Lumbar Fusion is next. Last year my Shoulder......

[2ez]

Good to hear you are doing well. Fuck we are all old on this board and a few cane users also.

LOLOL.....I cant co-sign my friend......call it denial or midlife crisis.....but i cant subscribe to the thought...I am old. Clearly, without a doubt, I am extremely macho, handsome, rough, rugged and raw. I think...LOLOL

 

[Wilson6]

L4/L5 was Prodisc L replacement, L5/S1 was fusion. Doc told me the fusion takes at least a year to get to 90%, but the cage once set is stable by 6 mo. Said to return to regular activity at 3 mo and take the brace off. I am careful with walking bc of the drop foot and residual swelling on the left from the DVT and when I start to think about it, it tightens my gait up, if I relax I can walk better. I have not tested a longer walk yet but will soon. When you say discomfort with longer walks, explain. 4 months post op you should be able to walk 5 mi.

 

[2ez]

Its the right hip and leg. and yes, I expected to be in a better place, with more endurance. when walking my dog, i start feeling to discomfort less than 100ft. Surgeon has only ordered XR, which shows plates and screws are in place. I will ask about MRI next appt. if i sit in a chair for more than 15 to 20 minutes, both legs get numb and i cant just stand and walk, due to the numbness. MD is aware of this as well. I am told the walking and numbness will improve.

 

[Wilson6]

I agree with the MRI, make sure you don't have a bunch of scar tissue forming and causing compression. What holds me back from long walks is the drop foot, DVT is resolving along with the swelling, but I can't take another fall because of that left toe catching the carpet so I probably walk stiffer than I should and hesitant to open up my stride. Probably back to about 70% in the gym, been 3 weeks since I started lifting again. No residual issues, but have to get a CT scan to see if there is an incisional hernia and some numbness inner left thigh from the surgery. Just had both shoulders MRI this am, they are fucked as well.

 

[Thrawn]

If MRI results are unremarkable, ask for MRI with arthrogram.

 

[Wilson6]

If MRI results are unremarkable, ask for MRI with arthrogram.

I would think they'd at least use a contrast agent with the MRI bc of the prior surgery.

 

[silntrunin]

Lmao.

Never thought I'd have to concentrate to piss, but sometimes ... shit happens, and piss don't.

LOT of jokes about old men + their prostrate prostates, but often it's the bladder, not the prostate.

Right there with you brother. haha Been taking Flomax myself for the last few months just so it doesn't take me 5 minutes to take a piss.

 

[silntrunin]

with me...if i am laying on my back, i need to slide to the edge, drop my feet and either get assistance to come up....or turn on my side, then push up. at this point, i expected to be much better at the.

my surgeon keeps saying everything is in place and going well.......i just cram to understand why the freaking discomfort with walking more than 1/8 mile, 4 months postop and expected to walk 5 miles daily, consecutive days in a row for work.

Didn't realize so many guys here going thru the same issues.
I can't get out of bed without rolling to my side and pushing up. I'm 8 weeks post op and still struggling with discomfort on long walks. My surgeon says the same shit.

Now I need a hip replacement on my left side which isn't helping any either. My mom, God bless her soul told me when she had gotten older that getting old sucks. Being younger and in shape I always thought that won't be me. Man was I wrong. lol

 

[2ez]

10 months postop fusion L3-L4, still taking pain meds. riding a bike no problem. cant walk more than 100ft without discomfort. Latest CT result:

FINDINGS: ACUTE FRACTURE: No acute fracture of the lumbar spine. ALIGNMENT: Grade 1 anterolisthesis of L3 on L4. Grade 1 anterolisthesis of L4 on L5. VERTEBRAL BODY HEIGHTS: Vertebral body heights are maintained. BONE MINERALIZATION: No aggressive appearing osseous lesions. DISCOVERTEBRAL UNITS: Post surgical changes related to posterior fusion at L3/L4. Hardware appears intact, without abnormal periprosthetic lucency. Status post interbody fusion at L3/L4, with areas of contiguous endplates to endplate mineralization within and medial to the spacer. Status post right-sided laminectomy and right foraminal decompression at L3/L4. Ankylosis across the left L3/L4 facet joint. Ankylosis across the remaining portion of the right L3/L4 facet joint. Multilevel lumbar spondylosis as described on the MR lumbar spine exam performed earlier same day. Of note, the degree of facet arthropathy at L4/L5 appears severe bilateral based on the CT appearance, and there is vacuum phenomenon within the facet joints EXTRASPINAL SOFT TISSUES: Post surgical changes of the paraspinal soft tissues IMPRESSION: Status post posterior fusion at L3/L4. Hardware appears intact without abnormal periprosthetic lucency, and there is ankylosis across the facet joints. Status post interbody fusion at L3/L4, with areas of contiguous endplate to endplate mineralization across the disc space. Status post right-sided posterior decompression and foraminal decompression at L3/L4.

