Serenity
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Spinal FusionIn 2002, I had one of my lumbar dics removed, and my spine fused, and fixed with pedicle screws and fixation rods. To cut a long story short, I'd been in agony for ten years after the birth of my first son, I'd tried everthing in the book, from yoga, hydra-pool therapy,physiotherapy, osteopathy, you name it I tried it lol. All to no avail, and quite frankly I was at the end of my tether. I pushed and pushed, and eventually got an MRI scan, showing I had a torn disc. One side was touching bone on bone, and after talking with the surgeon, I told him I wanted it out and fused. (I'd read up on the net about options).
He told me he would do it but there was a high risk, that if something went wrong I would never walk again, or might have no control over my bladder etc. There was NO hesitation on my part, he either did it or I'd jump off a bridge to be honest I was that desperate for relief.
Anyway he booked me in, Paul booked a month of work for initial care, and I asked friends to help with school runs etc.
Luckily for me all went well, the disc removed, my spine decompressed and fused with screws for support, and after five days in hospital I was home, in a back brace. I wasn't allowed to sit for two weeks. I could lay or stand, but if standing I had to keep on the brace. This I kept on for 6 months. I couldnt drive for quite a while until he okayed it. I have a very neat six inch scar along my spine, but thats a small price to pay for being out of lower back pain!!
Below are some pictures of spinal fusion. A flat on view and a side view.
 
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Selious5
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My goodness Debs that is some painful thing you have come through. I have to take my hat of to you for the courage you have shown in the decision you had to make and the patience that it took when you were incapacitated afterwards. Do you still have pain with this or has the op been 100% successful?
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Serenity
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I get general back pain, that I take aniti-inflamatories for constantly, but as for the disc area, I am totally 100% painfree. It was a total success, and if I had of ended up paralysed (this may sound weird)at least I'd have been out of that terrible debilitating pain! Thats how bad it was, especially when some days my back would go completely.
One day my back went completely and I ended up on the floor. I layed on the floor all day in agony, not able to move, until Paul came in from work to help me up. That was when it was at it's worst, most days I was up and mobile, I even worked part time, just I lived in constant pain, pilled up on the strongest painkiller they would give me. Because I had small children they wouldnt give me morphine, I was on the one below 
I think when you are battling against something and losing, then some decisions are easy to make. I think anyone would have made the same choice
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redhead
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I don't know how you coped with the pain for 10yrs as you say you were prepared to take the risk and fair play to you so pleased evrything turned out ok . now you've had t he op are you able to do most activities ok or still some restrictions ?
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Serenity
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I can do everything I did before, well apart from touch my toes, I can't do that now, same as if I sit on the floor with my legs out straight in front of me I can't do that either, as I can't seem to get my pelvis to go at right angles to my legs....but they weren't things I did often anyway lol! My surgeon told me he's fused someones spine at 5 levels of vertabrae, and she was a gymnast, and she could still perform after surgery.
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AnnetteCurtain
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Did you have an epidural during your first delivery by any chance?
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Serenity
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No I didn't, BUT my first delivery he came out face upwards instead of face down. He then got his face stuck on the back side of my pubic bone, and he preceded to push on my spine to get out the little bugger lol...Where as normally they come out face down, and push on the tummy. I remember for weeks after my lower back was weak and sore, Paul used to have to bath him as I couldn't kneel and lean over without being in pain....should have read the warning signs then, but being a woman I just put up with it and got on with it...bad thing to do lol
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knewlove
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Wow that sounds like a horrendous ordeal to have gone thru Debbie xx I'm glad you opted for the surgery too and that everything turned out okay.
I know this sounds trivial in comparison...but a couple years ago I fell down an icy flight of concrete stairs and broke my tailbone. It was total agonyyyyyyyyy! I couldn't sit, bend, walk, or lie down without excrutiating pain for about 6 months! I can't imagine what 10 years must have been like for you! I bet you breathed a big sigh of relief when the pain was finally gone!!
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Serenity
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Thats horrendous too Kris! I dislocated mine when I was 14, I fell straight down on my bottom HARD and pushed it upwards, and along with my disc problem also had tail bone probs on and off for years. It was so tender at times , even leaning against something, say a worktop would cause horrendous pain, so I sympathise totally with what you went through.
(DONT READ IF SQUEAMISH)
Relief from this problem eventually came from a trip to an Osteopath. After talking he suggested I had it manipulated by him. As awful as it sounds I was up for it once again for relief. I took my mum along with me, as it sounded quite an embarrassing thing to have to endure. He laid me on my side, knees tucked up, then inserted his finger into my rectum and with his thumb on the outside he pulled my tailbone back to its normal postition. It sounded awful hearing it crunch back into place, and was obviously uncomfortable enduring this. BUT it did the trick!! I've never had probs with it since 
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knewlove
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Ouch  I hope I never have to endure that! My tailbone eventually healed altho it does cause me some discomfort now and then especially when I am overly active. I had it x-rayed about a year ago and my doctor said it healed but it was angulated. If I was to have kids it would propose a problem with the pregnancy and delivering of the baby and they would have to straighten it - but in my case I don't have to worry about that  Just hope it doesn't cause back probs or arthritis later on!
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