Posts
309
Joined
12/30/2006
Location
NJ
US
Edited Date/Time
12/6/2021 5:23am
If you've had this done, please fill me in on recovery time, quality of life, ability to ride, etc...
I've had 2 procedures to fix L5, and 1 to fix L4. My doc says that my next step is fusion and the Ti cage. Since my industry is just starting to slowly return, I can't be laid up very long.
I've had 2 procedures to fix L5, and 1 to fix L4. My doc says that my next step is fusion and the Ti cage. Since my industry is just starting to slowly return, I can't be laid up very long.
I returned to work in six weeks.
Brutal surgery and first two weeks are rough. Not gonna lie. It’s gnarly.
You will slowly get better. 6 months you are about 80% recovered. It will take a full 12 months to be back at 100%.
After that, I feel great. Got my life back in all honesty. Wouldn’t not feel limited to do anything. Including moto. No worries.
Back pain can be crippling.
Appreciate the info.
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Anyway, the first two weeks were rough with managing his pain. Week 3 was a lot better. And by week 4 he was back at school.
After about 3 years I had all the hardware removed. I was 12 at the time of the accident so my body was still growing a lot and the rods were giving me terrible pain. I got a lot more flexibility afterwards and much less pain. Had a 3rd surgery to remove a bunch of scar tissue from around the spinal cord that helped a lot too.
Keep in mind this was 20 years ago, the technology and procedure has gotten much better since. I've heard of people having a fusion done and back to normal within weeks. Mine also took longer from all the breaks and damage.
Find a doctor that has lots of experience and is realistic with the risks and success possibility of the surgery. Her's was clear that relative youth and fitness were on my wife's side, but he made no guarantees. He said 50-50 and hope for the good side. That's what she got.
Hammer 663s
I've been putting it off in hopes technology would come up with replacement discs, but it's all just shot now. I've done a real number on the nerves all the way to both feet.
Hammer - Same here. My current Doc said even if I go thru this, there's no guarantees it'll stop the issues. Your wife and I are the same age, so that gives me some hope.
Thanks for the info and personal stories. It was what I was hoping for in the midst of the Cox Roast...
The surgery went well and the first month was pretty rough. I used a walker for the first week then a cane for a few weeks after that. The bone graft takes a full year to grow around the hardware. I took a full yr off of riding. Did a lot of walking. Walk as much as you can after surgery. That helps for bone graft growth my surgeon said.
I had to get x-ray every 6 weeks to check on the bone graft for the first four months. Jeremy Martin's bone graft never took so he had to re-visit surgery.
I have been riding since 1970 and the reason I am no longer doing so is...In 2017 I was DX with Multiple Sclerosis. First known symptom was 2002 (had no clue it was MS related) My right eye went blind while I was riding. Any ways continued riding until 2013 until the MS just sucked eveything from me. Didn't even know it was MS until 2017 DX.
Good luck with your decision and let us know how you do.
I've had follow ups at 1 month, 3 months, 6 months, and I have my 1 year follow up in a couple weeks. The surgery was a lifesaver for me as the nerves were so bad I could barely walk. I have never gotten complete feeling back in my left foot toes, even though most of the pain would go down my right buttock and leg.
I work a blue collar job and was back to work in 8 weeks and 2 days.
With the surgeons approval, I was back doing moto starting this May. I've ridden several tracks since this May, (7 practice weekends so far) and have experienced 3 cornering tip overs so far. I clear every jump under 70 feet and stand on the pegs through the rough stuff. I can load the bike up the ramp, gear, whatever.
I have had zero issues on the track and it never crosses my mind.
My biggest tests to the fusion have been the hard labor I'm doing at a new home I bought on an acre. I've had to purchase 30 yards of dirt that I've scooped with a shovel and moved around with a wheelbarrow. I also bought 22 1/2 tons of rip rap stone and 7 tons of large river rock. After the dump truck dumped all this stone, I have been loading by hand and or shovel this rock into my wheelbarrow and moving it about the property. Along with digging up rooted grass,etc, I can tell you it has held up remarkably. I am probably doing too much on it honestly.
I can tell you, I had a tremendous surgery with an excellent Dr.
Good luck with the recovery and don't let it slow you down!
