Five Years On
One of my frustrations while considering this fusion surgery five years ago was the difficulty finding a record of positive experiences online from people who had undergone successful fusion surgery. I might see an initial post or two shortly after surgery, maybe a follow up two to six months in, and then nothing. Well, how are things one year on? Three years on? Sadly, it appears that I have become one such poster.
On the bright side, I’m a single data point confirmation of my hopeful conclusion five years ago as to why I could find so little record of positive fusion surgery experiences: they are too busy leading normal lives to go back and update their original postings.
Five years on, I continue to be virtually pain free. I can pick up my 3-year old daughter as much as I want and even occasionally move my 60-lb nine-year old if need be. I can walk at will and do body-weight exercises. I’ve been careful about heeding the surgeon’s advice to avoid high-impact activities or those involving twisting. This has meant giving up my lifelong love of soccer and consigning myself to screaming at the TV during soccer games, but it’s a small price to pay to be able to be active again and fully functional when it comes to my family (kids, luggage, etc).
I do continue to experience some adverse symptoms on the right side of my body that are probably related to my condition or the surgery: the muscle mass and tone of my right thigh is lower than on my left leg. I also have nagging knee pain. I’ve tried physical therapy to restore the muscle mass of the right leg, but that has not worked. I suspect there is some nerve impingement in my back near the site of the fusion affecting the function of the muscles in my thigh.
Everyone’s circumstances are different, but for me, choosing to go through with fusion surgery has led to a marked and lasting improvement in my quality of life. If you are considering this option for your health, I wish you the best in sorting through all of your options and coming to a decision that is best for you.













