Spinal Fusion surgery?

[Lamb_Chop]

I had fusion at L5-S1 done in 2005 by an ortho surgeon who does a lot of spinal surgeries and is very well regarded in the community. I had almost complete loss of the joint space and bone spurs, with constant low back pain. The procedure was anterior (about a 4" horizontal slice just above my pubic bone) with cadaver bone implant, plate, and big ol’ screw. I had asked about an artificial disc, and the surgeon said “We do artificial discs on bad discs, but not horrible discs like yours.”

My recovery from the surgery was amazingly quick. I was in the hospital for 2 nights, but more than eager to leave after one. I was walking several hours after the surgery, walked a few times a day once I got home, and gradually increased the distance. I was feeling pretty darn good within a couple of weeks, and was released to drive after 3 weeks. I didn’t have a horse at the time, so didn’t have a time frame for getting in the saddle.

The problem I have had is that the discs above the fusion level have had more stress on them, and my spine has become unstable, with resulting persistent low back pain. I had a slip and fall several months after the surgery, which might have triggered the problem. I was pretty much pain free from about 3-6 months after the surgery, then things went downhill.

As far as riding, I asked my doc about it about a year after surgery. He said that since the fusion was solid I wouldn’t damage it, though all the other sorts of horse-related spinal injuries remained possible. I did get back to riding without too much trouble, though riding consecutive days was too much. The problem I had was that my horse lived about a 45-minute drive from me, and the car trip was difficult (sitting is the worst position for me). And mounting was more of a challenge, because I’d lost some flexibility. Once I was on the horse, things were pretty good.

Best of luck to you! My surgeon had given me an 80% chance of significant improvement from the fusion, and for a while that seemed as though it would happen. Then I ended up on the wrong side of that estimate. I’m not sorry I had the fusion done, because I had to give it a go, but I am disappointed not to have had lasting relief from LBP.

[TouchstoneAcres]

Alternatives to look at:
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?db=PubMed&cmd=Retrieve&list_uids=17608342

http://www.spine-health.com/treatment/back-surgery/posterior-dynamic-stabilization-systems

I’m holding out for a while.

[summerhorse]

Well it is almost 2 weeks post surgery. I ended staying in the hospital from Mon-Sat. I had 2 blood tranfusions and he only got one side with a rod and screws because I was bleeding so much. I hope that is enough because I NEVER want to do this again!! The pain was incredible. I woke up not only with the surgical pain but sciatica roaring in both legs!! Plus incredible muscles pain and spasms from being unable to move around the bed. Finally after almost 2 weeks the sciatica has calmed down a lot in the left and is better in the right than it was. BUT it is still there which is really annoying.
Getting up is easier now and rolling around in bed still hurts but not the daggers it was!! I do walk better now which has helpedcalm the hip arthritis a bit. It was raging as well the first week from so much weight on them for so long.

I can’t really say if I would do this again or not.

If this does happen again I’ll spend a lot more time in traction and with steriods!

[JSwan]

Holy Sh**, summerhorse. 2 blood transfusions? WTF did he do to you?

When I had the discectomy and laminectomy my sciatica felt better immediately. The worst part was the muscle spasms - I felt like my body was being bent backwards. Yours must be so much worse.

I hope the sciatic pain stops soon. My understanding is that sometimes it’s just the body objecting - and muscle spasms can cause sciatic nerve pain too.

I’ll be thinking of you and hoping you’re feeling better soon, and that your fusion is 100% successful. My ortho is chomping at the bit to cut into me but I hear too many horror stories and will try and stick with injections and massage and exercise… hoping to avoid a fusion.

Hang in there!!

[tarynls]

summerhorse, so sorry to hear you’re not feeling better yet. The muscle spasms, etc. really DO get better. I remember feeling like I turned the corner about 3 weeks or a month post-op.

As far as the bleeding, I didn’t require any blood with either surgery - and the 2nd surgery was LONG (8.5 hours).

Maybe get yourself checked out for bleeding disorders? It is pretty unusual to need blood, especially 2 units, after such a surgery.

