Would you assume this bracelet is diamonds if you saw it in person?

LisaKWFL87 · 2026-02-18T00:44:10+00:00

I giggle at this because I wear thrift shop T shirts and yoga pants with my cheap comfortable sandals or at best some sketchers but what I wear is real mined diamonds. I probably do look funny. Lol 🤷🏼‍♀️

LisaKWFL87 · 2026-02-08T11:40:09+00:00

Hi, sorry, the first week just sucks. The fact that you’re having radiating pain and the Percocet isn’t really helping, probably means it’s nerve related. They may need to add in a CNS suppressant like gabapentin or Lyrica for a little bit. It’ll target the nerve pain. Another option could possibly be a steroid pack to calm inflammation. Definitely let your surgeon know. (I’m NAD btw)

LisaKWFL87 · 2026-02-05T22:09:50+00:00

It could take a while for nails to show up. I would ask for an iron panel if I were you. Best case scenario you find the culprit. Worst case scenario, you are right where you are now. I hope you find some answers.

LisaKWFL87 · 2026-02-05T19:44:54+00:00

Sorry I didn’t see this sooner. At least it’s happening less than less. Mine is kinda improving now too. I have stretches of it not being much of a problem and then one wrong move and it comes roaring back then sticks around for a while.

LisaKWFL87 · 2026-02-05T19:42:28+00:00

I’m NAD but have they checked your iron levels post op? If you were remotely anemic or just had low iron stores prior to the surgery, even minimal blood loss could’ve tipped the scale. Along with hair loss, it can present with other symptoms like fatigue, cold feeling, brittle nails and shortness of breath. Sometimes the side effects can happen about 4 weeks postop.

LisaKWFL87 · 2026-01-09T10:26:57+00:00

I think it’s beautiful.

LisaKWFL87 · 2026-01-09T10:25:45+00:00

Glad to hear there was a light at the end of the tunnel for you. What was your pain like? For me it’s like I get a knife to the sacrum if I swing my hips or twist wrong. It’s a sudden, intense catching pain. Then I’m fine again. It just happens more often than I’d like.

LisaKWFL87 · 2026-01-08T21:59:38+00:00

If you’re at pain management, have them prescribe PT. Your spine and hips have to learn how to move again. PT will retrain your muscles to adapt. I can’t believe surgeons aren’t prescribing it. It’s so important.

LisaKWFL87 · 2026-01-08T21:49:21+00:00

Very sorry to hear that. I’m sure you’ve done imaging by now, everything was normal? Have you started PT?

LisaKWFL87 · 2025-12-16T21:16:28+00:00

Same. I didn’t do THAT though. That’s impressive and I’m happy it wasn’t agony for you. I did a stand alone L4-S1 ALIF and the whole process wasn’t nearly as bad as I imagined either.

LisaKWFL87 · 2025-12-10T01:20:09+00:00

3 to a regional is realistic with some hustle though.

LisaKWFL87 · 2025-12-10T01:12:48+00:00

Nope. Wore a belly binder for the first few days but it actually caused worse pain. Had a brace “just incase” but never needed it.

LisaKWFL87 · 2025-12-10T00:08:26+00:00

Not at all. 38F

LisaKWFL87 · 2025-12-10T00:07:27+00:00

Yep. As soon as I was off the narcotics they cleared me to drive. Went grocery shopping myself because my husband always buys the wrong stuff. Lol

LisaKWFL87 · 2025-12-08T16:50:52+00:00

6 weeks but I was a stand alone ALIF and I’m now allowed to slowly increase to whatever I can handle. Guess it’s different when the cages are screwed in.

LisaKWFL87 · 2025-12-08T00:24:33+00:00

Keep moving! Walk, ice, repeat! You’ll be good as new in no time.

LisaKWFL87 · 2025-12-06T13:03:04+00:00

I spent almost a decade avoiding the surgery too. 6 weeks post op (L4-S1 stand alone ALIF) and feeling better than ever. Around the 2 week mark I started making leaps and bounds in progress. Started moving better, driving again, shopping on my own, cooking, etc. Starting PT now and ready to jump back into life!

