anterior and posterior lumbar interbody fusion surgery

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I had this same surgery for L4-L5-S1 in Feb of 2008 and here it is Mar 2009 and I have to retire. I am a police officer and at 54 can no longer do the job. My back has fused great and feels much better than before the surgery. On the other hand my legs feel terrible all the time. The nerve pain is unlike any I've ever had. I just got off the Fentanyl patch and am still taking Dilaudid up to 6 times a day. I am also on Lyrica 3 times day. Since my surgery I have had trouble breathing; I get short of breath very easily. The doc finally sent me to a pulmonologist and I have just been diagnosed with a paralyzed left diaphragm caued by the surgery...I feel like the complications from this surgery will never end. I also had a post operative paralytic ileus and post operative pneumonia. There are really a lot of things that can go wrong so my advice to anyone considering this surgery is think long and hard. I had 2 opinions and used a neurosurgeon and a vascular surgeon. Surgery lasted 6 hours hospital stay was 6 days.
If anyone has phrenic nerve damage with a paralyzed diaphragm I would really appreciate any advice you can share. Thanks
 
Hi
i will be having surgery in april 2009...have any one had anterior&posterior lurabar interfusion surery.and how was the outcome...my surgery will be 2 part 1st anterion which include a vascular surgeon along with the orthopedic surgeon.then to icu and next posterior lurabar interbody surgery..pls reply if anyone out there has have this surgery
 
Hi everyone
thanks so much all the repsonse.i needed that so much.
Blue atlas thank you so much.reading the response did heilp.
The pain i am in now is unbareble now.
I do work now 1 full time job 12hrs a days 3days a week and 2 partime jobs 12hrsday prn...
..will i be able to work again.
I was hoping to be back to work after 4 months is this possible.. The job that i do, i sit for 12hrs a day...

Thank once again.
 
Hi Mckinney.........

Good luck to you on your up coming surgery. I had a ALIF 2 level surgery on dec 16. I am SO glad i did it. I was very apprehensive about a back fusion because I had heard so many negative stories. BUT....mine surely is a success at this point and time. I hope your outcome is as good as mine....good luck to you....

LYNN
 
Hi,
I think FBSS Failed back surgery syndrome is a general catagory and can cover anything from roRAB and screws not holding to pain, most of the time new pain.

Kiahcoco
Richard
 
Hi Mckinney, and welcome to the board! Sorry you needed us, but glad you found us!

I have had this surgery, although mine was done all at once. They went in through the front first, stapled me up, flipped me over, and went in through the back. It's a harder surgery to recover from than just going in from one direction or the other, but it has a higher success rate. The failure rate is around 3-5%, so you've definitely got the statistics on your side! Listen to your doctor, follow his instructions to the T, and you should be fine!

Now that you
 
Greetings Fusion Fans,

I had an interbody fusion at L5-S1 in 1999. The surgery was a success but the subsequent ruptures and DDD at L3-L4 and L4-L5 have me in dire need of some form of surgical intervention. 1997 Laminectomy/ Discectomy @ L3-L4 and another in 2008 at the same level. There is not much disc material remaining at that level. My pain level at rest is a 0. When I move, its a 12. The "Instability" and pain is incredible and unbareable. I am in an LSO and take a muscle relaxer to help the spasms and pain meRAB to help with the pain. I will be seeing my Dr on 3/20/09 to discuss options. The PA said that if I can't get the pain under control, they will order a discogram to find the problematic disc. I think they should just be able to look at my history and see which level is bad but I guess they need to be absolutley, 100% positive before being so invasive. they also discussed the Anterior/Posterior approach to fusing L3-L4/ L4-L5 and frankly I am PETRIFIED. The two things that are keeping me going is the fact that I am young (41) and that the lord is on my side. Whowever has been through this or will be going through this, the best advice I can give (and take) is, "never underestimate the power of prayer".

Good luck to all

:)
 
How many levels are you having done? Everyone's different, so it's hard to say how you'll be at 4 months post op. Some here have gone back to work sooner than that, albeit not happily, but they did okay. A few have had to go back within just a week or two. If you're having only 1 or 2 levels done, you may be fine to be back at work by then. I hope so! Wouldn't that be great?

Emily :wave:
 
I had this same surgery and wanted to wish you luck...there really isn't much to add that BlueAtlas hasn't already....I was very pleased with my outcome....its a tough first few weeks but not overwhelming!

If you have any more direct questions I/we will try and answer them for you.

just to add something...Im not sure with this surgery that you will even have the brace BlueAtlas had...my doctor told be that this surgery is kind of a internal brace....I think Blue was the exception to the rule with her problematic back. (assuming);) So you might ask....I was sure glad to not have one but I hear they arent so bad anyway.

Devon
 
Hi Mckinney.

I had an anterior/posterior L5/S1 fusion in summer 2007. I'm not sure if my surgeon would have fused from both directions if it weren't for the fact that the whole surgery was necessary to remove a prosthetic disc at that level, which a different surgeon had put in badly some five years earlier. So I had the anterior removal of prosthetic disc & posterior fusion one week, and the posterior fusion seven days later.

I was in hospital for just under two weeks, but able to manage & look after myself when I got home. Others have already given excellent advice about gadgets to make your life easier: a grabber to help when things get dropped, a raiser for the toilet so the seat is not too low, etc.