Imaging

 

[2ez]

MRI:

FINDINGS: For purposes of this dictation, it is assumed that there are 5 non-rib-bearing, lumbar-type vertebrae, and the most caudal fully segmented lumbar vertebra is labeled L5. ALIGNMENT: Grade 1 anterolisthesis of L3 on L4, not significantly changed. Grade 1 anterolisthesis of L4 on L5, new from prior. VERTEBRAL BODY HEIGHTS: Vertebral body heights are maintained. BONE MARROW SIGNAL: No aggressive appearing osseous lesions. CONUS MEDULLARIS: The conus medullaris terminates at a normal level.. EXTRASPINAL SOFT TISSUE: Postsurgical changes of the posterior paraspinal soft tissues DISCOVERTEBRAL UNITS: Evaluation of the individual levels demonstrates: T12-L1: No significant spinal canal stenosis or neuroforaminal narrowing L1-2: No significant spinal canal stenosis or neuroforaminal narrowing L2-3: No significant spinal canal stenosis. No significant right neuroforaminal narrowing. Small left foraminal zone disc protrusion, not significantly changed, with mild left neuroforaminal narrowing L3-4: Short pedicles. Status post interval posterior fusion, interbody fusion, and posterior decompression. Bone marrow edema surrounding the endplates is difficult to differentiate from artifact in the setting of interbody fusion hardware. In the postoperative setting, postcontrast imaging is differentiate scar/granulation tissue from disc material. For the purpose of this dictation, disc will be assumed. Small disc bulge.. Overall moderate degree of effacement of the thecal sac, appearing decreased from prior. Status post right foraminal decompression. Mild left neuroforaminal narrowing, decreased from prior. L4-5: Short pedicles. Circumferential disc bulge/anterolisthesis. Moderate right and severe left-sided facet arthropathy. Moderate to severe central spinal canal stenosis with severe effacement of the thecal sac due to contribution from dorsal epidural fat, appearing increased from prior. Severe bilateral subarticular zone narrowing, increased from prior. Moderate right neuroforaminal narrowing proximally, not significantly changed. Left foraminal zone small disc protrusion, with moderate to severe left neuroforaminal narrowing, not significantly changed. L5-S1: Small disc bulge. Moderate bilateral facet arthropathy. No significant central spinal canal stenosis. Moderate right-sided subarticular zone narrowing, not significantly changed. Mild right neuroforaminal narrowing, not significantly changed. No significant left neuroforaminal narrowing. IMPRESSION: 1. Post surgical changes related to interval posterior fusion, interbody fusion, and posterior decompression at L3/L4, with decreased thecal sac effacement at this level. 2. New grade 1 anterolisthesis of L4 on L5. At this level, there is increased severe effacement of the thecal sac and increased severe bilateral subarticular zone narrowing. 3. Additional findings and details as above

Imaging

 

[norm]

10 months postop fusion L3-L4, still taking pain meds. riding a bike no problem. cant walk more than 100ft without discomfort. Latest CT result:

Man, so sorry to hear this. Any different plan of action at this point?

I read through the whole thread since you bumped it up. I didn't realize that so many of us are old damnit. I mean, what happened to the good old board days at the turn of the century LOL. I guess 24 years goes by quick. One thing is for sure, I don't think you'll find another board with such knowledge, experience and wisdom--things we lacked a bit 24 years ago

 

[2ez]

Man, so sorry to hear this. Any different plan of action at this point?

I read through the whole thread since you bumped it up. I didn't realize that so many of us are old damnit. I mean, what happened to the good old board days at the turn of the century LOL. I guess 24 years goes by quick. One thing is for sure, I don't think you'll find another board with such knowledge, experience and wisdom--things we lacked a bit 24 years ago

Uh.....Hmmmm ? Not sure what ya mean my Board Brother. I don't "Feel" a day over 30 with respect to my age. .....sometimes,,,,LOLOOL