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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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If the fusion you want info on is just lumbar to SI joint, can this be titled as such?
I had a long fusion, t4 on down with SI joint fusion. First surgery (anterior) on 12/30/2025, then posterior surgery with everything else/hardware, etc. on 1/02/2026…..so I can tell you about that. First 6 weeks of pain seemed really due to SI joint fusion. Slept in a recliner instead of my bed. After that eas more pain from waist area of my back & upward. I have been off of all pain killers except Gabapentin for a good month now….snd I am weaning off that now.
At age 58, I had fusion of L4-S1 in August 2022 due to slipped discs that caused a synovial cyst. Recovery was tough because of pain in my lower left leg but found out 6 weeks in that the pain was because the hardware had moved. I had fallen the night I got home from the hospital (left leg just gave out on me and I went down on all fours. Also got Covid 2 weeks post-op so the coughing could have also contributed to hardware moving)? . Had a correction surgery 9 weeks post-op. Long story short, I did all the PT and followed all instructions and recovered well. Now, four years later, I am strong with no back pain. Because of the hardware shift I have (probably) permanent left leg numbness from below the knee through my foot. For about three years after surgery I intermittently got debilitating cramps in my left leg but this past year they have significantly decreased. I am so grateful to be free from my terrible lumbar back pain!
@marcd2k
Interesting on the locked muscle issue. As a patient it would make sense if the muscle could be manipulated to become looser. You will need to find a therapist who knows the process well; my PT works me over for about 45 minutes and she said she can feel the tightness in the back muscles. I have 4 more sessions then will see my surgeon mid June. I really don’t want a revision surgery and have to go through the long rehab again.
I’ll turn 79 in July and would very much like to lead a reduced pain life before I have to do the dirt nap!
@zekeman1947 Thank you for writing. I've been to several PTs, two different ones this year. The one I was working with up until a couple of weeks ago (insurance only approves 24 visits, all done for the year already) was a specialist in scoliosis treatment. The therapist would dig into the muscles, and stated they feel a little looser during manipulation, however, that only lasts until the next day. They never stay looser, there's no improvement overall, and there's never any relief from the pain.
I feel the same way about additional surgery, as I have not been able to fully recover from spine surgery I had about 6 months ago because of my muscles locking up and the pain it causes. I enjoyed about a year and a half of retirement before this problem started, and now it has been about three years of daily pain.