Video

TLIF

Hi Larry, minimally invasive was not an option for the type of surgery I had. I remember asking my orthopedic surgeon about that and because of the hardware, it wasn't an option unfortunately.

I just had the same one 3 weeks ago after a botched surgery two years ago. They said one of them wasn't bad enough to operate on and only cut away part of the other one. I steadily and quickly got worse after that one. I'm still in excruciating pain but it seems like there's room in my spine for the nerves now. I was in a bad car accident in highschool (1999) that supposedly caused this. I've worked blue collar jobs and was a little wild in my 20's-30's. Mountain biking, off roading, etc. anyway, as of now, it seems like I'll be in about30% less pain once I'm healed. I'd imagine my recovery process is going to be a little rougher than most because of how long I've been this way, the previous botched surgery and I just went through radiation for stomach cancer. I tried going to the ER in November hoping they would do emergency spine surgery but they did a cat scan and found a mass on my stomach. The surgeon wouldn't touch my spine until I was cleared from radiation. I typically weigh somewhere around 185 this time of year. I was at 146 or 148 before surgery. I'm already up to 155. I'd like to hear how yours goes. This is not advice but I sure wish I would've been able to stock up on pain meds before surgery so I couldve taken extra meds these last few weeks. The first week wasn't as bad as the second. That could be the weather I guess. It's been cold, rainy, kinda warm, cold, rainy, rainy, kinda warm, cold... Sorry, I'm ADHD too so that turned into ADHD story time. What caused you to need the surgery?

How are you doing now? I have this procedure coming in a few weeks.

@@martycarmichael3885 it's a slow recovery. Seems like it will be worth it eventually but the first few weeks are rough. I wouldn't recommend someone doing this but if I had it to do over again I would've skimped on my pain meds before surgery to have them after. I'm in a ton of pain but it seems like I'll be better off eventually and be in 30% or more less pain. I was in severe pain before though. I'm sure it didn't help it's been 20 years and I've done blue collar work all my life.

@@martycarmichael3885 I thought I replied but I don't see it now. I'm still in a ton of pain but it feels like there's room in my spine for the nerves and whatever belongs in there. I don't know why I feel this way but I think once I heal from the surgery I'll be in about 30% less pain. I would've guessed being fused from L4-S1 would severely limit my flexibility, mobility, something but it doesn't seem like it will too much. I wouldn't recommend this but I wish I would've taken as few of my pain meds as possible before the surgery and stockpiled them for after the surgery. The first couple weeks, especially the first week are rough. I just finished radiation for stomach cancer in February so my health wasn't exactly top notch going into this. I typically weigh around 180-185 this time of year but only weighed 146 or148 before surgery. I lost 3lbs per week during radiation. I wasn't eating well before and puked a ton from the cancer. I'd go days without eating. I'm probably in the mid-upper 150's now. The radiating pain in my legs and foot are still very there but seem to be easing up a little bit. Very little and very slow but I've been dealing with this well over 20 years.

@@martycarmichael3885 Fairly good now. Still a long way to go, in many respects, but walking twice daily. Yesterday went 10422 steps. I have overdone it twice and it set me back a couple of days each time. Tight hip and back muscles. Almost no incisional pain for me. I have a sanding isometrics routine I do (started at 2 weeks post op) three times a day, which helps strengthen my core, loosen hips and improve my mobility. Takes about 3-4 minutes each time. Gained 10 pounds in 5 day 4 night hospital admission. Lost that plus 13 pounds within 3 weeks of my first BM (3 days after getting back home). Constipation is THE WORST! The best thing for this was MiraLax. Have this on hand when you get back home!! X-ray looked good in my 6 week follow- up and I return in 6 months. Starting PT 5/1. BTW, my labs were very screwed up after all the drugs they gave me and my body’s response but this is normal and can take a little while (day/weeks) to get back to normal. I think this is typical. I’m tracking my calories, eating healthier and trying to get to a healthy BMI for my age (62).

Hello! 3 and a 1/2 years later, I'm still doing really well. I have no limitations and rarely do I ever notice that I even have hardware in my back. I am still active and do all my normal activities (workout, travel, yard work, etc.) I hope your surgery went well for you!

