Going for ALIF procudure! Want Positive Feedback!!!

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fedupfor

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So good to know. My doc knows why my low back hurts looking at the MRI but with a normal myelogram and EMG he is hopeful that the ALIF procedure will help my legs. He just wishes he had a little more to go on. I am unable to sit or stand for very long at all. My legs have calmed down so not as bad as before but my low back pain is now a deep, burning,throbbing,constant pain!!! I am going tomorrow to discuss the ALIF procedure and set a date. I am praying it will be no later than next week!! I want my life back as quick as possible and pray I will have great results!! Us poor nurses!
 
Hello All,
This really has not been a fun ride!! I am a 42 year old healthy female who has been having low back pain along with aching, painful legs. More in my low back, butt and thighs!!. MRI showed bulging anterior and posterior bulge of L5S1 disc. Also moderate loss of disk height as well as disk dessication at L5-S1. L3-L4 also has moderate loss of disk height.My Myelogram was normal but when they stood me up to take the pics after putting in the contrast, I thought my Lurabar was going going to explode?? So I was shocked whe they could not see any nerve root compression. EMG was also normal. I beleive the plan is for a 1 level fusion but will no more exact plan early next week. My biggest need is of course to be pain free in my low back and to releive this aching pain in my butt and legs. I would love to hear some positive stories!!! Along with some similar situations would be helpful. They are hoping by jacking back up the disk height that it will take the pressure off the nerves causing the leg problems. I have an excellent surgeon!! The range of success for my leg issues being resolved is 10-90%. He can fix my back pain he says!! Please any similar situations and some good results would really be nice to hear!!!!:wave:
 
My situation is different from yours, but I have 14 fused vertebrae, T4-S1. I'm so much better off! I still have pain, but it's much more manageable now.

Now that you
 
Usually it takes at least a few weeks to be scheduled for surgery. In the US the insurance company must approve the surgery. Then the surgeon's schedule is checked and often they are booked up for the next few weeks. Add in the factor of matching up the surgeon's schedule with the hospital's OR schedule.


Often you can ask to be on a surgery cancellation list so if there's a cancellation they can try to fit you in at an earlier date.

You have to be off all NSAIRAB (aspirin, aleve/naproxen, advil/ibuprofen, etc) for 1-2 weeks before surgery. I went off them 1/1/10 so if they called me and could get me in sooner I'd be ready.

Also, there are pre-op tests. I had to see my PCP for a pre-op exam, blood tests, EKG and chest x-ray. Also had to go to the hospital for pre-admission paperwork. This was done 2 days before my surgery.

What helped me most is I told my surgeon in our office discussion and on the day of surgery to "fix everything and anything you see when you get inside". Often imaging (MRI, CT, myelogram, etc) doesn't tell the whole story. So my surgeon made sure the authorization form I signed included wording something like "possible additional levels of fusion and/or surgical intervention". If L2 had not looked good he'd have been able to fix that. I wish I had done that with my neck ACDF in 2006 as C4 showed early signs of problems, I should have encouraged them to fuse that as well. Because now I have C4 symptoms.
 
Thank you!! and yes the leg pain is the worst aand it does leave you in tears!! Being a nurse I would come home and could not get to my bed fast enough to lay down!
 
Hello -- I hope the lack of posting for the past few weeks means that you've had your surgery and are on the way to recovery. I'm having ALIF/PLIF (360) 4/26 and will be following your post to see how you're doing. Prayers for a speedy recovery!

(Doug260 -- are you still experiencing positive results? Hopefully so!)
 
I had ALIF/PLIF (360) fusion 3 weeks ago. It's not nearly as bad as you think it's going to be. You are pretty drugged up at the hospital and probably won't remeraber much of your stay. I would define the feeling as uncomfortable rather than "pain" for the first week but certainly tolerable. A lot of that discomfort will come from...well...being "backed up". I'm 36 and wasn't planning on trying prune juice for another 30 years but I had to change my plans. Being that it's only been 3 weeks, I can't claim success yet but I can say that when I get out of bed in the morning I can stand up straight (something I haven't been able to do for a long time) I am down to one 5mg vicodin a day and was about to have my first day of PT today but the snow put a damper on that. I plan on going back to work (light duty) in another 3/4 weeks. So that's my story...so far. Just wanted to let you know that it really wasn't that bad. Good luck
 
Hi, 1st of all good luck with your procedure. I am 6 weeks today post op and have no pain in my legs like I used to. I had a 360 fusion done and feel a big difference, especially the legs and that was the worst of the pain. My legs would ache so bad, it would leave me in tears. Couldn't walk much at all and also could not sit or stand for long. Even though I was terrified of this surgery, I am very glad I had it done. I am still recuperating and will be for some time. The people on this board are extremely helpful so ask any questions you might have. Good Luck, Linda
 
Hey,
Thank you for checking on me!! I have not had my surgery yet as I will be going in 5 days!! We are in countdown mode!! I am so ready to have relief from Back and leg pain!! I am sick of having to take the pain medicine so I can keep going with my day to day life. Ready to have my life back!! Any good stories or updates are very welcome!
 
