Post op Fusion L 5 and S1, and dynamic stabilization L 4 and 5

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Pamela, are you feeling better and what did the doctor say at your 6 month visit. I am 5 months postop and my pain is still worse then preop. I take Lyrica and that helps a little. I am hoping to get better in the next few months.
 
Zinnias........ I'm sorry to hear your report.. I don't even know what to say to you, because I understand! I'm just about 7 months now. As long as I don't do anything its not too bad. As soon as I try to start back with the walking or even "normal activities" I'm pretty much done. I see him in May again. Where are you at as far as fusion, when you last saw the Dr, therapy, etc? I'm to the point where I'm thinking this is maybe what I'm left with, and trying to work around it. I'm lucky, because Vicoden does control my pain. Its just my fault that I don't take it enough because I don't want to become addicted, physically, or psychologically........... So 2 or 3 a day is my max. Everyone says it can take up to a year, but I find that hard to believe sometimes since this pain is much worse than what I had preop, and it is almost constant pain. Where as preop, I did have some good days.
 
My heart and prayers go out to you both...I hope you both find the answers that you need and find good "pain relief." Happy "Pain-Free" New Year!
 
I questioned him on that. They started me on anti inflammatories at 12 weeks. At that time he told me I was 90% fused. That was just from xrays he did at that point. Then at 6 months he told me the center wasn't fused, doubled the anti inflam. and said the pain was from the area not being fused. That didn't make sense at all, because at the beginning of the visit he said he had no idea why I was having so much pain. So he contradicted himself. The anti inflam meRAB didn't help anyway, so I stopped them after 2 weeks.
 
Thanks for the Responses. It doesn't seem like there is any activity that provokes it. It is just a constant deep ache that radiates, and goes down mid thigh. It has been very rainy the last few days. I'm in Northwest Indiana. I decided to just stay on my pain meRAB until I see them in January. We're about an hour and a half from the Dr. so its not just someone I can run in and see. They're not very good about getting back to me either. I guess I'm just afraid that maybe this was all for nothing. And I'm sure all of you have had the same feelings! I think I've been pretty patient (the first 12 weeks anyway). Hopefully I'll find out more in January. Were you told not to take any anti inflammatories? I feel that is what I need, but they told me no advil, motrin etc. I guess they all have their own protocols they follow. So basically I'm on Vicoden. They gave me valium too, but I don't notice it does much unless its a day that I'm totally losing it! I had planned to go back to work in about a week. (I'm a nurse in oncology. But, theres no way thats going to happen. I'd probably last about 2 hours. I also do photography. I have been doing that since about 6 weeks post op. But thats intermittant, and I do my own scheduling, so its not like the nursing job. As far as the pain scale, I think mine is a little different.....................I think I would put smashing my fingers in a car door very close to childbirth!!!! I've been rating mine about a 6 the last few days. But actually I hate that scale. If the Dr. doesn't really know you personally that scale means nothing to me. Like you all said, everyone rates pain differently. My 6 may be your 2!!. Thanks again. Didn't mean to write a letter, but theres no one to talk to except someone thats had it done!
 
Pamela, I had my fusion in March 06 and still in a lot of pain. I am having second Surgery on Dec 20th this year.
Your pain is very normal unfortunatelly. This is a very early stage still beleive or not and you will have some ups and downs down the road of recovery.
Everybody was telling me to be patient and I was expecting they are talking about couple of month, oh, no...
Best of luck on your recovery!:)
 
Hi Pamela and everyone, I am 6 months postop and still in a lot more pain then before surgery. My doctor said that I am 100 % fused and he doesn't know why I have all this pain. On xrays everything also looks good. He told me to continue with physical therapy and maybe go to Pain Management or see neurologist. I don't need to see him for 6 months now since he said there is nothing more he can do for me. So I am on my own and in pain. I know recovery can take up to a year but I am not any better off then I was 3 months ago. I am going for PT and I made an appt with neurologist. Maybe when the warm weather comes we all will feel better.
 
Thanks so much for the replys. I had to laugh about the church thing. I tried to go 2 weeks after I was home or maybe 3 weeks. We sat in the back and lasted about 30 minutes. That was 7 weeks ago and I haven't been back. I'm going to try this week. I also was trying to cut way back on the pain med. I did that about my 6th week, and ended up setting myself back about 2 weeks. Nurses are not good patients! I really think the docs minimized this surgery. I really thought I'd be completely normal with possibly some residual pain, if it didn't completely take care of the problem. At this point, I have no idea if the surgery worked or not. I'm glad I found this board, because it really helps to talk to someone whos had the same thing done. Thanks again.
 
Whoops! Sorry. I didn't mean to repost this. I only wanted to reply to Zinneas original post.

Zinneas, the pain does get better, but it may take a good bit of time. The muscles do indeed require gradual strengthening. There simply is no other way. I have been through a fusion, of L4/L5, in February 2003. It was very frustrating and, just like you, I thought the pain would never improve and that I was not ever going to get stronger. I did not have children to take care of (mine are grown) but my father-in-law died a few days after I returned home from the hospital. We had moved into a new home a week before my surgery and he moved in with us about a week later. He was ill and there really were no other options. Anyway his funeral was out of town and I had to pick up people from the airport, drive out of town to a funeral and, in general do a bunch of stuff I'd not planned to do. Believe me, it did not assist in the healing process. But, eventually, the fusion took and I got better.

