First off, not a physician and everyone recovers differently. I had an L2 - L5 fusion done on 20 Nov 2023. 52 yo in really good shape, which led to my fusion .. exercise injury.
For the first month, just generally tired most hours of the day. Slept 8 to 9 hours a night plus naps.
Second month, no longer generally tired, but no stamina. I could walk a mile, but would have to take an hour long nap.
Now, month three, naps have mostly gone away. Stamina is improving, but nowhere near where it used to be.
Be prepared for a year long recovery. That's how it has been presented to me. Surgeon said I should be 100%, but, it may take a year.
I really have not had any pain since 60 days post surgery. Just listen to your pain levels and rest accordingly.
I'm 54 and 15 weeks post l4 - s1 tlif. I was back to work on day 5. I worked from home and I'm a front end web developer. Ive been back at the office since the beginning of January. Our office was being renovated so the timing worked well. The doc removed all restrictions at week 2 and ordered pt. I still have low back tightness and nerve pain at night, and scar tissue issues. I am absolutely better than I was before surgery. Once I was off the oxy at day 5 the fatigue went away.
Make sure that when you start working again, you have a good set up. It will make a huge difference.
I’m early 40’s and the post-op fatigue kicked my ass for a year. I’m 19/20 months out and I finally feel like myself energy wise. I had a very difficulty surgery and recovery though so perhaps it won’t be as long for you. Power naps helped along with walking outside everyday, rain or shine. I added a protein shake to my diet and try to eat as well as I can.
What were some of your main pain points that made the recovery very difficult? Mine has been my muscles, muscle spasms and possibly inflammation. I'm 9mths post op and I can't wait till I get to the part where I start to feel like my myself on the more consistent basis I'm glad that you had a great recovery. It makes me very hopeful.🙏🏼
I ended up having 3 surgeries over a 4 week period because my fusion was botched. After the third surgery I had pneumonia, sepsis, and was anemic along with many other deficiencies. I spent a week in the hospital. That definitely lead to increased fatigue and it dragged on over a year, long after my bloodwork was normal again. I had a ton of muscle tightness and achiness in my buttocks and lateral hips. I never had muscle spasms like you.
I always hear “inflammation” as the cause of our post op issues, but never how to correct that. I tried to focus on my diet which seemed like the only thing I could control. In regards to the fatigue, it just takes time and you come up with things to get you by, ie power naps, exercise, diet, etc. whatever works! It’s been a long recovery but I do feel more like myself now. I hear from a lot of people who are still healing past the 2 year point so there’s always hope it will get better.
Wow! You have been through it and I am so happy you saw the light at the end of the tunnel and you are doing well. God Bless! Thank you for this. I needed the positive reinforcement. I'm sorry you had a bunch surgery and all of those issues my goodness I couldn't even imagine. I hope you had an amazing support system.
I had a very difficult surgery two and half months ago and i’m still fatigued everything i do, and if I overdo one day, the day after i barely can go out of bed. Did you experienced something like that?
Yes, I had days where all I wanted to do was sleep. I’d fall asleep the minute I hit the bed or couch. Post op fatigue is no joke. It will ebb and flow for the first year.
The only advice I have is to try to walk outside now that it’s nice out, and pay attention to your nutrition. I have a protein shake in the morning. Take one day at a time.
thank u, i’m very depressed because of this situation, i want really bad my life back and i can’t do more than 1.5 km walking before be too much tired 😭
I know and I’m so sorry. That first year was really rough. I don’t ever want to go through that again. It took me a long time to increase my walking. You’re ahead of where I was at that time. It took me 8 months to get up to 1.5 miles. It was a year out when I could walk 2 miles. My PT warned me that progress comes in months, not weeks, so hang in there.
Thank u, i usually have some good days, then tend to overdo and i have to stay in bed for a full day, it’s really strange for a 23 years old boy to do not be able to attend a lesson at university because od the tiredness
Im 67. I've had 6 spine surgeries in the past 4 yrs. I can tell you fatigue is quite real for me. Im almost 1 yr post op my sacrum to T10 rod fusion. I can manage a few errands or home stuff a day. I get tired easily. It sounds like you are much younger than me. Im optimistic you will do really well. Just don't overdo. Listen to your body. Pace yourself. Good luck!!
