Date set For 2 level Spinal Fusion and laminectomy!

**Rebecca** · 03-20-2010, 01:18 PM

So I decided to have the surgery...well my husband may have made the final decision! I am going with my original doctor. May 11th he is going to do a laminectomy and fuse S1-L5 and L5-L4. I have found peace in this decision as much as I can. I feel like there is a light at the end of the tunnel. My husband interrupted one of my very common calls asking him to come home because I was in so much pain by saying schedule the F@#8ing surgery we need to move on with our lives. This may sound harsh but in reality he was right. He was right to say it so bluntly this problem isn't and has not been only mine for some time. I AM SO READY TO GET RID OF THE PAIN PILLS and the constant problem of getting the right ones and enough of them and of course all their wonderful side effects! I really hope I will be able to come back here and tell everyone how much the surgery improved mine and my families life! Thanks for all the advice from everyone here!

**Justin** · 03-20-2010, 09:05 PM

Hi Rebecca,

This is great news! More than half the battle of spine issues (in my opinion, of course), is knowing when to move forward with surgery. Many Spine Patients wait and "tough out" their spine issues too long--greatly reducing the success of surgical intervention, as the degenerative cascade has done a number on their spine.

**Keano16** · 03-21-2010, 06:31 AM

So I guess this is PLIF. Have you discussed TLIF option with your surgeon?

**Rob** · 03-31-2010, 05:02 PM

I had an L4-L5-S1 fusion on the 15th of this month and am now in the recovery process. My doctor / surgeon took an Anterior / Posterior approach. If I can help or answer any questions please feel free to ask away...

Regards,

Rob

**ajj1001** · 03-31-2010, 05:09 PM

Originally Posted by Rebecca

My husband interrupted one of my very common calls asking him to come home because I was in so much pain by saying schedule the F@#8ing surgery we need to move on with our lives. This may sound harsh but in reality he was right. He was right to say it so bluntly this problem isn't and has not been only mine for some time. I AM SO READY TO GET RID OF THE PAIN PILLS

Its good when you reach a point that surgery becomes the obvious choice. I'm nearly 1 year post posterior fusion (though not fused) so ask away with anything that I might be a be able to help with.

**Rebecca** · 03-31-2010, 10:10 PM

Hey Rob and Allison,

I am very interested in the details right now of recovery. Rob, I understand you are just starting ( I hope everything went well with the surgery and you are off to a good start) but I would still like to know any details your willing to share! Allison any details, tips, suggestions will be greatly appreciated.
I have heard and read the first few weeks are the best you will feel because there is still numbing stuff from the surgery lingering around is that true? How much time do you spend kinda sleepy and out of it

after the surgery or are you pretty with it right away.
I keep having nightmares that I am going to wake up during the surgery

! I am really nervous to say the least.
Thanks!
Rebecca

**scduggan** · 03-31-2010, 10:22 PM

Dear Rebecca,
Congratulations on getting a date.

Hopefully May 11th will get here soon. I think you will probably feel more peaceful as the date approaches. Nothing like a little tough love from the Hub, huh? You will do REALLY WELL! My only advice is to realize it will kick your butt for a while.....but you will MAKE IT THROUGH.

I am keeping you and your family in my thoughts and prayers.

CD

**Rebecca** · 03-31-2010, 11:33 PM

Originally Posted by scduggan

Dear Rebecca,
Congratulations on getting a date.

Hopefully May 11th will get here soon. I think you will probably feel more peaceful as the date approaches. Nothing like a little tough love from the Hub, huh? You will do REALLY WELL! My only advice is to realize it will kick your butt for a while.....but you will MAKE IT THROUGH.

I am keeping you and your family in my thoughts and prayers.

CD

Thanks CD! I have been thinking about you! How are you doing? Is everything going as good as it can for you??

**ajj1001** · 04-01-2010, 03:28 AM

Originally Posted by Rebecca

Allison any details, tips, suggestions will be greatly appreciated.
I have heard and read the first few weeks are the best you will feel because there is still numbing stuff from the surgery lingering around is that true? How much time do you spend kinda sleepy and out of it

after the surgery or are you pretty with it right away.
I keep having nightmares that I am going to wake up during the surgery

! I am really nervous to say the least.
Thanks!
Rebecca

I didn't have any numbing stuff injected during surgery so didn't have anything lingering afterwards. However I got my pain relief sorted so was pretty comfortable for the first couple of days. I've never known anyone who woke up during surgery, the nightmare will be because of anxiety about the op which is completely normal. No one wants to have surgery, you'll be fine.

