Spianl Fusion = anyone had it done?

[StripeyKnickersSpottySocks]

I've had back/disc problems for 10 years now. My last consultant wrote me off 3 years ago after trying steriod injections, etc. He said the only option left was surgery which he didn't want to do as he didn't feel the pain was bad enough.

The pain has now got worse and I saw a new consultant last week. He's sending me for another MRI scan so they have an up to date one. He says if the scan confirms there is a problem with the disc which my pain suggests there is a problem with (S1 nerve) then there are surgical options that can be taken.

I should get my MRI in the next 5 weeks. I'm hoping they do agree to surgery this time as the pain is really getting me down, but at the same time I'm scared.

bump

sorry you are having such a tough time. being in constant pain is just awful, tiring, debilitating, yuck

my dh had spinal surgery when i was pg with ds1 (just over 4 years ago now). am pretty sure it was a fusion but he is out at his christmas party so can't check right now. in truth the surgery was very unpleasant but the recovery was much faster than expected and he is doing ok now (complete with impressive scar across his throat (they went in from the front...)

we are going away on thurs but would be happy to ask him anything you might want to know before we go.

My mum had a fusion done about 4 years ago, and it was really, really successful. She was in hospital for about 3 days, and then was restricted in what she could do for a few weeks, but she had been in so much pain it was well worth it. Her scar is only about 4 cm long - it was a lumbar operation, but can't remember which vertebrae.

Unfortunatly now another bit of her spine has gone, and they can't operate on this part, which she is really upset about

Thanks for the replies. I'd be interested in knowing how long it was before your DH/mum was able to drive. This is worrying me as DD's school is 3 miles away.

I'm hoping as mine is lumbar region that I won't get a scar on my throat!

I was reading after the op that you might have to spend a couple of days in Intensive Care. This freaked me out, did this happen for you?

Thanks again.

I think it was a few weeks - she was quite restricted on sitting positions, and had to spend quite a lot of time flat on her back too in the first weeks. It was quite restrictive, so you'd need help with children and housework

Mum didn't go to intensive care at all - straight back to the ward.

I'm sure that intensive care is more "normal" for neck surgery than lower back due to the risk of swelling affecting the airway.

I can cope with a few weeks flat on my back with no housework. Will stock up on chocs and DVDs.

I'm trying to see the positive side of things.

I need to go and see my GP now as work have said they don't want me to come into work while I'm taking Tramadol. They don't think I'm very safe so want me to get signed off - do you think the GP will sign me off 'cos work have said so?

Hi there, I had a bulging disc at L5/S1 constant back pain and eventually leg pain to knee right side and to toe on left leg so unbeleivably miserable couldn't imagine the rest of my life like that. Had physio,epidural injection lived on tramadol and only 31yrs.

I however had a disc replacement in febuary this year. It was a huge op they go in through the stomach and the recovery has been long. I went back to work after 12 weeks have full mobility, still have some aching especially when it's wet weather but my life is unreconisable to this time last year. I run, pick up my toddler started ice skating lessons do 10 hour shifts as a theatre nurse lifting standing bending etc and can still go out of an evening. All on the occassional paracetamol and I'm still improving.

I know with a fusion you lose flexibility and the disc either side of the fusion degenerates over time. That is why surgeons are so reluctant to operate as once they start it can lead to more need for future surgery. Alway explore all your options before going with surgery and it never hurts to get a second opinion I'd been told 'at my age just go away and live with it'

I don't know your history so don't know if anything else would be an option but do your research. Spinal surgery has given me my life back and I'd do it all again but it was a big decision and battle to get it

best of luck

Babalon - you sound like me! My bulging disc is in the same place as yours and I'm in my early 30s. Pain down my left leg and into 3 of my toes.

Last consultant told me to live it and this new guy is my 2nd opinion. Last consultant said only option left was spinal fusion but he didn't think I was in enough pain. I sat there and sobbed infront of him when he said that.

He never mentioned disc replacement. Actually the new guy hasn't mentioned anything more specific than "possible surgery". I just assumed it would be spinal fusion because of what the last one said. Replaceing a disc sounds better though.

I've had the epidural injections which didn't do anything. Currently doped up on Tramadol (does you ever stop feeling so spaced out on it by the way). I work as a midwife so plenty of lifting, bending, standing.

My god we could be back problem twins!!!!

I would be very reluctant to go with a fusion then. Disc replacement relatively new long term results still un known but so far they are lasting well over 10 yrs in america. The other kinds of surgery would be decompressions to sort the nerves out but that doesn't help with the disc bulge. Or I think Caging/ stablisation was mentioned to me.
Read up all you can on the disc replacement I know our age with mainly back pain but some leg pain is the main critera for being a good candidate. Then present your info to the surgeon saying you are at the end of your tether, life being ruined etc. Take your partner or someone sles who will fight your corner. I don't how many hospital are offering replacements but as you know you can be asked to be refered anywhere. My op was done by Mr Shad and University hospital coventry and Warwickshire.

Like I said been a long road but so worth it
Keep intouch and more questions I'd be happy to help. Would have loved someone to talk to who'd been through it all before I did

I'm begging to feel a bit more positive for the first time in ages after reading your post. Maybe this disc replacement was about when I saw the last consultant 3 years ago. I really hope there is light at the end of the tunnel.

I've been at work tday, unable to have any tramadol and am now in agony. I'm meant to be on a late tomorrow but I'm going to see my GP and tell him that I can't carry on, just hoping he takes me seriously. My boss saw me today and was shocked I was at work, as she said to me you only have one back and you need to look after it.

