L5 - S1 Spinal Fusion

[SouthernGurl78]

I've been reading about all of the Spinal fusions and I'm scared. I'm due to have a L5 - S1 Posterior lateral interbody fusion on the 14th of June. I'm a mother of 2 with a husband that travels for his job. I'm scared, I won't be able to tend to my kids or house. I'm going to have 3 weeks of help and then, I'm on my own. I'm worried that having this surgery will only make things worse. I've been on pain pills for almost 2 years. I'm having my surgery 3 days after, my kids get outta school. With the hopes of going back to school in the end of August. I'm having this surgery with the hopes of fixing the problem. Not creating more problems with this back surgery. I'm so scared that this is a mistake.
My L5 is pushed forward and has a fracture in it. The disc between my L5 - S1 is degenerating. This is all starting to effect my legs and life.  Any advice?

[squirtatious]

Oh and I wanted to add, be faithful on taking stool softener and laxatives after ur surgery, don't let a day go by without doing so!!!! At least until ur body is back to producing its own deposits naturally. After my surgery, it took me a few days to begin on them, I ended up impacted...hadn't had a deposit in the 16 days after my release from the hospital. The surgery and pain pills are hard on ur body and disrupts having bowel movements. Constipation is common. It t took about 3 1/2 weeks for my incision to healso I could resume bathing instead of showering. I had disolvable stitches on the inside and on the outside of my long incision, it was glued together. Walking as much as u can is going to be helpful and speed up ur recovery.

[squirtatious]

I won't lie, getting out of bed the 2nd day after my surgery, it hurt so bad, as I walked with my walker, and 2 pt's behind and beside me, I felt dizzy, nausous, my legs were shaking, thought I was going to pass out. I pulled my resolve together and pushed past it all and ended up lasting longer than was expected. I remember when I was uncomfortable layin on one side, the nurses would come into my room. It took 2 to log roll me from one side to the olther. I couldn't do that myself, I could barely move it hurt so bad. When I was log rolled, I was so scared y rods, or screws, or metalcage was going to break. Lotsa anxiety. Those were sum of my worse moments in the hospital those first few days. As if today, my fusion area has slowly been increasing in pain so on my 7 week post op appt next week, I will be talking to my dr and seeing if I can get a tens unit. I will keep u posted on my progress, can't wait to find out how u do with ur surgery. Ur in my thoughts *hugs*

[squirtatious]

Yes my dr wanted me up walking 2 miles a day the first week after my surgery. The pt's had me up walkin the day after surgery

[18436572]

I also have L5-S1 herniation. I had a cervical fusion in my neck last year.It was alot of nerve pain in left shoulder  and arm.I don't have nerve pain ifrom C7 anymore, but a nagging pain that still bothers me. I had surgery on Thursday went back to work on light duty on Monday. This could be the root of my problem there.I would do it again.as for L5 I will be at the doctor waiting for them to open  Monday morning begging for relief.That's
how mine feels. I let a Dr. Send me to pyhsical therapy two weeks ago.I had what I thought was severe pain when I started which was mild compared to now.I have been pretty much bed ridden since I Quit therapy Thursday. Now I'm sure I will need another 1k MRI and who knows how much work  I will mis.I'm all for it. Good luck. I will post about it SOON I HOPE  I understand that they have you up walkin the next  day. I think I will go ahead and take a little longer than 4 days
of this time!!!!!!

[squirtatious]

I had severe spondlylolisthesis which resulted in severe foraminal stenosis which caused significant bilateral root nerve compression. It was compromising the function in my legs. I had leg weakness, abnormal gait, and extreme pain in my legs...was worse than the pain in my back could ever of been. On feb 22nd of this year, I underwent TLIF with application of a peek interbody cage, inFUSE and local bone autograft. Posterior spinal internal fixation at l5/s1. Posterior decompression of neural elements for spondylolisthesis with laminectomy, complete removal of abnormal pars defects aqnd foraminotomies at l5/s1. That's the exact wording of the procedures I got. It was a 6 hr surgery, 3 day stay in the hospital, 5-6 inch incision...I'm just 6 weeks post-op so its too soon to know if it was truly successful. I had my rootnerves compressed for a yr b4 I finally got my surgery. Still have neurological issues in my legs but that's too be expected as nerve rejuvenatin is so slow. I wih u the best hun, its a hard surgery to recover from, glad u'll have help the first 3 weeks. Just don't bend, twist, or lift the first 3 months and wear ur back brace. Greatest blessings to u