@katebaldwin463 Thank you I will be 4 weeks out tomorrow, and I'm doing really well, I'm walking 2 miles a day or at least trying to. I found out that I could get a bone a bone stimulator, so I'm looking forward to that. I really appreciate all your videos and all the information that you put out there. I do wanna challenge you on the. Longest Butt Crack, though LOL. Again thank you

@@wandawhite7284 that is so awesome to hear! Thank you for updating your progress and best wishes for continued healing.

Good luck, did mine little over 6weeks ago. First 2-3 weeks were the worst for me as far as pain. Pretty good now, the only pain is when i move wrong or have to sneeze!!

I'm not op and I'm 8 months late seeing your comment but do plenty of research before deciding on a surgeon and facility. I had a botched surgery 2 years ago and had fusion surgery (that should've been done in the first place) a month or so ago. The first place claimed one of the discs wasn't bad enough to operate on yet, and claimed it would only take a couple hours to grind the other disc away from the nerve. This time... they removed scar tissue from the first surgery, removed parts of the vertebrae, replaced the discs with spacers to spread my spine back apart where it's supposed to be and added rods and screws. I still have pain but it seems or feels like that'll improve with time. Good luck if you haven't had it yet!

That's my question too. I recently had fusion from L4-s1, discs replaced with spacers, parts of the vertebrae removed to create room in the spine for my nerves and rods and screws put in to hold everything together. I tried to get emergency surgery in November because my left foot and calf felt like they were on fire. They're not quite that bad now and it's only been about a month but that pain is definitely still there and pretty severe.

Hi Chris! Yes, I had sciatica down my right leg into my toes. After the fusion, the sciatica was gone however I had numbness in my right foot and right calf. I still have some slight numbness to this day, but no pain whatsoever. It's now been over two years since my surgery and I still feel great. I hope you have a speedy recovery if/when you get your TLIF.

@@katebaldwin463 Was your pain down the right leg feeling like pressure in some areas and really tight leg when bending it. Almost like a charlie horse or pulled muscle, a burn after walking to much stuff like that ? Sorry to bug of course :)

@@chriskoebel1820 the only pain that really felt like a charlie horse was near my si joint/buttox. The pain that went down my right leg and into my toes was nerve pain - there was no mistaken that.

How are you feeling now?

I'm 37 and I had TLIF L4-S1 fusion. It was definitely not a MIS. My scar is about 8 inches long.

@@katebaldwin463 how are you feeling now? Did you remove the screws from ur back? I have heard some people saying you can feel it when you moving around so they removed it. You are fused from L4-S1 ? How is life now ? Hopefully pain free

Spondylolisthesis of my L5 upon S1 with a bilateral pars defect, spinal stenosis of my lower lumbar and herniated disc between L4-L5.

@@katebaldwin463 oh ok

Hi Alice, I hope your surgery goes well! My quality of life was non existent before surgery and it's been amazing since having it . In regard to "gear", I had purchased all of the recommended things like a shower chair, a grabber, pillow wedges, etc. The hospital gave me a walker. I used the walker for maybe 3 days (probably not even). The shower chair was so worth it for me as something sturdy but also it was so nice to sit while having a shower when your so exhausted. The grabber was helpful too. I put everything at waist length so things are easy to grab. Amazon has kits you can buy that has items/tools you can use after a back surgery.

Hi Tory, I'm almost at my 1 year anniversary, on November 2nd! I continue to feel great! I don't really have any issues with my back and I can do anything now and have full range of motion (run, bike, stretch, etc.) I am much more conscious of watching my posture while sitting, when lifting, etc. But as far as pain or being uncomfortable, I have no pain and no issues. The only thing is I really need to focus on is getting healthier overall with eating right and doing more exercise to avoid any issues with my back. I hope your husband's surgery goes well and that he has a fast recovery!

