Spinal (Lumbar) Fusion - Anyone had it done???

[johnny]

I have been to see my consultant today to look at my next option after a car crash in November 2004. I was on the M1 and was hit from behind by a 7.5t truck resulting in a L5/S1 Disc herniation.

I've been seeing the physio and had an epidural last June and then a Discogram in October, during which i had anti-inflammatory drugs injected directly into the disc. This has now worn off and i'm in agony again.

The consultant has now suggested Spinal (Lumbar)Fusion as the next step. I've been researching this and it all sounds a bit scary to be honest. Has anyone on PH been through the same, or not due to the risks etc?

The thought of it has certainly made me think - is the pain that bad? Am i just being a big girls blouse? Should i just get on with it?

Then i think about how i was virtually crying myself to sleep last week and how much my back hurts sat here at work and i think is should go ahead with it.

Thoughts, ideas & abuse greatly received.

Cheers,

Johnny

[gorvid]

I can sympathise with back pain...

But this sound serious...at least they are offering a potential 'cure'.
I reckon be brave and go for it

[robdickinson]

Friend was almost cripled with 2-3 bad disks had spinal fuision done spring 04 and spend a few months recovering.

He's far more mobile and pain free now, its not 100% perfect but he's an awfull lot better than he was.

[mybrainhurts]

Used to work with a bloke who had this done.

Fixed him immediately, he was impressed.

[Egbert Nobacon]

My father had this done a few years ago - he is still fit and very active with no problems apart from having to lift things carefully.

His specialist likened it to having a bed with a few springs removed - i.e. still usable but not as strong as it used to be.

[artywiz]

I had it done nearly five years ago now...... what do you want to know

I had L5 to S1 anterior and posteria fusion with instrumentation using bone graft taken from inside my left hip(iliac crest)...sounds like they are offering you similar surgery....it's not the best experience I ever had!

However, the alternative was to end up totally disabled(my discs were herniating into my spinal cord) so after a lot of soul searching and practical thinking imccar and me decided it would be best.

>> Edited by artywiz on Wednesday 22 February 08:43

[Yugguy]

Ian Botham?

[Ian_H]

You may not want to read my experience as it was not good but here goes a brief history, my spine moved forward on my pelvis after an accident which meant that my sciatic nerve now had 2 right angle bends in it and it my spine moved any further forward it would result in permanent nerve damage which would have left me unable to walk, the first operation I had was to insert 2 metal plates and half a dozen self tappers into the rear of my spine to fuse the lower vertebrae, they also removed part of my left hip to fuse the bones together. My post op experience was not good and have to say it was the worst pain I have ever suffered, unfortunately the bone graft did not take so they decided to do another operation and used a piece of bone from a bone bank, again this graft did not work and has left me in constant severe pain and still take morphine every day. The consultant has talked about a further operation to insert more metal plates but this time on the front of my spine but the chances of success are only about 20% and I will be left with stomach and bowel problems so at this moment in time I have declined their offer. After saying this I do know 3 other people who have had a spinal fusion that have been succesful and I dare say that if I had not had the operation I would probably be in a wheelchair permanently now

Not very good scans but here's the metalwork I carry around now

[mybrainhurts]

Don't think the top one's been torqued up properly....which dealer did you use?

[morebeanz]

My mother had this done years ago, and at the age of 70 now, she still plays tennis and is very active.

I am certain that there are risks, but I would have thought that the "probable" outcome is a much higher quality of life than without.

Best of luck...

[Ian_H]

mybrainhurts said:

Don't think the top one's been torqued up properly....which dealer did you use?

Funny you should say that but I have had an op to replace a broken screw

[douglasr]

My chiropractor says that surgery should be absolutely the last option and that its important to exhaust all others first (chiro, accupuncture, drugs etc etc). I use Chiro and my parents use accupuncture. We dont have a condition as serious as you though.

A colleague at work had the same surgery and returned after 5 months with a lot less pain and much greater mobility. She still takes pain killers regularly though. One thing to note is that she purchased a memory foam mattress that improved things a lot.

>> Edited by douglasr on Wednesday 22 February 12:06

[john75]

Sounds painful I hate a trapped nerve once that was bad enough.

[themaskedavenger]

I was lucky that physio got my disk sorted but looking back on the pain if the physio had not have worked I would have tried just about anything to get it sorted.

Thought about this surgery and though scarey the thought of the pain made my mind up that if physio didnt work then I would do it. Might be worth checking to see that there are no other non-invasive things they can do (sounds like not) and get it done.