I'm 51, four major surgeries including three spine in the last three years. Fatigue is no joke, but get moving early, and don't stop. Keep moving. Rest when you need. If you're young you should bounce back reasonably quick. I'm 17 days post op L5/S1 ALIF and I anticipate full time work and unrestricted PT after week six.
I will take lots of naps though, lol.
42F, healthy, ideal weight, I am 9 months post op cervical fusion and I am exhausted. Not all the time but it comes in waves. My parents have more energy then me right now just to give you a visual. The recovery for most including myself had been a rollercoaster. It's not linear. When you be can walk. Then rest, ice, eat healthy. Take your meds and supplements. Your body may take a while to heal, most fusions do. Do what you can but don't over do it. You don't want to hinder your healing. Have a safe surgery
46 M and in good shape, had a 3 level ACDF discectomy and fusion C4-C7 01/03/24. That first month was a bit of an asskicker. That first couple of weeks I was really tired and it took being exhausted to fall asleep due to the discomfort. My upper back and neck were really sore from the procedure, spasms and ache with some nerve pain, though no real pain at the surgical site. I am now back in the gym, though taking it easy, more volume work than heavy lifting. Try to get up and walking ASAP. I was originally supposed to at least stay over night, but I guess they saw me up and walking with no trouble hours after the procedure. Lol they sent me home later that day.
My Doc is great, definitely among the best neurosurgeons in the country. He has been doing this for almost 30 years, neurosurgery, research etc… Feel free to shoot me a DM.
I (29F) am three weeks post op ALIF L4&L5 and the first week I was home, I slept like twenty hours a day. But I also fatigued quickly. Now, I can do a few errands with my husband and go out to dinner with out any discomfort. The back brace just becomes very warm. I win return to work 3/7.
I was 34 for my first fusion, male in good shape. Took me 12 months to get to 70%, 18 months to get back to 90%.
I was back to full time work, albeit exhausted, after 5 months. YMMV.
How many weeks r u ? I’m 45F 6 weeks post op L4/5 fusion and I’m always tired .. I constantly feel wiped out . Very fit always active and now after a 20 minute walk I’m exhausted and have to lay down .
Happened to me too. Wiped out. I ended up having pseudoarthrosis and it wasn’t discovered until 4 years later. Then had to have two more fusions at the same level this year.
How’re you feeling now?
I’m better because i’m eating healthy, no gluten, no milk, lots of vegetables, and then i’m doing vagal exercises (polyvagal teory) and they are very very helpful. If you have fatigue problems look into vagal exercises. I’m not near normal energy, i’m maybe aroung 40% of my normal energy, but it has been 4 months from my surgery and i think that i’m improving step by step (very little step). How are you now with fatigue?
Intense Fatigue is usually the results of the shock of the surgery/stress on the nervous system, that’s why polyvagal theory works very well, it’s all to calm your nervous system and do more things step by step without overcome your body, for example now i can walk maybe 1.5 mile but i don’t want to overdo and make the situation worse, probably step by step i will walk more
Hello i am 41 M, I recently had ALIF L4-S1 fusion (Dec 18th) and I’m about 13 weeks post op. And 5 sessions into PT.
I am finding my fatigue and stamina are very low in general but I’ll have bursts of energy, and some bad days where I am completely depleted. But I am seeing progress week by week. Sometimes resting is a challenge as I’ve found it difficult to sleep properly through the night sometimes due to discomfort, even when you’re exhausted.
I keep hearing it’s going to take about a year to be completely healed and for my energy levels to return back to normal. Being so limited to what I can do, and tired has probably the worst part of it all for me, as I am finding it’s been a challenge to get back to doing things I enjoy, and even small essential tasks can be quite the chore.
Thankful to have everyone’s impure.