Find out how limited your movements will be post op and get your house set up for this. I moved stuff I used to shelves that wouldn't involve stretching or bending. I had things in my bedroom for making a hot drink and snacks, easy clothes to put on, slip on shoes etc. I wasn't allowed to twist or bend which took some getting used to but I managed to remember most of the time. A bit of preparation now will make things alot better post op.

**Rob** · 04-01-2010, 09:21 AM

Hi Rebecca,

Like Allison, I didn't have a nerve block injected during surgery so as far as I know there wasn't any lingering numbness. The REALLY important part of post op pain control is to find the right medication and level of medication to make you comfortable. Sounds like you're unfortunately already well versed at this. While still in the hospital (3 nights) I was on a pain pump with 'dolotin' (sp?). This is the wonder drug for pain!!!

If you have a self administering pain pump you'll have a button (similar to Jeopardy contestants) that you push when ever you want more meds. The button is connected to a pump and automatically administers the meds through your IV. The pump is controlled / programmed and will only allow you to receive a prescribed amount of the meds no matter how many times you push the button. Dolotin is really strong and the only three negatives are:

i) you don't want to break away from it when it's time to ween yourself off of it
ii) you don't remember most of what anyone says to you while you're on it.
iii) you don't receive any meds while your asleep. I learned to push the button every time I would wake up.

The REALLY good thing is that it works!

The day before leaving the hospital the nurse weened me off of the dolotin:^ They switched me to oral (pills) Oxycodone '10-325', generic for 'Percocet' (10mg of Oxycodone with 325mg of acetiminophine). I stayed on this for about 5 days.

It was a bit difficult sleeping at night. The posterior (back) incision and stitches made it feel like I was laying on top of something making me uncomfortable. I asked for something to help me get to sleep and they prescribed Ambian, for which I've taken before due to back pain and not being able to sleep. This did the trick. One Percocet and one ambian just before going to bed. This would keep me a sleep for ~4-hours. Then one or two percocets when I'd wake up in the middle of the night and that would help me sleep for another 2-3 hours.

I switched off of Percocet after ~six days to Hydrocodone, generic for Norco (10-325). This is quite a bit less intensive than Percocet and I've been on it since, ~10 days to date. I take this ~ every 4-hours. I'm still taking one ambian every night to get to slepp, along with the Norco.

The pain isn't that bad and I would describe it as mostly discomfort with some pain from timie to time during the day.

I started taking two short 10 minute walks the day after getting home (3/19). I've continued the walks and am now at about 20 minutes twice a day. I could go longer but get some lower back pain due to the posterior incision through the muscles. It continues to get better and I'll continue to extend the duration of the walks as it does. The walking is really important as it pumps the blood and strenghens your muscles. They REALLY want you to walk as it helps prevent blood clots and speeds up your recovery.

They had be doing breathing exercisizes as well. They gave me a Hunson 'Voldyne 2500' aparatus. It looks like an acrylic toy with a plastic piston and a hose. You put you mouth over the hose and watch the piston rise when you exhale. It's pretty easy and keeps your lungs clear. I did this for ~9 days after coming home.

They don't want you to do any bending, lifting or twisting, 'BLT' as they say. I'm not supposed to pick up anything heavier than 5 lbs, other than a gallon of milk whcih is ~8 1/2 lbs. The want you to take it easy and not do anything. Really boring, as reflected by the length of this response!!!

Along with Allison's recommendtions:

i) Your should get a raised toilet seat with hand rails (~$50 insurance covered mine - home medical supply store) - this is rediculously important. It's really difficult to sit down and get up without bending you back. I'm in relatively good shape as I was doing ~140 push-ups and 150 crunches every day for the past 10 years so it's not just for convelecense!

ii) You should get a 'picker' or 'reacher' or 'grabber' (~$20 Walgreens or a home medical supply store). This is a stick 18-24" long with a pinching hand on one end and a trigger on the oter end. This is imparitive if you don't have someone walking behind you all day to pick up what ever you drop and can't bend to retrieve.

iii) Fnd yourself a comfortable chair with arms to sit in. You need the arms to lower and raise your self in and out of it.

My first doctor visit was last Friday to remove the stables from the anterior incision. Absolutly no pain associated with removing the staples, and they didn't numb anything. My next doctor visit, the first formal visit, is during the first week in May, six weeks after surgery.

Rebecca let me know if you want more details of the hospital post op stuff, or the surgery. I really have nothing to do and don't mind. I don't want to overwelm you with information that you may not want or need to hear.

Out of curiosity is your surgery going to be posterior or anterior & posterior? What will they be using for the fusion (bone, BMP, other)?

Regards,

Rob