Lft side only L-4 L-5 fusion

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dcotter

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I am a 43 yr old very active woman and had Lft side only L-4 L-5 fusion due to spondylosthesis. My surgery was 7/2/10. Ive been going through injections since due to siatic pain and Lft legand hip pain. I feel so disabled its horrible. I see the pain center Dr. tommorrow to do a transforaminal L-4 L5 inj. which Ive had before surgery. I dont know why sinceit obviously did not help before surgery. Ive also had PT which did nothing for me. My surgeon says there is nothing else surgically he can do for me siatic pain I do have a minor discbulge on the L5 S1 disc. Im so frustrated. Is this normal to have this much pain six months after surgery? Should I have the pain Dr. and the surgeon discuss my issue? Someone please help!
 
You are only 4 months post spinal fusion, I do not know if your Doctor told you, but recovery from a fusion takes about a year, and that is full recovery. I had a 3 level/360 fusion in 07, and it took a year to determine that the surgery failed, due to the cadaver bone that was placed on my fusion that started to fall apart, so for me it was kind of a defective product issue, but before surgery my surgeon warned me that spinal fusion recovery was a long haul, and to be prepared for it.

The best exercise that you can do is walking, I started very slowly, a few houses down at first, then to the corner, half a block, etc. until I reached 5 miles daily, and this was with my cane. If you still have nerve pain after a year post-op you might want to ask your pain management Doctor about a spinal cord stimulator (SCS). I had my SCS implanted in June of 08 due to nerve pain down both legs, and the device was my salvation. It took away my nerve pain 80%, and it has made my life more bearable. The one thing that the SCS does not take away is the mechanical pain, for that I still take pain medications, and will probably take them for life. I don't see it as an issue, I have a condition called Fail Back Surgery Syndrome, and due to FBSS, I have to take pain meRAB, just like the person with diabetes, or heart disease that has to take medications for the rest of their lives, I am going to have to do that for life.

So like I said, you are early out from surgery, start walking, and try to keep a healthy diet. If you smoke stop smoking (I did smoke and stopped post fusion), and be patient, I know that the pain sucks, but a fusion surgery is complicated and it takes a long while to recover. Take care, :wave:

Tipper
 
Thank you for the reply! I know its a long haul. But After surgery the L leg pain was gone. Now its back and that was my concern. I didnt know if I had done something because of being so active. They did do an MRI and it did show Decreased disc space between L5 S1 and my surgeon said he doesnt do surgery on S1 and doesnt think of any surgery that would alleviate the siatic pain. So in a nutshell I have L front leg pain from the hip to the knee and siatic pain all the way down to the heel. Its just very frustrating. To sit on my butt and do nothing. Plus having the surgeons Nurse Practiner telling me there is nothing more he can do for me surgically? I have never felt more pushed away from a Dr.'s office. He put the scar on me hes is the reponsible Dr. for that scar and treatment. Tell if Im wrong? I appreciate you're kindness!
 
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