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Spine conditions: Told I would not walk without surgery
Spine Health | Last Active: Feb 13, 2024 | Replies (63)Comment receiving replies
I would see another doctor for a second opinion. I am not sure you want to start with a fusion when there may be other options. My first two surgeries were decompression surgery and they gave me 15 years of relief. I never did get much relief from injections but that varies from person to person. A fusion is major surgery. The surgery itself takes several hours and then there will be at least a year of recovery time. Also, there is no guarantee of pain relief. You want a doctor with a lot of experience and a proven history of good results for any back surgery. Try swimming in warm (83-90 degree) water to get some relief and strengthen muscles. I do water exercises and also walk in the water for one half hour. A neurosurgeon does decompression surgery and an orthopedic surgeon is recommended for a fusion. My spine is severely degenerative. I have spondylosis, spondylolisthesis, and scoliosis. I have bulging discs also. What you are feeling in your legs is probably sciatic pain. It's not unusual to not feel the pain in your back. As you age your spine will probably continue to degenerate. Let a good surgeon help guide you.
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Thanks for your reply. Yes I am going to a neurosurgeon and after consulting with a very experienced surgeon who isn't practicing anymore who told me that I should not do fusion! Several of the surgeons I consulted wanted to do that and I walked away. the one I'm considering very seriously at first said he could just do the decompression but I might need a fusion later on. So I'm seeing him next week and I'm going to remind him that he told me he could just do the decompression without the fusion. If he insists that he has to do fusion I'll just keep on looking. Yeah I know our spines just degenerate and I do have that diagnosis DDD, degenerative disc disease. A few other people have recommended water walking but to be honest any kind of walking seems to trigger my main symptoms which are throbbing calf muscles and cramping. If you don't mind me asking, are you doing anything else or did you just find relief with the decompression surgery? Also if you want to tell me I would be curious where you're located so I could possibly consult the surgeon that you went to for decompression surgery if he or she is still working. Thanks again and if you want to share who your surgeon was and where they are that would be helpful.