Calling all Spinal Fusion TW members

Wow, that must be some kinda seat for the Tacoma. Way to pricey for my bank account, but glad it's working for you. I just recently installed the Spiker Hood Struts, and that's one of the best mods you can do if opening the hood is hard on your back.

 

Your long term sounds like mine a bit, never being able to get comfortable.

I can tell you that my C5/C7 fusion was the best thing that has ever happened to me. While I’ve been in recovery for my Achilles I’ve been starting to lift again and my body is responding. I stopped lifting years ago, but now my energy level since recovery has improved and at 54 years old I strength train regularly to help me burn off the excess energy and stay focused, in addition to building foundation.

I know the fusion isn’t a cure all for everyone, but in my situation, and many others I know of, it really gave them relief from so much discomfort. My physical therapy was good and it taught me how to stay out of trouble by keeping myself strong that was relevant to me.

I hope the best for you in your recovery. Being weeks in, you may be feeling your upper body adjusting itself to what no longer moves. For me, this was the worst of it, simply the time my body needed to make the adjustments. After that, it was finding safe ways to do the things I enjoy, it’s a journey.

 

Micro Lumbar discectomy L-4 L-5 on May 5th. Dr. said pretty bad when they got in there. Really been battling the ridiculopathy before and since. But better than before surgery. Thursday was my 5 month check up and now trying gabapentin to help calm down the nerves some more. Maybe it'll help.

 

Good luck with getting those nerves to shut up and quiet down. I take some high doses of Gabapentin and I think it does help me with restless leg at night. I have the same problem after my last surgery in June 2023. When that nerve acts up it's like someone shocking me and the pain runs down through my right buttock all the way to my right foot. Not much I can do but go lay down and hope it calms down. Are you walking for exercise. The reason I ask, is my Dr. has always told me to walk, that it's good for your back to help strengthen the muscles.

 

I know what you mean about the buttock mine is on the left across and into the hip and down the left shin/calf.
Yes walking try to get about 3 miles in a day + p/t exercises daily. It helps me to keep moving with an active K9 in the house. Always getting up and going outside. Not looking forward to winter though.

 

My back aches, so they sent me in for an updated mri.

 

I found out that my insurance pays for a free membership at the YMCA. So I've been going there 3-4 days a week now walking 2 miles. you should check into this program, it's called Silver Sneakers.

 

what are they suggesting, more surgery? I've been down that rabbit hole 5 times now, and I'm hoping this last June operation will be my last.

 

Might have to do this. I go see the Neurosurgeon on the 20th. this month to see and talk about what's still going on with my nerve issues. Keep you posted.

Edit: Gabapentin was horrible finished and wont take it again.

 

Don't know yet. They sent the referral to the doc who did my last one (put a Coflex in at L4-L5). If they want to do more, it's going to have to wait a year and a half. I'm determined to work for that long to save up $$$$$. But, I am starting to get pins and needles primarily in the left leg again.

 

Got a call yesterday from neurosurgeon office wanting to move my appointment up to this Friday. If they offer a epidural I'm taking it.at this point it can't hurt.

 

I get a free "Silver Sneakers" membership at the YMCA through my health insurance company. So far this winter, I've been walking 2 miles a day 3-5 days a week. It just depends on how my back and legs(Nerve Pain) are doing. Well so far things have been going good. I had a good 2 mile walk today, and about 2 weeks ago, I started doing light upper body weight workouts at the end of my walk. I want to do this all winter, so when spring rolls around I'll already be moving and ready to move back to outdoor walking, which I enjoy more that walking in a circle. Anyway, for all of you that suffer like I do, try to stay as active as possible, it really seems to help me. But right now as I type this, that dam nerve in my right leg is driving me nuts, so I have to get up and try moving around. Maybe I'll go to the reloading bench. Merry Christmas, and God Bless all of Us that suffer from these debilitating back injuries.

