Experience of spinal fusion recovery? (ALIF)

[Wishiwasrunning2]

I'm booked in for this surgery.

My DH and I have been invited to a wedding the following weekend. Surgery on the Wednesday, wedding on the Saturday.

He is insisting that he will still attend the wedding (overnight 4hrs away) without me, we have 3DC aged 5-10 and my nephew (18) was going to babysit.

Will I be in a fit state to care for DC and myself with assistance of nephew or is this going to be too difficult? I know it's major surgery, and I'm quite worried about what state I'll be in 3 days after.

Anyone had experience of this?

@LifeBeginsNow wow that's a lot to take in, you must be shaken up.

I'm sure you are in the best hands and you'll be well looked after.

I cannot believe they didn't take your pain seriously, that's so awful, I'm sure you're feeling pretty angry about that!

Well tomorrow is the day. I'm very nervous and haven't been able to ask many questions yet.

In the paperwork I was given, it mentioned some pre-meds I can ask for. I think I will as I'm nill by mouth and not allowed to take anything from 6am. Plus it says it helps to relax as well as pain relief.

I'm scared for myself and worried about everyone else. I don't like having to be a burden again and I'm getting anxious about not being able to do things myself. It's for the best though and I'm hoping my quality of life will improve drastically!

Good luck!!

Of course you're nervous. Does it help if you just try to think of the benefits and how much better life will be, rather than 'the journey'?

That's what I'm trying to do, and it helps a bit.

I'm counting down, 15 days to go, tramadol not touching the pain and I feel so sick!! Just want to be normal again.

@LifeBeginsNow I had midazolam as a pre med. felt like being tipsy without the nausea etc, I just laughed a lot
Asked for as much anti sickness as they could give me too (I'm phobic) and they did. I was eating a two course meal about 2hrs after while the nurses went "most people aren't hungry"

Since I posted, I've had a phone call to cancel. I'd sent an email with some questions because it's been such a whirlwind I haven't had chance to ask many. The consultant felt it best to postpone and see me before its rescheduled.

I've pleaded and cried down the phone but hes refused. I cant stop crying. I got myself so psyched up and prepared and now I have to wait. I cant cope with this. It hurts so bad right now and the idea of trying to go back to work for the next 2-3 weeks is horrible. My poor boy knows something is going on and now hes going to be messed around again.

Life I'm so sorry to hear that. I'm not sure why they've cancelled on you because you asked some questions? it must be very upsetting.

I really hope they get back in touch with a new date or appointment so you can start planning and preparing yourself again.

@LifeBeginsNow I hope you are re-booked or have already had your surgery and you are on road to recovery.

UPDATE: I had my (ALIF) fusion 6 days ago the op went very well. As predicted it was very difficult to get on top of my post op pain as I was so used to strong opiates. Anaesthetist got involved and whacked up to next level of opiates (I'm so grateful to that man) I was comfortable enough by day 3 to get out of bed and walk to the other side of the room, sit for 5 mins and back in bed.

Did physio stairs on day 4 and went home. Since home I've been mostly resting, can use the stairs reasonably comfortably, pain is managed well. I can sit for about 15 mins, have quick showers with someone nearby. So it's been better than I thought it would be but sometimes you always think the worst.

The anaesthetist and surgeons were faultless in their care, I felt very safe. Nurses were a mixed bag, some were amazing, two were actually mean and uncaring, I made a complaint about them.

If anyone else is due to have this op I wish you the very best, already I can walk better and wake in less pain than pre-surgery so that's amazing for me.

Wow that's amazing news! You got out very quickly too - I've been quoted 7-8 days. I'm loving the comment that your pain is already better so it's well worth the operation!

Still not heard a date for mine as the consultant is going on holiday. Should be early next month but I'm on tenterhooks waiting for the letter.

I had PLIF surgery 5 years ago and I'm so pleased I did. I had hoped to have ALIF like you OP but it was ruled out after the MRI. ALIF did sound great though. Hopefully your recovery will be quicker as a result. I do have a wonderfully impressive scar from my waist to my bum which I wouldn't have had with ALIF

I was in hospital for 2 nights and I think I should probably have stayed an extra night but I wanted to come home. During the early days of my recovery it was the nerve pain which hurt like hell, rather than my back. Some days the only thing I could do was walk around in circles endlessly. I also found that I was so tired that I was sleeping as much as 16 hours a day for the first month or so.

I had hoped to go back to my [sedentary] job after 3 weeks but I ended up doing a phased return to work over 8 weeks from 4 weeks post op to 12 weeks and then the next few months working exclusively from home. This worked really well for me. I remember some days laying on my front stretched out in bed with my laptop on the floor working. I wouldn't have been able to do this in the office!

I know it's a well worn phrase but having the PLIF surgery really did allow me to get my life back. I hope yours is as successful OP. Good luck

@YogaDrone that's great that your op was so successful. Looking at your username can you now do yoga? I used to love it but now thinking it won't be possible.

Having had a great first 10 days or so I've now hit a pain plateau, where it's manageable on my pain meds but I can't drop any. Doing one 15 min walk per day.

My original plan was to return to work at 3.5 weeks too. I'm now thinking that this is probably a little over optimistic as I still need to spend a good proportion of the day lying down.

I'm sleeping A LOT but think that's good as it's healing time.

One bonus is I've grown one inch! Wasn't expecting that!!

@Wishiwasrunning2 I'm not as good at yoga as I was before the surgeon fused three vertebra together but I do find it therapeutic and I think it does help to regain some flexibility. For about 9 months I couldn't touch my toes at all (before the op I could put my hands flat down on the floor between my feet) but now I can easily touch my toes. I did discuss my back op with my yoga instructor before returning to classes and she was very yogic about it and just said to join in with what was comfortable and take it very easy.

