@sassytwo and @jenniferhunter I am in an almost identical situation as you. I was amazed at the similarity. I am 73, male, had L5 S1 fusion 18 months ago, successful, and I resumed normal activity after. Now I am facing L5-T11 multi level fusion. Can't remain standing more than 15 minutes, at most. Like you, pain goes away when sitting. My surgeon is said to be among the best in the area, but will seek out 2nd opinion. Since surgery will not be until February, I am returning to my pain management doctor for epidural injection which has helped me in the past, to get some relief in the interim. Insurance co also wants me to do 6 wks PT, which I think is a waste of time. If I could just get epidurals every few months, I could live with it, but insurance companies limit to no more than 3 per year, and it's always an unknown how long relief will last after each shot. My wife says all this would do is delay the inevitable (surgery), making recovery more difficult as I age further. For other professionals viewing this post, here are some extractions from top of my most recent MRI:
1. Left paracentral disc extrusion at L1-2 demonstrating superior migration severely effacing the left lateral recess.
2. Right paracentral disc extrusion at L1-2 demonstrating inferior migration contributing to moderate spinal canal stenosis. Concomitant disc bulge, facet arthropathy and thickening of the ligamentum flavum. Moderate left neural foraminal narrowing is present as well.
3. Right foraminal disc extrusion at L3-4 superimposed on a posterior disc osteophyte complex resulting in severe right foraminal narrowing. Moderate left neural foraminal narrowing present.
4. Severe bilateral neural foraminal narrowing at L4-5.
5. Moderate right neural foraminal narrowing at L5-S1.'
6. Severe left and moderate right Neural foraminal narrowing at L2-3.
Although I am not a doctor, I can at least glean from this top summary that there appears to be issues at each of the L levels. I feel like if I I knew about the potential for further deterioration after my first surgery, I would not have reengaged in "all back to normal activity" in the absence of pain.