back surgery

[69daytona]

Have had two back surgeries, fused L2-S1. Was working good for 12 years until I fell off the roof and broke both shoulders and a bunch of ribs. Back held up fine.
Have restored 7 cars since my first surgery, just getting fat and old age is catching up now.

[M-Tecs]

I had hemi-laminectomy on L4-L5 in 1989. Perfect results and no issues since.

[Traffer]

I just read this post and glad I did. My doctor has been trying to convince me to get fusion. Been living with other pain for the past 40 or more years. Thought I "pulled a muscle" last year and back started hurting. Doc wanted me to get a xray "Just in case". They saw something on the xray and then needed a MRI...MRI showed "Wow this is huge..."says the doc. Disk pinching off the spine...doc called it a "cyst" he said "We have to drain that thing it is pinching off your spinal cord" (leg pain so bad couldn't bend over at that time) ......Long story here folks.........
Went in for the "drain cyst" and folks looked at me funny, kept saying "injection". Ended up that it wasn't a drain the cyst deal, It was an "inject the cyst with steroids" ...not a real good experience. But it helped ...for a couple of weeks....Doc said you are going to HAVE to have the surgery (fusion) ...In the mean time I run into a guy who told me his experience... All his docs wanted to fuse after an accident at work. He went to a doctor who had a really good reputation and that doc said "operation but NO FUSION" So he gets the operation (removed the disk) ... he goes to physical therapy and does it RELIGIOUSLY. He said because of the PT he is stronger now than before the operation.
So when I went back to my doc i tole them that story and got into PT. For me PHYSICAL THERAPY has been a MIRACLE. As long as I continue with it NO PAIN. They also gave me an exercise where I roll my back against the wall with a tennis ball in a pillow case inbetween. So the tennis ball can push directly against the disk. That exercise MAY have ruptured the disk and took the pressure off the spine. because I no longer have a sore spot and my legs are no longer numb and "electric pain"
One other note, a friend's wife works at a nursing home for soldiers "KING Wisconsin". She said that the PT folks there use a devise called a "Sacro Wedgy". I got myself one of those and it seems to HELP A LOT. I use with my PT exercises that I do laying down.
So for now, my back is stable. IF it gets bad again, I have a second opinion Doctor lined up...Certainly NOT going to let the guy who keeps badgering me work on it. His office laughed at me when I told them that the PT was helping...."OK call us when it gets bad again" NOPE.

One thing I forgot to mention...the most important thing...(had intended to but forgot as I wrote) ...As I did not particularly want to have surgery, I prayed fervently that the Physical Therapy would be a miraculous help. There are many different scenarios here that people have shared. Some very different than others. I believe it is God who grants us success in anything. My suggestion for any (especially health related) issues is to take it to God in prayer.

[MrWolf]

Might also want to look into an inversion table. Loved mine but have to wait and talk to doc before trying it again after having surgery.

[Battis]

I had one for many years. Eventually, hanging upside down put too much pressure on my knees, ankles and hips. Plus, as you age, they can cause glaucoma from the pressure put on the eyeballs.
The problem is that you can't control how your back will react when you come back upright. Be careful with those.
I get a better stretch doing pullups, or pulldowns at the gym.

[farmerjim]

One neck, 2 lower back. All OK. I am waiting for the pain to get worse before they fuse 2 more in lower back. It won't be long.

[GregLaROCHE]

Great results. After years of back pain, none at all after recovery. Only wish it was done five years before. Surgery was done from the inside. A piece of bone was taken from my hip to replace the disc with a metal clip to hold everything together until it all fused.