Hi there. Usually a successful recovery post spinal fusion depends on many factors including your general health, success of the bone graft and the type of post-op exercise. Uncomplicated, patients experience rapid recovery and quick return to activities. The possible complications associated with spine surgery include anesthesia complications like reactions to drugs used, deep venous thrombosis, pulmonary embolism, post operative pneumonia, atelectasis or collapse, risk of infections should be taken care of with proper antibiotic cover, hardware fracture including metal screws, plates, rods, etc. implant migration, spinal cord injury etc. Persistent pain is another common problem despite the extensive surgery and you need to discuss it in detail with your surgeon. Pseudooarthrosis means there is motion between the two bones that should be healed or fused together. When the involved vertebrae do not fuse together, there is continued pain and it worsens over time. The spinal motion can stress the hardware used to hold the fusion. The screws and rod may break leading to increased pain. This may warrant more surgery to try getting the bones to heal like happened with you. Your surgeon may add more bone graft and replace metal hardware, add an electrical stimulator to try healing the fusion. Hope you have better luck and healing this time. Take care.

has anyone went back to work after the fusion?

Thank You so Much for your story & prayers.
I will keep you posted.

I have had 2 lumbar spinal fusions, both with screws and rods.  The first one was done in 2003, which fused L5,L6 and S1. Everything went well with the fusion and everything remained fused. The only reason I had to have the second fusion was because L4 needed to be fused to L5. My problems have all been due to spondolythesis. I too was not anxious for either one to be done, but like you, I reached the point where pain medication wasn't working, and I knew something had to be done. It is my good fortune to have a wonderful neurosurgeon, who has done both fusions and did a wonderful job both times. I wish you all the luck in the world with your upcoming fusion, and I will be praying everything turns out as well for you as it did for me. Let us know how everything turns out.