Update: Day 17 after L/4 - S/1 fusion

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tgald

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To All:

Thank you so much for all the positive comments and continued encouragement. I have no problem sharing my conditioning prior to surgey. I am 46 years old and have been active in sports all my life. I would say I'm around 15 lbs overweight due to not being able to work out because of the constant back pain. Everytime I tried to exercise in any way, I could hardly walk the next day.

My approach to this surgery was to be as positive as possible, understanding that getting through the first part was going to be tough and very painful. The first week was just that, and the 3rd day afer surgery I came home from the hospital. That night was one of the worst nights of my life when it comes to pain, but I got through it and every day is a little better. My doctor was very positive about the recovery process and I told myself I wanted to be the model patient.

As far as going back to work to soon, the doctor told me the more I get out and move, the better I will be. Not once did he discourage me about getting out and about. I also felt good enough to go back to work, so why not. I could have taken more time off, but I knew I could do ok in the office. If I did not feel well, I could always go home. My first day back to work was last Thursday, which was day 17 after the surgery. We were off Friday - Sunday for Easter weekend and I went back to work on Monday and have put in 8-9 hr days for the past 3 days. I feel good, no pain in my legs and only discomfort from the incision and hardware, which I can manage with Tylenol.

I am not crazy or think I am in any danger of jeopardizing my surgery. I am following my doctors orders and am listening to my body. In fact, my doctor OK'd me to travel next week for a meeting I have in NY. I live in Chicago. I want to share my story, as I too was very frightened before the surgery and came to this message board for help and advise. There are so many people that have back problems and only those of us that have been through it can understand, sympathize, but most of all help each other. That is what I received from many kind people who frequent this board, help and understanding.

I wish everyone could tell the same story I am to this point in my recovery, but I know we are all different and the recovery time is different for everyone. My message is to be as positive about your recovery as you can and set some goals as to where you want to be at various time frames. My ultimate goal is to be on the baseball field playing in either June or July. My doctor tells me it is possible. It is up to me to make it happen. I will continue to update everone of my progress as I go for my first post op checkup on 4/4.

Thank you all for your well wishes and support !!

Tgald
 
Congratulations on your recovery!! That is simply amazing and I pray that you do take it easy on not push yourself. Please remeraber that you just had M A J O R surgery. Good luck!!
 
To All:

I am at day 17 post-op from L/4 - S/1 fusion. I am making great progress and went back to work yesterday. Was hoping to work around 6 hrs or so, but ended up staying for 9. I have no pain down my legs anymore and am still only taking Extra Strength Tylenol for pain. Still have some discomfort from the incision, but nothing I can't manage. Each day is getting better and I am so happy I made the decision to have the surgery. I know there is still a ways to go, but so far I have had nothing but positive progress. I know we all progress at different rates, but I wanted to share my experience with everyone thus far. I will be going back to work this coming Monday full time. I will cut back the hours if I notice any changes, but so far, so good.

Thank you to all I have made contact with. There is hope for recovery and pain free futures for everyone.

Tgald :)
 
May I ask, did you have the Dynesys Spine Stablilization System done, regular fusion with hardware, or a fusion with no hardware?
 
WOW!!! That is great news. I had a 2level fusion w/hardware done on 12/19/07 and i'm not healing, tried to go back to work at 8 weeks @only 8 hours a week and am unable to do that or therapy with out being in intese pain & being wiped out the next day!! Well best wishes and keep positive! I was until I was tld I wasn't fusing. I feel having back surgery put me in more pain than before and I really would like to be normal again~!
 
SounRAB like you are healing well. I know that sometimes the relief a person gets from surgery can indeed result in a fast recovery. But listen to your body and take it easy when you need to.
 
I'm glad you're recovering so well, but please be careful. Usually, by the time you discover you have overdone it, it is too late. You really can cause further damage, so please take it easy and don't get too carried away. Even if you are painfree, you body still has to go through the healing process, and this cannot be rushed.
 
Hi,I'm not trying to discourage anyone who want to work after surgery.But don't think for a moment one is cured cause you won't be.It helps temperary,6 years maybe 10.your back will never be normal.my Uncle thought he was cured,and could conquer the world,so he went back to golf,and swimming,and planting sod in his yard.its been 2 years since his fusion,well,his upper level starting to go now,doc told him be okay to do all those fun things,doc also told him be time for another fusion too.So I wish all the luck in the world for your jobs and sports,hope you continue to improve.
 
thanks for posting a positive report, i am facing either a fusion or dynesys and any positive info is greatly recieved as there doesn't seem to be much about! i am in england and the dynesys is still new here and there is even less on that, did you have choice if so why did you pick the fusion when the dynesys reports better mobility in future?

thanks and any other positive reports gratefully recieved!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!:):D
 
sounRAB like trouble brewing down the road.going to work after this kind of surgery?anyway good luck
 
glad to hear you are doing well,i am 2 weeks infront of u at 8 weeks and to be honest i feel fine too,i have no back pain,i did have nurabness in my hips when i used to lie on them but that has gone now thank goodness,i try to walk about 2 miles aday,i go shopping but no lifting or carrying so someone has to go with me,i do get tired though,i really expected to be in agony but i am quite surprised but i know i still have a long way to go yet so i am not running before i can walk! i had fusion with hardware too.i am still wearing my body brace they told me to wear it for 12 weeks which i like because i do feel that it supports me well and i also remeraber not to do things like twist and bend,but when i do take it off my back feels strange,somehow like each side of my back is moving at different times up and down,it is really strange to descibe,good luck to you anyway you sound like you are doing great

kezzo:)
 
Wow!!!!! You worked a 9 hour day only 17 days after fusion surgery???? I'm in shock!

