Posterior & Anterior Lumbar Surgery: What is recovery like?

Hello,
Thank you for your insight. It is very encouraging. I don't have major scoliosis and still working so I will put any further surgeries off as long as I am able to get around ok without a lot of pain. I am glad you are doing so well!

May I ask what the stimulator is exactly? Your comments were helpful. Thank you.

I have heard a few people mention that their upper back area gets sore sometimes too. With a full lumbar fusion. Must be the way your body adapts or postions placing more stress there. Can you do the crawl swim stroke and ride a bike comfortably?

May I ask what type of pain you had from the scoliosis? I ask as I am trying to determine how much of my pain is from scoliosis and what is from sciatica and stenosis. Determining when how much to address for my surgery.

Thanks

Approximately 1 year ago, I had the rest of my lumbar spine fused - previous fusion on it was 2011. Probably should have done it sooner but that’s another story.
Every individual is different and so is every surgeon. It was initially proposed to me that it would be an anterior-posterior approach and I balked big time. And said no. He responded that alright, he would do it all from the back. I was not quite 73 when I had this done last year.
I think if he had insisted I personally would have first asked exactly why he preferred that approach and what were the benefits and negatives for both him each method AND for me the patient.
I was a recovery room RN and had taken care of those patients and knew it was a huge surgery. Both incision wise, time wise, recovery wise.
It was still a big surgery but it was one back incision and I did well. Did it hurt? Of course.
But I live alone - had it done on a Tuesday, went home on Friday morning. My choice to stay that extra day. I will add that I live out of town with several dogs. I asked my dog sitter if she would stay after I got home so I could just focus on my needs and she took care of the dogs. (Obviously I paid her.) She left the following Wednesday or Thursday and it made a big difference. I was able to sleep as I wanted, just got out of bed to use bathroom, grab snacks. I do have a house with stairs but that wasn’t a problem for me.
I had already been through it before and knew how to handle the dogs on my own for letting out (2 need to be on tie outs), feeding and watering them.
For whatever reason the 3rd week was the worst - maybe because I wasn’t as “foggy” so was more aware of pain, or maybe because I was forcing myself to be more active.
N.B. Another reason I didn’t want an abdominal incision is decades ago I had one, it didn’t go well, I had excess bleeding and got infected. Bad memories can do things like that. No reason to assume it would ever happen again but…

I have osteopenia/osteoporosis and the stimulator was a small devise (about the size of a pager) with two electrodes that I placed along my lower spine to stimulate bone growth. Here's the link to the one I used: https://www.google.com/shopping/product/1?q=zimmer+biomet&prds=epd:17875245513371429302,eto:17875245513371429302_0,pid:17875245513371429302&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjDs6TSrayFAxULO0QIHUv_DL4Q9pwGCAU

I haven't tried swimming, but I am able to ride a bike. I'm working on adjustments to my bike to make it more comfortable.

I had a lot of lower back pain from my scoliosis. My curvature was progressing quickly. That is why I opted to do the surgery when I did. I wanted my bones as healthy as possible. I hope that helps. Let me know if you have more questions.

Very helpful. Thanks. My scoliosis is progressing, but I have some wiggle room, I am at 30%and most docs think I am still compensating well. It seams to me my pain is from stenosis and 4/5 S/1 pain. That said I have already had microdisectounly at L2/L3. So I think they will go at least from S1 to L2. Wondering if I should just up to T 11. I terrified to have the surgery. Right now I can modify my life to work around significant pain but it is getting worse. I will check out the stimulator. Thanks, I have osteopenia in the lower spine.

As a reminder, the stimulator was after my surgery, (to assist with the fusion) and was prescribed by my doctor.

Find a doctor you trust and follow their advice. Good luck.

Thanks for your comment about upper back. I’m getting a 2nd opinion tomorrow, and he requested notes on previous cervical surgeries. Now I understand why. I won’t have all of those old records, but we’ll see what happens.

Here’s an update. The 2nd opinion doctor said exactly what I was thinking. With my symptoms, and cord compression et al., it’s not going to get better on its own. I could choose to live with it, and take meds and wait, or I can do something about it before things get worse. Do I want to attempt this in my 70’s? I’m on opioids and Nsaids…not sustainable long-term. My mobility and sleep are both impacted, so I’m forging ahead. Thanks to you good folks who have shared your experience, I know I can do it. You made it, so can I. Remember me in May.
Thanks all!

@4petesake i applaud your decision but don’t wait too long! Pain is usually a big driver of reason to operate but don’t fool yourself and be noble to your cause when needing intervention. Recovery can be bad as it is and doesn’t get easier the older you get.

Yes, thank you.