I had a fusion on my L4 through S1 . Did great at the hospital . I'm day eight nerve pain set in . I don't steroids for a week which helped with that . But it seems like every other day I'm feeling well and then I'm feeling so depressed I can barely move . If this is normal I am not sure what to do
How long ago was ur operation
April 18... 4 weeks todat
Contact your surgeons office & tell them exactly how you're feeling. Surgeons have more experience with how patients feel after surgery than anyone on this forum.
I'm 12 weeks out from multi level lumbar fusion I've experience depression too.
Opiates seem to contribute to my depression. I try to minimize their use as much as I can tolerate the pain. I still struggle with acitivity and labile mood ut it does seem to be getting better
Jedi Mind Trick... Get to PT immediately. Start working on strengthening your lower body and core. I was fused L3 though S1, started rehab a few weeks later and kicked its a$$. Doing 230-pound leg presses in a month. You have to get serious about PT...no excuses...do the work!!! You'll feel great in no time!!!
How long is it since yr operation. Get some arnica tablet s from holland and Barrett they help you heal from the inside
That's still very early stages you probably not going feel a big difference until between 3-6 month . They say for every hour in surgery is a months recovery . Vitamin b12 is also good to help with the nervous system.
Totally agree but it's still early days
It may be the way you're using them. In a high enough dose, you can get immediate pain relief. When the effect wears off, you're back down in the valley again. That's NOT supposed to happen...
Even though I wrote this for my TKR group, it still absolutely applies...
https://patient.info/forums/discuss/staying-ahead-of-the-pain-563395
Thanks for the encouragement ! I am taking vit b12. I've had three other back surgeries before but none of them were fusion and I feel better in no time. I don't think I was mentally prepared for the difference in the surgery .
I had noticed a relationship between opiates so I take very little drugs.... maybe one Percocet every couple days to help me sleep but that's about it . I read online that sometimes the Anastasia that they use in fusion surgery puts you under a little deeper then and some other surgeries and then Anastasia takes a while to get out of your system and also as a contributor to the depression. So I'm wondering if that's part of it anyway
I love how iPad auto corrects.... anesthesia ... lol
My surgeon is of the opinion that I have to wear a brace for three months before they start physical therapy so that's where I'm at . I definitely know my core will need to be strengthened because the braces only adding To weakening my core. I will do the work when I get the OK .!
what is that? I never heard of it
i have I have an appt in 2 weeks... was just wondering if labeled moods were normal. I've also lost 10#. I'm not big to begin with... 5-1 and now 120. That worried me at first too but I've learned from other people that weight loss after the surgery is normal and it will then stabilize
This is the general opinion of most spine surgeons now , no PT until 12 weeks & after brace comes off. I had my surgery at a large very reputable university hospital in Chicago & this is how they practice as well
Google it