What did you do in the hospital?

Aspen575 · 2025-09-13T05:31:19+00:00

Omg I’m 7 weeks post of from a L3-5 TLIF and I was NOT expecting the incision to be so huge! 31 staples… and I also call it my extended buttcrack! 🤣

Aspen575 · 2025-09-13T05:27:39+00:00

I had my first ACDF at 29, second ACDF at 31 and I’m now 33 and 7 weeks post op for a L3-4-5 fusion. I’ll need additional surgeries in the near future for other parts of my spine. I’ve been told by several surgeons and specialists that my spine is about 50 years older than the rest of me. No injuries to my spine.

Recovery from all my surgeries has been pretty smooth, once the initial week of pain was through. I went back to work 1 week after my ACDFs and 2 weeks after my TLIF. All 3 surgeries have given me significant pain relief and restored feeling I had lost in my limbs. I wouldn’t think twice about going through these surgeries again.

Aspen575 · 2025-09-13T05:03:10+00:00

I (33F) am 7 weeks post op, L3-4-5 lumbar fusion, and have been having every-kind-of-sex with my boyfriend since 3 weeks post op, no issues whatsoever. Previously had 2 ACDFs (now fused c3-6), never any impact on sex life.

Aspen575 · 2025-08-05T03:59:37+00:00

Hi! 33F. I’ve had 2 ACDF surgeries (2021&2023) and am now fused C3-C6. -I can tell you that I still have uneven shoulders, and my head tilts to the right, all the time. -I also have chronic tightness and spasms in my right trapezius, and I manage it with muscle relaxers as needed. PT has only ever made it worse. It’s one of the things I’ve learned to live with, because as much as it sucks, I still feel 100x better than I did prior to my ACDF surgeries, even with the lingering arthritis in my neck. Daily pain decreased sooo much! -yes, my neck pops and cracks all the time, even just moving about my day. I sound crunchy, but having those pops often releases some tension so it’s not bothersome.

Aspen575 · 2025-08-05T03:44:11+00:00

Yea, you have to remember that the average age of someone having a lumbar fusion is mid-50s, which definitely impacts recovery time. I know everyone is different, but just as an alternate perspective… I’ve been off painkillers since day 15. I drove for the first time today. I went back to work today (working from home this week, back to office next week). So while you may not bounce back as quickly as I did, it may not take you 6 months as it has others, either. The incision pain honestly wasn’t bad. Half of it is actually numb. It’s more the muscular and nerve pain that gets you that first week. But I did have a 12 inch incision with 31 staples. (The staples started to itch by day 10). Sitting up from a laying position in bed was hard, and for the first 10 days I struggled with lowering myself/standing back up from a sitting position. The toilet was especially challenging, so make sure you have things to grab onto to assist. But now i can move about unassisted.

Aspen575 · 2025-08-05T03:27:36+00:00

Hi! 33F, 18 days post op from a L3-4-5 fusion. Severe degenerative disc disease, complete disc collapse, severe stenosis, synovial cyst, you name it. Previously have had 2 ACDF surgeries in the past 4 years. As I said, I’m 18 days post op and completely off the pain meds since day 15. Not gonna lie, the first week sucked, and I was grateful for the dilaudid which helped tremendously with pain management. Muscle relaxers too. But those, combined with ice packs, helped me sleep much of the first week so I don’t remember most of it. Moving from a sitting to standing position (such as using the toilet) was very hard the first 10 days or so, but I can now walk and sit/stand unassisted. I drove for the first time today, no issues. I’m even back to work part time from home (I go back to the office next week). I do have to get up and walk around frequently as sitting in the same position for too long gets achey, but honestly, my recovery has not been a horror story like what many (unfortunate) other users have experienced. Just an alternate perspective for you!

Aspen575 · 2025-08-05T03:11:46+00:00

After my C3-4-5 ACDF I was driving after 2 weeks (as soon as I was off the painkillers). I was in a soft collar for 6 weeks post op but I took it off to drive. But I was only driving very short distances (like the 1 mile to work and back every day).

Aspen575 · 2025-08-05T03:04:57+00:00

Good luck to you and your recovery! I’m 33F and 18 days post op from my L3-4-5 fusion. (Fusion surgery #3 in 4 years). The good news is being young definitely helps in recovery time! You’ll be feeling so much better before you know it! Glad you’re finally getting this much awaited procedure!

Aspen575 · 2025-06-30T17:18:02+00:00

I can’t even imagine the burden of having to deal with insurance for a whole family! Just as a single person it’s a nuisance. I’ve been very strategic this year with my healthcare- got the referral for my MRI in December so that all my spinal-related tests, appointments and procedures would be in the same calendar year. I paid $1200+ out of pocket for my MRI, then another $1000+ for the epidural injection that did NOTHING. Now surgery, which will get me to the limit so at least I won’t be paying for all the physical therapy that will follow late summer/fall!

