ALIF :: No Back Pain After The Surgery
8 days ago I had ALIF surgery on L5-S1 disc. I can not get over how good my back feels. I never thought that I would be pain free again. I spent the last 2 1/2 years in extreme pain, I had tried everything to relieve the pain but nothing seemed to help even a bit. I had been taking 10/325 norco 4-5 times a day. Now after surgery I have absolutely no back pain, I do however have some discomfort in the stomach area from the incision. I go to get my stitches out in 6 days and still have 3 weeks before I go back to the surgeon for my follow up. I am hoping he will let me go back to work after my follow up. I know that all surgeries are not this textbook but for me it was remarkable. I am hoping that I can do some kind of working out once I have total fusion. I have put on 35 pounds over the last 2 1/2 years and have not been able to exercise. I hope others have had such great success with this surgery.
View 3 RepliesALIF Surgery - How Bad Post-op Pain And Recovery Time?
I am going to be scheduled for an L5/S1 (ALIF) fusion surgery. While I am in significant amounts of pain, I am nervous about the recovery for this procedure. I would like to think that I have a high tolerance of pain but I am very nervous about this procedure. How long is the typical recovery time and how bad is the post-op pain? I am having a difficult time deciding when to have my surgery because I don't know how long to expect to be incapacitated.
View 3 RepliesHip Socket Pain And Buttocks Post Spinal Fusion ALIF Surgery
I am a 40 year old male that has had two back surgeries. First Surgery February 2014 Lumbar Spine Posterior Discectomy Micro-discectomy on L4 & L5. Surgery failed no improvement. My Second surgery March 2015 Anterior lumbar interbody fusion (alif) surgery on L4, L5, & S1 with cage implants and bone grafts harvested from my own hip bone. I experience sciatica on my right leg and most frequent on left leg ;shooting pain down my right/left hip/buttocks, goes down the back of the leg. The last 3 years left foot numbness. My worst pain is in bed getting up is very painful. Before my ALIF surgery I suffered from sciatica foot numbness and pain in mostly my left leg region. After 6 weeks post ALIF surgery or so I started getting pain in my buttock/hip region. This actually started during my physical therapy. At first I was doing water therapy this is when it started. My last day of water therapy I was literally about to go to ER from P.T clinic. From there on it just had gotten worst, no real improvement. I went back for more P.T sessions stretching and other exercises . What Physical Therapist did notice that my hip motion was very limited and not much improved happen during all my sessions about 40 or so. Its being about 10 months after surgery and 4 months of P.T. and pain on hips doesn't go away. I have to be careful going up or down stairs. Getting out of bed or moving around in bed its a battle. I have spoken to my surgeon and he says it will take more time for recovery and possible have to live with this pain as a fact of life. I have also spoke to other doctor s and pretty much same response. Once thing I just found out recently is about Hip Bursitis. I was diagnosed with Arthritis. My surgeon keeps on saying its my Arthritis causing pain but prior to ALIF surgery I never had this buttocks pain , specially getting in and out bed. I was wondering if anyone has had same symptoms after spinal fusion surgery having Hip Pain From Arthritis or Hip Bursitis?
View 10 RepliesPregnancy :: Pain Lower Back/abdomen And Sore Thighs?
I'm 33 5/7 I have been having bad lower back pain and abdominal and it goes through my thighs which makes them feel sore I didn't do anything out of the normal today but when I try to stand I can't stand straight. Anyone know what it could be?
View 4 RepliesAnything To Help Neuropathy After ALIF Surgery?
Has anyone found anything to help neuropathy after ALIF surgery? It has been 19 months and the pain is increasing. I cannot bear to wear anything except the loosest of clothing, I cannot walk without a cane or walker, I have new bowel and bladder function problems within the last 3 months. Is there anything that would even work temporarily to allow an airport ride? I buy even groceries online. I am in pain management with a respected doctor. I have have PT, water PT, massage, acupuncture, and narcotic medication. The fusion on L4/L5 and L5/S1 is fine; my life is not worth living.
