How long did it take you to heal from surgery?

[KBear]

So since you had your ADR, did you do something that has set off another area in your back? You don't have anything to leak out in the area of the ADR to cause the prolapse. Have you had another MRI? What has the Dr. said? Do they feel that your ADR has failed?

Susanna

I think what Allison is saying is that even though she did not end up with permanent relief that it was very worth it to have the relief she did get. I also look at it the same way, I know that being 29 when I received my disc, there is a good chance that I"m going to need more surgery down the road. Will it be 5 years or 50 years? Who knows? But honestly, the relief I have gotten is worth it.

[Cindylou]

1. What surgery did you have? What level(s)? I will do two sets of answers as well since I have had 3 major spine surgeries. 3 artificial lumbar Prodiscs @ L3-4, L4-5, L5-6 in Germany w/ Dr. B.


2. How long were you in pain prior to surgery? I was in pain for 6 years prior to the surgery due to my bicycle accident.


3. What are your pain levels before surgery? What were you pain levels now? My pain levels prior to surgery were 10/10. About 2 years after this surgery my pain levels were at 4/10.


4. How long until you felt you had healed completely? (or reached the maximum relief you were going to get) It took me a solid 2 years to reach maximum benefit from 3 levels.


5. What percentage of improvement do you feel you received from surgery? My case is so complicated because I have had other pain issues, but I am going to estimate roughly 60-65% improvement.


6. What medication are you on? I was on pain meds for over 2 years, then off maybe 5-6 months, and back on due to other surgeries. My current medications are fentanyl pain patch 25 mg, Oxycodone 5 mg, 3 x day.Or how long into healing did you wean? (not sure if this is real clear, but trying to find out if when people report no pain, are the completely off medications or still taking medications)


7. Do you feel your surgery was a success? Yes, I do....however, I believe my facets have suffered and become more arthritic.


8. Would you have your surgery again? Yes, I was in stupid, out of control, 10/10 pain.


9. Anything that you did that you feel helped your recovery go quicker? It didn't go quickly at all. Took all of 2 years to reap the most benefit.


10. Anything that you did that you feel made your recovery take longer? I don't think it helped that my stateside surgeon following up on my Germany surgery wanted to start physical therapy sooner than Dr. B had recommended. We stopped it due to pain levels, but should never have started until 3 months post-op.


11. What was your diagnosis prior to surgery? Severe DDD 3 levels, pars defect @ L6-S1, scoliosis, in a nutshell.

I will add the other surgery tomorrow as I am fading here....time for .......

[Greg]

10. Anything that you did that you feel made your recovery take longer? I don't think it helped that my stateside surgeon following up on my Germany surgery wanted to start physical therapy sooner than Dr. B had recommended. We stopped it due to pain levels, but should never have started until 3 months post-op.


11. What was your diagnosis prior to surgery? Severe DDD 3 levels, pars defect @ L6-S1, scoliosis, in a nutshell.

I will add the other surgery tomorrow as I am fading here....time for .......

WOW CL! Did your silly ol doctor have some good reasoning why he wanted to start PT sooner than when "THE SURGEON" said to??? That just doesnt make sense at all. At least that part and the whole recovery in general is done and over with

Go catch some sleep as I am anxious to hear about the SI Fusion recovery survery. I am trying to be optimistic that my ALIF will take away the SI pain (like the dr's say "SHOULD" happen but it doesnt feel that way and I dont see any medical reason why they would or how they affect each other (except maybe for the fact my herniations are abutting the bilateral proximal S1 nerve roots and myabe that runs through the SI joint?))....of course probably way too early on to be able to tell but I've always been the type to be overpreparded versus getting caught off gaurd with a high ball to the left field

WOW....here I am telling you to go catch some sleep....now thats ironic and funny. I started typing this reply about 15-20 minutes after you posted yours, which was around 11:30 pm and now I am waking up from dozing off in my recliner on the porch at 1:30 am finsihing the reply encouraging you to catch some zzzzzzz's while I'm the one who passed out