[shawnee_Acres]

Axtually back surgery is quite “bloody” They had me give my own blood prior to my surgery due to that. It took me a LONG time to recover from my surgery, it was a pretty brutal time, but eventually you will recover, just do exactly what they tell you, and don’t overdo it!

[Candle]

I too had horrible nerve pain and leg numbness and weakness from L5-S1 rupturing. I had two laminectomies, which reduced my pain a whole lot and completely fixed the leg symptoms. I started developing pain again and thought I was going to have to go for a fusion. I was crippled more than half of the time, almost passed out quite a few times. I discovered that I have severe facet joint pain, and was 100% pain free after my first set of diagnostic injections, and have been having neurotomies with a huge degree of success. Mine have had to be repeated more frequently than others, but I’m no longer contemplating fusion, and it seems that it really was the source of my pain. I’m still looking into artificial disk replacement for the one disk that ruptured, as I’m young and pretty sure that I don’t want bone on bone there, but I’m relatively pain free at the moment as long as I make sure not to sit too long, stay in bed too long, and take extra good care of my back. The times when I move the least and ride less are the days when I’m most miserable. I’d encourage anyone experiencing pain to at least get a set of diagnostic injections to multiple levels of facets if you can and rule that out. The neurotomies are not stressful on me at all, I don’t take pain meds afterwards and am up and moving around fine the next day. I got up off the table after the first one and cried and whooped and hollered because I’d forgotten what it was like being pain free.

[EarwenES]

How are you doing???

Hi Summerhorse, I saw this thread and just wanted to check and see if you were feeling better. I had a lumbar fusion at L5/S4 on April 25, 2011 and am still recovering. I do have hip pain from where my OS took bone as well as some back and leg pain, and sometimes it is pretty bad. I do think it is slowly getting better and I have been able to return to work. I have three small children, including a toddler, and think it is a very tough surgery to get through for most people, especially when you had been an active person.

My doctor said no riding for a year, which seems like a very long time, but I would rather be safe than sorry. Also, my doctor had me donate my own blood to store for surgery and said 1-2 units was typical, so it doesn’t sound like your doc was way off.

I really hope you are feeling better. The pain can really be awful and I think it just must be really hard for others who haven’t been through it to get why you aren’t “fixed” and all smiles and feeling great a week after surgery.

Best wishes to you for a speedy recovery!!!

[summerhorse]

OMGosh, we had it on the same day! I hope your recovery continues but at a faster pace!

I am much better now, thanks so much! I still have to wear that freakin’ brace but I am able to go without it inside or for “safe” walking for periods of time. My muscles were getting weak from depending on it too much! And it is HOT! And of course stinky! It took me forever to figure out how to put it back together again after I washed it!

FINALLY the sciatica has calmed down a lot to where it is now just a PITA. I had to end up with prednisone for a few days to shut it up (last week) because I could not sleep and then I couldn’t get UP because of course I had to roll over on that side to do so! I was kind of annoyed with the Dr. because it worked so well so fast and he was willing to let me suffer for another 2 months rather than risk 3 days on prednisone. (Pred. can hinder the healing but 3 days from 4 months?)

I still can’t feel my toes but they said that wouldn’t come back anyway. =( I do know not to have any more big surgeries without getting some blood saved beforehand! I don’t know why I bleed like that, nothing shows up in the tests. I never used to either. Just getting old I guess!

I didn’t actually ASK when I could ride again. I figure when the brace comes off maybe walk only on the old one to get used to it again, it’s been so long! I’ll wear my old laminectomy brace though (it’s good support but not as awkward as this big thing is). Maybe by Sep or Oct?

I don’t know that I would do this again although I really had no choice in this case unless I wanted to end up in Depends and no proprioception from the pelvis down! I’d def. try the alternatives described above I think first. I hope I never have to find out!

I can “feel” the plate and screws in there esp. when I’ve been up and “braceless” for awhile. It doesn’t really hurt but it sure feels uncomfortable! Very odd sensation.