I am 7 weeks post L3-S1 posteriolateral fusion (incision down my back and across my hip).

I am still on pain meRAB but take my long acting meRAB and occasional break through meRAB. I am sleeping much better and have been able to reduce my break through meRAB.

I wear a rigid brace for 2-4 months and have a bone growth stimulator as well.

I am so glad I had the surgery done. The first month was tough but since then I've felt increasingly better.

Good luck!
 
Doug, sounRAB like you are doing really well, good for you. I experienced that same uncomfortable feeling while in the hospital. Try Colace tablets. They work very good for me although I had to double dose so instead of taking 2 a day I take 4 a day. 2 at a time, 100 mg. Keep improving, Linda
 
Doug, Spine & Fedup -- it's so good to talk to people with positive attitudes about the surgery. Doug/Spine, I'm glad to hear your recovery is going smoothly and wish you the best through the year as you find out whether the fusion "took." Fedup, good luck to you on your surgery.

I look forward to following all three of you through your recovery as I await my 360 surgery which is still a month away. I think waiting is the hardest part...

Also, just so you know, this says I'm female, but I'm actually male. I'm using my wife's logon name for these posts. Best wishes to you three -- and major kudos to you Doug for going back to work so early -- take it easy and don't overdo!
 
I just had an L3-S1 posteriolateral fusion 2/3/10. So I have one 6" vertical incision down my back and one 4" horizonal incision on my hip. Slightly different technique my doctor does instead of using anterior.

3 weeks later I can tell you that much of my pre-op pain is gone. It's still early to tell if I'll get all of the relief I wanted from this, but I have hope as I'm feeling pretty good. I am wearing a custom brace the doctor sent me to be fitted before surgery. With a one level fusion they may not. But be sure to take care of your back after the surgery. Don't bend, lift or twist and follow all medical directions Most physicians agree that after fusion no NSAID's (aspirin, alevel, naproxen, advil, ibuprofen, etc).

Right now I have some "surgical pain" in that I can tell it's related to the incision or the hardware. And, this was my 5th spine surgery (I have very lax ligaments so all joints in my body, including the joints in my spine, move too much and cause problems). So even after 5 I can say each one was worth it and relieved so much of my pain. I can handle my post-op recovery pain much more than I could the nerve impingement pain I had pre-op.

The two best things I have for recovery are my toilet seat riser. It fits in my toilet seat and rises it about 5 inches at least. You can find them at big name pharmacies but I got it for a great price on Overstock (I wanted, and got the one, that has a "lock" so it fits in any size and it won't wobble when you get up and down). I learned this last time (1993) when I came home from the hospital and getting down to standard toilet seat height was hard. The second thing is a grabber, also available at pharmacies. It's about 24 to 36' long with a claw on the end. Helps you pick up everything from clothing to dropped tissues, dropped food, helps me put cat food in the cat dish when hubby's not here, etc.
 
I am still doing better. Thanks for asking. I had my 360 surgery Feb 3rd and I went "back" to work this week. 6 1/2 weeks may have been on the early side to go back to work but I was going insane at home. I'm on light duty for 6 weeks after which my dr. said I could probably start resuming normal physical activities (within reason of course). I've been off all pain meRAB for about 3 weeks now. I get sore after work (I sit most of the day) or if I push it a little but it's manageable. Still way too early to know if there's any actual fusion going on back there but I do feel better and don't regret my decision to have surgery at all. In fact, I wish I hadn't put it off as long as I did. Good luck to you on your surgery. I hope this eased some of your apprehensions and feel free to ask any questions you have.
 
By the way, with both my cervical and lurabar surgeries in the past few years I was prescribed a bone growth stimulator. For the back the BGS is two 3" paRAB on either side of my back incision. LeaRAB off of the paRAB connect to a battery back I keep in my pocket or the case they gave me. I don't feel anything. Both surgeons (used different surgeon for my neck) were big proponents of using a bone growth stimulator early and for an extended time. If this hasn't been brought up yet be sure to ask your surgeon.
 
Thank You!!! I am ready to get the surgery behind me so that I can get on the road to recovery!! Thank you to all who have been a positive support! Things are going to be looking up for my gimpy self!!
 
Thank you!! Glad to know that your pain has improved that quick after surgery!! Good news for me!
 
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