Lumbar fusion questions

[Margie in Florida]

I am having fusion of L2-L5 through the back. Scoliosis, degenerative disk disease, bulging disk and spinal stenosis. I was told it will be a 5 hr surgery with about a 7 day stay in the hospital.

[mmglobal]

Margie, that sounds like a fairly large procedure, confirmed by an anticipated 7 days in the hospital. Recovery will likely be difficult. I hope you'll have some help at home. One common mistake is for (mostly women) go home and immediately start taking care of everyone else with cooking and cleaning. Men have no problem letting everything in the house go... their problem is returning playing soccer or hockey too fast!

Good luck to you... please let us know how it goes.

Mark

[jsewell]

Hi Margie,
I am having an anterior fusion and correction of kyphosis and some fractures on monday through the front.My doc always says about 5 days and i usually stay maybe one day more if nothing major goes on after. Last summer when he tried it through the back, the screws loosened do to another pituitary disease and my stay was a week, but i couldn't walk after, but insurance kicked me out.
anyway i had the screw, other instrumentation removal 6 weeks later and then I could walk again.
I have had many fusion surgeries however. I would say they get you up the next day and have you walk with a walker with a physical therapist. You learn how to do a kind of log roll to get out of bed as it hurts otherwise. you should have a pain pump which is controlled by you with a button about every 10 minutes give or take a few. Just keep it in your hands or very close. i usually loose mine when i fall asleep. Also you will have a catheter for a day or longer depending on your doctor. The pain pump will be for a few days also depending on your doctor and then you are put oral meds so you can adjust to going home. What else eat a lot of fiber in the hospital as you must have that bowel movement to go home!! I usually have physical therapy for a few weeks at home or sometimes just for a few times. Also a home health care nurse will come to see if she should come back on a regular basis. she is the one who orders the physical therapy as well.
If you have any more specific questions get me in the next few days because then i will be in the hospital myself
judy