may be having a 2 level fusion L4, L5 S1, have had 2 previous back surgerys and am worried?

Question

I am more terrified at the loss of work and the financial burden then anything.....does it really take 6 months to heal. I am a self employed cosmetologists. My last surgery was in april of 07 and things didn't go very well. they removed facert joints as well as decompressions and diskectomys, have had alot of nurve damage and am in so much pain that i can't stand it. I know there is alot of controversy over fusions with degenerative disk disease...your imput would be greatly appreciated.

Answer 1

I had surgery in 2002 and have NOT healed yet...
I had all kinds of x-rays, gone through a cat scan, had an MRI, had shots, had physical therapy twice for 12 weeks each...
I have not been well since and have lost my job cause they wouldn't hold it for me over 6 months...
I live on pain medicine every few hours...
I renew it once a month and have been that way for years now...
My back has screws and bolts in my spine to hold it all together...

I also have that spinal fusion and you can see in the x-rays that the bones are fused together and they had to put spacers in there so the bones wouldn't collapse on the nerves...
Unfortunately the surgery came too late...
My sciatic nerve was already crushed...
It could not be repaired...

No I never fell or had any kind of accident but my spine came apart somehow...
I am in varying degrees of pain every day of my life, and limp when I walk...
My legs are not very strong and I cannot walk or stand for a long length of time...
I use heating pads to place on my back and legs to help ease the pain...
Also very warm baths or showers help a lot...
I take Vicoden as my pain reliever and it is a stronger level than the first lower level of doseage...
I am already labeled as disabled and receive Social Security once a month...
I have a disabled placard to place in my car so I can park in the handicapped parking places...

If you look like you will be out of work more than 6 months, you should apply for SS to try to get some money coming in...
They are very SLOW to get your paperwork going so be prepared for a long wait...

Answer 2

I had 4 prolapsed discs in my decrease returned, the sciatic discomfort went all the thank you to my feet, that have been given to the factor have been i became walking slowly with a limp, could no longer take a seat suitable without continuously shifting around and vehicle journeys have been a great no! i attempted all varieties of remedies, i had to dodge surgical technique in any respect expenditures, yet i'd desire to admit that i became keen to purpose something reason the discomfort became that undesirable. As a final throw of the cube formerly pondering surgical technique i attempted swimming. All i can assert is that it worked wonders! I observed an progression extraordinarily much imediatley and with in a year i became backpacking around SE Asia. So if it somewhat is rather not testiment to the effective outcomes of swimming i do no longer be attentive to what's! Get interior the pool regulary, like 3 time a week. first of all do exactly a little soft movements, no longer something to surprising or that makes the discomfort worse. Then build it up slowly yet progressively and get the lengths in. I now do between 9-12 kilometers a week yet even once I did a fraction of this I observed an limitless progression. i think of the warm button is obtrusive... while interior the water maximum the stress is lifted, you clearly re-algin and you get circulation returned into your areas of shock. definite I nonetheless get the strange discomfort interior the chilly climate and that i'm getting somewhat sore if sat for a jointly as.... in spite of the undeniable fact that it somewhat is returned to the pool and the ideal drugs! supply it a attempt, stable success and enable me be attentive to the way you get on? :)