Should I have an L4-L5 Fusion

[Rick]

About 6 to 7 years ago I injured my lower back by leaning forward and lifting a large weight improperly. Since that time it has been prone to re-injury, and I seem to have a relapse about every 6 to 12 months but occasionally shorter. The pain is primarily limited to the lower back, although sometimes I will have very mild numbness or very mild pain in my legs, but not always and it is never severe or really much of an issue. The lower back muscles lock up during these episodes and I cannot stand erect, sometimes for as long as several weeks. The longest period I have gone without re-injury is about 18 months. Recovery/rehab is varied and takes between 2 weeks to 6 months. After recovery I can do pretty much anything I want with reasonable care. During these times I lift weights and do Judo, but I am careful to protect my back, for example I do not do dead lifts or squats or do very much stand up work in Judo where I might be thrown in an uncontrolled manner. The re-occurrences seem almost random, for example several have occurred when I simply leaned over to pet my dog or pick up a sock.

MRI indicates that the L4-L5 disk is degenerative(It is black and shows a slightly less inter vertebral space). There is also a slight bulge posteriorly at this level. All other levels look completely normal. X ray during back extension (leaning over backwards) shows reduced space between the vertebrae posteriorly as opposed to anteriorly. Forward and side flexion

[Life with L4/L5 Fusion]

My husband is in great pain with his 8 year post spinal fusion. Recently he has won his social security case but still must live a life in pain.  What are all of you doing with your lives with L4/L5 fusion pain?  What seems to help is another surgery does not?

[R Register]

I had back surgery L5 S1 in January of 1999. I had serious defeciencies in my right foot, ankle and leg. I was in constant pain. It hurt to stand, sit or lay. I was to the point I could not function. I opted for surgery. My surgery was very successful. I have felt great and would tell folks to be cautious about surgery but, if the pain is severe enough, go for it! It helped me.

[lane]

I'm glad to see the consensus re: back surgery is Against the operative options!  I'd like to share our story: my husband had pain off and on in his lumber area for 15 years...infrequent visits to the chiropracter always made him better and life went on.  However, back in summer of 1997, his pain became worse and constant.  He was forced to give up golf, slept poorly and walked slowly and with a list;  After numerous Doc's, diagnostic testing,etc...the works, he was told he needed L4-L5,L5-S1 fusion and discectomies x2.  He was truly unable to make a logical choice due to his pain levels, but as I'm a RN, I requested that he see another Neuro MD for a 2nd opinion.  I was reassured that that wasn't necessary!!!  I asked TWICE for this;however, my husband wanted to "get it over with and feel better"...so on to the Orthopod we were guided to who, of course, agreed to the need for immediate surgery. Michael hadn't had any nerve blocks,appropriate meds prescribed,etc. prior to seeing the surgeons involved.  However, they believed that he had already tried "everything" and conservative therapies had "failed".  Well, there had been NO conservative therapies since this latest onset of pain!  Anyway, he went ahead with surgery, against my wishes, and now he is permanently, totally disabled:(.  The MD's put in the hardware and the screws broke thru the pedicles and cut into the nerves, so that he woke up with severe left leg pain. (He went to surgery with back and primarily RIGHT leg pain!)  
So....always, alwaays get a second and third opinion before considering spinal surgery of any kind.  As this forum demonstrates, most times the patient is worse off than before the surgery suggested by these surgeons!

Stay well and research your Doctors well!!

[Tiffany Lauderdale [email protected]]

My husband had L4-L5 surgery August13th,1999 he had 4 screw and 2 plates put into his back..His L4-L5 was sliding forward which is also known as spondolythesis cause by birth.. His doctor didn't try to do anything except jump right to surgery which other doctors could not beleive that his doctor jumped to surgery like he did either, but after my husbands surgery he nearly went into shock he was in so much pain..Before his surgery and even after his surgery he was on so much pain medicine and was eating them like candy he was on anything from lortab 5 and 7.5,oxyicotins and you name it we have any pain medicine there is in our medicine cabinet..Now even after the surgery he still has pain in his legs and some nerve damage and is now on the strongest pain medicine that you can take by mouth form which is Methadone 10mg and it can cause death if you reach so many milligrams.. The methadone makes him sweat bad, have hot flashes and etc.. We have a 18mth old doctor and he can't pick her up hardly or anything..Now my husband is seeing another doctor and they are doing Epidural Blocks to try to reduce the pain, but it has not seemed to work any.. I would not have surgery if I was you my husband has been like a baby to take care of he can't do much of anything and that bothers him cause he can't help me do anything such as lifting or etc. He is now on disablity at the age of 22.. So surgery isn't all it's made out to be.. Well I wish you the best of luck in whatever you choose to do.. Take Care.. Tiffany

[Barb]

Rick,
      I wrote to this forum in May, trying to deciede if I should go threw surgery to have one fusion and a possible of 2. I have lived in pain for 2 years everyday and before that just once or twice a year for 10 years. I had a mri showing deg. disc in two of them 2 years ago, did the thearpy and cortizone shot, nothing helped. I got tired of feeling on a good day that I just kicked hard in the tail bone and bad days I could hardly get out of bed, and 2 years with hardly no sleep because I would have to roll to my other hip or back every 20 min. They did another mri and it showed more damage and the vertabries were hitting each other. I got the best neurosurgen in our area and went for surgey. It's been only 6 weeks but so far I feel GREAT!!!!! I get 8 hours of sleep, the pain in my lower is gone and now I just have a little from where I was cut. After reading everyone's response I hope and pray my pain doesn't come back. I had not had any relief from pain for 2 years, now I feel like a million bucks. I have a freind that had it done 3 years ago and she has no pain just stiff alittle in the cold months. I hope you find something that works for you, Take care

[Christine Dalman]

I am so sorry for your pain. I to got to the stage where I had enough.I have degenerative discs L3L4L5 I had L4l5 fused March 9 2000 and I seemed to be doing well then therapy kicked my butt now I have been told there is nerve damage on the left side and have to go for a new mylogram yuk I dont know if they can repair the damage to the nerves but the left leg has more pain now than befor. I am told the surgery was a sucess but it may not have done me any good. My advice is dont do it unless you are in bed 24/7 and crying your self to sleep.Because thats what I am doing a lot of now after the fusion.Prayer is my salvation and my faith he will not give me more than I can take .Good luck in your decision