Memory foam mattress as mentioned above the best thing ever and forget the sliced bread.

[JerseyS2000]

Afternoon all

I don't know if its possible for you, but I had my L5 S1 disc removed completely six years ago. I was playing American Football at Uni when a tackle went wrong and I slipped two discs. Total agony and I could only walk 10 metres without a walking stick. Manipulation did nothing, epidural was great for a few hours (the baby is fine though - joke!) and the only option was a discectomy (sp?).

Apparently, there is a 1 in 10 chance of being paralysed which is pretty darn scary and post-op recovery hurts like a bitch. You do get morphine though! hehehe

But, six years down the line, my back is pretty darn good. I can tell if its a rainy day without opening the curtains, but I can stand up without pain, can play sports again (not contact ones though) and my quality of life is light years past what it was with constant back pain.

I really sympathise with you and hope (whatever surgery you get) works out.

Cheers


Ben

[unlogic]

themaskedavenger said:

Memory foam mattress as mentioned above the best thing ever and forget the sliced bread.

That's interesting and this maybe to readers.
Was in Makro the other day and they have double sized Memory Foam matresses at £199 + vat c/with memory foam pillow

[johnny]

Cheers for all the responses, i knew i could rely on PHers for some decent honest info.

When surgery was first mentioned last year I checked it out and think I must have seen every negative website comment known to man. The main school of thought (from the sites i looked at) was that the fusion (or indeed any back) surgery was to be avoided at all costs but things like removing the part of the disc that was impinging the nerve didn't seem quite as bad as fusion.

I also thought my case would'nt be too bad and that it would be just be a partial discectomy, so being told it would be the full monty got me a bit rattled to say the least!

However, I read various some more positive articles on the web last night and the (mainly) positve responses on here have helped greatly. I think i will probably go ahead after a chat with my wife an a few further questions to the consultant to iron out any lingering worries.

The pain from the op itself doesn't worry me too much, I can take a fair bit. I've already had a Ti plate and 6 big screws in my right clavicle using a bone graft from my right hip in 2004 after a bike accident (not my fault). Although i do seem to recall the most painful part was the hip, i went in with a smashed clavicle and came out unable to walk!!

At least i'll get the morphine eh?

Those who have been through similar (with a positive outcome), do you recall how long the healing process took? I mean more long term than just the immediate post op agony. I'm really looking forward to the summer an being out on my motor and mountain bikes but assume there will be far less of both this year even if I have the op done soonish?

Johnny

[Davel]

Nothing sensible to say - just hope it really goes well for you.

[Jay GTI]

johnny said:

When surgery was first mentioned last year I checked it out and think I must have seen every negative website comment known to man. The main school of thought (from the sites i looked at) was that the fusion (or indeed any back) surgery was to be avoided at all costs but things like removing the part of the disc that was impinging the nerve didn't seem quite as bad as fusion.

The thing about serious health issues and the internet is you pretty much only get the bad news, it's the people who really suffer that want to tell the world about it and share their problems with other sufferers. Not a criticism in any way, I can completely understand why they would, but it doesn't leave a very balanced view of what ever situation you're going through. My wife has Endometriosis and if you trawl the internet for info about that illness, there are enough miserable stories from sufferes to make anyone who has just developed Endo and wants to find out about it consider suicide there and then.

If there is any way you can talk to a specialist in the area of surgery you're looking at and just discus what exactly it is you will go through and what their experience of the results with people who have been through it already, you'll get a much more balanced view and be able to understand more about what will happen post-op.

As for surgery being the last option, yes that it true, but that is true for any condition where surgery is a way to a possible cure. My wife has got to the point where she will be booked in for a hysterectomy the next time she sees her specialist, but that is because she's spent the last 3 years in at times extreme pain and had her life turned upside down by the endo while she tried every possible non-invasive solution (none which have worked sadly). However, it sounds a lot more serious to say 'the last option' than it is, the surgery you're looking at (as with the surgery my wife will have) has been done many times and been successful in many cases.

I wish you the best of luck with your op if you go for it, just don't be too put off by the doom and gloom stories you'll have heard so far.

>> Edited by Jay GTI on Wednesday 22 February 15:14

[artywiz]

The recovery was slow but steady, you aren't allowed to sit or stand for more than 20 mins for 6 weeks after the surgery. You get issued a groovy perch-like seat, bed raisers, raised toilet seat etc by occupational therapy to make life easier and fantastic painkillers!

I can't give you the recovery for after 6 months 'cos me and the hubby decided we didn't like our car anymore and smashed into and underneath a tanker....hence slightly deferring the recovery!