L2 – S1 spinal fusion pain questions

The stories here about spinal fusion gone awry scare the hell out of me. I'm 70 y/o and in very good shape and in the gym everyday. I've had both big toes fused and both knees replaced. My lumbar spine is a disaster area. My surgeon tells me that my strong core is holding my lumbar spine together and keeping me from fusion.

I dropped my weight from 190 lbs to 160 in the last year. Now my weight is normal for my height, 5'10".

Thanks to all who posted here, and thanks for your bravery. Spinal fusion is complex. I have a great surgeon and if I need fusion someday, I'll get it.

Again, thanks to all. Joe

After taking Lyrica for three weeks and getting no results, I stopped taking it completely, which my neurosurgeon said was OK.

When I first made the switch from GabaPentin to PreGabalin I didn't wean off of the GabaPentin; just went direct to the PreGabalin. Also after my partial nephrectomy in August I just stopped Tramadol cold turkey with no ill effects.

Astounding! Ask any competent neurosurgeon or physical therapist and they will tell you no BLT for the first three months. That’s bending, lifting, or twisting.

@drxtract sad part is my Surgeon had done Peyton Mannings surgery you would think he’s highly rated ! When he done the surgery he said the longest I would be off was 3 months I WAS a plumber/pipefitter I had been doing all the med gas pipes in a hospital patient and surgery rooms so a lot of climbing , twisting working overhead all day and at 3 months still couldn’t walk without a cane . Couldn’t walk to his office so I would use a wheelchair I could rub the tailbone and it went straight to the testicles and from what I’ve read when the inner thigh is tender it’s danger zone all he said to both without touching me is you don’t have that! I was able to get him to keep me of 4-1/2 months then luckily I met my new pcp that week and she signed me off the 6 weeks I had left on temporary disability then I was 8 months of no income before I finally got disability.

I'm 16 months post spinal fusion L2 to S1. My pain is still anywhere from 7-10 daily. I'll mention i was in a bad auto accident. I had a complete burst fracture of the L4. I was paralyzed from the waist down when the police and medics arrived, the weird thing was i could fell the worst pain in my legs and feet I had ever felt but couldnt move them at all. I had to be transferred to a trama unit 45 miles away. Pieces of the L4 had entered my spinal canal. Surgeons didn't even want to do surgery because they believed I was just going to never walk again and thought I may not survive the surgery. They called in a neurosurgeon spine expert and it still took them 3 days to decide to do the surgery and that's because I pretty much begged them too. They told me there was a higher than normal risk I may not make it through the surgery because I also have MS. I told them I'd take my chances and do the surgery. I suffered others injuries as well but they were most concerned about my spine. Finally the neurosurgeon spine specialist they called from a different Brain and Spine facility asked me if I was sure I wanted to go through with it. I said...where do I sign and let's get this overwith...whatever happens...happens. like I said 16 months later and still in horrible pain everyday. My left leg has partial paralysis in it and I have to walk with a really bad limp because my leg won't work the way it's all designed to work. I'm happy the neurosurgeon was able to restore what he did but this has been the worst experience I have ever been through and I had been through many at the time of being 53 years old when it happened. I can't walk downstairs and back up in my house without being in horrible pain and completely out of breath because I have to try and stay stable without falling because since my accident and having MS I have fell probably 20 times or more. Resulting in 2 hip surgeries, shoulder surgery, and I still need another hip and shoulder surgery. That wreck changed my life forever and still haunts me every single day.

I also feel the need to mention that the state I live in will do just about everything they can to deny you're disability. Even with all my issues all of the specialists saying I could never work again, they still denied my claim, it has now been 7 months after my denial that initially took 10 months, and my lawyers appeal still haven't got an approval despite the doctor that they contract out to determine y
if you're as bad off as every doctor has already told them, came out and told me I was completely disabled. My state would rather put you off as long as possible and hope you die before they will give you the compensation you deserve.