I still have pain and probably will have until I die. But it could be much, much worse. I really hope you find comfort and relief. Hang in and hang on!
 
And especially, GOOD nurses are not good patients! :D The doctors don't tend to tell you what the recovery is really going to be like. I wouldn't have had a clue if I hadn't found this board. I have such great respect for my doctor; he's my hero! But he didn't give me any details about recovery unless I knew exactly what to ask. I think it's partly that they don't want to trigger the way psychologically for the patient to have a harder recovery, but it's also partly that they only see us for 5 minutes or so every now and then after surgery. They really don't "get" what it's like to be at home trying to follow their directions and going through the pain, constant grogginess, frustration, boredom, etc. I'd go in for a post op appt and tell him about pains I was having, and he'd tell me that I was still "early on" in this, even at 6 months. It really takes a good year for a full recovery. I was still seeing improvement at 11 months.

Normally, fusion doesn't even start showing up on x-ray until at least 3 months, so don't be disappointed if you go in and see nothing going on. Lots of people here haven't seen anything happening for much longer than that.

Just keep doing all you can to give yourself the best chance at fusion. Eat as healthy as you can, walk and rest, no BLT's unless it's a sandwich, and if you're a smoker, ditch them.

Hope today's a better day for you.
Emily :wave:
 
Hi Pamela,

I'm curious about something you said about your 6 month check-up...that you weren't fusing in the center and the doc told you to take more anti-inflammatory medication. I was under the impression that we were not supposed to use anti-inflammatory meRAB as they slowed down or even prevented fusing. What are you taking and in what amount?

Thanks.
 
Hello, and how are you?

I just had Dynamic Stabilization (w/ Fusion) at L4-5 & S5-1. I am doing horribly, and I have 2 small kiRAB at home. My dr was NOT pleased that I am not yet driving. I can barely walk, much less DRIVE in this pain. I am also supposed to start PT on the 10th! My gosh.

Happy new year, and I hope you're feeling some better. I am now 7 weeks post-op.
 
Hi Wandi, nice to meet you, but not a good thing , because of pain! You didn't say what you had done. I went to pain management yesterday. He thinks its the level of the dynamic stabilization thats causing the problems. I progressively get worse. We get a work trip every year. Last week it was to Jamaica. Our room was about a 1/4 mile from the pool , restaurants etc. After the first night , we just got a wheelchair. Far cry from riding horses on the beach on our last trip! Anyway he wants to block the facet joints at that level, just to see whats causing the pain, then an epidural. I see the Chicago Doc in a month, but he is saying everything is perfect. Its so not. I talked to them a couple of weeks ago by phone. I mentioned the hardware, and the practitioner got defensive. She said "We can't even think about that , until one year out" I told her I realized that, but I just wanted to know if it could be a possibility. She said..
"Now that I think about it we've had about 5 or 6 patients we had to remove it and they all had your build. I'm about 5'9 and weigh about 140. I have a very straight spine, amost too straight. Not many curves. Anyway, sorry to be so long here. So basically I'm still on Vicoden, can't walk more than 10 minutes or so. After I got home yesterday I found out the facility where the pain management guy goes to is not in network with my insurance. I have a 2000 out of pocket for out of network that hasn't been met. I went on Cobra, because I was unable to go back to work.
 
hi wandie,i had my fusion l5 s1 5 weeks ago, i am in no pain and i walk about 2 miles a day now,before the op i would not have been able to do that,it makes me tired but i get no pain,and reading some of the stories on this site i feel i am very lucky,my thighs do get very sore when i lie on them which i will mention to the doctor next week when i go but apart from that i feel fine,i hope your pain will soon ease,
kezzo
 
Thanks for your response. I've only had one post op visit, so I guess not being in touch with them very often, you start to think you should be further along then you are. I'm only on Vidoden, which Im trying to stay at one a day. I have valium, but it doesn't seem to do much. Have a wonderful day. Merry Christmas! I've been up since 3 am, so I'm going to grab a quick nap before we start our parties. Very difficult to get a full nights sleep!
 
I saw the Dr a week ago. They were surprised that I was still having this much pain 15 or 16 weeks post op. They started the Physical Therapy. I went Mon, Wed, and I go tomorrow. Basically isometric exercises right now. They started me on Naprolyn, and Ultram. For a day or 2 I felt better. I went 2 days with no pain pills. Now , since starting therapy, the pain is back which I would imagine is to be expected. They told me If I were no better in 3 weeks to call. They said the hardware looked good. Nothing broken. He said the only thing he didn't like was he was seeing narrowing, now between 3 and 4. But, that wouldn't account for the pain I'm having because the pain is low. So for now , thats where I'm at. I can't go back to work, and my FMLA is over. I will have to pick up Cobra now......How are you?
 
Hi Pamela,
I had a fusion L 5 & S 1 on Oct.19th, 2007. I am very sorry about your vacation. We used to go away once a year too, but not anymore. Do you have a leg pain? My right leg is very bad: numness, burning, throbing, sharp short pains but only from the knee down. My foot and the calf of my leg is in constant pain, 24/7. I take Lyrica, Tylenol, Vicoden and that only takes the edge from the pain. I have an office job so I am back at work for about 6 hours a day, then I can't sit anyomore. Sometimes I think that something went wrong during the surgery since I am in a lot more pain now then before. A lot of people had same type of surgery and they are fine. I think it takes a lot of luck too. I still hope that we will get better and not worse.
 
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