[Spinal Fusion / Lumbar] Lumbar L5/S1 ALIF/PLIF Fusion

[KBear]

Adhesion barriers? I have never heard of that. Interesting.

They are used more widely in Germany. I have yet to find a dr in Texas who uses them. I did find one in Colorado. Google seprafilm

[Nairek]

I think I have hit a bump in the road with recovery. Now granted I haven't done any physical therapy other than some walking so perhaps that might have something to do with some of the weird symptoms I am having.

I have been noticing a return of some of the pins/needles sensations in my right foot, buttock, & pelvic region again. I have been trying to behave & keep from bending down but sometimes there is just no way around it.

I have also noticed that every once in a while I get a dull throbbing ache in my lower back. It doesn't last long but there have been a few times when it woke me from my sleep.

My fear is that L4/L5 is beginning to deteriorate. I know that on a C/T scan I had done after a discogram, it was noted that there was some discomfort during the injection but it was not concordant. The radiologist did note that it was a "type 5" disc though.

I have also been getting headaches quite a bit. I tend to wake up with them & have noticed that if I lay down that I sometimes get them as well. I keep telling my neck that it has to behave I need to get the lower spine in order before I can worry about the upper spine.

It just wouldn't be a normal life for me if there wasn't any

[Justin]

Karin,

I'm sorry you have hit a small bump in the road. Have you tried any gentle stretches or a massage? It might be helpful since you have not had any formal physical therapy. There are probably a lot of hypertonic and over-stressed muscles in your back, glutes, hip flexors, legs, etc. I hope the headaches clear up as well.

Good luck.

[Nairek]

Hi Justin,

I haven't done too much stretching other than when I wake up in the morning. Most times it feels good. Other times not so good.

I'll have to do some research to see what kind of stretches I can do without hurting myself. I'm still dealing with an ankle that I sprained 13 weeks ago which doesn't seem to want to get better

I hope that the headaches go away as well. I'm not sure if they are being caused by having my neck in a funky position when I sleep or if they are caused by something else. All I know is that they suck!

[Fuzzy]

Nairek, I like your comment about your lower and you upper spine above. I feel the same way. A Neurologist told me I should worry the other way around and it turns out he was right.

There are bumps in the road that are just that. Don't worry yet about L4/5 but stay active. Lots of walking and keep on moving. It will help reduce pain levels and train your back muscles.

I had some headaches like that as well. I do something with my neck like look down at something for a while and it triggers this splitting headache. Not doing certain things helped and right now its a little more infrequent and not as bad as it was some month ago. Things do get better even when we feel like they don't. It sometimes takes more then a few days but a longer time. Still it is possible. Keep active. Sometimes there are set backs. Stay active, omg I sound like a broken record.

What has really helped me is going out into nature, hiking and photographing. The weight of the camera has tweaked my back a few times but it has gotten better and better which I feel has something to do with muscles strenghtening over time.

[KBear]

Fuzzy- You sound like my doctor "walk, walk, walk....."

Karin- You haven't stopped any meds have you? I didn't take my Lyrica, not really thinking it was doing anything for me. I then realized that and started on it again and my pain went down within a week.

Other than that, there are definitely bumps in the road. I was kinda freaking out (ok not kinda, really) about a month ago when over a few days time. I had my old stabbing, burning pain on my spine and was terrified my surgery was a dud. Needless to say, it wasn't and that has calmed down.

[Justin]

I think I have hit a bump in the road with recovery. Now granted I haven't done any physical therapy other than some walking so perhaps that might have something to do with some of the weird symptoms I am having.

I have been noticing a return of some of the pins/needles sensations in my right foot, buttock, & pelvic region again. I have been trying to behave & keep from bending down but sometimes there is just no way around it.

I have also noticed that every once in a while I get a dull throbbing ache in my lower back. It doesn't last long but there have been a few times when it woke me from my sleep.

Hi Karin,

How are you doing? Are your symptoms getting any better? I hope you and your husband are adjusting to life in Florida. Hang in there!

[Nairek]

Hi Karin, How are you doing? Are your symptoms getting any better? I hope you and your husband are adjusting to life in Florida. Hang in there!

Hi Justin!

Thank you for thinking about me & hubby! We are adjusting fairly well. It's still pretty hot down here during the day. We still can't get use to the bugs though. We have wolf spiders that look like mini tarantulas. My husband killed one a few weeks ago that had her babies along for the ride. They went everywhere.

My back is weird. There have been a few times where I am dreaming that I am in pain & wake up & the pain is real. Thankfully it doesn't last for long periods of time.

My dad lives an hour away from me & has been hospitalized a couple of times in the past week so we have been busy trying to take care of him. He owns a store & he's moving to a new location & we are trying to help him out now that we know he needs the help. I was doing some bending & lifting of light stuff on Tuesday & needless to say, I'm a tad sore.

I'm telling ya. When it rains it pours in my life..... How are you doing?

[Justin]

Hi Karin,

I'm glad that you are adjusting well to life in Florida. I think the spiders would freak me out. I hope your back continues to do well.

Good luck to your Dad and be careful with your back!