to my regular massage lady, that helped even more.
So i see the PA next week and hopefully get released back to work on the 24th.

i feel like i have more issues than i started with, but hopefully with time it'll get better.

Have a great day all!!!

 

It'll take time but just don't over do it and let your body heal.
Keep us posted.

 

I know exactly what you mean!! Good luck

 

I sooooo feel for you,and feel really stupid even complaining about my issues, they are so minute compared to yours.
Hang in there!!!

 

@303tacoma

Rebecca: Pain is Pain. Doesn't matter whether my body is more screwed up than yours. If your suffering from Chronic pain it sucks, regardless. Good Luck on getting better.
I keep telling myself that it's going to take me a year before I really start to feel any better after my last surgery in February 2024. My neck problem is just one more issue I have to deal with. I'm just hoping that either the PT or the Steroid Injection will keep me from any more surgery.

 

Thanks David
Take care.
My fingers are cross and sending my positive vibes to support your recovery.
Itll be ok

 

Going in on the 11/7 for decompression at L2-3, 3-4, 4-5. L3-4 will be getting a Coflex implant to match the one already at L4-5. Timing works great for me as my current job site should be done next week and they don't have the next one ready for me yet.
Not a fusion, but I'm slowly adding more titanium......

 

Good luck, that micro discetomy worked for me along with the epidural shots.
Best wishes for you and a speedy recovery.

 

Apparently, I woke up under the knife. They had to dose me again with fentanyl and royally fucked me up. Haven't had this much of a reaction since my first surgery. 30hrs later and I am still dizzy.