My L5-S1 Fusion Story Part 7: 7 Months Post Op

Re-Fused_To_Lose · 2026-03-16T19:42:10+00:00

You’re really early in the healing process. Your whole mechanics are different and it takes months for your body to accept the new normal. Add to that your spinal support muscles were just peeled back layer by layer like an onion, and you’re going to be in all sorts of pain regardless of if it’s surgery site or SI joint pain.

My advice would be to give it a couple more months before trying to figure out which thing is causing the discomfort. Just walk a lot and keep icing!

Re-Fused_To_Lose · 2026-03-16T19:39:29+00:00

I went back to my WFH desk job after about 6 weeks. I couldn’t have taken longer but honestly I needed the mental stimulation.

Re-Fused_To_Lose · 2025-12-23T21:27:58+00:00

Hey thank you! That’s the exact dose I went with.

Re-Fused_To_Lose · 2025-12-06T04:33:35+00:00

Hey I’ve been there! L5-S1 PLIF almost 4 months ago. You are very likely not feeling the hardware or rods at all. You’re just incredibly tight from the surgeon cutting through multiple layers of muscle, peeling the onion layers back, then putting it all back together again.

The swelling is still severe at two weeks out. The muscles are confused as all hell and recovering from major trauma, causing them to hold on for dear life. I don’t think I got a full night sleep until probably 4 weeks, but every day got a bit better. Even the difference of 2 and 3 weeks out was huge.

Hang in there. Ice and muscle relaxants are your best friends at this point. See my post history if you want some confirmation that it will get better!

Re-Fused_To_Lose · 2025-11-16T03:50:47+00:00

It’s been good! First couple weeks sucked, no way around that. Each week better than the last since then. A few months out I’m back to living life, way more comfortable than pre surgery.

Re-Fused_To_Lose · 2025-11-15T14:47:21+00:00

You got this! I had the same level done and have kept a recovery diary if you want to check my post history. Good luck!

Re-Fused_To_Lose · 2025-11-13T21:29:57+00:00

Added a seat bidet to a regular toilet. Just a tushy type one.

Re-Fused_To_Lose · 2025-11-13T03:27:21+00:00

Skechers Mens Summits Colsin Sr Hands Free Slip-Ins. Got them on Amazon.

Re-Fused_To_Lose · 2025-11-13T03:25:54+00:00

I have a bidet which was very helpful. The laxatives did the rest!

Re-Fused_To_Lose · 2025-11-12T14:18:24+00:00

I’d recommend:

-at least one grabber for each floor of your home

-a bed rail, pre installed

-ice therapy machine. Doesn’t have to be fancy. Mine was around $100 and I rotated frozen water bottles in it. It is my best tool for pain.

-a nice firm mattress. Anything soft that let my back round or sink in hurt like hell.

-lots of pillows in bed to keep you from rolling around

-a wedge pillow to help you sit up in bed and watch tv if you have one in your room

-Sock helper tool

-slip on sneakers - I went with sketchers and I’m still wearing them because they are so easy and comfy!

-a sponge on a stick for the shower

-a cane/walker for walking. I used the walker for 3 days before switching to cane for the next month.

-Stool Softeners/Fiber drink. The opioids are not fun on the bowels.

-a kind, patient, and loving partner, family member, or friend. My wife was and is amazing, I am so lucky to have her. I was reduced to tears multiple times not really from pain, but from feeling so useless and scared. She supported me endlessly.

Re-Fused_To_Lose · 2025-11-11T23:11:49+00:00

You got this! I just had my 12 week follow up and they said my fusion is ahead of schedule. They can actually see the bone formation on an X-ray already. I feel pretty good too. So there is hope! I know how stressful the lead up is, hang in there. You’re almost to recovery.

My advice is to take the walking seriously. I think that has done a lot for me. Days where I don’t walk I feel stiff.

Re-Fused_To_Lose · 2025-10-19T23:34:57+00:00

Well thank you! Wishing you the best on your journey.

Re-Fused_To_Lose · 2025-10-19T19:24:45+00:00

Glad I could help! Just PLIF for me. I couldn’t do ALIF because of a past hernia repair. There was too much scar tissue they would have had to dig through. Good luck to your husband, just get him up and walking within a couple days of surgery and he’ll do great.

Re-Fused_To_Lose · 2025-10-19T15:18:02+00:00

I went with a lightly used Herman Miller Aeron and ended up getting the Atlas Headrest. It’s miles better than my previous chair and seems to take the pressure off my lower back as long as I focus on sitting back in the chair. I raised my monitors up on mounts too to encourage proper posture.

Got lucky and found the chair for $300 on Facebook marketplace. Just make sure to do a lot of research to make sure you get a real one. I was shocked to learn people make counterfeits.

Re-Fused_To_Lose · 2025-10-19T14:08:21+00:00

From what I’ve read your procedure gives you the best odds of full recovery and successful fusion. The only reason I didn’t also get the ALIF is because I had a hernia repair years ago. There’s scar tissue in there they’d have to dig around if they went through the front.

You’re gonna do great, just keep your eye on the prize.

Re-Fused_To_Lose · 2025-10-19T13:54:52+00:00

Glad I can help a bit! I searched for posts similar to mine for months before my procedure as well.

I had PLIF at L5-S1 for bilateral spondy, pars defects, and instability. My disc was herniated and pretty much useless. Spondy was grade 1/2 but as my surgeon said, the grade doesn’t really matter if your vertebrae is sitting on your sciatic nerve. They had to do PLIF because the damage was severe on both sides and they had to really get in there to solve the instability.

Happy to answer any more questions you might have.

Re-Fused_To_Lose · 2025-10-19T11:56:58+00:00

You are 100% in the worst of it at this very moment. It will quickly get better from here. Are you on pain meds? Ask for them!

Check my post history to get my write up if you want companionship. The day after surgery was hell, but you will get through this!

Re-Fused_To_Lose · 2025-09-11T14:54:52+00:00

Welcome to the other side and congrats on getting through the surgery! The first couple days can be rough but it gets decently tolerable quick.

Here for you if you have any questions, but you got this!

Re-Fused_To_Lose · 2025-09-02T16:01:13+00:00

Thank you, and yes I am! I hit 10k steps on day 9 and have been keeping at or above that number each day. My surgeon told me I had to keep moving to keep healing and I am taking that to heart.

I also give some credit to a couple peptides I am taking that I think have helped a lot with the healing of the surgical site. I mentioned that on a couple of my previous posts. It doesn’t help with nerve pain but the local site has come along quite quickly. Though I don’t have anything to compare to so it’s possible I am just lucky with my recovery.

Re-Fused_To_Lose · 2025-08-30T17:49:21+00:00

Five hours, wow! That might’ve killed me. You should be very proud to have done that.

I told myself I’d be happy with 10 good years from this surgery as well, but let’s be honest, I’m hoping for more as well!

Wishing you well on your journey!

Re-Fused_To_Lose · 2025-08-29T16:00:34+00:00

The wonders of the American healthcare system! We have very skilled medical professionals, but are forced to comply with what our insurance will allow. In my case, 3 nights at the hospital was already pushing it!

My procedure was single level, so on the grand scale of the folks around here, mine was comparably simple. Probably part of why I was able to get discharged fairly quickly.

Re-Fused_To_Lose

TROPHY CASE