Just rambling about my back surgery

[mikey]

I can relate, I have degenerative disc disease.
Have had 3 back surgeries so far, L5-S1 and L3-L4 twice.
Currently off work with back pain. Looking at another round of epidural spinal injections trying to prevent a multi-disc fusion operation.
Lost count, but think I've had upwards of 20+ spinal injections so far over the years.

Get the fusion done, Jimmy. It will change your life for the better. Epidurals are simply anti-inflammatory shots that have a 50% chance of doing anything, and even then they are a temporizing attempt at best. If your vertebrae are subluxing, a fusion will fix it.

Yes, I am an MD. Yes, I've had laminectomies, foraminotomies and a lumbar fusion. You will lose a little bit of your range of motion but the pain will resolve in the vast majority of cases. Your call, of course.

 

[JPigg55]

I've considered it, but idea of fusing the bottom 4 discs in my back doesn't sound appealing.
That and as a long time smoker, most of the specialized surgeons won't touch me until I quit.

 

[woodchucker]

I feel for you man, pain is something I understand. I have beaten my body up badly over the years, motorcycle accidents, sports tears, arthritis. I keep hoping I can swap bodies before it gets unbearable.
Ok seriously, I feel you pain, but not as badly as you are feeling. Hope you get better.

 

[mikey]

I've considered it, but idea of fusing the bottom 4 discs in my back doesn't sound appealing.
That and as a long time smoker, most of the specialized surgeons won't touch me until I quit.

True, smoking impairs healing. Guess you have some decisions to make.

 

[ee-lee]

I had L2, L3, and L4 fused in 2007. I toughed it out for almost 20 years, the dumbest thing I've ever done! I had the surgery and was walking up and down stairs with no pain the next day. If your quality of life has declined to the point you are not doing the things you enjoy as I was you have very little to lose. Those surgeries are not like they used to be, bad results are very rare.

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[Groundhog]

I had L2, L3, and L4 fused in 2007. I toughed it out for almost 20 years, the dumbest thing I've ever done! I had the surgery and was walking up and down stairs with no pain the next day. If your quality of life has declined to the point you are not doing the things you enjoy as I was you have very little to lose. Those surgeries are not like they used to be, bad results are very rare.

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I have to agree. I wish I'd had the surgery a year or more ago. I had been laying on the couch all day eating pain pills for over a year. Today no pills and the only thing that is keeping me from being completely active is the doctors caution to be very careful (no BLTs - bending, lifting or twisting) for at least 6 weeks. And I've only been out of surgery 10 days.