fusion of vertebrae in the lower back

[Lilacroses]

My poor Dp has been struggling with back issues for sometime now. Her consultant has said he thinks the best option is to fuse the vertebrae. Obviously she wants to get better but this sounds like major surgery and she is apprehensive about it. Has anyone got any experience of this op? If so could you possibly tell us what the outcome was and how long it took to recover? Thank you!

I had a fusion 18 months ago after trying umpteen other methods to get rid of the pain. It is major surgery, and I didn't make the decision lightly (understatement). However I have had a fantastic result and am now mostly pain-free, although I am having physio for the deconditioned muscles on the affected side. The recovery is quite long, I needed help around the house and to look after my children for 4 or 5 weeks and still took things slowly and was very tired for a while after.

there is a back pain thread that your DP might want to come over and have a chat on. I will find the link and post. I am in a similar position to your DP in that my neurosurgeon is considering fusion, or is asking me to consider it, following a not quite so successful discectomy for a prolapsed disc (I have a slight misalignment of my vertebrae which has likely caused the prolapsed disc and the possible new prolapse that is not yet confirmed).