L5 S1 Fusion in 5 days just a little bit scared!!!

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As far as the worst of the pain, for me it was the first two weeks. And you just went through that. Then, second worst is the next two weeks. So, just two more weeks, and the worst is behind you!!:)....janiee
 
Hi Leticia,

Sorry about your pain, yes i did get 2nd opinion and belive me the last thing i wanted was another surgery but the meRAB dont work anymore and i cannot continue to live like this, the meRAB are doing crazy things to me messing with my memory cant really drive so i am dependent on everyone and that really sucks. I have high hopes this will work for me so am willing to try and trust my surgeon with my life have a great day...Kellie
 
I actually started seeing a little difference at about 3 weeks. Not much, but I noticed I was not having to use a walker as much. I wish I could tell you more but I am only 4 weeks out myself.

As far as sleeping goes I will give you my little secret. The best investment I made was to buy from walmart. They have a 19.88 tempurpedic body pillow. IT has been the best thing. I was having a lot of trouble sleepin because of the pain myself. After the pillow arrived I have only had 1 bad night and that was the first one. The only reason that was so bad is because it takes 48 hours for the pillow to plump up fully. Trust me it worked very well for me. I tried just the regular pillows but I could never get them quite right. This pillow is designed for people with back problems.
 
Well three weeks post op now and not sure but it might still be too early but i still have such weekness in my right leg i have not had to use a walker but i do use a cane and i had hoped that i could be done with it by now but like i said it just might be too early still.

I still have a lot of pain and i do know that (well i hope that it is normal) to still have so much pain the meRAB are helping. Had my first time out of he house on sunday for a baby shower for my son and his girlfriend so yep i will be a grandma in just a few weeks and yes they are young we were all shocked at first but i am very excited now anyway i felt like crap the morning of the shower and did not think i was gonna make it just too hard to sit for long so i took my meRAB about a hour before the shower i took 2 Percocet 10mg and 1 Valium 5mg the car ride there was not great and i knew it was gonna be alot of sitting or walking so i took 1 more piil with me just in case i needed it and i did as soon as i was sitting for awhile i knew it was gonna be hard and i really wanted to stay, i had hoped i would not get sick from too much meRAB but i was ok still had trouble with sitting so i just did what i had to to get through it sit walk sit walk i was happy to be able to stay the whole time it was a great shower and they got lots of great stuff.

I have my next doc appointment on friday and i hope he tells me that it is normal the pain and weekness in my right leg and my toes are still nurab that is getting better but just weird feeling, still not sleeping very well at night so i do sleep alot during the day but after laying down for a certin amount of time i have to get up and walk because of the pain someone tell me that this is normal please cause i think my doc told me to walk as much as i can, I dont walk too far just laps around my house. Some days are better than others pain wise but the lowest level of my pain has been about a 6-7 since i came home from hospital and from what i have been told this is normal too right??? Well i think i have gone on long enough i hope everyone is doing well and has LP days. Megss where are you i have not heard from you in a long time i hope that means you are feeling well enough to be doing other things than being on the computer
 
hey Kellie, hope you are feeling better, to be going through 3 back surgery is brave.....I have L5 S1 herniation as well since Jan 2008 (car accident at work).....with P/T the pain is on and off. This winter is the worst winter of my life im seriously considering surgery (discectomy) at this point. Keep us up to date with your condition.
Take Care
 
Hi-

I have some help, but mainly people are just selfish. Like right now I have her by myself. It is HARD. She just has to be a little more independent. I turn movies on for her and she plays while I lay in bed. The last few days have been extra tough because I have felt so tired and would like to take a nap but can't.

I cannot sit for very long. It is a good idea to take pillows in the car with you. I do if I have to drive more than 10 minutes. (I am still not driving, but riding.)

That is good that you don't need a brace because they are uncomfortable. Probably because you are having one level fused. I had 2, so it is very crucial that I don't bend or twist for a little while. I have to wear it for 3 months at all times accept when in bed.

That's convenient that your kiRAB are older! More helpers and drivers!

I have actually been feeling pretty lonesome. I haven't had a social life in so long, and my frienRAB are being pretty rotten. They have been saying they will come see me since I was in the hospital, but no one has come or keeps canceling. No one even calls, I call them. Didn't get a single phone call in the hospital or a visit besides parents and my husband. It wouldn't bother me so much I guess accept they say they will come, and then cancel. I just am lonely and need a friend!

Did you get to go shopping yet?
 
I just got the word that my appeal for ADR was denied, so I am probably going to have to have L5-S1 fused. I hope I can return to pain-free active lifestyle after that.

I'm following everyones recovery with a lot of empathy for you all and interest since I will probably be following that road soon. Keep up the good work you have been doing in keeping us all up to date. Thanks.
 
