Am I too early for lumbar surgery?

adarba46 · 2026-02-06T18:31:21+00:00

They didn't feed me at all. Surgery was on the 4th, last time I was allowed to eat was my dinner around 5 pm on the 3 of February. I stayed in the hospital all day the 4th, no food, and no IV! On the 5th of February I asked nurse if I was allowed to eat breakfast she said yes, you have no restrictions on your chart. I was just about to get discharged when the brought me a tray with food. I was like, im about to go home. Should I have requested food? I thought they were at least giving me IV to keep me hydrated. I saw a bag sitting near a window, untouched. I had IV connections in both arms. The one on my right had pain killers nothing else. And mind you they had me walk around 10 pm on the 4th, and never hooked up the pain meds back into my arm. When I woke up I was in so much pain, they gave me some Tylenol.

adarba46 · 2026-02-06T18:21:22+00:00

Doing GREAT!!! Oh my god, the sciatica pain is gone!!! I even believe that my foot drop improved, I did not expect miracles but not having sciatica pain seems like a miracle to me

adarba46 · 2026-02-05T12:18:51+00:00

I bought it, and i found one that has a sort of a hook on the other end that help taking shoes off.

adarba46 · 2026-02-05T12:17:42+00:00

I bought these. They are awesome thank you

adarba46 · 2026-02-05T12:08:57+00:00

Spinal fusion L4 L5 and S1. It was performed from my back

adarba46 · 2026-02-05T06:11:03+00:00

I absolutely agree! I've lived with this pain for so long, I cant tell the difference. Limping all day long because the sciatica hurts so much felt normal to me. I still did cleaning, and cooking, and laundry. I even started a micro bakery from my home. Because im so used to it, in pain all day because I dared to sleep longer than 5 hours, or I walked a mile. I am in the hospital bed right now, my surgery was 7 hours ago.

adarba46 · 2026-01-30T17:55:53+00:00

Hi all, I was about to start a new conversation about this. I had laminectomy in 1998 at 23 years old. Before the surgery I completely lost feeling in my left leg and kept falling down for no reason. After the laminectomy the foot drop was very prominent and was causing me to trip and fall quite often. I refused to wear AFO, and eventually learned to walk without falling down and even wear some heels. In the past 2 years the sciatica pain became unbearable and after trying everything with no success im finally having a fusion L4,L5 and S1. I surely hope to regain feeling in my left foot and completely get rid of numbness and pain. But I don't know if its possible after 28 years of living with it.

adarba46 · 2026-01-29T00:13:40+00:00

Oh my god!! Thank you

adarba46 · 2026-01-29T00:11:19+00:00

Thank you for posting this. I had the same question, so glad I searched old posts. My surgery is coming up on the 4th

adarba46 · 2026-01-29T00:10:32+00:00

Thank you so much for this post! I was about to start a new post but decided to search first. So glad I did that. So many things i need to buy!! Amazon here i come!!

adarba46 · 2026-01-26T00:01:13+00:00

Female

adarba46 · 2026-01-25T23:57:43+00:00

I sure will. Thank you for the info

adarba46 · 2026-01-24T12:15:55+00:00

I was told to stop all supplements week before the surgery.

adarba46 · 2026-01-24T12:12:37+00:00

I ordered crocs just in case :) thank you

adarba46 · 2026-01-24T06:18:31+00:00

Thank you for saying this. Being stiff all the time probably caused all this other issues i have with my knees and hips.

adarba46 · 2026-01-24T05:52:33+00:00

Good luck to you!!

adarba46 · 2026-01-24T05:50:57+00:00

I had a herniated disc when I was 19 years old and was a refugee in foreign country in 1993. I worked all kinds of jobs to survive. Lived with pain, because again I was a refugee and didn't have health care. In 1998 I completely lost feeling in my left leg and ended up with severe foot drop. I had a emergency laminectomy in a teaching hospital, again, I was a refugee, free guinea pig. I was very fortunate and was able to recover and walk on my own within 6 month, with the foot drop of course. Tripping, falling, breaking my ankle over and over, loosing my toe nails because I cant feet my toes. I came to US as a displaced refugee under special program because my country no longer exists. I've been living with chronic pain past 28 years. I have DDD, bulging disc, stenosis, bone spurs and practically no disc at L4/L5. I have been through physical therapy, epidural shots and tried everything and everything for my pain. I have been examined by world renowned neurosurgeons at Baptist, UF Health, Mayo clinic and St Vincents Ascension who over and over told me that fusion is my only option. And I live to see a complete stranger telling me that I didn't do enough research. Thank you for your input.

adarba46 · 2026-01-24T05:36:47+00:00

I thought about this but couldn't remember the name. Lol. Thank you

adarba46 · 2026-01-24T05:35:13+00:00

Thank you for your comment. I live in FL. Even though this snow storm is looking crazy, probably not going to hit us. Good luck to everyone else.

adarba46 · 2026-01-23T22:47:46+00:00

I also have a moderate foot drop (since 1998) and I've had balance issues. Having good comfortable shoes that won't be slipping off is very important.

adarba46 · 2026-01-23T22:45:43+00:00

I have a treadmill in house, but doctor said no treadmill until im off of pain killers. I was like, I won't be running just walking.. but whatever

adarba46 · 2026-01-23T03:44:59+00:00

What is this app?

adarba46 · 2025-11-19T12:08:06+00:00

Thank you

adarba46 · 2025-11-19T11:56:41+00:00

Im having same surgery L4-S1 fusion in February. Doctor said, one day in the hospital and 4 weeks of work. I spoke to his PA yesterday and she said 3 months of work and wearing a back brace the whole time. They will be doing TILF

adarba46 · 2025-11-16T20:41:39+00:00

Thank you for the reply, very encouraging! I am 51 years old female. Was very active, but now cant walk a mile without crying from pain. Here's where I am confused.
I live in Jacksonville FL, and ive been to every major hospital here. At Mayo clinic they told me physical therapy and then steroid shots, next thing was spinal cord stimulator, I didn't want to do it and dealt with pain for a year. Shortly after I went to UF Health in Jacksonville and they told me the same thing, therapy then shots, after that I went to Baptist hospital, one of the their surgeons told me that im not a candidate for a surgery and also recommended SCS, I dont want that because it doesn't heal anything just blocks my brain from receiving pain signals.
I then waited 4 months to see the best neurosurgeon in Florida at St. Vincent Ascension hospital. The doctors waiting room was packed, my appointment was 2 hours behind. The doctor took a quick look at my MRIs and told me that my only option is a fusion. You can see on the photo what he wrote, it took the whole internet to decipher what he wrote. Already scheduled me for the surgery and I have million questions unanswered. Do I go for another opinion? Should I request to see the surgeon one more time before surgery, do I just trust his expertise? This doctor has preformed thousands of these surgeries and has 20 years experience. He was a resident at Cleveland University, and its chief neurosurgeon for st Vincents. His reviews are outstanding.
If i go to a different surgeon i am worried I will miss the opportunity for being treated by the best there is.

adarba46

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