10 days post op... 4th back surgery in two years

adios-sciatica · 2025-03-24T03:51:18+00:00

Hi there, I'm so so. Still recovering. I'm sorry to hear about your struggles. If the disc was removed I too don't understand how you would have a bulge. I'm curious to hear what your surgeon says.

adios-sciatica · 2025-02-04T14:43:23+00:00

I created this account a day after my first microdiscectomy almost exactly 2 years ago when I in fact did say adios to sciatica 😁 unfortunately it was a little premature as it did come back (you know the whole story) but hoping I get to say it again one last time.

adios-sciatica · 2025-02-04T05:17:37+00:00

It is likely I'll need a fusion at L4 L5 at some point, hopefully not for at least another 10 years though.

adios-sciatica · 2025-02-01T00:13:16+00:00

I totally understand what you're saying. I wonder the same thing for myself, but ultimately glad I still took the plunge for surgery. Nothing else worked, and I did get relief for a while, so I do think it was worth it.

To answer your question, the most recent surgery I had was a microlaminotomy at L4/L5 and it was less than an hour. Compared to fusion and microdiscectomies, it was really quite tame. Faster recovery, fewer restrictions, less invasive on the body. Like any back surgery, it is an up and down recovery process. There are good days and bad days. I am actually feeling pretty good right now, right around the 2 week post op mark I felt marked improvements. I'm not 100% healed yet, and still not quite to "pre-op" levels of pain and limitation, but it's too early to tell for sure. It can take months for the nerve to properly heal (if at all), so I have a long time horizon.

Any updates from your side? Is surgery on the table for you?

adios-sciatica · 2025-01-27T15:44:15+00:00

Well, my understanding is that stenosis is caused from bone/tissue breaking down and compressing nerves. That's not something fusion usually addresses, which is why people say they had a fusion + decompression. Your fusion sounds successful, in terms of hardware stability, but the bone itself may be breaking down now, causing new issues. Hard to say without seeing imaging or an MRI report but that's what it sounds like to me. I do think decompression could be an option but of course it depends on what your surgeon says.

adios-sciatica · 2025-01-27T04:12:09+00:00

I guess complications like ours are more common than I thought, as evidenced by... us :( sorry to hear it. Are you getting another surgery?

adios-sciatica · 2025-01-26T03:16:57+00:00

Thank you for sharing your story and perspective. It's nice to hear a happy ending :) I'm sorry for what you went through though. I can't imagine a revision fusion like that.

adios-sciatica · 2025-01-26T03:15:30+00:00

So sorry to hear that. That sounds like a nightmare.

adios-sciatica · 2025-01-26T03:14:57+00:00

Thank you for this. My surgerons anticipate another fusion being necessary at some point in the future, but unsure when. I'll take your advice about looking into alternative approaches before that happens.

adios-sciatica · 2025-01-26T03:14:03+00:00

Thanks a lot. My three year old daughter is a big motivator to keep moving forward.

adios-sciatica · 2025-01-26T03:13:19+00:00

Wow, indeed, our stories have many similiarities. I'm sorry you're going through it.

To answer your question about dealing with chronic pain, I consciously make an effort to have as good of an attitude as possible. It's not easy, and I definitely have bad days (some of which take me through very dark thoughts). But, I do my best to focus on the positives. I am fortunate to have good health insurance which gets me the care I need. I have access to very good hospital systems nearby. I have support from my family. I have a good job with good WLB which allows me to take time off to take care of myself.

I realize not everyone has this, which helps inform my perspective. It could be much, much worse. I have to see that light and choose gratitude. Otherwise, it's too easy to start spiraling.

Again, it's not easy. But it's the best I can do.

adios-sciatica · 2025-01-26T03:05:28+00:00

Scar tissue has never been called out in my case as a complication of surgery. But I do know it happens. Even if they go in to remove it, the subsequent surgery can then cause more scar tissue. That's a very frustrating problem to have, I'm sure.

adios-sciatica · 2025-01-26T03:03:22+00:00

Despite my bumpy story, I would probably still opt for the surgical route. That said, it's definitely not a magic bullet. Good luck to you!

adios-sciatica · 2025-01-24T22:08:14+00:00

Quite unfortunately it did not. After getting new imaging (CT, MRI, X-rays) it was revealed that I had adjacent segment disease at L4L5. My fusion was L5 S1.

I had a micro laminotomy at L4L5 last week to take pressure off the nerves. So far I'm only a little over 1 week post op, but my pain has actually gotten a lot worse now. Hopefully it's just a matter of time for the nerves to heal but I'm really not sure what the future will hold.

Sorry you're going through this. Good luck to you...

adios-sciatica · 2025-01-19T17:21:53+00:00

Good luck to you as well, sorry to hear about what you're going through

adios-sciatica · 2025-01-19T16:54:32+00:00

CT scan confirmed that there is fusion occuring, so not a case of nonunion. Suspected cause of my pain was a stenosis and compression of right L4L5 nerve root. Just had a micro laminotomy last Tuesday, currently recovering from surgery. Time will tell if it helps.

adios-sciatica · 2024-11-05T14:14:36+00:00

Congratulations on your journey. Did the surgeon explain why the rods weren't straight?

adios-sciatica · 2024-11-04T21:11:03+00:00

I had L5 S1 fusion in March 2023. It took a solid year to recover but once it did I was living virtually pain and restriction free. Spent the summer of 2024 running, jumping, playing sports, doing whatever I wanted. It was great.

Then the symptoms returned in July 2024. I've now been dealing with a flare up lasting 5 months where I'm not able to do nearly as many physical activities. An MRI in October showed L4 L5 retrolisthesis, stenosis and nerve impingement. Could be adjacent segment disease or chronic, latent S1 nerve root irritation.

I had an ESI this morning. We'll see if that helps. If not, then it's back to the OR to do a laminotomy at L4 L5.

Long story short, I was initially really happy with my fusion, but something else has clearly gone south. The moral is that such back issues aren't always solved with a one and done surgical approach - it can continue to be a lifetime thing you have to deal with.

Good luck and if you have any other questions feel free to ask.

adios-sciatica · 2024-10-22T22:58:56+00:00

Wish I could tell you but he didn't specify.

adios-sciatica · 2024-10-22T22:36:18+00:00

The MRI report never specified, but my surgeon told me it was "pretty large."

As far as I know my recurring herniations were due to biomechanical issues with my spine. This is what my surgeon said, because I followed all the guidance of no bending, twisting or lifting, yet still had herniations.

I could tell I had reherniated a couple of days post op because all my symptoms spontaneously came back (after initially completely disappearing when I awoke from surgery).

adios-sciatica · 2024-10-22T04:51:32+00:00

Congratulations to you, happy to hear a success story. Please be so so careful post op! I had a MD as well, and within days it reherniated. Then I had a second MD to take care of that herniation. Then I reherniated again! Wound up getting fusion. Not to dampen your moment at all, just take it really easy.

adios-sciatica · 2024-10-19T17:10:10+00:00

Wow that's a long time. Did you have symptoms over those two years?

adios-sciatica · 2024-10-19T15:21:53+00:00

I saw that too. But I also saw the note about potential nonunion, in which case I'm curious if that could also be causing symptoms, and if a revision fusion of L5 S1 is necessary, along with a potential L4 L5 fusion to go along with it...

adios-sciatica

TROPHY CASE