r/spinalfusion

So I (female, mid-30s) am scheduled for my first fusion in a little over a month. It'll be at L5-S1. I'm really nervous about it because my apartment is not ideally set up for this - there's only one bathroom, on the second floor, so I'll either be having to do stairs multiple times per day or stay in my bedroom almost all the time. I've gotten conflicting information about whether that will be an issue, since my recliner and the TV are on the first floor. I could definitely use some advice on what to do about this!

I also have the following items either purchased or scheduled to be purchased. Is there anything I might be missing?

- loofah on a stick

- shower chair

- hand held shower wand

- back scratcher (for legs)

- grabbing stick

- slip-on shoes, shoe horn, sock aid, and all the loose comfortable clothing I could need

- toilet seat riser

- bidet

- walker and cane

- Wedge pillow and body pillow, plus a bajillion regular pillows as needed

- temporary grab bar for shower balance

I just can't help but feel that I'm missing something or that I'm going to be in a less than ideal situation for recovery. Luckily I don't live alone, though.

Mayo Clinic is supposed to be one of the best hospitals in the country and I managed to get an appointment there with a spine surgeon I read about who does endoscopic surgery, but I'm wondering if Mayo is really that much better than some of the Dr's here in NYC. Anyone had surgery there that was successful? I have osteoporosis and lumbar stenosis, radiculopathy, foraminal stenosis, herniated disc.......alot. Please share if you have had surgery there and have osteoporosis.

Have a follow-up with my surgeon in June. Already had first post-op where I was turned loose to walk as much as I can tolerate. Question is for other L5-S1 alif/plif folks is when did you get back to riding your bicycle?

I had posterior L5-S1 fusion on 2/23/26. Recovery was rough but I was making it. Fast forward to last week, I was home with my children for spring break. Didn’t do anything crazy, just more walking and climbing stairs than normal. I woke up Friday and felt like something was wrong, particularly coming from the left lateral incision. Called neurosurgeon, told me it was nerve pain, to rest over the weekend and call today if not better. I’m not better and they can see me Tuesday, but I went to get x-ray today and here are the results:

Results: There are changes from posterior spinal fusion at L5-S1. Laminotomy defects suspected posteriorly. Mild spurring at the disc space but no sign of subluxation. No compression fracture or complication of the hardware. Mild left lateral curvature. Mild degenerative changes identified.

The part scaring me is the suspected laminotomy defects. Does this mean my fusion failed? I know the Dr will explain tomorrow, but looking for someone with similar findings to talk me off the ledge.

I had my L4/5 TLIF on Feb 23rd and it was a success; my nerve pain is SO much better it’s insane. I still get the odd tweak and niggle but it’s a work apart from where I was. My back aches like crazy at even minor “exercise” (emptying the dishwasher etc.) and, as the title says, I’m physically and mentally exhausted all the time. I went back to work after 6 weeks (which my surgeon wasn’t happy with but he couldn’t see me until 7.5 weeks so I just went by my original sick note), did a week of reduced hours and had to go sick again. I was a mess, could barely function. The surgeon has signed me off for another 6 weeks, saying he recommends 12 weeks off work. Did others feel like this post-op? I’m 8 weeks today. The level of tiredness is really making me feel down in the dumps.

I am roughly a year and a half out of L5 S1 lumbar fusion. Everything has been going fine until today. At my last x-ray, the surgeon saw evidence that I had fused. But today I lifted a box that wasn’t too heavy, but I must’ve twisted in a strange way because I felt a really painful twinge in the left butt where one of the giant screws is in the hip. That area had been giving me problems for almost a year. The surgeon did a CT scan and saw a bit of a halo around that screw but it wasn’t that bad. My surgery was so extensive he said it would be a bad idea to go in and try and pull out that screw or replace it. Eventually, the pain went away, but today it came back after I lifted that box weirdly. I also have osteoporosis in the hip so now my mind is racing with all sorts of terrible scenarios that the screw either broke or came loose or something fractured in the hip because of the osteoporosis. I’m spiraling and it would just help if someone said I might be OK.

Some days this is just so miserable.☹️

So for context I am a teenager and got spinal fusion 1 and a half year ago. I've always wanted to try new sports but I have never had the permission to. I want to start figure skating but my parents tell me that I can not do that with my spine, the thing is I do dancing. Yes figure skating is different from dancing but it doesn't mean that I am disabled and can't do anything. I really want to start and I know that I will need to do some adjustments, but it's something I've wanted to do for a while now. Is there someone that had dealt with the same? If so how did you deal with it? My parents also doesn't let me do many sports but then say that I can not complain about my spine since others have it worse. I feel like my parents care too much but at the same time does'nt care at all. How do I tell them that I am fully capable of doing the sports I want when they don't listen?

Hi everyone, I recently had scans that showed I have arthritis in my lumbar related to having had scoliosis surgery many decades ago. My preference is not to have surgery again, but just find ways to accommodate the discomfort as best I can while still doing my daily activities. I'm looking for recommendations on your favorite chairs that provide support and relief from lower back discomfort while you're sitting at your desk all day. Just so you know, I have a walking desk which I use sometimes but it can adjust to the seated position. I'd appreciate any feedback you have on things that make your office life a bit easier post-surgery and as a person aging with rods in their back. Thank you in advance!

So I’m a little worried, sitting in the waiting room, oddly not in pain. My big toe won’t lift up off the floor. I also had some minor dribbling incontinence this morning.

Over the last two weeks, I’ve tapered all my pain killers (9 years/lots of opioids) and the pain has increased both in frequency and intensity. I assumed this was due to my nerves reawakening after a decade of suppression. From 10-12 episodes of 15-20 seconds to 40-50 episodes lasting 45-60 seconds. Prior to my fusion, pain felt like a bone crushing sensation, this is now heat and electricity feelings.

Anyone else go from morphine/Percocet to Suboxone as a taper, then when finished Suboxone had pains increasing like this?

I got nowhere to go, ask me anything if you wish.

Im 4 weeks post op from a T3-L3 fusion. I know im very early on in this, but I cant help but worry about making any wrong move and damaging my hardware or accidentally twisting and causing a non fusion. Ive seen people that say their hardware snapped just by doing everyday things. A few times now ive accidentally moved the wrong way which causes significant pain and im scared that it could hinder bone fusion or prevent it entirely.

Im curious as to why normal movements can result in failure and how common it is for screws to come loose or rods to snap, and how to avoid these things.

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.

I am just wondering for anyone that has experience with a fusion or has a curve like mine can answer. I am 19M 130lbs 50 degree scoliosis with a big rib hump and suck at standing for long times as i feel alot of musle fatigue and pain but when I sit down or lay down it pretty much goes away. I have trouble lifting things over 10lbs as I can tell my body does not like it and mildly shakes, I also have trouble going down stairs but go up stairs fine. Somtimes my body twitches and when i stretch I feel like a insect is crawling on my rightside ribcage. I am not an active person and looking to do some form of physical therapy since schorth is like 500 dollars per session.