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Spinal fusion and possible laminectomy have been recommended!
Spine Health | Last Active: May 13 2:40pm | Replies (44)Comment receiving replies
@bobcinem Welcome to Connect. If you have had spine surgery, you probably won't feel like traveling. Perhaps that could be an incentive for after your recovery. Would you be able to defer that trip with your group?
I know you have a lot to think about. I am a spine surgery patient with a cervical fusion. I stayed in a neck brace for 3 months until it fused because I didn't want to have hardware screwed to my spine. I had to rehab after the 3 months because my neck was weak from the brace. I did feel pretty good at 6 months. I have also broken my ankle, and I can tell you that the surgeries and recovery from that was far worse than spine surgery and a lot more painful. Having to be confined in a cast with a swelling ankle is torture, and all I could do was elevate my foot and use some ice, and pain meds of course. That went on for awhile, and then I had to gradually walk on my weak ankle which hurt and took a long time to get strength and muscles back.
Cervical spine surgery is easier than lumbar spine surgery. With lumbar, you are bearing most of your body weight on the operated area which makes that a tougher recovery.
I also had to overcome a lot of fear before my spine surgery, and I started this discussion about facing fear of surgery. It took me months to get past my fear step by step and I had been working on that for a couple years by the time I had surgery. My case was misunderstood by 5 surgeons and I was nervous seeing all of them, but also confronting my fear by facing them in a consultation, and afterward telling myself, I had done well handling the situation.
How can I defeat my anxiety about medical tests and surgery?
https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/how-can-i-defeat-my-anxiety-about-medical-tests-and-surgery/
Have you discussed your fear with your surgeon or primary care physician? Perhaps a counselor?
Replies to "@bobcinem Welcome to Connect. If you have had spine surgery, you probably won't feel like traveling...."
I would like to know more about 'living' with a neck brace... it sounds unbearable... My surgery is for L4 L5 and maybe SI(?) I keep forgetting to check that out !? ) I certainly agree with who you did that though!
The first surgeon wanted to do laminectomy, and then two fusions. The next surgeon suggested the laminectomy and one fusion.
The next time I spoke with him, he and the senior surgeon discussed my case and now recommend just the laminectomy, but strongly 'warned' me (probably not the right word choice, but fitting) that I would likely need to also at some point do one fusion and quite possible, eventually a second one. Ugh
Also I had a long session with a FMT (Functional Manual Therapy) expert. My daughter-in-law is a practicing FMT and begged me to go and at least try this. I have to say, it was truly amazing! I am going to see him again this week, but unfortunately my surgery is scheduled for May 14th. So it really won't be enough time to really give this a long enough experience to see if it could really prevent the necessity of the surgery. Apparently, there seem to be a number of people who had so much success with this (non-ivansive) treatment they were able to avoid surgery altogether. I'm really torn now.... I dread the thought of surgery but my pain level is pretty significant and I have become more or less home bound... of course after the surgery I know there will be a long recovery (even though the surgeon said that typically after a laminectomy people 'go back to work in three weeks'! That's hard for me to believe...but? Another complication is that I suffer from EDS (Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome). I will attached the description. There are many types, 7 I think, and mine is the 'Hypermobile EDS)' I've had elbow, shoulder, wrist, hand surgeries over the years and a lot of PT. My greatest weakness is that my core is not strong... and much of my pain can relate to years of that, using my back for the strength that I should use my muscles instead. Probably more information that anyone cares to know, but surgeons are notorious for not really understanding the true nature of this condition... If anyone has any feedback I would LOVE to hear it! Thanks gang!
I was walking next day in the halls. Yes in pain but not enough to keep me down. I walk around even here in the house. Sit to do a few dishes. Sit when tired. Lay completely down when exhausted. Went for ice cream earlier with the hubby. Even on discharge we took a nice country ride. Of course the every 6-8hr 1000mg Tylenol, muscle relaxant, and lidocaine patch helps. I filled but didn't use the oxycodone --it actually was no help to me. 😆 All this to say follow post op instructions and take it easy.
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Thank you so much for this. My anxiety is through the roof!