fusion surgerey

  • Thread starter Thread starter Junior warden
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Junior warden

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Hey everybody this is jw. Ifinally had the fusion done on july 2.It was a one level with 2 screws. I am in a lot of pain my but cheeks are swollen, I can barely lay down, and i am really in a lot of pain. 2 questions, how long will i be layed up, and how long will this pain last. Please help.
 
Hey JW!
Everyone's different, but in general, expect to be off your feet more than on them for a couple of months. Walk as much as you can tolerate, as it gets the blood circulating around your spine and promotes bone growth. But don't overdo it! You need rest just as much as you need to walk.

The pain should start letting up little by little. Some people are off pain meRAB altogether by 6 weeks, others need them for months longer, but at lower and lower doses. As time goes by, your problem is going to become boredom! Don't let boredom lure you into doing things you shouldn't be doing! (Been there, done that, paid for it!)

Hang in there. It WILL get easier!

Emily :wave:
 
Thanks for that. Because i am a prety active guy. And it is hard not to overdue it.Just have to be patient and get better thanks
 
JW,

I had L5-S1 fusion on April 29th. I was in bed for about 6 weeks, then back working at my desk (from home). I saw my dr at 8 weeks, got cleared for Physical Therapy and am marching towarRAB full recovery! (*Not bragging, just showing the light at the end of the tunnel*)

BlueAtlas is right, the boredom will get you! Especially if you are active. I used to run Marathons for Charity, so I made believe that my walks were a Marathon Training Schedule. I would walk for 5 minutes; 10 minutes; 5 minutes in the build-and-recover style of full-training regimine...sounRAB silly now that I've typed it out, but it made it seem more like "working out" and kept me from over doing.

Anyway, Hang in there! It gets better. I was amazed with the exponential progress made EVERY DAY for the first 10-14 days. It will plateau, but improvement continues, and so far I think my surgery has been successful.
 
Just a quick update for those that are searching for success stories!

As you can see from my earlier posts, I had Posterior Fusion at L5-S1 on april 29th, and this past Saturday night (August 8th), I went dancing with my wife! I haven't been able to dance in years b/c of the pain. Granted, I was a little sore yesterday, but the joy of the evening out-weighed the soreness.

I'm not saying surgery is the cure for everyone (I tried EVERYTHING else first), but I am happy to say, it HAS worked for me! Who knows, a few more months and I might even play a round of golf!!!
 
Ken, that's fantastic! Just keep being careful about bending, lifting, and twisting until you know you're fully fused.

Thanks for the positive post!

Emily :wave:
 
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