Hi I am 42 years old and going in for surgery in 5 days this will be my 3rd surgery for the same problem, it started almost 3 years ago with the back pain after a vacation just thought i over did it. Fast forward to dec 08 and had first surgery it was microdiscectmy (spell) and it worked great pain was gone. About a month later in jan 09 I fell on the ice getting out of my truck tried as hard as i could not to fall on my back side but splat right on my a**.

The pain came back and my surgeon did not want to go in gain but after an MRI that showed the same disc had herniated again he agreed to do it again, this time the pain did not go away this surgery was in april 09. so now after another 7 months of pain and going to a pm for meRAB that at this point are so strong but dont work my only option is fusion because now i have DDD it is set for feb 16th and need some advise i ave read the sticky about post op tips and i would have never thought of some of them, just would like to hear from someone that has been through this. Thanks for listening to me rarable:dizzy: hope to hear from anybody thanks again:wave: Kellie
 
Ok good I am glad your PM and surgeon are coming up with a post op pain management plan for you. I started Lyrica this week. I am on 75 mg 3x daily. Before that I was on Gabapentin. It helps some with my leg but does really help me sleep.

Another tip I thought of for you is to make sure you have plenty of food handy that will be easy to prepare for yourself. I bought a lot of stuff that I good just grab out of the fridge and eat and stuff that could be microwaved. In the beginning I like to stick with softer fooRAB like Jello and Pudding because constipation can become an issue with being on so many pain meRAB. I also found saltines to be handy for nausea. Nutrition is a big deal to me because I am trying to put on weight, so I am also supplementing with Ensure with my meals. It is important to make sure you get enough protein and calcium. I am also taking a multi vitamin for women and a calcium supplement.

As far as stairs, they will probably make you do stairs in the hospital before discharging you. I had to be able to do stairs right away because my bedroom and only bathroom in the house are up, and my kitchen and living space are down. I didn't have much of a problem with doing stairs right away with either surgery, but you have to take it slow and hang on to the handle. Pain meRAB make you dizzy and you will be a little unstable anyway so be careful.

Don't feel bad about the walker. It really does help and you may only need it for a short time, everyone is different. But it is key that you protect your fusion and don't fall. It is especially important in the winter to have something to keep you stable.

I am glad you are not having a 360. For me, the 360 was much more difficult to deal with. It will make recovery easier. It sounRAB like you have been through a lot so I really hope this surgery will fix the problem for good! I am hoping mine does, I want to have more children.
 
hey Kellie, haven't heard from you? How's your recovery going so far? Hope you are back to your normal life :)
 
Good morning,

Happy Valentines Day Megss. I guess at times like this you really find out who your frienRAB really are the good ones will be there for you all the others kick them to the curb.

I am very sorry that you feel so lonely right now, I will be here for you to talk to we can talk about anything you want to.

SO you have to where the brace for three month ouch long time i hope that it is not too uncomfortable for you. So you cant sit for longer than 10 min so are you laying down in bed most of the time, or can you lay down on the couch, what kind of pillows do you use are they just reg pillow or do you have different kinRAB I did get to shopping yesterday I could not find the grabber at walmart so gonna have to look at walgreens i have a few days to find it, and by the way silk sheets are a no go lol could not belive how much they cost they are like $300.00 for a queen size bed ha ha ha not gonna happen but i did find satin sheets and they run from $25.00 to 80.00 so i think i will go with them. I did get my silk shorts and a few other things like a long handle brush for my showers so i can get by back and my legs without bending.

Well thats it for now gotta get my laundry done so it wont pile up too much, I really ment it when i said you can talk to me about anything i willcheck in a few times a day for now once tuesday comes dependiing on how i feel i will try to check in once a day hopefully just not sure how i will feel. I will check back later hope you have a good low pain day...Kellie
 
Oh man i cant wait till monday so i can call my doc i am getting no relife from the meRAB he sent me home with all i can do is try to sleep it just hurts sooo much i know this was gonna hurt but i was also told that i would go home with meRAB that would help i just want to cry all the time i did try to page the doc twice yesterday but that did not seem to work anyway gotta go hurts too much to sit up. =(
 
Hey all been a tough week seems like it has been a month but nope just under two weeks, meRAB have been helping alot more now that the doc figured them out. I do have one question for anyone who has an answer what is the best position to sleep in seem like i can fall asleep but i wake up every morning between 1am and 3am and in so much pain that i just have to walkfor about half hour maybe this is normal for me but just wondering if is me or does anyone else have to do the same, Thanks....Kellie
 
Good Luck tomorrow. Just think a few hard days after surgery then it's all down hill. Feel better. Linda
 
Hi All,

Well its been 2 weeks and 2 days and the past 2 weeks have been rough mostly because my doc seemed to have a hard time finding the right pain meRAB if i left the hospital with a scrip for Percocet i think things would have been a little better, dont get me wrong i am still in alot of pain but the new meRAB help unlike the norco he sent me home with that was like taking advill and did not even touch the pain but now it is still there but they help to take the edge off i do have times during the day and at night that the pain is still pretty bad but it will be well worth it if this works.

