Guest guest Posted June 7, 2000 Report Share Posted June 7, 2000 Gretchen, Lamar here, I have had two fusions. The first was L-5/S-1 (11 years ago) . The second was L-4/5 in Feb of this year. Both stopped my incapacitating back pain. There are basically three types. One uses your own bone, (usually harvested from the top of your pelvis. The second uses donor bone. The third uses a metal appliance screwed to the bones. Different extents of the damage require the different types, and each has it's advantages and disadvantages. As far as surgery, I had much less pain when I woke up than when I went in surgery. The last one they used my own bone and the harvest site was actually more painful than the back. The recovery period varies as well as post op restrictions. A lot depends on where the fusion was, and what was done. (As well as the surgeon's personal preferences.) Often sitting is restricted for several weeks with lower back fusions. In some types normal activity can resume in 4 weeks. It is important to remember that with a bone graft fusion total healing takes about a year. Your bone actually grows over the fusion (like a tree growing around a wire attached to it). My CMT may have been some worse after surgery, but I can't say for sure. In my case the spinal nerve was so compressed that the disc had to be dissected from around it. It had literally been crushed. So how much is due to that and scar tissue and how much is my CMT is impossible to determine. Actually the last surgery left me with some slight INCREASE in " feeling " in my feet (especially slight touch), yet my legs are weaker. I personally prefer a neurosurgeon to an orthopedist for spinal surgery, due to the nerve involvement, but many orthopedists do great surgery. I would not hesitate to have another one if I was in the pain I was in. It was so bad I told the doctor to use a knife or a gun, and was literally praying that I would not wake up from surgery if I had to wake up in the pain I was in. thankfully I didn't. The post-op pain was decreased a lot in 3 days and essentially just soreness and tenderness after 7-10 days. It is important to start exercise as soon as your Dr. says. Walking if possible is the best, but PT can help with other's for those that can't walk. I did not have to have as much pain med. after surgery as I did before. Hope this helps. back fusion Anyone had any parts of their back fused, and what can you tell me about this? - Gretchen ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted June 7, 2000 Report Share Posted June 7, 2000 Gretchen, Lamar here, I have had two fusions. The first was L-5/S-1 (11 years ago) . The second was L-4/5 in Feb of this year. Both stopped my incapacitating back pain. There are basically three types. One uses your own bone, (usually harvested from the top of your pelvis. The second uses donor bone. The third uses a metal appliance screwed to the bones. Different extents of the damage require the different types, and each has it's advantages and disadvantages. As far as surgery, I had much less pain when I woke up than when I went in surgery. The last one they used my own bone and the harvest site was actually more painful than the back. The recovery period varies as well as post op restrictions. A lot depends on where the fusion was, and what was done. (As well as the surgeon's personal preferences.) Often sitting is restricted for several weeks with lower back fusions. In some types normal activity can resume in 4 weeks. It is important to remember that with a bone graft fusion total healing takes about a year. Your bone actually grows over the fusion (like a tree growing around a wire attached to it). My CMT may have been some worse after surgery, but I can't say for sure. In my case the spinal nerve was so compressed that the disc had to be dissected from around it. It had literally been crushed. So how much is due to that and scar tissue and how much is my CMT is impossible to determine. Actually the last surgery left me with some slight INCREASE in " feeling " in my feet (especially slight touch), yet my legs are weaker. I personally prefer a neurosurgeon to an orthopedist for spinal surgery, due to the nerve involvement, but many orthopedists do great surgery. I would not hesitate to have another one if I was in the pain I was in. It was so bad I told the doctor to use a knife or a gun, and was literally praying that I would not wake up from surgery if I had to wake up in the pain I was in. thankfully I didn't. The post-op pain was decreased a lot in 3 days and essentially just soreness and tenderness after 7-10 days. It is important to start exercise as soon as your Dr. says. Walking if possible is the best, but PT can help with other's for those that can't walk. I did not have to have as much pain med. after surgery as I did before. Hope this helps. back fusion Anyone had any parts of their back fused, and what can you tell me about this? - Gretchen ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted June 7, 2000 Report Share Posted June 7, 2000 Gretchen, Lamar here, I have had two fusions. The first was L-5/S-1 (11 years ago) . The second was L-4/5 in Feb of this year. Both stopped my incapacitating back pain. There are basically three types. One uses your own bone, (usually harvested from the top of your pelvis. The second uses donor bone. The third uses a metal appliance screwed to the bones. Different extents of the damage require the different types, and each has it's advantages and disadvantages. As far as surgery, I had much less pain when I woke up than when I went in surgery. The last one they used my own bone and the harvest site was actually more painful than the back. The recovery period varies as well as post op restrictions. A lot depends on where the fusion was, and what was done. (As well as the surgeon's personal preferences.) Often sitting is restricted for several weeks with lower back