One Year post L4-L5-S1 Fusion Issues from hardware/not solid fusion

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justmarried2010

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Hi! I had a L4-L5-S1 lurabar fusion almost exactly one year ago. I was doing great until about 8 months post surgery. I started to feel alot of pain only in my low back. Not down my legs or anywhere else. It only hurts when I am walking. Doesn't hurt to sit, stand or lay. Initially my surgeon said it was stress (I was planning my wedding) and put me on disability and told me to chill out. I was married in July and the pain continues. I have tried everything from physical therapy, massage, acupuncture, NSAIRAB, pain killers, SI joint injections....nothing has worked. I met another surgeon and he said it's the hardware possibly pressing against my joints at the L3-L4 levels and/or the fusion isn't solid. He wants to have surgery to remove the hardware (if the fusion is solid..he won't know until he gets into to explore -he has reviewed recent MRI and CT Scan) If it's not solid he is going to revise the fusion and use a bone graft from my hip and replace the hardware:( I go in two weeks to get joint facet injections. If I feel relief its an indicator that it's the hardware. I am going to get more opinons over the next few weeks. Has anyone been through this before? This will be my 3rd back surgery and I am devastated to go through this. Especially when I was doing so well initially. I am 32 and very active. I can't do anything since I can't handle walking without pain.
 
>>>>>>>> Hi, justmarried. I'm sorry you are going thru this and I really hear your frustration. I haven't gone through this particular situation, but I have been through 6 lurabar surgeries with another one next month. It's awful to think you are "fixed" only to find you aren't.

It's good that you are getting a couple more opinions. I'm a bit disturbed that this dr. is saying you might not be fused, or it might be the roRAB but he won't be sure til he gets in there. Seems to me if you have had a recent ct scan it would have shown those problems. Did they use contrast dye when doing the ct scan? That helps to show the nerves more clearly.

I personally would want to be much more sure of what the problem is before letting someone go in there and "see what he can see"....to me, that's a bit scary and kind of makes me think he's just going fishing.

Have you seen an orthopedic spine specialist? I do think they are very good with these kinRAB of problems. As a rule, they are very good at reading films and also at diagnosing. Not that there aren't good neurosurgeons, that's not what Im saying....just stating my personal experience.

I do wish you the very best of luck at finding out what is wrong and hope that you will continue to post and let us know how you are doing.

Carol
 
Hi Carol! Thanks for your post. How do you feel after 6 surgeries? So, I have been to two Ortho Surgeons so far and going to see two more. I know..the idea of just exploring surgery scares me to know that I will have no idea what will happen until I wake up. My pain management doctor thinks the pain is just scar tissue and that I should get trigger points. But I don't think the will work. I have had them already as well as SI joint injections. I go back to my original surgeon tomorrow to review the CT scan and I will be getting the facet joint injections in the next two weeks. I am only 32 years old and I really want my active lifestyle back:confused:
 
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