View 3 RepliesALIF Surgery :: Share Your Experience
I am finally on my way to getting a long awaited L4-L5 Fusion. My doc decided on ALIF due to my previous L4/L5 Laminectomy (2003) creating a lot of scar tissue. That surgery was done posterior and it would not be a good thing to reopen the same L/4 area. I am relieved that this fusion is finally being done. My disc is about 98% gone and I deal with bone on bone pain daily in addition to bone spurs and osteoarthritis. However, I tolerate it pretty well. In addition to the L4/L5 issue, I also have 2 herniations in my neck and another few in my mid back. But these are secondary to my initial problem and need to take care of this fusion first and foremost. I read a lot of negatives about fusions on this board, but I try my best to think positively. Everyone is different and not every situation is similar. My plan is to help anyone I can with my experience and give support. I will try to post my progress after surgery. If anyone had recently (2013) had a ALIF fusion on L4/L5, I would like to hear about your experience. This will be a journey that I will not forget and I am planning on making it the best I can given the circumstances.
View 13 RepliesALIF Surgery :: After A Week - Pre-op Advice?
I have my ALIF L5/S1 Fusion scheduled for Nov. 3rd which is about a week away and I am very nervous/anxious/scared ********/relieved to be having it done. I'm just looking for any advice as to what to expect and also any advice on what to bring to the hospital to help out along the way in recovery.
View 4 RepliesSpine Surgery, ALIF At L4 &5 - S1 :: Leg Cramps
I am 18 months out from my 4 th spine surgery, ALIF at L4&5-s1. The surgery has been a huge success, no back pain and only occasional mild aching in my legs with ibuprofen for pain control as needed.
My problem is the continuing cramping in my foot, calf, back of the thigh and buttock on the affected side. One or more of those areas cramp multiple times a day. I lay in bed at night and can feel the Calf muscle twitching, have to keep my foot flexed to prevent cramping. As soon as I doze off, my foot relaxes and the calf immediately cramps, meaning I have to get up and walk to stop the cramping. Anyone else have this issue? Any insight? Muscle relaxants have only minimal effect, and I hate the thought of taking them every night. The problem intensifies the more exercise I get, which is discouraging.
Back Issues :: Anyone ALIF And PLIF Revision?
Would like to hear from someone who has had ALIF and PLIF surgery, especially if it was a revision. I joined this board 10 years ago as I was anticipating my first lumbar fusion (L5/L6 and L6/S1 with rods and screws). It was so helpful to me. Now, 10 years later, I am facing more surgery. CT Myelogram shows that my screws have come loose and are moving, my fusion at L6/S1 is no longer fused, and my L4/L5 now has so much stenosis that it is pinching nerves. [Yes, I have 6 fully formed lumbar vertebrae, so that makes it a little confusing.] I have an appt in 2 weeks with the back surgeon to go over details about the surgery. He has already told me that he would plan to go in through the abdomen and through the back, and also get bone graft from my hip. So I think that means 3 incisions. I can't imagine the recovery from that many incisions. Can anyone share anything to help me prepare? Has anyone had successful surgery of this type? I don't see any alternative to surgery, since my hardware is wiggling around.
View 10 RepliesBack Issues :: ALIF Cold Foot
I had ALIF L5S1 revision surgery on 12-4-2014
To repair a failure to fuse after TLIF
In 2012. The past week my left foot at various times during day is ice cold. I started using a digital thermometer to measure and the bottom of my left foot would be 84 degree at same time my right foot is 97degree. My left leg and foot is the leg I have had problems for years along with my back pain. My left foot will return to normal temperature and then get ice cold again. I cannot figure a specific behavior pattern that may cause this. Anyone have any ideas? I am having usual back and leg pain as well.
