Has anyone had spinal fusion surgery, if so what are your resluts?
Answers:
My doctor wanted me to have two of them. I declined. After doing a LOT of research, I found that they have a tendancy to fail after about 10 years (meaning you're back to where you started). Reccovery is a long time (up to a year) and I'm a smoker (which creates problems with the bone grafts). I know it's not what you asked, but those were my main reasons for turning it down. I did manage a 95% recovery without the surgery, but it took nearly 5 years.
Make sure you get a second opinion. The second surgeon I went to confirmed what I thought, and told me that he didn't want to do the surgery (unless it was absolutely unaviodable) because of my age. I was 21 at the time. (he told me it was the failure rate and my age, if he did it, I would most likely be in a wheel chair by the time I was 50 or so)
Just for the record they were considering the surgery for a grade 2 spondylothisis at L5 (I know there are a few different problems they do fusions for) The plan was to fuse S1 to L5 to L4
There are lots of support sites on the internet. Try google, and you will find lots of people who have had the surgery and be able to talk to them about it. Good Luck!
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