.....to my defense this is the first cool night we've had, 83 degrees (didn't think I would be saying 83 degress was cool) with a nice heavy breeze, leaned back in the recliner, it's midnight, didnt sleep the night before b/c of a 2-10 pm nap that day......So, I think I had the perfect storm brewed up to pass out on the porch. Now if I can just get healed so I can fix the 2x5 foot hole in the screen where Joanna and I got locked out on the porch in the middle of winter (34 degrees) cell phones inside, front door locked, 1 am in the morning.....so needless to say I had to rip the screen to jump off the second floor porch to wake up a neighbor to drive me to the landlords who answered the door with a laser on my chest (that would mean a .38 special Taurus J-frame 5 shot pistol pointing at me) to get the key. Worst part is it was cold and we had planned on just walking out on the porch for a couple minutes....we werent bundled up....BRRRRRRR! I'll have to write that story up in it'd proper place since it's a great one to laugh about,

[Rob]

Re: How long did it take you to heal from surgery?

1. What surgery did you have? What level(s)? ALIF L4/L5/S1 with posterior stabilization hardware.

2. How long were you in pain prior to surgery? I was diagnosed with spondylolisthesis when I was probably 13 years old, 37 years ago! The pain has slowly gotten progressively worse over the years. I decided to have the surgery for my 50th b-day present to myself.

3. What are your pain levels before surgery? What were you pain levels now? Before surgery pain was from 3-9 depending on what day it was. If I did anything too long it would aggravate it (i.e. stand, sit, walk, lay down). I’m ~15-weeks post-op, so I’m still recovering. I believe the current pain / discomfort is from the stabilization hardware and ranges from 1-6. I’m trying to be optimistic that it will subside. However if not my surgeon explained that the hardware can be removed at the 9-12 month post-op mark if it was bothering me.

4. How long until you felt you had healed completely? (or reached the maximum relief you were going to get) Still healing. The surgeon noted that at 6-month post-op I should be able to have a preety good idea for the way I'll feel as a result of the surgery.

5. What percentage of improvement do you feel you received from surgery? I believe / hope that I’ll really be basically pain free. Maybe I’m a bit naive but probably a good mental goal.

6. What medication are you on? Or how long into healing did you wean? (not sure if this is real clear, but trying to find out if when people report no pain, are the completely off medications or still taking medications) As of 1-week ago, ~14+ weeks post-op I stopped the remainder of my final reduction stage of 5/500 hydrocodone’s. I’m now taking ibuprofen, since I am allowed to take NSAID’s again, to combat the posterior discomfort at bedtime. I’m not taking anything during the day.

7. Do you feel your surgery was a success? So far a gaurded yes.

8. Would you have your surgery again? So far yes, but it’s been a bit more of a haul than I thought it would be! I'll be better able to answer that at the 6-month post-op mark.

9. Anything that you did that you feel helped your recovery go quicker? I did everything that they asked me to. Didn’t do any big BLT, didn’t take any NSAID’s and walked.

10. Anything that you did that you feel made your recovery take longer? No.

11. What was your diagnosis prior to surgery? Grade 2 spondylolisthesis at L5/S1, DDD and tears at L4/L5 and L5/S1 confirmed with a discogram.

[Greg]

Re: How long did it take you to heal from surgery?

1. What surgery did you have? What level(s)? ALIF L4/L5/S1 with posterior stabilization hardware.

6. What medication are you on? Or how long into healing did you wean? (not sure if this is real clear, but trying to find out if when people report no pain, are the completely off medications or still taking medications)As of 1-week ago, ~14+ weeks post-op I stopped the remainder of my final reduction stage of 5/500 hydrocodone’s. I’m now taking ibuprofen, since I am allowed to take NSAID’s again, to combat the posterior discomfort at bedtime. I’m not taking anything during the day.

Great Job! That is an incredible thing to be able to say at 3 1/2 months post-op. I'm keeping my for you that your posterior discomfort fades away and you don't need additional surgery to remove the hardware. Although some surgeons have said it can be removed at 6 months as long as you had a good solid fusion.

