I'm new too and am visiting the neurosurgeon next week! Pretty sure I'm on my way to surgery. I've already been to a minimally invasive clinic and was told they couldn't help me bc my spine was too unstable. I have spondylolithesis (sp?) of the L5-S1 and now it's Grade 2. I was born with this predetermination and now it's time to "pay the piper", so to speak. I am a teacher so I am up and down and on my feet all day. Unlike you, my children are grown but I have "cute as a button" grandkids that I have a hard time keeping up with and can barely pick up the little one Like you, my husband listens and helps but hasn't experience the constant 24/7/365 pain I have. I also have sciatic pain down my leg and in my hips which just adds pain to the pain.

I really need to lose quite a bit of weight but with the pain, exercise really isn't an option. So I basically have to count on losing weight by counting my calorie intake.

It's really great to meet someone else who is experiencing similiar issues. Keep me posted on how your doing. I have looked at several blogs on Youtube of "positive" spinal fusion recovery. it's so easy to find negative things out there but I needed to see positive results and people going on after surgery to live their life. :happy:

I live in Edmond, OK.

Stephanie

Hi - I hope that my story might give you both some hope. I suffered from bad back and leg pain for a couple of years. I basically had what my orthopaedic surgeon called two stuffed discs (L4-L5 and L5-S1). It was gradually getting worse, with the sciatic pain getting to the point where the only things I did in life were to go to work and come home again to sit on an upright chair with my painful leg up on another chair next to me. I pretty much stopped doing anything else at all. I was eating really badly because I live alone and I couldn't stand long enough to cook a meal and I often couldn't face even the semi-healthy ready meals. I ate a LOT of potato chips....... and my weight kept on creeping up. About a year ago my rheumatologist (I have an immune system disorder and have annual checkups) suggested that if I was thinking about surgery then I should go ahead and have it sooner rather than later. I'd already had a steroid injection in my sciatic nerve, which worked for a whole week before the pain came back, so I knew that there was a good chance that surgery would make the difference for me. I arranged to have the surgery in July last year - I had to save enough leave from work to be able to take 6 weeks off, and as it was two of those were without pay, so I really hoped it was going to be worth it. In the meantime, while I waited for the surgery I started going to a physical therapist who teaches Pilates, for one-on-one sessions to try and strengthen my core to give me the best possible chance of a good outcome.

I had the surgery in July, on a Thursday afternoon. I had a two level spinal fusion (L4-S1) which took around 4 - 5 hours. I came round properly on the Friday morning with tubes everywhere, but feeling no pain, and I was up and walking with a walker later that morning. On the Saturday I was walking without the walker and feeling good. The six weeks of recovery were a bit difficult, because I do live alone. I spent most of the time on my bed, getting up to prepare and eat easy meals and to go for (reasonably) regular walks. I did hurt - it was hard to turn over in bed and I used my arms for leverage a lot, but I was already so glad I'd made the decision to go ahead.

I went back to work week seven and have been gradually improving ever since. My checkups show that the rods in my back are exactly where they should be and my bone grafts have taken well. At three months I was doing well, but still couldn't walk or stand for too long without it hurting, but by six months I was able to do most things. It's now exactly 7 months since the op. I can walk for pretty much as long as I want to (although I might pay for it a bit later). I can stand in the checkout queue at the supermarket without thinking about it. I can cook myself a meal and I'm now eating well and losing weight. I'm still doing PIlates, but am now doing a full one hour class and feeling good with it.

My surgeon was absolutely upfront with me and said that it would be a year before I was completely recovered and back to what others would consider normal, but honestly, even if where I am now was where I ended up staying I would be SO happy that I went ahead and took the huge step of having the surgery.

Good luck to both of you. I'm sorry this is a bit of a saga, but I thought a good news story might help.

Another person with you guys! And they say for everyone who posts there are several lurkers. So good luck with the surgery Jill and wow - what a great story Opal! I am a little more inspired to do my stretching now! You guys have been there!

Please let us know how you doing Jill. Maybe your hubby could post for you for a few days!

Opal, you've changed my mind about having surgery if it ever gets bad enough (and in my family it always does get bad enough). I used to think back surgery and recovery was the worst thing in the world and that I'd rather just die and that it would just make things worse. So nice to read your post, I feel a lot better about the future now, thank you!

I'm so glad it's going well luvapooh. I do know what you mean about the nerves - I still have a numb left foot, which is a bit disconcerting, but liveable with! I'm told it will improve with time, so I hope the same is true for you. And I'm glad you're maintaining the pain medication. I discovered that it's critical to keep ahead of the pain, so it never gets too bad. Good luck with getting back to the tracking, etc. Keep us posted on your progress, won't you?

Christine

I took them religiously for the six weeks I was off work apart from one weekend when I ran out and had what has to have been one of the worst weekends of my life! I was on Gapapentin for the nerves and Tramadol just for the pain. When I went back to work I was still taking the Tramadol, but only took it consistently for a week or so and then just as necessary. I honestly now can't remember the last time I had to take any. I still have some twinges from time to time, but never enough to need medication. Hopefully you'll have a similar experience. Having said that, I'm a bit like you in that I'm on permanenet medication for connective tissue problems and related fibromyalgia, so that might make a difference. I do know what you mean about the numbness. A few times I haven't realised that my foot hasn't lifted enough as I've been walking and I've come close to tripping - but my surgeon assures me that it will improve. He's been right about everything so far, so I have my fingers firmly crossed! Good luck.