@@katebaldwin463 Thanks Kate for the reply. He is getting nervous as the day draws near. I don't blame him. I had my laminectomy a few years ago but he is getting the hardware on top of that as well. I too was really aware of everything I did for a good 18 months Exercise is the best way to keep everything going 😊

Hi there, I'm not as familiar with spondylitis as the condition I had is spondylolisthesis of my L5 upon S1 which is different than your condition. In my experience, my spinal fusion gave me my quality of life back. I hope the same for you. Go with a doctor you trust and be sure to follow all of the guidelines they give you. Physical therapy did not work for me as my issue was beyond that, my pars bone was fractured off of my L5 vertebrae along with a herniated disc between L4 and L5, and I also had spinal stenosis of my lower lumbar. I hope all the best for you!

@@katebaldwin463 thank you for the update. Wish u healthy life

I hope you have a speedy recovery! Day 3 into 4 was the worst for me (just a heads up in case you experience the same). Just keep focusing on your recovery and be an advocate for yourself! Wishing you all the best!

How are you feeling now hope u are doing well I have spondylitis and bulging disc I am very scared from future 😔😔

@@vortex21rainz26 Not good at all even after 5 months. Sorry this is not something you’re expecting to hear! But that’s the harsh truth right now. Doctor said nothing wrong with the fusion itself but my pain hasn’t resolved. Maybe it’s because of my partially degenerated l5-s1 which might be the actual source of pain. who knows! You cannot expect to improve by these procedures unless the actual source of pain is identified. Now I’m even worse than before and I’m only 27yrs old! Don’t know what to do with this life anymore…

@@HypotheticalZ oh I am so sorry to hear that . I know how you are feeling 😞 it’s very hard

@@vortex21rainz26 today I went to visit another surgeon. He ordered for a CT scan and the worst nightmare became true. It turns out my bone actually hasn’t healed yet. Most probably the doctor put insufficient bone graft there and the vertebrae never fused. He prescribed some medicines that promote bone growth. If it doesn’t improve, I gotta have another surgery to put more bones there.

Well rug was pulled out from under me, I get a call 2 weeks ago saying my surgeon left the practice so no running around looking for someone that can do the surgery on me. Back pain sux.... Hope time heals you and keep us updated..

Hi Katie, try not to be too terrified. Your slippage is worse than what I had, and even with my grade 1 slippage, I couldn't walk, stand, sit, or lay down. I was bent over my bed to sleep and just the day to day (for about 3 months). I worked remote because if the pandemic and looking back, it worked out well as being bent over the bed was the only position I could tolerate. If you trust your doctor and have a good feeling about him/her, you should be in good hands. Just this past week, I was up in northern Michigan with my family and went jogging 3x's (2.5 miles each time), lifted weights, went on the paddle boards on the lake, and was active with my kids. I'm only 8 months out from my surgery and feel like I got my life back. Stay positive, be an advocate for yourself, walk a lot, eat healthy, drink lots of water, and rest! The first week is the worst, but it gets better. Feel free to reach out if you have any questions in your recovery!

Thank you so much!!! That’s really encouraging!

Hi Kacper, I hope your surgery goes well! The sleeping right after surgery is not the most comfortable. The first week is not easy by any means, so just keep that in mind. You'll ask yourself "why did I do this?" But just give it time. I slept on my side with a pillow between my legs. That was the most comfortable position. They should show you how to barrel role yourself to switch sides and to get out of bed. As far as eating, I drank protein shakes and added collagen peptides to the mi,. Collagen is suppose to help with the bone recovery and tissue around the bones. You can literally order it off of Amazon. The protein shake I drank (and still drink) is Shakeology. I hope all goes well with you and feel free to reach out with any other questions!

@@katebaldwin463 thank you very much for replying. I'm sure the 1st week will be tough, maybe a little beyond that. I do have body pillow that I sleep with as well and that helps me right now. So i'm glad you said that it was more comfortable for you to sleep on the site. I'm sure rolling from side to side could be a challenge at first. Did you have your husband help you reposition initially, or get up or move around? I have my family around thankfully, my son is 20, my daughter is 17, plus my great wife, all are ready to help. I'm blessed that way. As far as diet, I did ask, becouse I have do that kind of nutrition already, additionaly take good quality supplements and vitamins, like D3+k2 among others, I even add bone broth and collagen powder to my oatmeal, and make vegi/fruit shakes, etc. Try to keep myself ready for recovery. You and few other people on youtube with positive videos give me hope and believe for good recovery, and thank you for that🙏. I might have more questions over time, I hope you don't mind. Also hope to see another video from you about yoir progress. God bless.

