SURGERY for spinal stenosis & lumbar spinal fusion

Posted by draw @draw, Apr 15 9:58pm

In the near future, I’m supposed to have surgery to correct my severe spinal stenosis + have lumbar spinal fusion on my L3 & L4 and my L4 & L5. Currently taking Gabapentin 3X daily. Has anyone had this surgery & how was your recovery experience? Thank you for any encouragement, advice, information, etc. you can offer.

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@sparkleberry

My first spine surgery, which included rods for L3 and L4 lasted 20years. But just this past year, when my overall health began to deteriorate, I was diagnosed with hypermobile Ehlers- Danlos Syndrome, a connective tissue disease. The old rods began to fail, and then my L5 deteriorated, setting my pain levels on fire until the day I simply could not get out of bed. Emergency surgery on L4-5 followed, with replacement of the old rods and a new one for L5. Recovery hasn’t been as easy as it was in my’50’s, but at least I can stand up and walk when I feel the need

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Thank you for your acknowledgment and support. The time lapse since the spinal fusion of L5-S1 has been almost ten years. I am wondering when the rods will wear down. After the spinal cord stimulator was placed in last year, which has been successful, the neurosurgeon who placed it in, is very communicative and responsive when I contact him. He referred me to a scoliosis neuro at the Barrow in Phoenix, and he ordered imaging. Thank goodness he ordered a CT Scan and not a MRI, as with the SCS, it is a vey laborious process when in the "tunnel". I lightly freaked out the last time, as it was to be two 30 minute sessions, and I could only handle one session. I am looking forward to seeing the specialist next month, and go from there. My curiosity and interest is what the curvature is. I am extremely active, just turned 69, and cannot think of being on the sidelines.

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@maxiandmary

I had the exact same surgery a year ago from last January and I'll tell you, in my case it almost seemed to make it worse! I'm taking 1200 mgs of gabapentin a day with not much relief. My knee joints always feel like they want to give out, my feet tingle and go numb. I still have lots of lower back pain. Not all cases are the same so maybe, hopefully, you'll have better luck!

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Welcome to Mayo Clinic Connect. Thank you for sharing your experience.

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@vikkitennis

Thank you for your acknowledgment and support. The time lapse since the spinal fusion of L5-S1 has been almost ten years. I am wondering when the rods will wear down. After the spinal cord stimulator was placed in last year, which has been successful, the neurosurgeon who placed it in, is very communicative and responsive when I contact him. He referred me to a scoliosis neuro at the Barrow in Phoenix, and he ordered imaging. Thank goodness he ordered a CT Scan and not a MRI, as with the SCS, it is a vey laborious process when in the "tunnel". I lightly freaked out the last time, as it was to be two 30 minute sessions, and I could only handle one session. I am looking forward to seeing the specialist next month, and go from there. My curiosity and interest is what the curvature is. I am extremely active, just turned 69, and cannot think of being on the sidelines.

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I love this platform I’ve learned to request mild sedation to help me relax enough to be able to endure the contortions some of those tests require. As for the rods, my neurosurgeon said the rods he put in are less likely to shift or break down due to newer materials

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@maxiandmary

I had the exact same surgery a year ago from last January and I'll tell you, in my case it almost seemed to make it worse! I'm taking 1200 mgs of gabapentin a day with not much relief. My knee joints always feel like they want to give out, my feet tingle and go numb. I still have lots of lower back pain. Not all cases are the same so maybe, hopefully, you'll have better luck!

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@maxiandmary Hello and welcome to Connect. I'm sorry your surgery didn't give you better results. Have you followed up with your surgeon about this or sought a second opinion elsewhere? Have you had any recent imaging that could define the problem?

Jennifer

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@jenniferhunter

@maxiandmary Hello and welcome to Connect. I'm sorry your surgery didn't give you better results. Have you followed up with your surgeon about this or sought a second opinion elsewhere? Have you had any recent imaging that could define the problem?

Jennifer

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Thank you! Yes, I have followed up with my surgeon but unfortunately they don't seem to have an answer! I was told to try gabapentin which doesn't do much for the pain & it seems to make my legs feel numb. Due to a heart condition I'm unable to take any other kind of pain relievers. I'm just about at my wit's end!

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I did. I had L2-L4 fusion two years ago with catastrophic results. I ended up a cripple with a permanent foot drop on my right foot and an unstable spine. It also didn't improve my back pain. At least two other surgeon told me, that revision surgery would be too dangerous and wouldn't help with neither the pain nor the foot drop. I wish I had never had spine surgery. I can no longer walk w/o a walker and I can no longer drive due to the lack of dorsiflexion of my right foot.

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@vikkitennis

Thank you for your acknowledgment and support. The time lapse since the spinal fusion of L5-S1 has been almost ten years. I am wondering when the rods will wear down. After the spinal cord stimulator was placed in last year, which has been successful, the neurosurgeon who placed it in, is very communicative and responsive when I contact him. He referred me to a scoliosis neuro at the Barrow in Phoenix, and he ordered imaging. Thank goodness he ordered a CT Scan and not a MRI, as with the SCS, it is a vey laborious process when in the "tunnel". I lightly freaked out the last time, as it was to be two 30 minute sessions, and I could only handle one session. I am looking forward to seeing the specialist next month, and go from there. My curiosity and interest is what the curvature is. I am extremely active, just turned 69, and cannot think of being on the sidelines.

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I am extremely claustrophobic but, with the help of a 10mg valium, I recently easily spent an hour in the MRI (with the helmet on, no less). Ask your doctor for help when confronting the "tunnel."

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@jimmurray

I am extremely claustrophobic but, with the help of a 10mg valium, I recently easily spent an hour in the MRI (with the helmet on, no less). Ask your doctor for help when confronting the "tunnel."

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thank you, and I appreciate your reply. The neurosurgeon who performed the SCS, ordered a CT Scan along with X-rays. He understands how laborious the MRI was for me, and if a MRI is called upon, I will take your advice.

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@jimmurray

I am extremely claustrophobic but, with the help of a 10mg valium, I recently easily spent an hour in the MRI (with the helmet on, no less). Ask your doctor for help when confronting the "tunnel."

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Why not the open mri?

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@rainerhans

I am in the same situation, just got my diagnosis and start this journey as well.
I would like to follow and hear advices,
Thank you.

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I am scheduled for lamanectomy and fusion.
Have read too many terrible post op nightmares !!
Decided to postpone surgery and investigating MILD! This stands for minimally invasive lumbar decompression. The orthopod that recommended this told me it’s maybe 50% effective but a quick and easy half step that is worth a try and Medicare covers it. I will likely try this. Check the web for MILD, pain management usually offers this. I don’t have high hopes but I see great upside and minimal downside.
Good luck and keep active doing anything that doesn’t aggravate or hurt.
Tony 78

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