Lumbar spine surgery recovery

[Tommyj1954]

Hi anyone had lumbar spine surgery L3/4.-Laminectomy and Foramectomy at L4/5 and L5/S1 . I did 4weeks ago i am.looking for chat support friends similar my name is Tom

[coffee_luvvie]

Hi Tom. I had a L3/4 decompression, left L4 foraminotomy, removal of L3/4 synovial cyst and facet joint removal in April this year. It completely got rid of crippling sciatica. I’d previously had L3/4/5 S1 sacroiliac denervation in October 2015 and October 2017. I have to have this procedure again in the new year and facet joint injections.

I still suffer pain in my lower back but nothing compared to the disabling sciatica I had prior to surgery. Hope you are recovering well

J x

[Tommyj1954 in reply to coffee_luvvie]

So.about 6month to 1.year recovery time for laminectomy/foramonectomy

[Tommyj1954 in reply to Tommyj1954]

Yes i am.at week ,4 recovering no more sciatica pain thank god

[coffee_luvvie in reply to Tommyj1954]

I have good and bad days still. My neurosurgeon did say that I would be left with back pain. My scar healed well, the area has a degree of numbness/altered sensation. I did struggle a bit for 6-8 weeks after surgery but I live on my own with my dog so just has to get on with it, went back to work at 12 weeks on phased return for 6 weeks then back to working full time (community staff nurse) but Occy Health advise against some procedures that cause me pain.

Sometimes we have to look after ourselves before everyone else ☺️

Jx

[Tommyj1954 in reply to coffee_luvvie]

I am.only ,post opp 4.weeks surgery really zapped my energy as mentioned 6 hours which is normal.for foraminectomy i.am.told and i had surgery done in asia since this sciatica problem hit me here so when i came of out hospital after 4.dayz i could not walk i had to use wheel chair and walker almost 20 days then i flew from.India where i had surgery back to Philippines with my caretaker but last 10 days walking a lot frequently no.leg pain except at night sometimes nerves are starting i hope get back.to normal so thank god no leg pain but body mind still feel.kind of separated but i know back surgery at 65 is no joke so will need time to heal

[Tommyj1954 in reply to coffee_luvvie]

But body weak but i know. Time needed to.heal you have been recovery 6months well now thank god

[coffee_luvvie in reply to Tommyj1954]

I still have days I feel absolutely exhausted and need to lie down for 10min. Take your time to heal. It’s still very early days.

Jx

[Tommyj1954 in reply to coffee_luvvie]

I had severe spinal stenosis and just herinated in my sleep i used to walk 5.min stop or shop using shopping cart so i had surgery after abt 11weeks of pain rt leg thank god no pain leg ok if take year to connect all back together mind body back so long as no. Real leg pain sciatica i think u understand

[Tommyj1954 in reply to coffee_luvvie]

Thank.you may i ask.your age i am.65

[coffee_luvvie in reply to Tommyj1954]

Hi, I’m 48

Jx

[Tommyj1954 in reply to coffee_luvvie]

thank you i going slow but steady i.am.week.6 start.now i.know,it may.take a while to feel like me again.but most of leg pain.gone just numbness and overall.not feeling real.real.strong inside as,of yet but walking mostly no pain.

[EOLHPC]

I’m with coffee_luvvie:

After decades of managing chronic top to tail spine pain via self help + pain consultant’s bilateral spinal facet joint denervations + orthotics + complementary therapies, last june i had to have L4/5 instrumented fusion due to early onset hypermobileEDS lumbosacral instability + lumbar scoliosis segueing into L4/5 nerve entrapment due to grade 2 L1,2,5 vertebral fractures.

The neurosurgeon warned me this surgery couldn’t relieve every aspect of the pain complex affecting my lower spine, but the op does seem to have greatly improved my lumbosacral stability (eg i no longer have to wear the orthotic braces i’d been stuck in 24/7 for several years) and the nerve root pain has settle down.

And, because i hyperreact to all types of pain meds, i have had to recover post op without any analgesics other than max daily paracetamol + self help techniques, which has been quite a painful experience. My consultants say my recovery will take minimum 12 months due to my age + the complexity of my health issues

But, i’m 66 & diagnosed with very early onset immune dysfunction + connective tissue disorder diseases, and the daily therapeutic prescrip immunosuppressant meds i take for these illnesses do help somewhat with the pain i’m managing due to post op healing inflammation

Go gently, take care & good luck XOXO Coco

[Emma2017]

Hi Tommy good luck with your recovery. Listen to your body and don’t overdo things. Had 3 microdiscectomies at L5/S1 level due to massive herniation and slow onset cauda equine before the first one. Have now a bulging disc higher up impinging the exiting L3 nerve. Life is hard at times but looking on the bright side as it could have been a lot worse if they had not spotted the slow onset cauda equine.

[Tommyj1954]

Yes was it about a year before you.recovered from.your surgeries i am.told full laminectomy recovery is one year i am.at 4 weeks

[Tommyj1954 in reply to Tommyj1954]

??

[Tommyj1954 in reply to Tommyj1954]

Yes Thank.God

[Hidden]

I’ve had discs fused C1 to S 1 over 19 years 8 surgeries resulting from degenerative disc disease. All surgeries done at Mayo Clinc Rochester Minnesota. Done with rods and screws. Completely successful. Just last Dec. in fell and broke my neck and found the only bone not fused the top bone of spinal column. Had to redo C1-5. Broken bone Quarter inch away from blood vessel that would have paralyzed me. Sorry I don’t have all the medical verbiage. Just grateful for Mayo for making life easier and much less painful. I am 70 years old.

[Tommyj1954]

Great news i am.glad you are doing ok i did not have fusion