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My journey with a T11 to L4 spinal fusion - 40 degree scoliosis curve
Spine Health | Last Active: Feb 8 1:06pm | Replies (87)Comment receiving replies
Hi Peter, you are so right….it is scary. I never would have done it except I couldn’t imagine spending the rest of my life with a curve and pain, that were both going to keep getting worse.
And I will say, without the slightest doubt, I would make the same decision to have surgery if I had it to do over again.
You might have said this in a prior post, but do you know how many and which vertebrates the surgeon would want to fuse? The lumbar surgeries definitely seem to have the most pain involved.
I’m happy that you are mostly managing your pain. Have you used a Tens unit? It has sticky pads and sends electrical impulses into your muscles.
It’s helped me for short periods of time.
Wishing you the best.
Sherry
Replies to "Hi Peter, you are so right….it is scary. I never would have done it except I..."
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Sherry,
Good to hear from you. Sorry for not getting back to you sooner and for having a little a trouble maneuvering around these support group strings, etc., to get to whomever I want to reply to. Anyway, my back dr. has not been that specific yet as to which vertebrae would need to be fused. I suppose that specficity would be at a later date should that ever need to be discussed. We have discussed different treatment modalities. Anyway, my dx. is: "multilevel lumbar spondylosis with severe degenerative change, and kyphotic deformity over the thoracolumbar junction, idiopathic scoliosis, 52 degrees curvature."
I am familiar with a tens unit but have not used one, at least not yet. My pain, so far anyway, is mostly manageable by sitting down when my back hurts. That's tough enough because I am a very active 78 year old man who prefers not to be sedentary, though my prior, retired professional occupation was sedentary. Speaking of my orthopedic back doctor, I see him this coming Monday. I dread another annual x-ray which every year so far has shown an increase in spinal curvature. Ugh! That's it for now. Hope you are doing as well as can be. Thank you for sharing your back experience. With kind good wishes to you, Sherry.
Peter
2/8/25