7. Do you feel your surgery was a success?So far a gaurded yes.

Way to go Rob! Just keep up the positive thinking and dont let your brain trick you into thinking it didnt work and thats why you still have some lingering pain.

11. What was your diagnosis prior to surgery?Grade 2 spondylolisthesis at L5/S1, DDD and tears at L4/L5 and L5/S1 confirmed with a discogram.

For only being 14 weeks post-op these are some great answers to be able to give. I hope your progress continues to improve. Best of luck to you and congratulations

[trkdoc714]

1. What surgery did you have? What level(s)?

Two level ADR at L4/5 and L5/S1 using the Medtronic Maverick.

2. How long were you in pain prior to surgery?

3 Years continual pain. Episodic pain since 1995.

3. What are your pain levels before surgery? What were you pain levels now

7 to 8 before surgery, 0 after although after extreme exertion I still get minor muscle spasms.

4. How long until you felt you had healed completely? (or reached the maximum relief you were going to get)

Roughly 6 months post surgery. It may have been sooner but I limited my activities out of caution and the fear of dislodging the discs.

5. What percentage of improvement do you feel you received from surgery?

100%. I would have settled for 80% but am really happy with the results.

6. What medication are you on? Or how long into healing did you wean? (not sure if this is real clear, but trying to find out if when people report no pain, are the completely off medications or still taking medications)

I was off of a pain med schedule after returning home. I was completely off of pain meds by the 3 month mark.

7. Do you feel your surgery was a success?

Absolute success. Last night, July 4th, my son watched fireworks from my shoulders.

8. Would you have your surgery again?

Yes, but only if Dr. Ritter-Lang gives me a good trade-in value on the Mavericks..............

9. Anything that you did that you feel helped your recovery go quicker?

I should have had a companion with me in Germany and a longer stay (in a hotel) might have helped me recover from the surgery before the rigors of the airport Olympics.

10. Anything that you did that you feel made your recovery take longer?

The travel miscues, constipation and flu prevented a quicker recovery.

11. What was your diagnosis prior to surgery?

I had several but a 4 level laminectomy with possible (probable fusion) and 2 level fusion were the two most recent after the pain became constantly in the 7 to 8 range.

[Katie]

Re: How long did it take you to heal from surgery?

1. What surgery did you have? What level(s)?
Nuvasive Neodisc in C5/6, XLIF PEEK cage at L4/5 and ALIF Peek cage at L5/S1. No stabilization or extra hardware or screws except for carbon fiber screws with Neodisc.

2. How long were you in pain prior to surgery?
Probably ruptured a lumbar in 2000 when bending sideways to pick up object. Conservative therapy worked on episodic pain until 2006 when pain started to become constant.

3. What are your pain levels before surgery? What were you pain levels now?
Before surgery pain was from 8-9 without medication in the last three years before surgery. With large amounts of morphine, it would go to a 3-4.

4. How long until you felt you had healed completely? (or reached the maximum relief you were going to get)
Still healing. But I feel like I am improving almost every week now.

5. What percentage of improvement do you feel you received from surgery?
So far, 75-80%, but I believe that I’ll eventually be pain free, or close enough to lead a normal life.

6. What medication are you on? Or how long into healing did you wean? (not sure if this is real clear, but trying to find out if when people report no pain, are the completely off medications or still taking medications)
I was on ~300 mg of morphine/day. Since I left the hospital my dose has ranged from 20 mg-100mg, depending on my activity level, but most days are no more than 40mg. Some things can't be avoided, like sitting, but I try to break up the amount of time at least. I hope to be off all meds by 6 months, but I'm not worrying about it.

7. Do you feel your surgery was a success? Absolutely! But I was a bit worried in the beginning .

8. Would you have your surgery again?
Again, absolutely. I have no regrets at all, except that it wasn't done years ago.

9. Anything that you did that you feel helped your recovery go quicker?
I believe that the epidural I requested during and 24 hrs after surgery helped control the pain a great deal, and I never felt overwhelmed. Since I could concentrate on healing, and not battling pain, my recovery seems pretty amazing to me.

