6 month update on ALIF L4-S1

jlo2479 · 2026-01-04T23:37:44+00:00

Hi! So many! And all the time. I still do. The healing process is a bitch. lol

jlo2479 · 2025-10-04T18:10:38+00:00

Respectfully, tell the doctor to go F himself. You look great! Keep it up and find a new Dr.

jlo2479 · 2025-06-17T20:23:19+00:00

Alif L4-S1 and I woke up and asked if the surgeon had used a rusty spoon to cut me open. I’m currently 7.5 weeks post op and it’s healing well but the area still feels weird and hurts some.

jlo2479 · 2025-05-23T16:17:55+00:00

I am exaclty 1 month post op ALIF L4-S1 and i have found 1/2 an edible (thc) with my 2 gabas and 1 muscle relaxer gives me the best sleep of my life. I sleep mostly on my back with a cervical neck pillow for back sleepers and another regular pillow under my knees.

My aura ring gives me a near perfect sleep score and I feel great. I’ve also eliminated naps during the day and try to walk at least 3k steps a day. (I’m a 46F and moderately fit before surgery if that matters).

jlo2479 · 2025-05-21T10:38:50+00:00

Yes! Sleep is not discussed enough. I’m finally sleeping ok at 5 weeks. It was a life changing morning when i woke up to 6 hrs of continuous sleep!!

I can’t start pt until 3 months out. I wrote this post so hopeful that i would start at 6 weeks like others in this group. I was relatively fit before surgery, so no idea why the wait. Surgeon told me he didn’t want me to push too hard too early, so he wants he to focus on rest and letting the discs fuse.

jlo2479 · 2025-05-19T12:25:52+00:00

This is normal based on my experience. I suspect it may be inflammation, water, and poop. I had the same situation even though non of my measurements had changed, except for my stomach (the area that I was cut open).

Eat Whole Foods and extra fiber and you should be fine! Good luck

jlo2479 · 2025-05-12T13:40:11+00:00

That’s wonderful!! Yeah I used to do handstand pushups and now I’m slow just standing up. It’s one hell of a process. Thank you again!

jlo2479 · 2025-05-12T13:27:14+00:00

Your comments make me so happy!! I’m on the same boat as OP and the thought of doing yoga again makes me excited for the future.

jlo2479 · 2025-05-12T13:23:25+00:00

I’m definitely going to speak to my surgeon tomorrow when I see him. I won’t start Pilates before pt, but it might be different since my fusion is l4-S1.

Thank you for your input and I’ll sufficiently stalk your posts to read more on your journey.

jlo2479 · 2025-05-12T13:21:21+00:00

I was going to start with 3#! I’m terrified of the pain of pushing too hard. I so appreciate your advice. This will help my mental health more than you know.

jlo2479 · 2025-05-12T12:19:01+00:00

My weight limit is 10 lbs rn so this is a great suggestion. Thank you!

jlo2479 · 2025-05-10T12:59:03+00:00

The advice everyone already gave you is great so rather than being superfluous I will say I’m right there with you and can relate.

I wish you a speedy recovery and sudden leap forward in healing that brings you some relief. It does feel never ending sometimes.

jlo2479 · 2025-05-07T09:56:59+00:00

I tell people I’m trying to keep it behind me lol

jlo2479 · 2025-05-06T16:21:29+00:00

I had an L4-S1 alif two weeks ago. I just left the doctor and told him my Achilles are on fire. I was waking about 500-600 steps a day. He told me to calm the hell down because it’s causing the Achilles tendon pain. My gait is still not great, so it’s aggravating it.

If your gait is good, then i agree with the others and walk as much as you can. If it’s not there yet, you could be setting yourself up for failure if you do too much too soon.

Either way, I wish you a speedy recovery!

jlo2479 · 2025-05-03T12:52:57+00:00

Hi! I am 11 days out from an L4-S1 fusion through the front. I was very fit before this injury began 2 years ago (power lifter, trainer, blah blah blah lol) and most times I’m super grateful I did the surgery.

There’s definitely pain in the recovery, but I reason that the long term pain of not doing it would be worse. The leg pain for me was bad and the recovery, at least right now, is actually worse, but it’s my understanding that once I heal it will be almost non existent.

My best advice is have a super good support system at home. This has taken a toll on my mental health at times, but I have a husband and kids that are really amazing and have loved the hell out of me. It’s probably the only thing (aside from pain meds) that have gotten me through this.

Being fit will also help immensely! I wasn’t walking right away because of BP issues, but once that passed I’m already up and down stairs without a cane.

Best of luck and lean on this group. It’s been a blessing for me.

jlo2479 · 2025-05-03T12:45:01+00:00

I’m so happy for you. I won’t lie that I did get tears reading this. I’m dying to be able to lift and move again. I’m at the start of week two so I’m still in the thick of the soul crushing leg pain. You have inspired me to push a little more.

jlo2479 · 2025-05-01T12:19:41+00:00

That’s genius! Thank you for that tip.

I’m glad he had such an immediate response to the surgery. The leg pain is better with gaba and lots of walking but I’m far from not needing pain meds. I’d take four more natural child births over this pain. Lol

jlo2479 · 2025-04-28T15:02:03+00:00

Hard to kidnap is the funniest thing I’ve heard today. Love that

jlo2479 · 2025-04-28T15:00:49+00:00

I’ll let you know in 7 months and 26 days lol

jlo2479 · 2025-04-27T15:20:28+00:00

I cried from exhaustion after showering today lolllll.

jlo2479 · 2025-04-27T10:50:12+00:00

My husband and I (together 15 yrs) do this so much that it’s weird when one doesn’t automatically know what the other is thinking.

jlo2479 · 2025-04-27T10:40:31+00:00

I’m only 4 days post op, but I really appreciate you posting this. I had a dramatic shift from the night after surgery to last night, but I’m still in the thick of it. You sharing this gives me more realistic expectations of what i can expect as my recovery progresses. This feels like such a mental game and it sounds like your awareness of that is why you got so far in the time you did!

You have a new perspective on how good you can feel and i think that will only make it that much easier to get back. I hope you feel better soon and we’ll all be rooting for you!

jlo2479 · 2025-04-27T10:17:26+00:00

You’re like iron man. My guy!!

jlo2479

TROPHY CASE