fusions. In some types normal activity can resume in 4 weeks. It is important to remember that with a bone graft fusion total healing takes about a year. Your bone actually grows over the fusion (like a tree growing around a wire attached to it). My CMT may have been some worse after surgery, but I can't say for sure. In my case the spinal nerve was so compressed that the disc had to be dissected from around it. It had literally been crushed. So how much is due to that and scar tissue and how much is my CMT is impossible to determine. Actually the last surgery left me with some slight INCREASE in " feeling " in my feet (especially slight touch), yet my legs are weaker. I personally prefer a neurosurgeon to an orthopedist for spinal surgery, due to the nerve involvement, but many orthopedists do great surgery. I would not hesitate to have another one if I was in the pain I was in. It was so bad I told the doctor to use a knife or a gun, and was literally praying that I would not wake up from surgery if I had to wake up in the pain I was in. thankfully I didn't. The post-op pain was decreased a lot in 3 days and essentially just soreness and tenderness after 7-10 days. It is important to start exercise as soon as your Dr. says. Walking if possible is the best, but PT can help with other's for those that can't walk. I did not have to have as much pain med. after surgery as I did before. Hope this helps. back fusion Anyone had any parts of their back fused, and what can you tell me about this? - Gretchen ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted June 7, 2000 Report Share Posted June 7, 2000 Gretchen, Jill here- I had a spinal fusion in 1986 when I had a Harrington Rod placed along my entire spine. The spinal fusion was done with bone chips from my hip, adn it took a full year to fully heal, I was in a fiberglass half body cast for 3 months, and then a fiberglass, removable cast for the fusion to fully heal, and the spine in place. The fusion it self is healed- Hope this hopes you alittle. Jill > >Reply-To: CMTUS (AT) e >To: CMTUS CMTUS (AT) e> >Subject: back fusion >Date: Tue, 06 Jun 2000 18:26:01 -0700 > >Anyone had any parts of their back fused, and what can you tell me about >this? - Gretchen > >------------------------------------------------------------------------ >Old school buds here: >http://click.egroups.com/1/4057/10/_/616793/_/960341659/ >------------------------------------------------------------------------ > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted June 11, 2000 Report Share Posted June 11, 2000 Gretchen, I have three levels fused in my neck due to two surgeries to correct damage done by degenerating disc disease. Hey ... my feet hurt! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted June 11, 2000 Report Share Posted June 11, 2000 Gretchen, I have three levels fused in my neck due to two surgeries to correct damage done by degenerating disc disease. Hey ... my feet hurt! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted June 11, 2000 Report Share Posted June 11, 2000 Hi, a ... Thanks for the sweet note, hope all is well with you. Nice to be meeting new friends, especially when there is such a common thread running through all of us. The world has its ways to challenge all humans and CMT is just one of those millions of challenges. Lets all say a prayer tonight before we go to sleep ... Lets pray for those among us who are suffering the most. My Feet Hurt. God Bless ... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted June 11, 2000 Report Share Posted June 11, 2000 Dear Gretchen; I am writing in answer to your questions about fusion. I had a fusion done on the top part of my back in 1990. That is when the Neurologist diagnosed my CMT> Although I had it probably all of my life. I was 45 when it was diagnosed. For that fusion the neuro-surgeon removed one of my floating ribs and fused a piece about 1 1/2 inches long into my back. It went very well. I was out of work about 4 months. This went well but my CMT grew worse after about 6 or 7 years and I was put on disability in Dec of 1997. Later I had several falls and I messed up the lower part of my back, I am now recovering from having had another fusion in which a piece of my hip bone was used. After 4 weeks I feel that I am doing very well, my legs are some weaker and I am now using a walker whenever I go out of the house. But I am not in the severe pains and spasms that I was in prior to my surgery. Doris back fusion Anyone had any parts of their back fused, and what can you tell me about this? - Gretchen ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted June 11, 2000 Report Share Posted June 11, 2000 Dear Gretchen; I am writing in answer to your questions about fusion. I had a fusion done on the top part of my back in 1990. That is when the Neurologist diagnosed my CMT> Although I had it probably all of my life. I was 45 when it was diagnosed. For that fusion the neuro-surgeon removed one of my floating ribs and fused a piece about 1 1/2 inches long into my back. It went very well. I was out of work about 4 months. This went well but my CMT grew worse after about 6 or 7 years and I was put on disability in Dec of 1997. Later I had several falls and I messed up the lower part of my back, I am now recovering from having had another fusion in which a piece of my hip bone was used. After 4 weeks I feel that I am doing very well, my legs are some weaker and I am now using a walker whenever I go out of the house. But I am not in the severe pains and spasms that I was in prior to my surgery. Doris back fusion Anyone had any parts of their back fused, and what can you tell me about this? - Gretchen ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted June 12, 2000 Report Share Posted June 12, 2000 Ditto to everything you said . a Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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