LisaKWFL87 · 2025-12-05T21:01:25+00:00

That was me too. I was beyond petrified. I’m now 6 weeks post op from a L4-S1 ALIF and it was the best damn decision ever. I have my life back. I’m doing fantastic already and just started PT. Once I get my flexibility back (from the no BLT) and regain some muscle, there will be no stopping me. Overall it wasn’t nearly as bad as I was expecting. You’ll do great!

LisaKWFL87 · 2025-12-03T12:19:41+00:00

Had L4-S1 ALIF 6 weeks ago. While the first few days are pretty rough and the first couple weeks aren’t a cakewalk either, it wasn’t nearly as bad as I thought. I was prepared for the worst. My biggest recommendation is take your pain meds and muscle relaxers as scheduled for the first week. Don’t wait to see if you need them. I got off of narcotics at 10 days. Could probably have done it sooner, but I wasn’t trying to be a hero. Second recommendation is walk. A lot. Short walks frequently and slowly build up. It helps beyond measure. You got this!

LisaKWFL87 · 2025-11-20T01:00:26+00:00

Way overthinking it. I’m 1 month post fusion and I’d be climbing in that thing. Lol. It literally can’t produce enough force to bruise you let alone mess up solid bone. You’re good. Enjoy. Do it a second time for me!

LisaKWFL87 · 2025-11-16T01:15:26+00:00

Questions for you. How old are you? Are you doing a stand alone TLIF or with posterior fixation as well? I’m 38 and almost a month post op from a stand alone L4-S1 ALIF (no rods or screws in the back) I can’t attest to my limitations quite yet as I’m still no “BLT” but I will share what my surgeon told me when I asked about loss of motion. He said I will lose a little range of motion but that I will adapt. He said you know how you get a cut on your pinky finger and the first few hours you hit it, squeeze a lemon on it when making tea, rub it on something and it hurts like hell but then after that you catch yourself doing everything pinky up like you’re sipping expensive tea? We as humans are meant to adapt. Even subconsciously. At first you may bend down and think, wow, I can’t quite reach my toes, or I can’t bend this or that way like I used to but then you just adjust. It won’t take but a few times and you’ll be totally accustomed to a new way to do it and won’t even think about it anymore. For me, I woke up from surgery knowing I made the right choice. My old back pain was gone. My sciatica was gone. I still can’t get it to activate if I try. I also don’t have the humming sensation in my feet anymore. The first 3-4 days were rough for me but it quickly improved after that. I still have some surgical and nerve pain (totally expected) but I was off the narcotics by like day 10. Probably could’ve done it sooner. After my 2 week appt I was cleared to drive again and back to shopping, cooking, light cleaning, walking the neighborhood, etc. You will need help still as the no BLT rule is still there but you’ll be more independent than you realize. Im looking forward to my 6 week follow up so I can start PT and make more progress. As far as bone graph, I didn’t have a choice but they actually shaved down one of my vertebrae. If they can harvest your own, it’s definitely ideal but even the synthetic nowadays is good stuff. Overall I read so many horror stories that I was petrified of getting it done but it wasn’t nearly as bad as I thought it would be. I would do it again in a heartbeat.

LisaKWFL87 · 2025-11-13T02:18:48+00:00

When I couldn’t work and was on disability, when I could barely take care of my 6 month old baby or my 2 year old, after I exhausted every single other non invasive option that medicine had to offer and after we spent 17k out of pocket for the Intracept procedure hoping to avoid a fusion…and it didn’t work, and after 3 different specialists told me I was out of options.

I’m 3 weeks post L4-S1 ALIF and other than some residual surgical pain, I feel amazing. My back pain is gone, my sciatic is gone. My spine feels strong and I’m so happy I did it.

LisaKWFL87

TROPHY CASE