level 3 lower back fusion

[peteyrey05]

hi, i am 24 and getting ready for a  3 level back fusion, i know the rate of sucess goes down with the number of levels you have done .all i want to know is if anyone has had sucess i have been fighting this problem since 2003 and have gone through laser disc surgrey to releive the pain in my left leg so i could play basketball in college it seems all of the pain techniques and epidurals have actually messed my back up worse in the end. the L5 is completly ruptured and the two above that have torn and are slowley getting worse. my ast epidural was in november and its made me worst off than before. even if you didnt have sucess i am just looking to hear someones stories to see the recovery and how the surgrey worked for them. thank you....

[Jrsygrl109]

I am surprised the docs let you continue to play basketball with all of your problems.  I only had a 1-level fusion in my lower back and it was successful until I was injured while being removed from a car after a minor car accident.  the level above the fusion was herniated then within 6 months of finally being diagnosed with the l3/l4 herniation I blew out my l1/l2. I never has luck with epidurals - had them for my lower back and neck and they all made the pain worse.  Make sure you have a great doc - try to get one that is affiliated with a medical university and has great credentials.  It can make all the difference in your outcomes.

[squirtatious]

I was just wondering....have u ever seen a chiropractor for ur issues?