Spinal Fusion

[Whitehorses67]

Has anyone had a spinal fusion?
I have very advanced degenerative disc disease, l4/l5/s1 is bone on bone, no disc height left.
My consultant has talked about spinal fusion and I wanted to ask about people's experience of this please?
Did it cure your pain?
Improve mobility? Can you sit for longer?
What was recovery like?
Are you glad you had it done?

My surgeon said not to get it done as the degeneration just goes to the next vertebrae and your whole back gets ruined.

I had nerve ablation and it has helped massively.

I've had spinal decompression, which was confusingly referred to as fusion in the info I was given post op. The operation was to insert metal rods and pins in my spine to decompress it around a vertebra which collapsed due to cancer. If this is what your surgeon is suggesting to you I'd be happy to share my experience.

Yes please. He has referred to this as spinal decompression too.

Yes, my surgeon did tell me that can happen but I am housebound, often bedbound so needs must.
I feel that I can’t worry about smoke in the distance when there is a fire right in front of me.

As I said in my pp, I have cancer in some lumbar vertebrae, found out after I was unable to walk or sit due to excruciating pain. The decompression surgery was my only option really. I had surgery in December 2023 and although recovery took time I had immediate relief in terms of pain and was able to sit, stand and walk again.

In September 2024 I started to get more pain again and it was because one of the rods had broken and one of the metal screws had come loose. I've just had surgery again 2 weeks ago, had more metalwork put in this time. I was walking again the next day, gradually building up stamina now and the pain from the operation has almost completely subsided.

It's scary surgery and it takes a while to recover from, but if your pain is so bad you can't function them it is an absolute game changer. I have no regrets.

Hi
Had several spinal fusions ops.
If you want to DM happy to talk through my experience

@SewingBees thank you for telling me all of that.
I have cancer myself, although that isn't the issue with my spine.
I have lost years of enjoying my life through misdiagnosis of my mobility issue and I don't know how many years I will have left so I want to try and make the most of them by being able to walk, stand and sit.
Fingers crossed we both have many better years ahead.

Thank you, I will do that.

I had this 15 years ago. My fusion used a cadaver bone. It took 4 months to recover and be able to go back to work but it was definitely a very good thing. I have arthritis through out my body but the surgery did not then affect the disc above.