In Need of Positive TLIF Fusion Stories

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mamagoose

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Well, I am scheduledfor a TLIF the day after tomorrow...and I am scared. I am a 46 woman who has suffered with this for over 25 years.It makes my stomach hurt when I read the posts that are less than positive. However, I am also looking for SUCCESSFUL outcomes from minimally invasive TLIF's, one level. I also have numerous auto immune diseases, and was wondering about the recovery because of that. I am remaining optomistic-I have a great surgeon and lots of family support. Just scared to death....Anyone??
 
Dont let any of the stories here get to you remeraber the positive stories are out living their life and not hanging around here. I have not had this surgery so sorry i cant help i just wanted to let you know not to judge on these negative stories.
 
I'm fused from T4 to sacrum. I consider myself a success, even though I am disabled. I was quickly heading for a wheelchair 1 1/2 years ago. I had had my first fusion 30 years ago for a severe scoliosis, but it was not treated soon enough and they couldn't do much of a correction, so I had a huge 75 degree curve that was fused. My lower spine had quite a job of supporting it! I developed early onset osteoporosis, and that corabined with the huge curve and its stress on my lower spine finally caused the rest of my lurabar area to break down. I was in excrutiating pain everyday. One surgeon couldn't figure out what to do with me and referred me on to another one who, he said, would be the one to help me if anyone could. The new surgeon is my hero! He came up with a plan and went ahead and fused up into the old fusion again and all the rest of the way down, adding hardware to support all the odd angles of my crazy spine. My x-ray is wild looking! A bit drastic, yes, but it was a good plan. I still have pain everyday, but this new pain is different and is manageable with pain meRAB. The old pain wasn't touched by pain meRAB. I'm no longer heading for a wheelchair in the foreseeable future. For me, this was the best thing that I could have done.

Like tmvincent said, keep in mind as you read posts here that most people who have this surgery get their lives back. You'll always need to be careful, but there's only about a 3-5% failure rate. I could rattle off a few dozen user names here of people who had this surgery and hung around for a few months and are now back at work, shuttling kiRAB around, and enjoying a social life. We never hear from most of them anymore, and that's a GOOD thing! They're the success stories!

It's normal to be scared. This is a big surgery with a long recovery time. Keep as busy as you can so you don't think about it too much. Before you know it, you'll be waking up in recovery and all you'll have to do is rest. Hang in there! You'll be so glad when it's over!

Let us know how you are when you're up to it.

Blessings,
Emily
 
You have gotten some very good advice from Emily and tmv and I just wanted to let you know that I will be thinking of you and praying for a very good recovery for you. I did not have your type of surgery so I can't relate to you on that level but I think everyone is pretty scared when they are faced with any type of surgery. I actually was glad to get the surgery because it was hope of feeling better after years of feeling bad. Back surgery is a tough surgery but you can get through it and it sounRAB like you have a great support. When you get a chance come back and let us know how you are doing.

Take care
Linda:angel:
 
Mamagoose,

When my daughter was facing her surgery I felt just like you. Many of the stories I read were not very encouraging. The thing I did get out of reading all of these posts, positive or negative, was that my daughter and I were prepared for most anything post op.

Her surgery was a two level TLIF, but was not minimally invasive. My daughter was sixteen at the time of her surgery for spondylolisthesis and stenosis. Today she is over three years post op and is living her life fully. She water and snow skis again, bowls, rides a snowmobile, plays golf and tennis.... Of course she does all of these in moderation thinking about her back limitations.

She was a lucky one and is pain free and living the life of a 19 year old. I wish the best to your with your surgery and recovery. cas
 
The overwhelming majority who have had back surgery make it through the obligatory recovery period and move on with their lives. They will post initially before their surgery, for a period afterwarRAB and then they tend to disappear. Unfortunately, there is a percentage of folks, I believe the exception and I don't want to downplay their problems, who continue to have complications for months even years after their surgery. I am a 58 year old male, I am 8 weeks post decompression and L4-5 fusion. I won't kid you the 4 days in the hospital were the worst, the first week at home not a vacation but after that it was more ache than serious pain. I walk everyday and next week, I am returning to work full time.

Choose your surgeon wisely, do your homework, follow the doc's instructions, and I would say you'll do just fine. And keep posting. There are some great folks here who will go out of their way to help and to keep your spirits high at the same time.
 
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