10. Anything that you did that you feel made your recovery take longer?
Constipation kept me in the hospital for almost a week longer than expected, but I'm not sure that was a bad thing while in a foreign country. I had no appetite for over a month, so was not receiving proper nutrition. But I'm not sure how that could have been changed.

11. What was your diagnosis prior to surgery?
Everything from carpal tunnel in my arms and hands , to severe compression of my spinal cord at C5/6, and moderate at C4/5 (DDD). Plus ranging from 'just pain' in my lower back (honestly, that's what one surgeon said) to moderate compression of the cord and stenosis of nerves & bone spurs at the lowest two/three levels. Grade 2/3? spondylolisthesis at L5/S1 was not found and treated until half an hour into surgery. Almost ten surgeons saw several MRIs and CT scans pre-surgery and all missed it.

[treefrog]

1. What surgery did you have? What level(s)?
ProDisc L, L4/L5 & L5/L6(S1)

2. How long were you in pain prior to surgery?
10 years intermittent, then 2 years constant.

3. What were your pain levels before surgery? What are you pain levels now
Prior to surgery, with meds 4-5. Now, 1 year after surgery 0-1.

4. How long until you felt you had healed completely? (or reached the maximum relief you were going to get)
Between 9 and 12 months.

5. What percentage of improvement do you feel you received from surgery?
99%. I won't say 100%, only because I occasionally feel a tiny bit of pain, but I expect that over the next year it will completely resolve.

6. What medication are you on? Or how long into healing did you wean? (not sure if this is real clear, but trying to find out if when people report no pain, are the completely off medications or still taking medications)
Was on Opana-ER (oxymorphone), percocet (oxycodone), and Neurontin (gabapentin). Tapered down the gabapentin starting the day after surgery. Tapered off the Opana-ER shortly after surgery, and was off by ~ 3months. Tapered down the oxycodone, and was completely off 8 months after surgery.

7. Do you feel your surgery was a success?
Absolutely!!

8. Would you have your surgery again?
Absolutely!!

9. Anything that you did that you feel helped your recovery go quicker?
Did not go back to work before 3 months. Did not spend too much time sitting during the first 4 months, mostly laid down, or walked. Went back to work slowly.

10. Anything that you did that you feel made your recovery take longer?
My boyfriend thinks not exercising.

11. What was your diagnosis prior to surgery?
Degenerative Disc Disease, two levels L4-S1.

[KBear]

I want to say thanks to all of you for taking the time to fill this out! It really shows that there is a wide range of "normal" and that's just what I was trying to do.

[roomba]

Hi everyone! It's been a while since I've checked in. I saw this and thought I'd add my experience.

1. What surgery did you have? What level(s)?
Laminectomy L1-L5

2. How long were you in pain prior to surgery?
9 months

3. What are your pain levels before surgery? What were you pain levels now?

Before Surgery - 8+ and constant; Now - 0-2

4. How long until you felt you had healed completely? (or reached the maximum relief you were going to get)
About 8 months

5. What percentage of improvement do you feel you received from surgery?
100% - I could hardly walk before surgery.

6. What medication are you on? Or how long into healing did you wean? (not sure if this is real clear, but trying to find out if when people report no pain, are the completely off medications or still taking medications)
Only ibuprofen once in a while. Weaned off most at about 6 months.

7. Do you feel your surgery was a success?
Absolutely!


8. Would you have your surgery again?
Absolutely!

9. Anything that you did that you feel helped your recovery go quicker?
Getting serious about 4 months ago - realizing it was time to lose the weight for good. Went to a Bariatric physician, got on a good plan (good thing because she discovered I was pre diabetic), have lost 20 lbs so far and am exercising a lot. The improvement in my back is incredible. There are days I forget I ever had pain or surgery. Thinking about the pain I was in keeps me going - 40 lbs to go (or 33% there)!

10. Anything that you did that you feel made your recovery take longer?
Went back to work too soon, and pushed myself too hard too fast.

11. What was your diagnosis prior to surgery?
Spinal Stenosis
Here is a link to the survey Greg started about driving after surgery How long after surgery until you can drive[/QUOTE]