Hi all - long time lurker (occasional poster) - popping in to add my contribution of a post op report. I poured my time into reading so many of your posts over the past couple years while I was deciding when to get surgery. It was all helpful in making my choice.

History: see pic for my MRI pre surgery. 36F (37 tomorrow), active (6-7 days a week of exercise), work at a standing desk at my job, have a complicated health history with many comorbidities from a failing pituitary and autoimmune diseases. Initial presentation in 2021 was screaming sciatic pain on the back of my legs, moreso on the left, cramping sometimes that brought me to the floor, losing feeling on the outside of my left calf, moderate feeling loss in 4th and 5th toes. Pain line included buttocks. Would limp with my left leg. Eventually progressed to where right leg became more prominent for pain and 4th and 5th toes started losing feeling. By 2022 Would keep thinking I was having ovarian cysts with my remaining ovary (the right) because of pain near my ovary, pressure sensation on my bladder and pain and pressure on the right side of my vulva. It took a couple of clear ultrasounds to put 2+2 together the pain was actually from my back. Had an MD in 2022 that was partially successful in that it gave me strength back in my left leg, but that surgeon started out saying I needed a fusion but to start with an MD first and see what relief it brought. Since I got only mild relief my surgeon said I would need the spinal fusion but that because I was in my mid 30s ASD was at higher risk and he said to wait as long as I could tolerate it. 

After that MD began a long and emotionally difficult journey to decide when to get surgery. I went through some major life events (divorce, other health issues) and during that time I focused hard on my own learned PT that was more advanced than what I had received previously. I worked hard on building up my core and balance. Transitioned more cardio days over to strength training. Did a lot more body weight HIIT exercises to prepare myself to be strong for when I did have surgery. I worked hard on preparing my home and yard over those years to basically run on cruise control for a year while I recovered. 

What made me decide I was ready for surgery was once my right leg started showing signs of weakness and I was limping. I had received advice from my new surgeon at that point I could be doing permanent damage. I had minimally invasive L5-S1 PLIF fusion on Jan 27th. Used the same site as my MD and I’m amazed as my scar has healed it’s going to be the exact same size scar as my old one. 

How am I doing? Overall amazingly well and better than expected. I walked within an hour of being in short stay. Got up on my own, went to the bathroom on my own, and walked back. As I was walking back I stopped and started crying because I realized I had feeling in my toes and my constant pain in my sciatic nerves was gone. I went home same day. Honestly of all my surgeries I think it was my shortest time in short stay ever. 

I have been walking since day 1. I use trekking poles when I’m out in my neighborhood. Longest has been 2.7 miles so far. In a day I get about 10-14k steps. I’m off pain meds. Pretty much was by 2.5 weeks. I’m on nerve pain meds but that will be life long for other diseases I have. Never needed a walker. 

I live alone and had my sister stay with me on day 1. After that I called off my other friends for 24/7 stay time and went straight into just having 1-2 visits a day by friends and neighbors to help me with tasks like moving the laundry and taking out garbage. 

My surgery site closed up sooner than expected and at my 2.5 week check in I got the clearance I could start aqua jogging in the pool already! 

Some lifestyle factors that I think play into my quick recovery: non smoker, drink maybe 1-2 drinks a month, eat a low carb low sugar diet and cook all my own meals from scratch (partially due to necessity from my allergies and diseases), and chose to have surgery at a point where I wasn’t completely desperate but I know I needed it. 

Other things: I started doing sauna every other day, massage gun, trigger point therapy, gua Shen scraping, arnica cream, CBD cream, magnesium spray. Drinking lots and lots of fluids. Milk thistle supplementation. Doing a lot to support clearing my system of inflammation and loosening stuff muscles. I started acupuncture again last week. I ice my back 4-5x a day. 

Prep things: I spent A LOT of time in therapy working through this surgery. It was a huge decision as someone who lives alone and is the sole breadwinner and has a lot of other rare diseases. I bulk cooked food for a good 6 weeks before surgery so I had a deep freezer of premade food. It helps I have a huge chest freezer and a fridge freezer (work in meat and seafood). I staged my clothes from my dresser on a table at waist height in my bedroom. I staged my cat food and other items I normally grab below my waist on various staging tables in my garage and house. I researched shoes that would be easy to get into and have good traction. I bought a lot of adaptive tools but I am using my grabber, bidet, shoe horn, and paper plates the most. No walker or shower chair. I also use pickup options at grocery stores where they load and then a neighbor helps me unload when I get home. 

Only negative: due to my comorbities I have had chronic migraines since surgery and massive nausea. Honestly that’s been worse that most of my back and leg issues post surgery. No CSF leak and all my other labs are good. Just stuff related to my laundry list of diseases most likely. It’s a point in time and not forever. 

Overall: over the moon. So damn lucky to get the best outcome I could have dreamed of. And I did indeed dream of it. I spent from the day I saw my surgeon to my surgery writing in my intention journal that my surgery would exceed my wildest expectations. Mindset matters too in your recovery and prep. Still have a long ways to go in my recovery but I’m doing way better than I imagined.

I hope this positive report is a source of encouragement for others. Your decision is deeply personal and everyone will have their own sign posts for deciding if/when to have surgery. 

Will do my best to try to be timely in answering any questions you have. AMA

4 wk post op L5-S1 PLIF report