Hi there, I had an MRI done to get the images of what was wrong with my back before they did surgery. After PT I ended up going to the emergency room because I literally couldn't walk, sit, or stand and was in excruciating pain. When I was there, I got the MRI done that night and was seen by an orthopedic surgeon the next morning and I ended up going with him for my surgery and never got a second opinion, but I had such a good feeling about him and I'm so happy I followed my gut instinct. I seriously got my life back afterwards. Just last night I was out jogging and ended my workout with lifting weights (light weights, lol). I would push your physican to order you an MRI if you are experiencing the same thing. When you're in chronic pain, it feels like a lifetime. Here are some things to try: -Steroid epidural injections -10's unit (order off of Amazon) -Try to stretch as much as you can -Drink tons of water & try to eat healthy -Be an advocate for yourself and don't be afraid to ask for things that you need (like meds and if certain meds don't work, then speak up!) I hope this was helpful!

@@katebaldwin463 thank you so much for responding and the great info!

I drink Shakeology and mix in collegen peptides.

Hi Jesus, the pain was debilitating before surgery and I tried everything. I was on steroids, pain medicine, muscle relaxers, and I had even tried steroid epidural injections, topical numbing creams, tens machine, nerve medicine, and more. I literally tried everything imaginable. The pain meds and muscle relaxers helped at times but it wasn't a fix for me. I do not like taking medicine under normal circumstances so I really struggled with that and stopped all medicine 2-3 weeks after I had the surgery. There are non-surgical options that I think people should try before opting for surgery. For example, the steroid epidural injections did help but for a very short period for me. For some people, the injections provide long term relief. I would work with your doctor on other alternatives if you and the doctor feel other alternatives may help with your pain. I hope you find relief soon!

Hi May! Yes, I can bend, twist and all of that. I'm still careful with lifting though. But I can bend and touch my toes and twist to either side. Everyone's fusions are different though so I would talk to your doctor about what limitations you might have after a fusion.

@@katebaldwin463 thank you. All the best!

Thank you Emily! Feel free to reach out if you ever have any questions. I hope you have a quick recovery also!

Hi Mark, I would give yourself time. Recovery for me didn't, and still doesn't, go as fast as I'd like it to with some things. Some days I was able to sit longer than others, that is still the case now. I just listen to my body and know when to take it easy and when I can push a little longer. I'm now 9 weeks post op and can sit for long period of time. Just this past weekend I did a day trip to northern Michigan and was in the car one way for 3 hours and was fine. By the end of the day though I was really stiff. Hang in there and give yourself and your body time to recover.

@@katebaldwin463 Thank you for the info Kate. At this point I would not be able to survive a 3 hours drive but I will take your advice to be patient. Again, I wish you a pain free recovery. All the best.

Hi Renee! Thank you for the comment! I'm happy the videos are helpful. I'm huge on listening to your body, and my surgeon even told me this as well. There are good days and some rougher days too. The rougher days for me are usually getting tired more often or if my nerve/numbness issue is worse before bed than other nights. All is going better than I had expected it to (knock on wood!)

Hi Renee! Thank you your comment! It's definitely a life decision to make and one that I struggled with. I wanted to share my story to see if it might help someone. It's been fun doing the videos and I'll be sure to post more! Feel free to reach out if you ever have any questions.

Thank you for the well wishes Dylan! Did you also have a spinal fusion? Any insight you can share?

@@katebaldwin463 I did not. I tried PT and have had mixed results with chiropractors. I just decided pretty early on I will go as long as I can without surgery. The first couple years sucked real bad. Road trips are literally the worst. One thing that helped a lot was getting a really firm bed. I bought a shikibuton which is like a cotton mat on the floor and that helped a lot