Two months post op after Spinal Fusion (TLIF) surgery in Dubai. Feeling amazing. Fusion Recovery!

Two months ago, on the morning of the surgery, I had a couple of fleeting thoughts on how I could cancel, or postpone my surgery later that morning. Today, if I were in that situation again, and I had the kind of back pain and discomfort that I ad, and with the kind of recovery that I have progressed on – I would do it again. And again.

Background

I had spondylosthesis in L4/L5, slipped disk, slipped vertebra at L4, and a severe pinching of the nerve. I had seen several doctors – orthopedic specialists, neurosurgeons, osteopaths, chiropractors, but it was Dr Patrick Choi at the Wooridul Spine Centre in Dubai, who was very clear – I needed surgical intervention, I needed it quickly, and the procedure was TLIF on my L4 and L5 vertebrae. At that point I had accepted the idea and we went through scheduling my surgery. Dr Shim, also at Wooridul, later confirmed that Dr Choi had the right prognosis, and I was really an imminent candidate for surgery.

Now...

Two months down the line, I do get occasional bits of pain – specifically around the actual incision site. Which may mean its at the fusion site where the doctors put in the titanium rods and screws, and replaced my disc with the hi tech PEEK artificial one. But it has been a life changing decision to have the surgery. I cannot thank the doctors enough for their wondeful work, their expertise, experience and of course their support. Both Dr Choi and Dr Shim from Wooridul conducted the surgery at the Saudi German Hospital in Barsha, Dubai (that's where all Wooridul Dubai surgeries are done, by the way).

Pain?

I just want to repeat what I posted last time. ALL MY PAIN is gone. I had lower back pain every day over the last few months, pain which radiated down my butt and thighs. I had loss of feeling in my left foot, and tingling sensations down my butt and legs once in a while. All of these symptoms have now just gone. I can stand straight, and no longer look like the hunchback of Notre Dame!

Restrictions and Recovery

Yes, I am not 100% back to normal, but honestly, I had forgotten normal with so much pain, pre-op. I still don;t bend, lift or twist. My flexibility is on mend, but I am not there yet, and I just do not expect it to be. Have a tough time wearing socks or tying shoe laces. I use a kitchen clamp mostly to pick things off the floor. Long drives (more than 1/2 hour to 45 minutes) start to hurt my back. Driving is still a problem – lane changes are difficult without turning to check, but one gets used to working the mirrors.

The protection braces hurt – they're quite uncomfortable to wear, and I am waiting for three months to be over, when I am told I will no longer need them. Hurrah!

I am just careful with myself. When one has surgery like I did, your spatial sense changes. You become more aware of the spaces around you, and the people and things that are in those spaces.

Not sure if it is the multiple sessions of physiotherapy that the doctors at Wooridul arranged for me is what has speeded up my recovery process, but I sure am happy with what I have today. My posture has improved, I have no pain, I feel confident, and I feel like a new person. Did I know that two months ago, on November 25th, 2015 before I was wheeled into the operation theater? 

No. 

2nd week back at work after spinal fusion TLIF surgery: 7 weeks post op.

Seven weeks ago, today, I had a five-hour long spinal fusion surgery

Seven weeks ago, today, I had a five-hour long spinal fusion surgery to fix a number of back pain related problems. I had a bunch of issues: spondylosthesis in L4/L5, slipped disk, slipped vertebra at L4, and a severe pinching of the nerve.

I had lower back pain every day over the last few months, pain which radiated down my butt and thighs. I had loss of feeling in my left foot, and tingling sensations down my butt and legs once in a while. All of these symptoms have now just gone. I can stand straight, and no longer look like the hunchback of Notre Dame! I do have incision area pain once in a while, and also pain in my upper back sometimes – but this is because of having to wear a hard back lumbar brace (doctor insisted on this for three months). The brace pushes against the back muscles, and thus the soreness. Otherwise, happy to report, so far, the surgery was a success. The surgery I had was called MIS TLIF (Minimally invasive Transforaminal Lumbar Interbody Fusion at L4/L5.

