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Spondylolisthesis: Spinal Fusion at L-4-L5
Spine Health | Last Active: Jul 18 7:36am | Replies (29)Comment receiving replies
@upstatephil
Question for upstatephil. I'm curious about your symptoms and imaging for the decision to have L2-L5 fusion. Do you have degenerative discs, retrolisthesis, spondylolisthesis, any other spine instability issues? Did you have any abdominal discomfort, bowel/bladder involvement, tingling in groin/legs/feet? If you had any of that, has the surgery helped? How is your range of motion now compared to before surgery? Bending, twisting, etc.? I think you said you are about a year out from the surgery, what was it like 3 months, 6 months?
I'm trying to deal with abdominal issues, determining what's causing it, and not sure I want to do fusion until I get that resolved. I've got Dr. appointments soon that may give me answers, I hope. But my lumbar has retrolisthesis L2 to S1, with L4/5 level 1 spondy. One neurosurgeon says to fuse L4/5, another says it wouldn't help. Trying to get a third opinion, but it's going to be August at the earliest and maybe Dec!
I'm not sure how to post so that it prompts your Mayo Connect site, so I'm posting a reply another way just in case. Also adding that my abdominal discomfort is cramping/maybe some distention not entirely sure if it gastric related, abdominal adhesions from GB surgery, or what? I have apt with gastroenterologist this coming week to hopefully provide answers/direction. Also trying to get apt with neurologist with PT background ASAP. I'm hanging in there doing what I can to maintain while the medical appointments play out.
Replies to "@upstatephil Question for upstatephil. I'm curious about your symptoms and imaging for the decision to have..."
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@kremer1 - Lots of great questions! Let me give it a go...
I had every symptom you mentioned and more. Tingling, numbness, bladder and bowel issues, and on and on. What finally moved me to seek a surgical solution was when I suddenly began experiencing nearly instant on-set full leg numbness. When it hit, I literally had to sit down immediately or I'd fall down. I kept picturing that happening while I was standing at the top of a long flight of stairs! At that point - it was clear I had to do something different or risk personal in jury or permanent nerve damage.
For me - I had/have degenerative arthritis along my entire spine. When I developed spondy in the lumbar area - that triggered the numbness. Now - 95% of all that is gone. I still have some residual right thigh numbness but it is slowly lessening as the damaged nerves heal themselves.
I just passed my one-year anniversary and my activity level has really ramped up. I wasn't always so sure I would get back to normal - and I may never recover 100% - but today I am WAY better than before surgery!
There will always be some reduction in range of motion - bending forward and twisting. I have these titanium plates now permanently installed and they don't bend! The results justify the reduced motion.
How else can I help? Make sure to take a written list of questions for your dr appointments and I found it helpful to have someone else with me (my wife in my case) to also listen.