Pain Management :: After ALIF
I have asked to be removed from all pain medications as they were not helping at all and did not want to just keep increasing dosage. So my PM Dr. suggested i try Ativan or Diazepam before bed and also a muscle relaxant called Baclofen for spasms during the day (which i had been on in 2013) it did not work, but he insists on trying it over the Soma 350mg i had been on before the surgery.... any input
View 1 RepliesBack Pain :: Left Side Back Pain, Middle To Lower Back
About 2 week's ago I took 2 perc within a night and the next day I got sick, I thought from the pills, but than I was nauseous and have been for the most part ever since. My left side mid to lower back started hurting approx a week ago and it's gotten much worse last night and now I'm having pain in my upper right abdomen as if the pain moved. I'm on muscle relaxers for my back already but it's not affecting/helping my new pain though and the new pain doesn't feel the same. I was just curious if anyone had any idea what it might be, some say kidneys but does that pain or can it move from my back to my abdomen?
View 1 RepliesALIF Post-op :: How You Recovered And How Your Nerve Pain Is?
I am interested in how you have recovered and how your nerve pain is.
i just had an alif L5=S1 on oct 22 and i think things are going ok. I only have slight discomfort around my spine, have slight nerve aches in my left leg but my feet ache like i have been standing all day. My surgeon told me to expect nerve pain for up to 4 months but i cant help worrying when i get pain where i never had it before I don't get pain walking or sitting, only the foot pain when standing and nerve pains when lying down.
4 Weeks Post-op ALIF-new Pain / Burning / Tingling
I am 4 weeks post op from ALIF at L5-S1. I've had discectomy done twice (2002 and 2012) The last one didn't help any so we did injections and that offered no relief so it was on to the fusion. So far I haven't reached that point where I'm feeling any relief. My surgeon acted like I should have felt relief immediately. I'm still having lower back, butt, and all the way down my leg into my ankle and foot pain (all of this on the LEFT side) I've read and been told it could be quite a while before I get any relief. I was told I would only be in the hospital for 24 hours and was in there for 4 days. I used a walker for the first week and a half or so. I can now move around without it, I'm just very careful. I mostly lay flat in bed with ice. I do get up quite often to walk around the house and have started sitting up in a chair that my Home PT set up for me when he came to visit immediately after surgery. I also do the exercises my PT gave me.
About 4 days ago, I was laying on my side and I reached back to turn my heating pad on. I guess I wasn't thinking and twisted too much. I felt a sharp pain in my back that shot down my leg. Every since then, I have had the worst pain in my back. (I still had the same amount of pain in my back/butt/leg/foot as I did before this surgery 6/10. This new pain has been added to a new place in my back, and when I move it goes up to about a 8/10) I was giving it a few days before I called my surgeon because I don't want to be one of those people who constantly call the dr with small issues that go away after only a few days. This definitely is showing no signs of letting up) The worst part is, they just moved my meds down from hydrocodone 10-325 every 4 hours to Hydrocodone 7.5-325 every 6-8 hours. (Previously to surgery I had been on percocet 10-325/6 hours since June of last year. My surgeon prescribed that for one week after surgery then refilled me with hydrocodone 10-325/4 hours the last 2 weeks. These really didn't do the job, but at least I was somewhat comfortable so I dealt with it.) Now that they changed me down again, I'm getting no relief. Especially with this new pain. Over the weekend I was taking more than I was suppose to and now I'm worried I won't be able to get a refill when I need it. I've been taking pain meds for a little over 2 years now. I look forward to the day I no longer have to rely on them just to be able to get up out of bed in the morning. That day just doesn't seem to be anytime soon. I feel that at the age of 36, I am too young to be in this kind of physical condition.
When I walk, I am bent over to my right side like a little old lady. I can't stand up straight. And each time I take a step with my left leg, it feels like someone is stabbing me in the lower back on my left side. Hopefully I can get some answers tomorrow when I call. I knew this surgery was going to be a long recovery, and I was prepared for that. This new pain really has me worried and I really hope I haven't done something to mess it up. I just don't feel like this pain is something I should be having
Has anyone else injured themselves while recovering from a fusion like this? If so, what was your results? Did it heal on it's own or what? I know everyone is different, it's just good to not feel quite so all alone thru this. No one understands unless they have been thru it. Especially doctors they seem to think that everything goes exactly like the "book" says it should. That's just not always the case.
