Spine Lumbar fusion surgery

Posted by CIS @cis, Mar 13, 2019

I had lumbar spine fusion surgery 12 days ago. Has anyone else had this surgery?

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@mmader

The new post-op pain I wrote about finally got better, but I don't think the right side rod and screws are placed as good as the left. I can't feel the left at all, no matter what I do, even at rest after being active. I get tight muscle reaction more so on the right when I'm on feet too long at a time. My right hamstring still tightens up. Like standing at the kitchen sink bending forward just a bit (even though I'm leaning against the cabinet), causes a reaction after a few minutes. Doing just minor core strength exercises causes irritation where the internal scars must be on the right side. I'm always trying positions and movements that will accomplish the same, but anything for abs I feel after on my right side. I haven't had any bad events since like I wrote about 2 years ago with the twisting, but I'm more careful after recovering from that, and it took awhile. By spring 2020, I was moving better and doing more post-op as much as I am now. Fortunately, I can tolerate some pain, but wish I didn't have to. I can go a lot farther and complete more tasks if I alternate doing what I can sitting down vs. what definitely requires standing. I try to avoid bending over to pick anything up, like it's just way better to sit on a bucket and pick up a full bucket as I'm standing, which is what I learned to do for years before the surgery. Still no firm answers for my chronic fatigue after 3 GPs and 3 specialists (RA, sleep, migraines) running every kind of test, so I'm leaning toward it being all "in my head" -- literally being because of chronic sinus drainage that I discovered recently can relate to chronic fatigue, so I have an ENT appointment soon. If I could deal with the chronic fatigue I would probably be pushing my back a lot more.

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Glad to hear you're better.
Your muscular response to physical demand such as standing sound a bit like mine. My butt and hamstring tighten up when the nerves are stimulated. I have strength deficit in my glute and in some of my core stabilizing muscles. I work with a PT to improve this with the hope that as the muscles “turn on”, I will have less muscle cramping and be able to do more for longer without having to constantly sit or lay down to let the muscles relax.

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I had rods in my lower spine about 4 years ago & wish I had never had it done as the pain is worse than ever, even after lots of physical therapy, medication & shots in the area since surgery. I guess I’ll just have to learn to live with the pain the rest of my life.

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@grameed

I had rods in my lower spine about 4 years ago & wish I had never had it done as the pain is worse than ever, even after lots of physical therapy, medication & shots in the area since surgery. I guess I’ll just have to learn to live with the pain the rest of my life.

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Good afternoon @grameed. Unfortunately....as we age, we have to learn to tolerate more discomfort. I am now in love with distractions. Music, walking, exploring, listening, feeding and training my chipmunks, learning bird sounds, having Zoom bed parties with my grandchildren, helping someone else.'

Almost anything except planning meals, shopping for meals and cooking meals helps. I am done in the kitchen. It makes the pain worse and I complain more. So, my loving life partner would rather do it himself than listen to me moan and groan.

What distractions work for you?

May you have happiness and the causes of happiness?
Chris

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