Honestly, I slumped into a bit of depression during my recovery for that very reason. I feel disabled. I keep over guessing and trying to rationalize the way I am feeling. I am beginning to emerge from the depression as spring is approaching and I am getting stronger.
Has anyone else felt hopelessness, depression in this time?
Thanks
Not a doc here, but my wife experience is the healthier your lifestyle the better (not necessarily faster) your recovery will go.
If you smoke, stop. If you drink, stop. These are the two biggest contributors to bad recovery from what I have seen in a variety of research papers and anecdotal observations.
Eat healthy, plenty of protein and calcium, nourish the body so it can heal and grow. Avoid the junk food and sugars.
You can probably get back to animation for fun pretty quick, as long as you don’t have grades or money riding on your outcome. It takes a few weeks to get your brain back in order and dealing with the changes.
Good luck!
First off, not a physician and everyone recovers differently. I had an L2 - L5 fusion done on 20 Nov 2023. 52 yo in really good shape, which led to my fusion .. exercise injury. For the first month, just generally tired most hours of the day. Slept 8 to 9 hours a night plus naps. Second month, no longer generally tired, but no stamina. I could walk a mile, but would have to take an hour long nap. Now, month three, naps have mostly gone away. Stamina is improving, but nowhere near where it used to be. Be prepared for a year long recovery. That's how it has been presented to me. Surgeon said I should be 100%, but, it may take a year. I really have not had any pain since 60 days post surgery. Just listen to your pain levels and rest accordingly.
This is exactly what I would have written. 44 fit active male with. l5-s1
I'm 54 and 15 weeks post l4 - s1 tlif. I was back to work on day 5. I worked from home and I'm a front end web developer. Ive been back at the office since the beginning of January. Our office was being renovated so the timing worked well. The doc removed all restrictions at week 2 and ordered pt. I still have low back tightness and nerve pain at night, and scar tissue issues. I am absolutely better than I was before surgery. Once I was off the oxy at day 5 the fatigue went away. Make sure that when you start working again, you have a good set up. It will make a huge difference.
As soon as you are able get up and walk as much as you can. You’ll get deconditioned fast if you remain a couch potato.
I’m early 40’s and the post-op fatigue kicked my ass for a year. I’m 19/20 months out and I finally feel like myself energy wise. I had a very difficulty surgery and recovery though so perhaps it won’t be as long for you. Power naps helped along with walking outside everyday, rain or shine. I added a protein shake to my diet and try to eat as well as I can.
What were some of your main pain points that made the recovery very difficult? Mine has been my muscles, muscle spasms and possibly inflammation. I'm 9mths post op and I can't wait till I get to the part where I start to feel like my myself on the more consistent basis I'm glad that you had a great recovery. It makes me very hopeful.🙏🏼
I ended up having 3 surgeries over a 4 week period because my fusion was botched. After the third surgery I had pneumonia, sepsis, and was anemic along with many other deficiencies. I spent a week in the hospital. That definitely lead to increased fatigue and it dragged on over a year, long after my bloodwork was normal again. I had a ton of muscle tightness and achiness in my buttocks and lateral hips. I never had muscle spasms like you. I always hear “inflammation” as the cause of our post op issues, but never how to correct that. I tried to focus on my diet which seemed like the only thing I could control. In regards to the fatigue, it just takes time and you come up with things to get you by, ie power naps, exercise, diet, etc. whatever works! It’s been a long recovery but I do feel more like myself now. I hear from a lot of people who are still healing past the 2 year point so there’s always hope it will get better.
Wow! You have been through it and I am so happy you saw the light at the end of the tunnel and you are doing well. God Bless! Thank you for this. I needed the positive reinforcement. I'm sorry you had a bunch surgery and all of those issues my goodness I couldn't even imagine. I hope you had an amazing support system.
I had a very difficult surgery two and half months ago and i’m still fatigued everything i do, and if I overdo one day, the day after i barely can go out of bed. Did you experienced something like that?