Legs, Arms And Thighs - Intermittent Pain Cause ?
I was wondering if anyone has experienced any kind of pain like this:
For the past couple years or so I have had this intermittent type of pain (it usually happens about a couple times a week, for instance it happened in the beginning of the week for at least two consecutive days and not at all today; each episode usually consists of a series of acute attacks, maybe several of them in a row, and then they would just stop). This would happen in several areas: mainly now my thighs and legs (almost always the back of them, though a couple times it has been along the front); sometimes it is in the arms too; for a little while it was in the back (though it hasn't happened there for a while now).
I'm not sure how to describe the pain (I wish there was some sort of questionnaire I could find that might help me in that area); it's definitely not severe, but then I'm known to have a high tolerance for pain. I would say it is more sharp than dull and it seems to be a kind of stabbing pain though maybe not exactly shooting, though I guess it could be thought of that way (I don't know that it's radiating either--I can't see how it can be radiating anywhere; it seems, if I am remembering correctly, it is moving along the length of some specific area; that doesn't seem like it would fit the description of radiating). It is definitely not tingling or numbness (except when it happens in the arms--then there is a definite weakness that results after it in which I have less of an ability to grasp anything with much strength).
I'm just curious as to what can be causing this, or maybe it's just normal when you age, though I wouldn't consider myself to be too old at just 33.
Well, if anyone has any ideas I would appreciate hearing them. I would say for sure the pain in the arms sounds like some sort of nerve pain but I'm not sure about the other areas. I went to the doctor once about it, but he wasn't able to help much, just called it "fibromyalgia" which is basically what they say when they don't know what it is. For a while I was sure it was nerve pain but then I keep hearing how nerve pain is more of a tingling, numbness or loss of sensation more than actual pain; and then the doctor calls it fibromyalgia which from what I gather is thought to be muscle pain. I do not participate in any rigorous exercises, just walks for a mile or more a few times a week so it shouldn't be due to any sort of injury.
Spinal Cord :: Neck Pain After 1 Year- L3-S1 ALIF PLIF
I am new to the board and am now one year out from lumbar fusion. I am a very physical person and a Personal Trainer as well. My low back pain has all but disappeared however neck and shoulder pain,stiffness and numbness are very concerning !!! I am currently treating with acupuncture and muscle relaxers. I also am a chronic migraine sufferer and believe this is partially being caused by cervical issues.
View 11 RepliesHerpes :: Sciatica? Changing Pain In My Butt, Inner And Outer Thighs
I am now 15 weeks post exposure. Was not able to get a blood test after 8 weeks. Tested negative prior to that.
My only symptom now is terrible pain that I could only describe as sciatic based off what I see online.
- constantly changing pain in my butt, inner and outer thighs, and my big toe on the right foot.
- constant pinching feeling in groin
- lower and mid back pain (can be mild or so painful, for example needing to lie down after a 5 minute run)
How likely is herpes to cause these symptoms (which have lasted three weeks now), without causing lesions?
Pregnancy Age 35+ :: Lost A Tiny Bit Of Mucus And Pain In Both Sides Of Thighs (38 Weeks)
38 weeks pregnant lost a tiny bit of mucus plug and sometimes feel pressure in pelvis/vagina area pushing down when im sitting and when i walk for i get pain in both sides of my thighs feels like a nerve is pulling which makes me bend. Im also getting hard stomach with no pain and i get light lower back pain. What is this? Please help.
* will i be dilated now that im having pressure? I went for a check up a week ago and midwife said my cervix is closed. What does that mean too?
Back Pain / Sciatica :: Brace To Correct The Curvature Causing Lower Back Pain
I'm 18 and i was diagnosed with scoliosis at a young age. I wore a brace to correct the curvature for about 2-3 years. The brace would put pressure on my hips and after some time I would have pain in my lower back, down my buttocks, down the back of
the leg and into the toes. It's sharp and searing and sometimes there's tingling and numbness. Could this be sciatica caused by the brace? Is it possible that it pinched the nerves and caused permanent damage? All I know is that it is extremely painful and hard to get to go away..