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L5-S1 spinal fusion and disc replacement
Spine Health | Last Active: Nov 27, 2023 | Replies (13)Comment receiving replies
Sorry to hear this. If I lie on my back, my lumbar area stiffens up quickly, which makes standing painful. Turning in bed can be painful at times, even with log rolling). I seem to have good days and bad. No sharp severe pains. If I sit too long or sit in the wrong chair then there is a price to pay. The surgeon doesn’t want me stretching my back, at this point (less than 4 weeks after surgery). I have been told that it takes some people 6 months to a year to completely recover from fusion surgery. Hang in there. But after 5 months, I would want to find out why the severe pain. Have you X-rayed your back lately?
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I got the x-ray at 2 months post surgery and surgeon said "everything looks excellent", but that just refers to positioning of screws - it does not show anything related to my pain. Surgeon said that with physio my symptoms will go away - not true - I have been doing physio and much other exercise daily without improvement - this situation has plateaued and there is no trend toward feeling like anything is healing to lessen pain. I have to wait for another MRI in 2 weeks - I am sure it will be the same thing, "nothing to see here" - but there is something to feel here which is ongoing pain and lack of sleep and mobility.