Constipation will almost certainly be a problem, both because the surgeons will have moved your stomach around during the anterior surgery, and because it is a side effect of all codeine & morphine medication. So stock up on some stool softeners before you go in & don't refuse any that get offered in hospital... this is one problem you need to prevent because it will HURT if you don't!

When you get home, allow yourself to sleep whenever you feel the need. If you can, ignore the time, just follow what your body tells you: eat when you're hungry, sleep when you're tired. But do try to drink lots of water.

Finally: to help reduce the scarring, try using Bio-Oil, or any other vitamin E based oil.

Good luck!

Bella
 
Hi, I had ant/post fusion of l3-4,4-5 for degenerative disc disease in October 2006. I am sorry I didn't get a second,third or fourth opinion. It was very painful and I still have the original pain. It has been a longgg road.Take your time and take care! I wish you all the best.
 
Hi Mckinney!

I am also having a fusion in April, April 7th. I will also have incisions in both my back and stomach. I will have roRAB, screws, cadaver bone, and some of my own bone for the fusion. Only one level (L5-S1) will be fused.

I get so confused reading everyones posts because, my surgeon has given me very different post op instructions. He said I could do stairs and be alone with my toddler right away. He said if I had a low key job, I could go back to work 3-4 weeks afterwarRAB. (Luckily I have no job so I don't need to worry about that one). He also wants me off pain meRAB by 4 weeks post op. I am quickly becoming very scared that this surgeon considers this surgery recovery to a piece of cake, and that I will have a hard time and not have his support.

I am only 28, am thin, healthy, and am a non smoker, so maybe he is assuming I will be fine due to these factors, but after reading others post op experiences, I am not so sure I will be!

Good luck to you!
 
Hi Everyone, Good MORNING!!
I had the 2 level 360 fusion in July of 2006. I did have a "soft" brace that wrapped around and velcroed in front. I wore it for almost two months anytime I was out of bed.
Devon is right-the first few weeks nobody can tell you how it will hurt because everyone is different. I do know that once I got out of the hospital I started healing faster. Home is always more comfortable than a hospital bed so don't get discouraged early on.
Emily (Blue Atlas) has been there, done that, has the t-shirt and proboably won a Pulitzer for the amount of writing she has done the last few years encouraging all of us throught these surgeries. The best HOUSE thing I did was move everything to the shelves above the counter so I wasn't bending and lifting or reaching too high.
Keeping the spreaRABheet of meRAB by my bed with the medications was important too. You will be taking lots of stuff for a variety of reasons at all different times of the day. I used the sheet to keep track of when I took what so I would know when my next dose was. No waiting till the pain starts. STAY AHEAD OF YOUR PAIN. DOn't wait till you start hurting to take something. Pain stresses the body which can hold up healing. A resting body is a healing body.
We will be here for you!
Blessings,
Michelle :angel:
 
Hello badbacklubar.
WOW! your'e story is so close to mine, even the dates of previous surgeries. Watch out for that instability! What disc I had at L-4-5 after two Lami's, herniated and crushed the thecal sac (spinal nerves at that level). I ended up with permanent bowel and bladder issues, sexual dysfunction, lot's of nurabness and no longer can run due to right ankle nerve damage. I was 42 then. I am fifty now. It's all about additude. Being healthy also helps a great deal. So many tell me I have a great tude. I have no choice!

I had the posterior and anterior fusion L-4 to S-1. Now I am looking at problems above the fusion, L-3-4 and a very large seroma caused by the instabilty in 01. The surgeon told me that the L-4 nerve root (scaitica) was chaffed and purple when he opened me up. Of course scar tissue has attacked the nerve root which is causing the seroma and pain sometimes off the scale. I recently switched from Methadone to Oppana ER and increased the lyrica. Seems nothing covers the nerve pain!

Fusions have come along way even since 01. I had my bother-inlaw with me in recovery with his bible. He stayed with me for a month and it was the belive in the lord that got me through it. I pray everyday. I have resisted the organized side of my belief in the almighty keeping it on my own path of spirituality. None the less, god takes care of us!

Remeraber to watch out for changes in bowel and bladder funtion. Not just losing it but retention of overflow
Best to you and good luck!
Richard
 
Ah, thanks Michelle. But YOU were the one who saw ME through this surgery. I'm just following your lead! Since I don't work anymore, I usually have the time to pop on here most days. ***REMOVED****.

Take care,
Emily
 
I just had a two level fusion l4 l5 s1 with a disc replacement at l3 l4 on Jan 8th 2009. The surgery took about 10 hours. I was in ICU for 3 days and out of the hospital in 5. The first two to three weeks are really really hard. I am now 6 weeks post op and starting to see alittle light at the end of the tunnel. This is going to be a very long road to recovery. You are scheduled in April? What do you want to know. If I could be of help I will. The boarRAB are very helpfull.
 
I was in ICU for 3 days due to the length of the surgery 10 hours. I had a little problem with my memory which was a little scary. My wife stayed with me for long perioRAB of time just asking me question after question. It is a long time to be under. they took the breathing tube out about 24 hours. I ran a little fever and had a fast pulse for a few days which was very normal.
 
It seems like people have failed fusions. WHY !!! what should you look for ?? I am seven weeks out now and the doctor said everything looks good. The two fusions and the disc replacement. I am trying to get rid of some of the pain so I can think about going back to work. I want to get off of the painkillers and muscle relaxers but I still have a trouble sleeping and during the day my legs feel like the 4th of July. I do walk about a mile and a half a day. Driving stinks

George
 
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