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What are people's experiences with spinal fusion surgery?
After trying pretty much everything, with little pain relief, my surgeon has put me on his priorty elective list for fusion of my L3/4/5, and maybe S1. I've heard both positive and negative experiences with this surgery. What are people's experiences, with this? ,
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I've had good results with an L4-4 fusion done in 2017--cycled, skied hard, and still tightly fused (No osteoporosis). Now, things have degenerated to where I am on the list for a double fusion for the levels above that last--L3-4 and L2-3. However, the insurance company declined to approve the surgery, and we are fighting that. BTW, I have congenital narrowing of the spinal canal, and this would be my 4th lumbar surgery. It's that or gruesome pain, at night in bed when turning, and inability to walk without high pain levels. If/When you get to that point, surgery is easier to contemplate. Hope you have some good options for your situation.
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I was at the point of contemplating surgery when I had an acute onset of radicular leg pain. I was dragging one leg when I tried to walk. I thought a leg amputation was a good idea. That was when the surgeon wanted to remove all the bad bone and fuse my entire lumbar spine because of arthritis and severe spinal stenosis. I have inflammatory arthritis so all I needed was a large dose of Prednisone to relieve my pain.
I still have some nerve damage causing foot drop but as long as the inflammation is treated ... I will take my chances and hope I won't become paralyzed. I use a rollator which seems to help when I have to walk too far and need to sit down. Being hunched over when I walk helps with the pain too. The surgeon said I wasn't a good surgical candidate because of Prednisone.