I had spinal surgery T11 thru S1 has anyone had this major surgery?

Hi Catherine, today you are one year past surgery…. how are you feeling? Are you able to do the day activities easier now? How is muscle tightness/soreness in your lumbar area?
Next Wednesday, I am five months postop and still have a lot of “frozen” muscles in my lumbar, but I’m still following the no BLT so can’t wait to get past six months where I can start working it more.

RB,
Thank you for your guidance and insights.
I will be undergoing a similar surgery--L2 to my sacrum, along with bi-lateral sacroilliac joint fusions, on May 13th and May 14th. ( 48 years ago fused from T2 to L2 --idiopathic scoliosis).

You mentioned your current treatment plan--meds., ice, heat, etc. 3 years out, I am wondering whether you apply or take from your "toolbox" frequently or whether it is on occasion?
May you have continued improvement.🙏🙏🙏
Thanks for anything you might share.
Nadine

Hi Nadine, first, sending good May13-14 karma your way (!) & 👍🏻, you have my admiration/respect on living a long time with a very extensive spine fusion. Regarding my “coping toolbox”, walking is every day except weather, stretching is 5-6 days/week, all others are alternated in & out daily. Back stiffness with aches & creakiness is most always manageable. Pain is from neuropathy in feet & sciatica down legs. Some days are just better than others so I keep expectations at being upright, moving & breathing 😊 everything above that is the icing on my cake. Again, all the best to you, rb

Good Morning, RB,
Thank you for all of the helpful information and for the good karma!🙏

Like you, over the years, exercise has been what has kept my back in relatively good condition and helped to relieve my pain (along with heat & icing, and meds--when needed). I continued with all of the physical therapy exercises I learned, plus love to walk.

But during the last 3 years, my back pain escalated and included nerve pain. What use to help--exercises, my zero-gravity chair, etc.--now increase my pain. Fortunately, I can still walk--a
SLOW mile. I am looking forward to resuming P.T. post-surgery and regaining a more normal life. (My prior fusion is fine; it is everything below it.)

I have gone to 3 pain management doctors over the past 3 years.
As I had already been through the steroid injections routine, with the hope of being a candidate for RFA, the latest one focused more on pharmacological treatment knowing that I was scheduled for surgery in the future.

I am currently on 3 drugs that have really helped me survive the year.

Low Dose Naltrexone at 4.5 mg at bedtime. It Is a compound drug that must be purchased at a Compound pharmacy. It helps with chronic pain including nerve pain. My health plan covered it at first, but now I need to pay cash-- around $60 for a month. No side effects and it really helps.

Duloxetine 20mg., ( an anti-depressant at a very low dose) take in the morning-- It helps with Bone, Muscle, and Nerve pain. Difficult the first week-sleepy, Foggy headed, but resolves by day 6.

Generic Lyrica-25 mg for and added boost in nerve pain relief. Take one at night.

The 3 drugs are all taken at very low dose and each has an additive effect.

RB, these may be something to consider depending on your level of nerve pain.

BTW-- post-surgery
you are my Role Model!

Best wishes!!
Nadine
Ps. I'll send an abstract on the Low Dose Naltrexone

Here is the Low Dose Naltrexone (LDN) abstract. It would need to be prescribed by a pain management specialist.

Hello Catherine, my name is Howard, I am 54 years old. Been working construction since I was 16 years old. I recently had the same surgery T11 thru S1 fusion. I hope this finds that you are doing better. I am 3 weeks out of surgery and not doing well. But this is not my first surgery. Hoping it will be my last. I started this journey in 2017, with my first fusion, T5-S1. This one did miracles for me. Then in 2019 I had my second one. They added my T4 to the fusion. I was told at that time that I should think about slowing down and maybe changing career to something a little less physical. But because of my education, 9th grade, this was all but impossible. Fast forward a few years, June 2024, I had a workplace incident that hurt my back once again. It took 10 months to get surgery approved through workers comp. Finally, the time came. Now my Neurosurgeon is talking about SSD, at first, I found this absurd. Now I am believing what he is saying. Lifting, Twisting, and Bending is almost impossible. One of the hardest things is the isolation of it all. Yes, I am married, but she works and has a pretty busy life. Now that I am almost completely self-sufficient, she can go back to her other commitments. I do find it quite lonely, and depressing. I find it most depressing that I will not be able to go back to the only job I've ever known. Building houses has been the only thing I've ever done. Now I can no longer do it. What do I do now? I hope this note finds that you are doing better, and more active now. We are not alone, I have found the more I reach out, the more people I find have had the same issues as me, you, us. I am hoping to get back to somewhat of a normal life again. Or as noemal as it can be with 19 inches of rods in my back. Keep positive thoughts.

Hello Howard, I am sorry that you can't do what you love anymore. The type of surgery we both had is extremely limiting. But I'm grateful that you are back on your feet again. I am grateful that I can do some things now like take a bath and shower on my own . I am riding the stationary bike for exercise and walking in the pool now. I moved from Florida to Delaware. But I am thinking about moving back to Florida where the whether is conducive all year around because that's will help me to be more active. I will be limited and not be able to do what I use to do but thank God I am pain free and able to go out and enjoy life a little more. I am retired so working is a thing of the past. However, I did desk work when I was working and was thinking of a part-time job, don't know if I will find one. Nonetheless, thanks for sharing your feelings with me and I wish you all the health and happiness. Stay strong because as you said we are not alone. We must stay strong mentally and emotionally for our loved ones who has been there for us throughout our mental journey. Again, thanks for sharing 🙏