Is a spine fusion worth it?

Question

I have had 2 surgerys on l5s1, making my disk hair thin and shaped weird. A NEW herniated disk on l5s1 that "may" be impinging on right s1 nerve root. SEVERE DDD in both disks, and a buldging disk l4l5. I also feel I injured more 2 days after my last MRI was taken, so these results may be even worse.
My options are PT and stay on narcotics the rest of my life, or a 2 level fusion is suggested. Being in so much pain, I agreed to have the referral to a spine surgeon, but I am having 2nd thoughts. I am afraid to have the fusion, and still have to be in misery and on narcotics.
I only know what I can read on google about the 2 level fusion. It seems the opions might be byest (sp) because they all come from the doc's. I understand it is not a cure for pain, but to help releive it, which means I might still have to take pills and be miserable? And if I don't have it, my back is only going to get worse and I might just be avoiding the inevitable. What do you think?

Answer 1

Ask your physician if you can be prescribed a pain patch called Fentanyl rather than having to take narcotics.

Fentanyl is a synthetic morphine, but through the patch, is delivered over a 3 day period for constant pain relief (or a huge difference vs. what is normal without medicine).

My sister has had 3 back surgeries...one was a fusion, and it ultimately had to be removed because she was allergic to the metal used to bind it together.

Seek an allergist out and make sure you're not allergic to any of the materials they will use, FIRST, and then try the Fentanyl.

If any of this doesn't work, fusion may be your only option, but there are now so many more things that can be done that you should rule out first.

My sister's fusion was horrible, and I have 2 other family members (one who DIED from complications of multiple fusions) that have also not been successful with them.

Answer 2

I put thee surgery off for several years, it caused damage to my L4 and L3. I had a L5 S1 fusion last week . I was in serious pain for about 2 days after the surgery. The L5 S1 pain is gone and the only pain I feel now is from the surgery. After the 5th night post op I was able to sleep through the night.
Prior to surgery I tried everything from physical therapy to chiropractic care for years and nothing worked. My Dr prescribed me the usual pain pills, oxycodone and vicodin i quit using them after a couple of days because they didn't give me relieve.

Since the surgery the leg cramps in the middle of the night, pain shooting down my legs and a numb foot have all subsided. I pretty much walk most of the day in the house pain free. I still have some pain from being cut open and the large amount of scare tissue removed but so far so good. Hope this helps.

Answer 3

This is a difficult question for me to answer. It's your body and you have to make the final decision. I have found some interesting web sites that I've enclosed where people discuss their results after a spinal fusion. the other web site is a university's study on spinal fusion.

I have had back surgery in the past and if I had to do it again, I would not. I found myself having more problems afterwards than before. I would have preferred the simple pain I had in the past. That's just my opinion.