It fixed the sciatica but now he walks with a cane pretty bent over forward and complains to be in constant back pain. I feel for him, wish I could do something. He’s done cortisone shots, PT, had some electronic box to stimulate the nerves implanted in him...
I suppose in his case, and many other you almost don’t have a choice. But today, as we look 100 years into the past and gasp at medical procedures and medication/medical professional advice, we will do the same 100 years into the future about current practices.
My back feels pretty good. I was in a brace for 3 months then started move intense physical therapy after that. The time when I was in a brace I walked everyday. The more you sit around the longer your recovery will be. Stretching is the best therapy in my opinion and staying active. I have not touched a Dirtbike since and really don't have the itch to do it again. I've found new hobbies to keep my mind busy. I have been MTB though and my back feels good.
It took at least 9 months for me to start feeling somewhat normal and do some light duty labour intensive things. I was working a pretty labour intensive job at the time of my injury and had to give that up. I got back on the bike the following summer, but I still didn’t feel 100%. It took a while for my body to adjust to the fusion and I just felt tense, stiff, and pretty uncomfortable. I rode that summer and packed it in. Feeling that uncomfortable on the bike wasn’t worth the risk for me again. I haven’t ridden in 3 years now, and I’ve focused on trying to get things back on track.
I jumped around between a few jobs trying to figure out what was best for my back. Figured out quick that being bent over all day as a mechanic was NOT something I could do. Ended up at a desk job and that was great for the first while until I started losing strength and would hurt myself whenever I tried to do anything.
A couple years after my fusion I decided to try working construction. I can finally say that my back now feels the best it ever has. Being mindful on how to lift things, and building up muscle has been a HUGE help and I feel the closest to being back to normal now.
In short, expect around 12 months to feel “off”. Very important to stay active and work out as much as your body allows you to do so that you can build muscle around your fusion. Be sure to stretch every day, this helps tremendously. It’s a long process, but be patient with it and don’t forget to take care of yourself.
Shaunbruce827 - You've learned early in life the importance of lifting properly. I wish I would have listened to the old timers back when I started in this industry at 17. But you always think you're invincible at that age. I've been paying the price for 20 years now...
Pit Row
Hammer 663s
Big surgery handled by an amazing doctor. I followed his recovery advice to the letter. Too many folks do too much too quickly and have permanent deficits.
7 days after the surgery I walked a mile, next day 2 and so on up to 4 miles a day.
I have had no real issues. No numbness or tingling and no more pain. Only real deficit is that I cannot twist my back to look behind me like before.
The danger is that you have fewer disc to absorb shock to the spinal column which wears out what is left faster. The space just above the fusion is particularly vulnerable.
I have not ridden dirt bikes since and mountain bike on smoother areas (no more double jumps or big drop offs).. I road bike a lot. That was my choice. I hike, shoot, fly fish, walk, etc. w/o problems. I do not want to have the inability to move well later. I am 74 now. I agree with no more horseback riding. That comes from a number of trainers I spoke with (my wife rides multiple times a week).
Get a really good doctor with "good hands" and do what they say for the recovery.
Off course if you feel loss of sensation in your arm or feet due to a pinched in nerve a surgery is unavoidable.
PS: I wouldn't race with a fusion, I know a lot of people do it, but when you crash it limits your "flexibility". Bas Vaessen has crashed recently and he re-injured his fusion from a few years ago and it looks like he's now paralyzed.
My life is 99% better than before and 100% better than where I was headed.
Your friends advising you not to have surgery must not have had good surgeons.
As far as taking "oxy's" after surgery, I can tell you, I took pain pills for a year leading up to my surgery, and I took pain pills for about 8 days after my surgery, and never since.
Mine was a big surgery. Went in on my left side (below rib cage, above hip) and through my back. I have titanium rod, screws, and disc fused.
My surgery saved my life and got me back to work, play and moto
Good Luck, whatever you choose
While generally they never come out, their primary purpose is similar to why you get a collar bone plated. Think of it as internal bracing or casting while the bone heals. Once it is healed, the bone will always be stronger than the screws, plates, etc. Hope this helps and good luck!
I got rear ended in my truck at about 15mph last month and I thought I was going to black out from pain
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