Let's hear the positive outcomes from anyone who had spine surgery

@martie67
Martie , I am also in California--had my Scoliosis surgery at the Los Angeles Children's Hospital.
I mentioned in my prior comment to you that I had my surgery in 1977; I was 19 years old. Now I am 67. Our situation is similar except I recently had corrective surgery for the area below my prior fusion.
As you move forward, don't hesitate to contact me.
Nadine

@rwdixon4
Bob, I am so glad the surgery is behind you and that you will be going to rehab. Stay in rehab as long as you can. The stronger you are before you go home, the easier it will be. I was in rehab for 10 nights. I was also weaned off all pain meds during that time. ( I had an Rx for Oxy afterward, but only took a few of the pills after I was released.)
You're pain will go away!
Best of luck to you in your recovery and healing. 🙏😊 Nadine

@pacmanpost you literally just made my day! In talking with the surgeon on whether or not this would be possible he couldn't provide much hope. So you have just given me that. Have you tried paddle boarding with a fusion?

So happy for you!
k

@karenoharmon Karen- never tried a paddle board. Kayaking is my thing I guess.

@pacmanpost try it if you can. so fun!

@pacmanpost Kayaking is great. I have one and it hasn’t been wet in awhile. My husband had melanoma so that changes his willingness to be outside in the sun and we have lots of sun protection clothing and hats. I burn easily so I need to be cautious too. I know kayaking helped me with back and shoulder strength.

@nlback22 Hey Nadine! Glad to see you again and hear how well your back is doing😊 I had a lot of great improvement from month 8 to month 13, where I’m at now, and I wish the same for you!
Nerves really do take a long time to heal. My nerve pain is in the muscles and skin across my back and I am slowly weaning myself off Gabapentin.
I wonder if the increase in numbness/tingling you experience while walking uphill is a result of leaning forward a little?
Wishing you the best, Sherry

@sherrym25
Good Morning, Sherry,
Glad to hear your doing well and thank you for the good wishes!
Your experiences that you share about your progress, let's other like me, know what to expect.
Good luck with tapering off the Gabapentin, I know it can be a slow process. What was your high dose of Gabapentin?
I had the same hunch about why my calf/ foot numbness increases when I walk up hills. But I have tried to make certain I don't lean forward, only taking small steps, and it still happens. 🤔
May you have continued success and improvement--and be riding those horses before you know it!
🙏😊🙏
Nadine

@jenniferhunter for recovery and in general, kayaking is great and also strengthens the core…one of the challenges is getting in and out of the kayak so as to avoid injury then…plan ahead, and the enjoy the ride !

OK, it's time to share my experience with lumbar fusion. A very happy one! I had had lower back pain for quite some time, attributing it to 'sciatica'. An MRI last Feb showed the problem: L4 vertebrae slipped over L5 (or was it the other way around?) As the months progressed ,this was causing pressure at random times on my spinal nerves, which caused excruciating pain--like grabbing on to a 220 volt electrical wire, momentarily paralyzing me, unable to take a step or move until the pain subsided. Anyway, I had a couple of cortisone injections which were limited in their duration of relief. As an aside to my story, I had contacted the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, (where I was born and grew up). Had my records sent there, and they told me it would be 2 weeks before I would hear from them, as the docs had to review my records--MRI's, etc. Well, I didn't hear from them until a couple MONTHS later, some lady from Mayo called me...I told her very matter-of-factly that I was disappointed that it took too long to get a response from anyone at Mayo, and that I'd already made arrangements to have surgery done at a hospital closer to my home, (northern MN). By the end of the summer, I was on hydrocodone, 1 pill in the morning, which lasted until about 1 pm. I endured the gnawing pain in my lower back until around 7 pm, when I took another hydrocodone, and went to bed with an ice pack to 'freeze' the pain. I knew the hazards of taking too many opioids, so limited my intake of them. As July and August progressed, I was using a walker. I was miserable, and could hardly wait until the day of surgery...just counting the the days to relief. It was pure agony, and I am a pretty tough old bird. THEN, on Sept 10, I went under the knife! I had a 6 hr ALIF surgery, to fuse L4 & L5. I came home 2 days after surgery. The recovery was a bit tough, requiring a lot of rest, and some oxycodone. Lots of ice packs on abdomen and lower back. I slept in a power recliner, which greatly helped with getting up.
I was so relieved, words cannot describe my relief, even amid the recovery discomfort. No more excruciating pain, no more fear of being 'shocked' with paralyzing nerve pain. I walked with a cane for a bit, could not drive for a few weeks, was restricted to no BLT's (no bending, lifting, twisting). But just being able to walk without pain was enough for me. I had EXCELLENT surgeons , who I would highly recommend. As I am now 4 months post-op, I am so happy that I had the L4L5 ALIF fusion done. I could not have survived without it, of that I am convinced. Now, I walk very cautiously, especially on icy surfaces (of which there are many here in MN this winter!), and I am not taking any unnecessary risks with any other activity. Just walking, climbing stairs, and doing daily activities should keep me going for another 72 years! (my age, btw). SO ----this is my 'Happy Ending' thanks to my wonderful, fabulous surgeons, and also to my wonderful, fabulous husband who has helped me both before surgery, and with recovery after surgery. I hope all of you have Happy Endings with your surgery, and welcome any questions or comments!