I will not suger coat anything about this surgery and there were days before the pain was under control that i had said to myself and to my husbend that i wished i had not done this. As time passes and the pain is more under conrol i am much more confident with my decision. But do go into this knowing this is so much more painful than you think, i heard all the stories from posters on this board and from my doc but i truly thought i could handle it with no prob haha:eek:.Just make sure you have a talk with your doc about pain management after you leave the hospital, I had this talk and i cant tell you how pissed i was with my doc for making me try the other meRAB when i knew and so did he that they were not goin to work. Well i will check back in a few days take care everyone...Kellie P.S. soCalman keep you head up and let us know when your surgery is set
 
Well home from the hospital was released yesterday afternoon and sad to say that my doc did not work on my pain management for when i got released so right now i am feeling like shit sorry for the lang but it just hurts so much not sure doc has office hours today being it is saturday.

well gonn try to get some sleep that is the only time i an painfree now i really hope my recovery gets better i know it is only the 2nd day home but i had hoped my doc would give me somethin that woud touch the pain. Check back later....Kellie
 
Hi Kellie I understand your fear. I had the exact same fear as u. However my situation is slightly different in the I have had 2 disectomys at L5-S1 since Sept. The last one was on Jan 27th. Then on Feb 1 I ended up back in the hospital and had to have the fusion performed. I am only 4 weeks post-op but I can already tell a difference. The pain in my legs is finally gone. It did take about 3 weeks after surgery though. Now the only pain, which is more of an uncomfortable feeling, is from the surgery itself.

I do recommend the toilet seat riser and a grabber. Nobody mentioned these things to me before, and I wish they had. It is terrbily hard to get on and off the toilet. Luckily the bathroom I do use has handles, but no riser. And I can't tell you how many times you are going to drop something, and need to pick it up. So do yourself a favor and go buy these essential items. Learn rom my mistakes, otherwise life will be hard.

As far as the period goes, this surgery also triggered mine to start 2 weeks early. I have no idea why, but it seems to be a popular thing. It either postpones it or makes it come early. Only time will tell with you.

Good luck and best wishes. Think positive, because I know how much the surgery has helped me.
 
I just re read your first post i must have read right past it because i just got the fact that you are in recovery right now, how are you feeing so far i hope not to bad you seem to be in good sprits. I dont know how old you are or howmany kiRAB you have so i really hope this works for you so that you can have more kiRAB as you said you want more.

Going out tonight to get some thing like the grabber and a cooler for me to have next to me with some foood and drinks and ice i love to chew on ice lol and to have some ice packs in it. I have read some posts to have satin sheets do you have what do you think.

I will use a walker if doc says i need it it just scared me when he said it i did not know at first how rough this surgery was gonna be but if all goes good and it works it wont matter to me what i had to do to get through it.
 
Hey I just had my second fusion 2.5 weeks ago. My first fusion was in April of '09, so the same month as your last surgery!

It is scary, and it is a big surgery, but just stay positive and make sure you have plenty of support. You will have good days and bad days, so be prepared. Stay in touch with your PM clinic because you may need meRAB after your surgeon won't prescribe anymore and especially for during PT. My surgeon will only prescribe for 6 weeks. But only get meRAB from one Dr.
What meRAB are you taking? I would talk to your surgeon about it as soon as possible- tell him what you are taking and say that they don't work very well. You both will need a plan for how to control your pain after surgery. Seriously, it is a painful surgery and you will need pain relief. Pain relief is essential to healing as well.

Walking is very important to healing as I'm sure you are aware. I live in a wintery area so I bought a treadmill, that way I could also measure my distance as well. You could also make loops around your house if that is not an option.

Um, I find my walker very useful. With my first surgery I used a cane but the walker is much more supportive, especially for icy conditions. You definitely don't want to fall again! Also, you may have to wear a brace, I do. It sometimes helps with the pain as well. I feel like everything is being held together properly;) I also use my shower stool and have my husband bathe me, and I have a grabber tool so I don't have to reach down for anything or reach up. My 2 year old thinks all my things are really cool! It makes me smile because by most people I get stared at! (A 28 year old struggling to move with a cane). You just have to laugh about it. You can get all the these things right in the hospital and they will bill you for whatever insurance doesn't cover. It is very convenient.

Spine always has really great advice but she just had her latest fusion last week and I haven't seen her on here.

So is Monday the big day? We can chat until then, I will probably remeraber more advice as we chat!
 
Oh are you having a 360 fusion? Meaning they go in through both the stomach and the back? I had that with my first fusion but this one was only through the back. The 360 was more difficult to deal with.

Another weird thing. Each time I have had a fusion, it triggers a period. And it is always about 2 weeks early. I have had 2 other significant surgeries and this only happens with a fusion. I think for most people though it delays their period! I am weird I guess!:D
 
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