I’ve been laid up for almost 10 weeks with no improvement. My doc told me this means it’s not an injury that will not get better, fusion is required. He actually gave me two choices..fusion or long term pain management. So, no choice in my books.

I was diagnosed with this after a lacrosse injury when I was a kid. It’s a degenerative spine issue so it was just a matter of time. I came close to surgery a few years ago but I lost 70 pounds and got back into reasonable shape. My pain levels dropped completely until 10 weeks ago due to weight loss and Pilates.

It’s a tough surgery. In my case it requires going in from the front and the back. I’m told it’s 3-5 days in-patient, 3-4 months of home recovery and 12 months before I can resume full activities.

My local orthopedic told me this surgery is beyond our local hospital’s capabilities.

I’m in the process of finding surgeons that I’m comfortable with. I’ll probably end up in Durham, at Duke Medical Center.

It’s a bit daunting but it will be well worth it to not be in the pain I’ve been suffering with for the last 10 weeks.

Has anyone here on the SF suffered with this type of back issue? I’d be grateful to hear about your fusion experiences.

My biggest decision is Orthopedic vs. Neurologist.

Any thoughts on this debate?

Thanks all.

My wife had it done almost 40 years ago, and then almost 20 years ago she needed surgery to correct a bulged disc above it. After the second surgery they warned her she might not be able to walk again, but she has proven them very wrong. Although she still suffers from back pain and it periodically flairs up and leaves her immobile for a week or so, she can do just about everything she did before and continues to do things she really shouldn't.
A good surgeon and more modern techniques should help enormously.

Neurosurgeon would most likely cause less collateral damage. I broke L1 in a mtn. bike accident and required a 3 vertebrae fusion. The nurse who gave me the news stated "your vertebrae looks like oatmeal".

Recovery was tough, but not as painful as when I had sciatica year after year. I was on a large amount of self-controlled morphine drip while in the hospital, but after discharge I used no meds.

My Dad fell backwards off a ladder and broke his back...and had fusion done.

He took it pretty well...the surgery part.

The best thing I can recommend is to do the PT as best and hard as you can. He didn't take it seriously and atrophied a bit thus delaying his recovery.

Once he got on the band wagon, he made great progress. Im sure a touch of depression caught him as well but he pulled out of it.

Once fully healed he was fishing and such...just complained a bit after a year about some stiffness on cold days...most likely from some scar tissue.

Spondylolisthesis and stenosis here. I can't run anymore, and I'm putting on weight. Which isn't helping. I'm not bad enough for the surgery. Thankfully. Good luck man. I've been watching some vids on it, and it doesn't look fun.

If yours is from pars fractures, maybe ask about this. I've got my eye on this, as mine is from bilateral pars fractures.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3291700/

Great question rOgue, I don't know. I was diagnosed when I was 12 after a nasty hit on the lacrosse field.

Cervical fusion - check
Thoracic fusion - check
Lumbar fusion. - still procrastinating

Cervical Fusion C5-C6. No choice lost control of my hands spinal cord squeezed quite a bit. Best thing I did.

But - religious with rehab / exercise today, changed a lot of what I do and keep weight down.

It works but you will stay on top of it the rest of your life. Beats alternative

Jeff, anything you need, just ask.

I don't know if it would help but I am a big fan of inversion for all things back related.

Jeff, my wife had the surgery some years ago at Emory. The procedure and recovery went exactly as he described.

Sorry you find yourself in this position; but I think we’ve all been there...If youre looking for a surgen, I can recommend Dr John Rhee

Good luck my friend.

Thanks guys.

Curious, how old are you? Guessing you're around my age (late 40s).

BTW - The Pars are the rear mounted bits that hook down to catch the vertebrae below them. Hence, their job is to keep it stacked and control articulation when you bend forward and backward. Without them, it's held together by the disk and all of the muscular structure around it. Disclaimer - I'm not a Dr.

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Jeff, no advise to offer but more than anything I want to wish you luck and wish you well through-out the whole process.

I think God should have designed the human back a little less complex. While I've really never had any operations, I have had some back issues and its not for me thank you. This stuff scares the hell out of me. Keep us up to date Jeff as you recover. Be strong our friend.

quote:

Originally posted by r0gue:
Curious, how old are you? Guessing you're around my age (late 40s).

BTW - The Pars are the rear mounted bits that hook down to catch the vertebrae below them. Hence, their job is to keep it stacked and control articulation when you bend forward and backward. Without them, it's held together by the disk and all of the muscular structure around it. Disclaimer - I'm not a Dr.

I'll ask my Ortho when I see him next. I do know this started out with an injury on the Lacrosse field when I was 14. I was on strict bedrest for a couple of weeks... not easy for a 14 year old.

Jeff, you have an email from me.

I also want you to know that if you need anything, just call.

I’m heading for a cervical posterior Laminoplasty with fusion and bone grafting. It’s happening on Dec 3rd. They are removing the lamina from C2 -C7. They claim 3 days in the hospital and 6-8 weeks recovery at home. I’m praying hard as I’ve lost some abilities with severe weakness in both my arms And suffer from severe headaches. I haven’t been able to shoot or hunt in two years.

Three lumbar lams since late 70s. Have avoided fusion so far. Only as a last resort. Have you tried radio ablation? Microwave emitting needles burn sheaths around nerves in back. Works for me. Performed by pain doc. Treatments have lasted over a year. Have gone through several years worth.

I prefer neuro surgeons to orthos for spinal surgery stuff. Married tp an RN who insisted.

Always get additional opinions. Physical rehab super important.