Maybe the consultant will take me more seriously if I'm off sick as well rather than if I'm gritting my teeth and carrying on.

I had a lumbar disc protrusion 2 years ago, which I struggled on with for a while with physio etc.
In my case having tried to avoid any surgery at all( was terrified) I ended up having a microdiscectomy which has been fantastic. Worked reasonably hard at post op exercise, walking for 30 minutes a day & then physio to build up fitness. After 6 months I went skiing again & I no longer think of myself as someone with a bad back!
Best advice I had was to see a neurosurgeon for it rather than an orthopaedic surgeon & I did some research on who the best surgeon in our area to see.

www1 - that sounds very positive, I really hope that one day I can think of myself as someone who doesn't have a bad back. I will ask about a neurosurgeon rather than an orthopedic surgeon. Its an orthopod I saw last week.

The GP has just signed me off for 4 weeks. Which I'm glad about as I'm in so much pain I can't cope with work now. Just hoping that it will be sorted soon as my boss did not sound too chuffed! I'm scared if its not sorted soon then work will tell me to leave on health grounds.

I was lucky that I had private health insurance & was able to push to see the specific surgeon. I think without insurance my GP was just going to refer me to the pain clinic for pain management, which is fine but.... I think it is really important to find out what the exact problem is, so it is good you are going for another MRI scan.
I had a really good physio who put up with me bursting into tears when I found out surgery was needed & he had a good relationship with the surgeon so helped me feel confident I was being seen by the best person.
The neurosurgeon was also rated by a friend who is an orthopaedic surgeon & similarly by a colleague's husband who had seen him. My medic friend basically told me out of the list of surgeons which he would recommend in order.
I think that helped a lot.
I see from your post you are a midwife so maybe you can ask around any medic contacts. Whereabouts are you?
Hope you can make some progress as 10 years is a long time with back pain. I count myself as very lucky to have only had a year or so problem & then to get pretty well sorted out. Occasionally get a bit stiff in lumbar area but no pain & still have a slight lack of sensation on my right big toe but I am very happy with that. ( Although this thread has reminded me I really need to get back to the gym more regularly!)

Also meant to say my physio was of the opinion that too many people have had spinal fusions in the past & not always the best thing in all cases.
He was very much in favour of the microdiscectomy as it is relatively non-invasive , basically as I understand it an incision in your lumbar area , parting the muscles & then just grabbing the chunk of bulging disc that is causing the problem. And post-op the surgeon said my disc bulge was much bigger in reality than the scan had shown.(My main problem was sciatic pain with it & my body countered the pain by a ridiculous S shaped position as soon as I walked for more than 5 minutes.)
Obviously it depends on your underlying pathology but certainly worth asking about it. Post op recovery was pretty good - had to stay in for 3 days as an occasional complication is a leak of CSF fluid, whereupon you have to lie flat for those days for it to settle. Other than that I was back home & started walking daily & building up. Couldn't drive for 6 weeks but think that is just standard policy after an op.It was a nuisance but copeable & well worth it as previously the sciatica could make it very hard to drive at all.
Hope this helps - as the other poster said it is good to hear about other experiences and at the time it is so hard to know what to do. I certainly wish I had gone for the surgery sooner but I really was terrified by the prospect of it.

ditto www1 about neuro surgern not ortho especially if heading for a disc replacement. I payed for a private consultantion with my surgeon, about £180, I knew thats who did the operation it didn't push me up the list but did make him more aware of me iykwim. In the end I'd been having back pain for 2.5 yrs and reached the end of my pain tolerance in relation to work. I'd been holding on for a op date but went over the 18 weeks wait i'd been promised and just had a melt down.Went off sick on the friday made appointment with occy health on the monday and said I wouldn't be back until I was fixed. Meanwhile my husband wrote to our mp about the 18 week breach who, in turn wrote to the chief excecutive of the trust. My op was done 1 month from when I went off sick. I guess what i'm trying to say is use every resourse available to you and make a 'informed' fuss. if you are not in their face they can forget you.
Thinking of you x

Thanks for all this advice, its very helpful.

I've got a list of some neurosurgeon consultants at the big teaching hospital near here. Queen's Medical Centre at Nottingham. There aren't neurosuregons at the local hospital which is where the orthopod I'm seeing is.

I'm going to wait till I've had my MRI done in the next few weeks and then email one of them and ask for a private consultation. I'm hoping they'd be able to use my MRI from the other hospital and go from there. I can't pay privately for the operation but they should put me on an NHS list once they've seen me shouldn't they?

Herbie - what are the initials of the spinal surgeon you see and would you recommend them? I'm trying to decide which one to pick!

I've also emailed someone I know who works at QMC as a shoulder surgeon so hoping he might be able to recommend someone.

Right, I've worked out who MG is so he's on my list of potential people.

So QMC seems to have Spinal surgeons who seems to be orthopeadic surgeons who specialise in spines. So who would be better a spinal surgeon or a neurosurgeon?

Sorry, I think the tramadol has taken away by ability to type a coherent sentence.

Hello.
Im having spinal fusion surgery next year, was meant to have had it in November but am currently pregnant so they put it on hold!
Mine is because of scoliosis. Im having it done at QMC too. Mr Sell is my spinal surgeon who will be doing the 2 ops and I also will have a neurosurgeon present because I have a split spinal cord.
He didnt say anything about having to go into IC afterwards, just that I would spend a week in hospital after the 2nd op and then if all goes well I should be back on my feet after 4 weeks.

I would of wanted to hit the consultant that said he didnt think you were in enough pain. How condescending.
I miss my codiene and tramadol (how sad is that) I cant wait to be able to take it again once ive had the baby!!