 

I gotcha walking about 2-4 miles a day here at home up and down the hwy. with the k9 and still not keeping all the weight off but could be worse. Friday talked to Dr. and setting up a epidural to try to calm this darn nerve down. Too far for me to go to YMCA or anything just to get to town is around 20 miles.

 

I had a catastrophic failure in my lower back yesterday afternoon. Bent over just a little to open the cabinet under the sink and "BANG" what was I felt and heard inside my head. Thankfully my next door neighbor was over and helped me up off the floor and to my recliner. I am almost positive that the fusion, "Bone Graft" in my lower back somewhere around L4-L5 is what let go. So now I have to start out 2024 with a new CT scan so we can see exactly whats going on. What really pisses me off, is this is the 3rd failure I've had at 6 months after surgery. I've been walking since June, and worked my way up to 2 miles, which I've been doing at the YMCA since the weather turned colder. I can still stand upright for now, but I have some really bad burning nerve pain in my extreme lower back and down into my buttocks and thighs. I won't write here how I really feel about this, but I'm sure some of you could figure it out without too much trouble. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to Me!!!!!!!!

I Quit!!!

 

Hope it's not as bad as you think.That buttock pain is bad along with the burning in your leg.
Get better.
I hope you have a better Christmas day.
I can't like this at all.

 

I've been on high doses of gabapentin for the past year, epidural, treating my hip/knee pain as if it's a nerve issue in my l4/l5. Suffered through a year of PT and things just keep getting worse. Finally got more mri's and turns out I need my hip replaced..Still have the l4/l5 thing but that's not why I'm having mobility issues

 

I had to stop taking gabapentin too much for me. Had me taking 300mgs 3x's a day, really bad and tiredness and dizziness also fell. Going in for epidural shot on the 10th. for left buttock/back and leg burning pain.
Hope you get relief soon. Hope hip heals quickly too.

 

The original diagnosis was sciatica and deteriorated l4/l5

I was on 900mg and felt like it wasn’t doing anything, asked the dr if i should stop it and he told me to double it instead. About two days later I could suddenly walk again on 1800mg

the epidural got rid of the static down the leg. I still had super tight tendons and hip/knee pain which we tried to treat with months worth of pt.

finally tapered off the epidural/gabapentin and I couldn’t walk or sit-up. got mri’s and found a real bad issue in the hip.

That’s my experience , I wish I had made sure it was actually a back issue. I made things worse by mitigating the pain and doing pt. Meeting with a surgeon in a few weeks

 

I understand 1st. Dr. gave me MRI and it showed bulge at l3 and herniated l4-l5 like you p/t from September 2022 to December 2022 Dr. thru up his hands and gave up only surgery we discussed was if he had to do surgery fusion l3,4,5 but I don't want to ruin your life.
Gave me a FCE and turned me loose. Second guy neurosurgeon said you can benefit from micro discetomy at l4-l5. May I had the surgery and son of a gun I benefited from it. Been going to P/T since June and platued, sooo up next is the epidural and we will see.
As for your hip my buddy who is in his 40's just got hip replacement.
I hope you do well with your hip .

 

Well I just spent 4 days in Baptist Hospital in Winston Salem going through MRI, CT Scans, and multiple X-rays. I have 2 broken rods that are the core support for my lower back at L4-L5. I was very disappointed that they couldn't get me in the OR for surgery and get this behind me. Now I have to lay in bed at home for the next 15 days waiting on the scheduling people to get my Neurosurgeon the 10 hour window he needs. This is going to be the most major surgery I've ever had. He's going to have to rebuild the entire bottom end of my back, which isn't a great thing to go through. I will post a pic of the two broken rods if I can figure out how. My pain levels are very bad, and I'm barely able to use a walker to get around the house. It's very hard not to be depressed when you've gone through as many surgeries as I've been through. So for those of you who pray, please add me to your list. I'll post an updated when I now for sure when my surgery date will be. I'm hoping before the end of January 2024.