I guess Roy47 has to move over. We have a new poster child!

I think that's great! And you're only on Tylenol for pain? That just bowls me over! You go, friend! You've gotten your life back!

But like MM said, be careful. You are still very early on in your recovery. It's unusual to be able to go back to work so quickly, and even more unusual to only need Tylenol. Leave yourself some flexibility in case you start feeling it. Listen to your body. If you need to take a step back, please don't push through and try to tough it out. You had major surgery! And this major surgery involves a lengthy time of bone trying to grow into a solid fusion. The incision isn't the only thing that neeRAB to heal. You don't want to put pressure or stress on your spine while you're trying to fuse. Were you given any sitting restrictions? I was told not to sit for longer than 15 minutes a couple of time a day for the first 6 weeks. I am a little concerned for you that you're going to interfere with your bone growth, but there have been others here, too, who went back to work quickly, though not happily. It's not unheard of, just very unusual.

I wish you the best! Come back and let us know how you're doing.
Emily :wave:
 
i am now on Day 18 after L5-S1 fusion and i can barely get out the bed and even if i could get around I sure wouldn't be at work this surgery was hell and i would not risk having to do it again, i think your crazy and gonna be back in the hospital.
 
I also have had 3 back operations and live in Mchenry, TGLAD can you tell me who you Doctor is. I would like to see him, maybe he can help me since you had a great outcome.
 
Apocalypto is exactly right, surgery isn't a cure. You will still have a "bad back." You will need to be very careful of your back forever. But if you ARE, you can go a long time, maybe the rest of your life, without getting worse again. No heavy lifting, no repetitive twisting, etc. A lot of it is common sense.

Chelle, don't give up, sweetie! It's been less than 4 months since your surgery. Bone growth doesn't usually even start showing until at least 6 weeks. For a lot of people, it doesn't show up for 6 months, but they fuse just fine. There's one veteran here, Justoneofus, who was told she wasn't fusing because it couldn't be seen on x-rays at 6 months, but when they did a CT scan, she was fully fused. Sometimes an x-ray isn't the best test to tell. I can't believe they told you that you aren't fusing! Just because it isn't showing yet doesn't mean you aren't or won't. You're still early in the process! Keep being careful, keep up your walking, keep eating properly, and keep your chin up! When you see your doctor, maybe you can ask him if a bone growth stimulator would be appropriate for you. It's a little unit with electrodes that you place on each side of the fusion area. The unit is about the size of a beeper and can slip into your pocket. It's supposed to help stimulate bone growth with electrical impulses. But even without it, there's still hope that you'll fuse completely.

Emily :wave:
 
To All:

Sorry I haven't been able to reply sooner. I am now at week 6 since my surgery and had my first post op visit with my doctor. It lasted all of 3-4 minutes. He told me my incision looked perfect, viewed my x-ray and said I was doing good. My next visit isn't for 2 more months, and then I will start P.T. I asked him if I was where I should be at this point in time in my recovery and he said I was ahead of the curve because I have been active, and encouraged me to continue. I was happy to hear that as I plan to keep moving forward.

I had to travel to NY last week for a couple of days and did a lot of walking around the city. My traveling companions were great and carried all my things. I had no problems and continue to work every day. I had a few days last week where I put in 12-13 hours. I was very far behind being out of the office traveling.

I did have a 2 level fusion (L-4 / S-1) with regular hardware. Viewing the x-ray with the hardware was very interesting. Technology is amazing. I still think I am doing very well and continue to be positive about my recovery. I do still have pain, but it is not bad and a couple of Tylenol help control it. I thought I could feel the hardware while I was laying down or sitting, but when I asked the doctor, he told me what I was feeling was the swelling from the surgery. He said that would be gone in another few weeks or so. I hope everyone who reaRAB my posts are encouraged from my experience. I wish everyone here the best and will continue to report on my progress.

Tgald
 
L78,

So far I am very pleased with my progress and with my doctor. His name is Dr. Jonathan Citow and he is located in Libertyville. His practice is called Lake County Neurosurgery. Good Luck
 
Even though I fused in 6 months i had enormous burning pain from my hips to bottom of feet--its been 2 years and i still have it but not to the point that i was laying in bed crying my eyes out everyday--just remeraber they mess with your nerves during surgery--and neuropathic pain is a frequent and intense pain after surgery-- i actually have nerve damage at L5 plus abnormal scar tissue from the surgery that makes the pain worse--so just because someone is fused doesn't mean there are enormous hurdles of strange pain--radiculopathy/neuropathy--be aware that the bone is not the pain source it is the nerves-and nerves are very slow to heal--if you get an emg and it shows something abnormal that is probably why you have so much pain still--plus they don't tell you before surgery but 6 months to 18 months--its such a wide range and so individual per person on how long the healing takes---don't rush the work thing--take care!
 
You are exactly what/where/how we wish we would all have gone after our surgeries. That is just wonderful news for you!

I respectfully disagree with Apoc's comment of trouble brewing for returning to work. If we can return to work.. that's great! I was back at 7 weeks, as I would not have been able to return sooner than that. You go! If you are not in pain and you can handle working, work! Let any pain be your guide and remeraber your bending, twisting, lifting rules and sounRAB like you have it made!

I couldn't be happier for you and I do hope you continue to pop in here and give us such positive and uplifting progress reports on you. It brightens my day for sure!:)
 
thamks for the update although i dont always respond i read everything and it is vey incouraging. I had a fusion at the same levls L-4 to S-1 and i also thought what i felt was the hardware but i forgot to ask so hopefully it is the same here it will go away in time.

My surgery was 2 weeks ago i had anterior/posterior with fusion and titanium screws and roRAB.
 
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