Post: #1

I might have to go through with a spinal fusion, and I'm wondering if any of the peeps on here have had one?

If anyone on here has, I've written down a couple of questions:

Do you know which levels / vertebrae you had fused?

How's lifting after surgery? Are you able to do all exercises including the likes of squats and deadlifts?

How long was the recovery time?

How big is the mobility restriction? Do you actually feel limited or is it unnoticable?

What are you not able to do?

and last but not least, do you regret it?

I'm really fucking worried that I'm going to end up being a couch potato if I go through with surgery. I really don't want to feel restricted and I don't want to look all stiff and awkward.

I've already spoken with my doctor he told me I'll be able to do everything I could do before surgery but I want to hear how it is from a patients perspective. I also heard stories of people having their doctors tell them they could do everything they could do before surgery but ended up being restricted as hell.

I've read forums regarding this specifically but since scoliosis is more common amongst women I've only found single moms talking about the surgery and telling me they are able to lift their children, but that's not really the answer I'm looking for since I won't be lifting children but weights which is quite a difference.

Honestly my main worries are looking awkward and stiff and feeling restricted.

Anyone out there? :/

Post: #2

You're not going to be a couch potato.

I've had a bilateral fusion for many years, L4-S1"

You'll never lift the same, I used to deadlift 500lbs for reps, now I only do half that and don't plan to ever go any higher. Same with squats. I use light weight and high reps. Not a big deal.

Some differences will be that your biggest worries are going to be flying in an airplane or taking a long car ride. I always take a pain killer when I get on a plane. I'm usually the one on the plane that's smiling.

You'll never sit in a booth in a restaurant again, it puts too much pressure on your spine and hurts like hell, you'll ask for a table with a chair.

Waking up every mornings is a real pain in the ass until you get blood flowing again. If you can jump right out of bed and get in a hottub with a cup of coffee, you'll have it made. This gives you a perfect reason to buy a house in Colombia with a hottub in your bedroom and a few naked Latinas.

I was out of the hospital the day after my surgery and walking around the house. Recovery time was maybe a month.

Do I regret it -- No.

Goodluck

Post: #3

(01-17-2016 12:27 PM)LINUX Wrote:  You're not going to be a couch potato.

I've had a bilateral fusion for many years, L4-S1"

You'll never lift the same, I used to deadlift 500lbs for reps, now I only do half that and don't plan to ever go any higher. Same with squats. I use light weight and high reps. Not a big deal.

Some differences will be that your biggest worries are going to be flying in an airplane or taking a long car ride. I always take a pain killer when I get on a plane. I'm usually the one on the plane that's smiling.

You'll never sit in a booth in a restaurant again, it puts too much pressure on your spine and hurts like hell, you'll ask for a table with a chair.

Waking up every mornings is a real pain in the ass until you get blood flowing again. If you can jump right out of bed and get in a hottub with a cup of coffee, you'll have it made. This gives you a perfect reason to buy a house in Colombia with a hottub in your bedroom and a few naked Latinas.

I was out of the hospital the day after my surgery and walking around the house. Recovery time was maybe a month.

Do I regret it -- No.

Goodluck

Hmm, encouraging and discouraging at the same time I guess.

Thanks for responding

Post: #4

I had the L4-L5 fusion and had a pretty similar outcome to LINUX. I was in the hospital for two days and after a month and a half I was back in the gym lifting at a high level. I can currently lift as much as before but I'm much more conscious about form and I too tend to do higher reps than higher weight.

Sitting for long periods of time can get very uncomfortable but I don't experience pain like LINUX. I don't notice any flexibility issues other than a lesser angle of twist and my posture actually improved. I think flexibility issues would be much more severe if the L5 is fused to the sacrum.

It's the best decision I've ever made but my hand was forced because I had cauda equinae syndrome and lost use of my legs and control of my bladder. It's honestly a no-brainer, modern medicine is awful at treating chronic conditions like back injuries and you're better off to just get it done and be done with it instead of dragging it on.

Good luck

Post: #5

Broke my T12 vertebrae in November 2013 and was incompletely paralyzed, had rods placed to stabilize the break from T10-L1, however not a fusion. Had the rods taken out in May of 2015 after almost full recovery, and honestly probably should have left them in, I experience a lot more pain than before, but the flexibility is almost worth it.

Be prepared to foam roll and stretch on a daily basis, and your weights in the gym will decrease a lot, however I still can rep 225 deads and upper body is fully capable. The recovery can be as long as 12 weeks, I was back in 8 I believe. I will second the sitting for long periods of time, it's fucking terrible if you haven't stretched that day. You will definitely want to be moving around as much as possible, and get a standing desk if you have a desk job.

Peyton Manning has a high level fusion, and went back to play in the NFL for multiple seasons. You can definitely still be active with it.