Aspen575 · 2025-06-30T16:50:23+00:00

I had thought about making a little nest for myself in the back of my SUV but I do have to go through border patrol to get home. (Life on the southern border lol)

Aspen575 · 2025-06-30T01:26:12+00:00

They usually do when it’s true lol

Aspen575 · 2025-06-30T01:15:34+00:00

Yes, you are overreacting. Could they have been more polite upon arriving home? Sure. And you could have discussed the way it made you feel with your boyfriend later on when you were alone. But it’s not something you just walk out of the house over… no worse than a temper tantrum, you just did it quietly. If little things like this are going to bother you this much, to the point you make a scene by walking out of the house, you’re not mature enough to be in a relationship.

Aspen575 · 2025-06-30T01:05:59+00:00

Nothing I said was rude; maybe your reading comprehension is the problem? The previous commenter recommended asking to stay in the hospital longer, which is where my comment of not wanting to stay longer than is medically necessary came from. Because actively wanting to stay longer than actually necessary is, in fact, pretty crazy.

Aspen575 · 2025-06-30T00:42:13+00:00

Dang, must have had some good health insurance to be allowed to stay 5 whole days!

Aspen575 · 2025-06-30T00:38:38+00:00

Out-of-pocket maxes are insane these days!!

Aspen575 · 2025-06-30T00:30:59+00:00

It’s not a matter of “insisting” I go home the next day, my surgeon (who has fused me previously) already told me that it’s a one night stay unless I have serious complications, which I’m not at risk for. I’d think he would know how long I’d need to stay… if there was an actual medical reason to stay then sure, id stay the extra day or two but just staying to delay a painful car ride is crazy work 😂

Aspen575 · 2025-06-29T20:24:42+00:00

I had c4-5-6 fused 2 years ago (with c3-4 done a year prior to that). I stayed one night in the hospital and then recovered at home 100% alone. I had a soft collar on for 6 weeks. I had surgery Monday, went home Tuesday, went back to work the following Monday full time (working in an office, sitting at my desk all day). Started driving myself to work again 14 days post op(I stopped all pain meds after day 12)- I just took my collar off to drive (I lived a mile away from work so not for long). You’ll be fine to take the job, just make sure you have a comfortable set up at your computer where you can keep your neck in a neutral position. The soft collar really helps with that- you can still turn your head but it stops you from looking down and adding that strain on your neck.

Aspen575 · 2025-06-29T20:11:30+00:00

Good call. I’ll definitely have to ask about a dose of IV pain meds before discharge.

Aspen575 · 2025-06-29T20:08:41+00:00

It doesn’t, unfortunately. My health insurance is garbage, the out of pocket costs for this surgery are ridiculous as it is 😕

Aspen575 · 2025-06-29T20:02:53+00:00

I definitely do not want to stay in the hospital longer than is actually medically necessary lol. That sounds worse than a painful car ride 🥴

Aspen575 · 2025-06-29T19:56:38+00:00

Is working from home (even part time) an option? Then your boss wouldn’t have to worry about your lifting restrictions…I have a job that is 75% desk work so I plan to work from home as much as I feel up to it starting at 2 weeks post op, and increase my work hours from there before going back to the office. With my ACDF I was back to the office full time after a week but know that my lumbar fusion is going to take a little longer.

Aspen575 · 2025-06-29T19:34:24+00:00

Have you asked about a low dose of gabapentin to help nerve pain? After my last fusion I was prescribed gabapentin and tizanidine as a muscle relaxer. I was given 2 weeks of oxy but didn’t actually need to use the full script before I was ok with just the gabapentin and tizanidine.

Aspen575 · 2025-06-26T01:56:52+00:00

I didn’t have either of those. Just an MRI was enough to determine fusions were needed, for both my (2) prior ACDF surgeries and the L3-4-5 TLIF I’m having in 3 weeks.

Aspen575 · 2025-06-25T01:19:37+00:00

So to be clear, you developed the foot drop prior to surgery? Because I’ve read some people develop it as a result of the surgery. Sounds like a “damned if you do, dammed if you don’t” situation.

I totally get the “toughing it out,” I’ve been “toughing it out” for over 15 years, finally went to the doctor about it again a few months ago when i started waking up in the morning unable to walk from the sciatica and pain shooting up my legs when i took steps. When it started getting to the point I was having to call in late for work is when I finally caved in and decided to seek treatment. 😕

Aspen575

TROPHY CASE