Having L4-L5 Spinal Fusion

I'm answering for everyone reading instead of trying to send an answer to each post. As you can tell after reading these comments, there is not one experience for spinal fusion surgery. Each person has a different issue with their spine, and each person's body will respond differently to surgery.

I had spine surgery in November last year, an L5-S1 fusion. My surgeon made it seem as if it was more minor of a procedure than it is. Then he didn't set up any pans for physical therapy, or have anyone explain what I was allowed and not allowed to do after surgery. So I am now going on my own to specialists with scoliosis, as I have a curve and a rotation in my spine.

So, my advice is do not believe anyone telling you spinal fusion surgery is a minor surgery, ask all of the questions you have run through in your mind, and make sure physical therapy is not an after-thought.

Another thing patients are not always told is the success rate of spine surgery. It is successful about 40% of the time, so don't let the surgeon get away with telling you an unrealistic success rate. Or in my case, leading me to believe this was easier than it is.

@marcd2k Yes I can absolutely agree with your comments on this procedure . I had a very experienced Professor who carried out my surgery . I am a complicated case as I have supposedly got osteoporosis which was looked into and meetings were had and came to the conclusion that I was still. Good candidate for surgery . I am female 75 yrs but previously very fit apart from sacrum pain for three years . I was told recovery 6 weeks !! I had an ALIF anterior approach stand alone cage fusion . This was four half months ago !! Since then I have been in considerably more pain than before with leg pain stiffness, sacrum pain and terrible nerve pain . I am now told it could take 2 years and had suggestions of spinal cord stimulators or steroid injections !! The op went ok so I was lucky there but there are no guarantees as with any op. And as far as I can see I have come off much worse then before and am convinced that it is and always was my sacroiliac joints and hyper mobile issues causing g the problems . However , even though every day and night is a huge struggle we must keep going what else is there only hope .

I had an ALIF surgery Sept 10, '25. I am F, 72. An L4-L5 fusion. I do have a bit of osteopenia, but was not serious enough to interfere with the surgery. Other than that, plus lordosis in my lower spine (swaybacked!) I had no other complications like obesity, diabetes, etc. I am NOT athletic---I don't do cardio, weights, pilates, etc. Yet am fairly 'fit' just with doing daily chores around the house and with our animals. That being said, I was in excruciating pain last summer because L4 vertebrae had slipped over L5 (or was it the other way?) and was pressing on the spinal nerves. At times, the pain was like grabbing on to a 220V electric cable. I survived on ice packs and 2 hydrocodone pills per day from late July to the date of surgery. Now for the good news: surgery was a resounding success!! I had 2 great surgeons at the hospital only 25 mi from my home (northern MN) Happy to share names if you like. I was in the hospital Wed and released on Fri. On some oxycodone and plenty of ice packs both on my tummy and back for about a month. Yes, there was pain, but NOTHING like what I suffered through all last summer. The doc said no BLT's (bending lifting twisting) for several months, lifting nothing heavier than a gallon of milk. As for physical therapy, as I mentioned before, I believe I have enough exercise in my daily activities of climbing stairs, walking, laundry, cooking, etc that I don't need to have any special exercises. I do sleep in a very firm, power recliner as it supports my back more than a mattress or squishy recliner. If you don't have a power recliner, I highly recommend renting or better yet, buying one. Well worth the investment especially when trying to get up after sitting down , and may come in handy later on. Every morning I get up and say 'thank you Lord' for getting me great surgeons and family help both before and after surgery. I realize that at my age, I am not going to 'push my luck' by trying to do the things I used to do 10, 20, or 30 years ago. As long as I can function at a reasonable level and take care of basic daily living, I'm good with that. One last piece of advice: Spinal surgery is a delicate, serious procedure. After surgery, be kind to your body! Give it plenty of rest and time to heal. Don't rush to get back to 'normal living' ---you may have to adjust to doing or not doing a few different things for the remainder of your life. I too was concerned about 'going under the knife' with this surgery, but honestly, I could not stand the agonizing pain last summer, so I did my research on the docs, and decided to go for it. And I am so very, very glad I did. I wish you all the best with your spinal journey, please keep us posted, and if you have further questions, please reach out to me.

I had an ALIF surgery Sept 10, '25. I am F, 72. An L4-L5 fusion. I do have a bit of osteopenia, but was not serious enough to interfere with the surgery. Other than that, plus lordosis in my lower spine (swaybacked!) I had no other complications like obesity, diabetes, etc. I am NOT athletic---I don't do cardio, weights, pilates, etc. Yet am fairly 'fit' just with doing daily chores around the house and with our animals. That being said, I was in excruciating pain last summer because L4 vertebrae had slipped over L5 (or was it the other way?) and was pressing on the spinal nerves. At times, the pain was like grabbing on to a 220V electric cable. I survived on ice packs and 2 hydrocodone pills per day from late July to the date of surgery. Now for the good news: surgery was a resounding success!! I had 2 great surgeons at the hospital only 25 mi from my home (northern MN) Happy to share names if you like. I was in the hospital Wed and released on Fri. On some oxycodone and plenty of ice packs both on my tummy and back for about a month. Yes, there was pain, but NOTHING like what I suffered through all last summer. The doc said no BLT's (bending lifting twisting) for several months, lifting nothing heavier than a gallon of milk. As for physical therapy, as I mentioned before, I believe I have enough exercise in my daily activities of climbing stairs, walking, laundry, cooking, etc that I don't need to have any special exercises. I do sleep in a very firm, power recliner as it supports my back more than a mattress or squishy recliner. If you don't have a power recliner, I highly recommend renting or better yet, buying one. Well worth the investment especially when trying to get up after sitting down , and may come in handy later on. Every morning I get up and say 'thank you Lord' for getting me great surgeons and family help both before and after surgery. I realize that at my age, I am not going to 'push my luck' by trying to do the things I used to do 10, 20, or 30 years ago. As long as I can function at a reasonable level and take care of basic daily living, I'm good with that. One last piece of advice: Spinal surgery is a delicate, serious procedure. After surgery, be kind to your body! Give it plenty of rest and time to heal. Don't rush to get back to 'normal living' ---you may have to adjust to doing or not doing a few different things for the remainder of your life. I too was concerned about 'going under the knife' with this surgery, but honestly, I could not stand the agonizing pain last summer, so I did my research on the docs, and decided to go for it. And I am so very, very glad I did. I wish you all the best with your spinal journey, please keep us posted, and if you have further questions, please reach out to me.