fusion .i live in the uk and had the operation done by one of the uks best .the operation is major ..never forget that .and depending on your health NOW and how many pain killers you are taking and how many years you have been in pain and what you limitations and expectation post op are .as you can see its a complex subject and we haven't even got to the operation yet
i myself have been in pain 15 years and the last 5 have been worse following a redo of my last operation [L4/L5 laminectomy and an d S1 DISCECTOMY} .this operation left me in pain and unable to do many things .so after many years wondering if a fusion would help i sort of when for it with many reservations .
on waking from the major operation i felt like my lower body was on fire and i screamed and i mean screamed .the reason for this is as i take many pain killers and have done for 5 years i have built a massive tolerance to pain killers .we are talking around 500mg of oxycontin .thats 500mg not 50mg ! .so when i woke they needed to keep me in medical recovery under constant surveillance i had my own anesthetist and my own pain nurse specialist and a medical technician ..now that a lot of medical people just for one person .they gave me 4mg of morphine every 5 mins ..no good {most are ok on 1/2 mg per 5 mins} i was still in agony ..so in when another PCA and this time diamorphine when it too .and still
i was in pain so every 2 hours the anaesthetist came and gave me katamine .its the most given to one person in 40 years following this king of surgey .to star with i was frail following 5 years lack of sleep and constant pain .i am now at home but my life has changed beyond my expectation.i shower and i am finished due to being so tired and worn out .i carnt even pick my clothing up of the floor due to restricted movement and pain .sleeping is also hard work as sleeping on my right hand side hurts but i have just managed to sleep there and i now get 2/4 hours sleep but wake in agony with my legs on fire.i am unable to do the things that you would take for granted like cleaning yourself after going to the toilet .{when in hospital my wife had to clean me ...not very nice for both of us] but in sickness and health !.a fusion is massive so thing not just about the operation but think what will i be like following surgey what will i be able to do .can i dress myself ? will i be able to tolerate clothing on my lower body {nerve pain ] and do i have someone to help me like cooking and cleaning ?? there are many REAL things that arnt on the paper work you get from the hospital .like the ..after 3 weeks you should be walking 2 miles !! please i carnt walk 2o metres and yu should be able to do this and that .my private physio said bit it and dont let it worry you my consultant told me that my recovery will be around 2/3 years .yes years .so on the worse side be prepared for a possible long recovery and even if it goes text book your body will have been to hell and back .i am male and 45 just as a reference.good luck and think about what you may be doing its a last resort
tony {UK}