If you have grown an inch it sounds as it yours was a huge success and your surgeon has managed to pack the disc space with lots of lovely new bone marrow and blood! Mine wasn't as successful and I lost 3cm because when the surgeon removed the two discs he wasn't able to get the cages between the vertebra and instead had to pack them around the sides. I'm not worried about that though as I was 5'10" before so I'm actually happy with my new height

Don't return to work until you feel up to it and when you do try and do it on a phased in basis. This is what my GP recommended and my employers are happy to facilitate this. Rest and sleep are certainly what you need. Your body is putting tons of energy into creating new bone and healing itself. Take the pain meds for as long as you need them - don't be a martyr! You'll get there but it's a marathon, not a sprint (there isn't an emoji for "barf inducing play on OPs username" )

Ha ha!! Thanks for the pun. Running is something the hospital physio thinks I'll be able to do again. It's a big part of my life so I'm thrilled about building up to that in 6 months time.

I got the extra inch due to a titanium implant in place of my disc rather than a cage, just one level fused so perhaps I will get back to yoga too. Sounds like you've done brilliantly.

I've noticed I have to get used to the subtle change in my gait as I now have a 'standard' shaped spine and the slight extra height. It's quite fun! 

So patience, pain meds and positivity... now I'm doing it! 

@LifeBeginsNow Sending positive vibes to you too

I wish you well Wishiwasrunning2

I think the core exercises are really important to build your strength back up. Before my PLIF I couldn't lift anything heavier than a couple of kilos from ground level and, as a result, I had started to compensate for my lack of lower back strength by using my shoulder and arms muscles instead. This was a habit that I found hard to break and even now - nearly 6 years on - I still mentally tell myself that I can use my back to lift things (a washing basket full of wet clothes is an everyday example of something I simply couldn't lift prior to my PLIF). So I find myself actively tightening my core muscles when I lift something from the ground. Before I had my "bionic back" (as my son calls it) to take washing out of the machine I would have to position a low stool near the washing machine, put the basket under the washing machine door, sit on the floor to empty the wet clothes into the basket. I would then lift the basket onto the low stool using the strength in my upper body. Get up off the floor to standing and then pick up the basket. It was a bit of a palaver!

After the op and the initial healing period I started to see a physio who recommended me to a pilates class specifically for people who were either about to have, or had just had, lower back surgery. I found that VERY hard, painful and quite frustrating and I only did one 6 week course. I swapped back to yoga and concentrated on rebuilding the core strength I'd lost over the years which I think helped me more. Perhaps my return to strength took longer as a result but I had years of habit to unlearn too and I needed to do that slowly.

I envy your titanium implant

Oh yes, ones gait certainly changes. DP told me that walking behind me prior to the op was like walking behind a drunk elephant! I sort of rolled from side to side as I walked. He only used this analogy after the operation though or I would have sat on him with my elephantine butt

For me it has been an absolute wonder operation (and the washing gets done more quickly too!) I hope it's as successful for you.

I have a date - 2nd July! Cant wait (in a weird way). Theres been some messing around with dates as I need a certain team apparently.

Do you think I'll be up to walking what would be a 20-30min normal walk around 2 weeks later or am I asking for too much?

I'm two weeks and a day since my op. I have built up to 20 min walks as of yesterday. I know we have different issues but hopefully you'll have an equally good experience. Since I got up on the 3rd day (took that long as they struggled to get pain under control!) ... each day has been better with an occasional bad day, but not many.

I can't wait for my follow up with the surgeon, I want to shake his hand and thank him so much for giving me my life back. This is huge for me my family, my marriage, my kids.

I understand your stress about dates. I needed two surgeons and when I got my date it was 5 weeks away I think that was nearly my lowest point, as you have a fix... just not yet. Take one day at a time, you will get there.

Hope you're still seeing continued improvement. That's really good that you are walking a decent amount already. I'm looking forward to being able to sleep and get comfy again, it's been years since I've slept more than a few hours in my bed.

@LifeBeginsNow yes still getting improvements. Wednesday (3wks post op) I walked 10k steps, I couldn't believe it, that is certainly my limit though and I wouldn't want to do it every day. You can't rush things and everyone is different, heals at different speeds. It's a rollercoaster, good days and bad days, but all the days are still better than before the op. I slept through at about 10 days post op, didn't wake for painkillers. It was hard learning to get to sleep without the opioids but my body adjusted over time.

I've found ice packs very helpful as pain relief, I like the fact that it's not medication and can take the edge off when the pain is just niggling.

Really hope you're coping with the build up to the op. I am so impressed by the professionalism of the doctors at the hospital, these people really are at the top of their game and gave me confidence, their skills are amazing. Best of luck and let us know how you get on?

@LifeBeginsNow how are you getting on? Hope everything went smoothly.

I'm still in due to a complication. The tumor had mushroomed and as a result damaged the cord. I've been on flat bed rest for 2 weeks and I'm now allowed to start sitting up a bit. Providing I don't get any headaches (which would indicate a CSF leak) I will be allowed to sit on the end of the bed monday.
The wound itself has been fine though and it seems ok. Just want to go home.

Oh dear that's not what I was hoping to hear! At least you've got the op out of the way but you must be so bored!!

I really hope you get home soon and start on your recovery.

I've had a lot of pain this week but the physio is not surprised. He said that even if I was 7month post op he still wouldn't be surprised!! Still have to rein myself back in from doing too much each day, we are off on holiday soon so I won't have my job to contend with. I'm so tired and sore at the end of the working week.