L4-S1 Fusion in 5 weeks
Hello! I (31F) understand that everyone’s experiences are different, but I’m hoping to get some insight on what I’m truly in for if I go through with this surgery. I want to hear from people who have lived this, not just my neurosurgeon’s office and their opinions (they’re great, but they’ve never lived through this so how would they really know?).
Backstory: December 2020 - I injured my back during a fitness class; thought I threw it out, turned out to be herniated discs from L3-S1. No nerve pain, all low back pain. I tried all sorts of non-surgical options like injections and PT with mild pain relief, but I became pregnant in September 2021 and stopped everything related to my back because pain was occasional but manageable at that point.
June 2024 - I stand up from my couch (4 weeks postpartum from my second child), and on my first step to my kitchen, I get a lightning bolt of pain shooting through my back and immediately know it happened again but this time I received the gift of nerve pain and my legs randomly giving out in addition to my back pain. Fast forward through doctor visits/imaging/non-surgical options and I need to have a decompression surgery at L4-S1 due to herniated discs, DDD, and Modic type 2 changes. Leading up to the surgery, my neurosurgeon’s office is very clear that it will only help my nerve pain and I will continue to have back pain. I had the surgery in October 2024. They were right about the pain (dammit). The surgery bought me a little over a year of relief from constant nerve pain.
November 2025 - Sort of sudden 10/10 back pain with nerve pain down my legs gets me a trip to the ER. One new MRI and a visit to my neurosurgeon’s office has me on their list for a spinal fusion. I put it off until May 2026 to get my daughter through her preschool for the year. Now that I’ve been living with this off and on pain for over 5 months, I’m having doubts about doing it since my nerve pain is little to none most days. Only my intense back pain is what I need fixed.
There’s so much unknown about what my life will be like afterwards that I’m starting to worry that maybe I should just ride it out a little longer. I know this pain, I know how to deal with it. Will the fusion even help my back pain? Will I ever have a pain free day again in my life or will this only help my nerve pain? If that’s the case, boo the fusion and I’ll just take my chances because I have very minimal nerve pain - I don’t even notice it most days, but my low back pain consumes my life and I need it to stop.
Sorry for the long post. I guess I just wanted context to my question. Thanks for reading and for any experiences that can be shared!
TL;DR - Will a L4-S1 fusion actually help my back pain or make it worse? Or do nothing for it? Minimal to no nerve pain makes me wonder if the surgery if pointless in my case.