Back at work

Yes, this is my second week back at work. I have to remember to sit for no longer than 1/2 hour periods, so I switch positions between standing, walking around and sitting at my desk. But it is manageable, but must admit, it is quite exhausting at the end of the day. Part of the problem is this lumbar brace I have to wear, which makes my muscles sore. Occasionally one forgets the No BLT rule (no Bending, Lifting, Twisting) and that always reflects i a bit of pain afterwards. So, remembering to take it easy is important.

Driving, chores and shopping

Driving is not easy, because you have to depend on side mirror checks, rather than twist to check for lane changes. Getting in and out of the car was a huge problem initially (I have been driving from week three post op), but it is quite OK now. Grocery shopping is tiring. Getting things out of the shopping cart is a major problem because one really can't and should not be bending.

At home, things are getting better and easier. I still use the BBQ tongs to pick up the daily newspaper outside the door, or pick up the odd thing or two. Have become quite the expert at pushing and picking things with my foot. Overall, it is tiring. You simply cannot overdo anything – your body will protest. Pain will happen.

Physiotherapy

I go for two sessions of 40-minute Physiotherapy twice a week at the Wooridul Spine Centre in Dubai. The care and the equipment there is absolutely world class. MyPhysiotherapist is a Korean guy called Nimo, and he is really good at judging how I am doing, pushing me when needed, and comforting when that helps. The Physiotherapy helps, and I believe, has been hugely responsible for what I consider a rather quick recovery so far. I get 15 total sessions, of which I have six more to go. Will probably miss that...

Sudden pain in foot 5 weeks post op. False alarm?

Now here I was, thinking I've had a clean getaway. I was one of the lucky ones. All my pre op symptoms had gone. My surgery related pain was abating and at five weeks post op I felt like I had beaten the odds. I went back to work today  and this evening after work I had a sudden bout of intense burning, searing pain in my metatarsal area if my left foot.

The pain may have been because I wore my shoes for the first time and perhaps over did it. It may gave been some nerve awakening like some folks have written about. But it is the first real issue I've had post surgery as far as "new pain" goes...

I bandaged my foot for a short while and it didn't help.  Trying icing now as I post this.  I just hope that this us just a blip and it will go away over night. Because the pain is pretty much ouch..

Update next day:

Yes, a false alarm. Reading all those negatives on spine surgery forums are of no help at all. One simply conjures up worries. The foot pain went away, and I know now it was the tight shoes I wore. Silly.

Happy New Year 2016 and five weeks post op report

Happy New Year 2016 to all. It's 5 weeks post surgery for me. The MIS TLIF surgery I had actually, so far, has gone well. I feel much, much better now, and overall, all the negatives, the operation related pain, the discomfort is slowly just getting behind me. A lot of my friends and family are actually surprised at how quickly this recovery mode has gone for me, considering that there are so many negative posts from fellow-patients out there. I am lucky, I am blessed, and just as much, I m rather determined to be positive.

My daily routine includes both long and short walks – I average between 5 to 10 kms a day ( about 3 - 6 miles). My walking pace and strides are improving every day, and that is motivating. My diet is back to normal, and I am able to hold down on the weight that I lost during surgery and recovery (about 8 kg).

As mentioned below, the surgery related pain and discomfort is almost all gone, except of course, when I am laying directly on the area of my back that has the hardware that they put in. That still hurts. Long sits hurt. Lying on the sofa is a discomfort to say the least – specially if it has softer cushions. I find dining table chairs to be the most comfortable.

Should mention here that every single symptom that I had the lumbar fusion surgery for have gone. I had intense pain down my lower back into my buttocks and thighs. I had tingling sensations down my legs, and numbness on my left foot. These are all fine now. Every morning I could not stand straight and was bent like a hunchback. It took me a while to be able to warm up enough to stand up somewhat close to straight.