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Contemplating L5 S1 decompression and fusion surgery. Your results?
Hello, I am new to the group. I am on the tipping point of making a surgery decision. I am 59 years old and healthy. I have lumbar stenosis with severe narrowing of foramina at L5S1. I injured myself lifting a heavy object in Nov 25. I have a bulging disc at L5S1. I have had 9 months of PT. 12 sessions of chiro. 2 epidural injections.
I am upright and mobile without pain. However, I have a dull and heavy feeling in my lower back. I have a slight loss of sensation in my left thigh, calf, and top of foot.
I am wary of permanent nerve damage without surgical intervention. Surgeon is recommending a decompression and fusion.
Please weigh in on your results if you are post op with a procedure as described. I need to be committed to my decision. Thank you.
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Hi. How are you doing now?
@pauly61
Well how do you know you have nerve damage or what are the symptoms? I was told that I do have nerve damage at the l5 nerve root and my left toes tingle and get numb and that never goes away unless I take painkillers that knock me out at night. I don't notice it so much in the daytime. I've never had a surgeon be honest enough to tell me that if I didn't do fusion I would have permanent nerve damage. They all dance around the subject and won't give me any straight answer. But they do say I need fusion and only one explained it well enough for me to think about having the surgery with him. But anyway how did you know you had permanent nerve damage? Did the drop foot go away and what was the cause of that it seemed to happen after your first surgery?
@linda6101
That's awful. Where did you have it done and did the surgeon explain why you got worse or take any responsibility? What were your symptoms before the surgery?
@restisaweapon
When you say you had compression did you have degenerated discs? I wonder if the inversion table could help with that and said your doctor put you on decompression. What is that is that an instrument he used or what exactly did he do? I've never been offered that they only say that I need fusion. I have severe stenosis around the most stenosis degenerated discs and osteoporosis but my only symptom is throbbing in my calf muscles after I walk. I don't have to walk very far at all though to get the throbbing.
@linda6101
I thought I just sent you a message but I don't see it anywhere. I feel so bad for you. Where did you have that surgery done?
@yesibeleive
Can I ask where you had the surgery? I had a laminotomy with a neurosurgeon that was highly rated however the results only helped me for 2 and 1/2 months and then he covered up that he caused a Pars fracture. So my question is how do you know who's a good neurosurgeon?
@annie1 I woke up on New Year's Day and couldn;'t lift my right foot up. Had EMG testing and determined it was from L5 nerve compression. I'm 7 months out but still have weakness in my foot. Probably won't get a lot better. Nerve was compressed for too long. Pain in my right glute is gone but I guess i'm gonna have some permanent damage to the nerve.
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1 Reaction@annie1 it's unfortunate that all we have are reviews and referrals from others to go by. My surgery was at HCA in Conroe, TX., in Sept of 2025. I was referred by my insurance company. (Medicare). It's been almost a year but am still healing from it and feel like I'm getting better although realizing that I will never feel like I'm 50 yrs or even 60 yrs old again.
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1 Reaction@annie1 I’m not sure if it was degenerated but my doctor made the decision to use traction after seeing X-rays and scans. I believe he would have recommended surgery if he saw a different picture in scans. I think I just considered myself fortunate to have the option to try non surgical course of action.
The doctor put me into physio in the hospital. They connected me up to belts and pulleys with winches that pulled the back apart above and below the disc affecting the nerve.
Later on ( a year or so) I found my own traction device. To continue the traction treatments.
If you’re going to have surgery I wouldn’t pursue this traction without a doctor saying it’s okay to try. You could do more damage depending on what shape your back is in.