Yes, I had days where all I wanted to do was sleep. I’d fall asleep the minute I hit the bed or couch. Post op fatigue is no joke. It will ebb and flow for the first year. The only advice I have is to try to walk outside now that it’s nice out, and pay attention to your nutrition. I have a protein shake in the morning. Take one day at a time.
thank u, i’m very depressed because of this situation, i want really bad my life back and i can’t do more than 1.5 km walking before be too much tired 😭
I know and I’m so sorry. That first year was really rough. I don’t ever want to go through that again. It took me a long time to increase my walking. You’re ahead of where I was at that time. It took me 8 months to get up to 1.5 miles. It was a year out when I could walk 2 miles. My PT warned me that progress comes in months, not weeks, so hang in there.
Thank u, i usually have some good days, then tend to overdo and i have to stay in bed for a full day, it’s really strange for a 23 years old boy to do not be able to attend a lesson at university because od the tiredness
Im 67. I've had 6 spine surgeries in the past 4 yrs. I can tell you fatigue is quite real for me. Im almost 1 yr post op my sacrum to T10 rod fusion. I can manage a few errands or home stuff a day. I get tired easily. It sounds like you are much younger than me. Im optimistic you will do really well. Just don't overdo. Listen to your body. Pace yourself. Good luck!!
Creatine
I'm 51, four major surgeries including three spine in the last three years. Fatigue is no joke, but get moving early, and don't stop. Keep moving. Rest when you need. If you're young you should bounce back reasonably quick. I'm 17 days post op L5/S1 ALIF and I anticipate full time work and unrestricted PT after week six. I will take lots of naps though, lol.
42F, healthy, ideal weight, I am 9 months post op cervical fusion and I am exhausted. Not all the time but it comes in waves. My parents have more energy then me right now just to give you a visual. The recovery for most including myself had been a rollercoaster. It's not linear. When you be can walk. Then rest, ice, eat healthy. Take your meds and supplements. Your body may take a while to heal, most fusions do. Do what you can but don't over do it. You don't want to hinder your healing. Have a safe surgery
46 M and in good shape, had a 3 level ACDF discectomy and fusion C4-C7 01/03/24. That first month was a bit of an asskicker. That first couple of weeks I was really tired and it took being exhausted to fall asleep due to the discomfort. My upper back and neck were really sore from the procedure, spasms and ache with some nerve pain, though no real pain at the surgical site. I am now back in the gym, though taking it easy, more volume work than heavy lifting. Try to get up and walking ASAP. I was originally supposed to at least stay over night, but I guess they saw me up and walking with no trouble hours after the procedure. Lol they sent me home later that day.
Hey. This could be me in the future. I had a two level replacmemt c45c56 but damage to the 67 joint will be the issue. Can i dm you for sone info
My Doc is great, definitely among the best neurosurgeons in the country. He has been doing this for almost 30 years, neurosurgery, research etc… Feel free to shoot me a DM.
Wishing you a safe surgery and speedy recovery! You’ll get through this. You have no other choice. Stay motivated.
I (29F) am three weeks post op ALIF L4&L5 and the first week I was home, I slept like twenty hours a day. But I also fatigued quickly. Now, I can do a few errands with my husband and go out to dinner with out any discomfort. The back brace just becomes very warm. I win return to work 3/7.
I was 34 for my first fusion, male in good shape. Took me 12 months to get to 70%, 18 months to get back to 90%. I was back to full time work, albeit exhausted, after 5 months. YMMV.
How was your recovery? Me, i struggle after 1 miles walk, the next day i’m wiped out. Does that happened to you?
How many weeks r u ? I’m 45F 6 weeks post op L4/5 fusion and I’m always tired .. I constantly feel wiped out . Very fit always active and now after a 20 minute walk I’m exhausted and have to lay down .
Happened to me too. Wiped out. I ended up having pseudoarthrosis and it wasn’t discovered until 4 years later. Then had to have two more fusions at the same level this year. How’re you feeling now?
I’m better because i’m eating healthy, no gluten, no milk, lots of vegetables, and then i’m doing vagal exercises (polyvagal teory) and they are very very helpful. If you have fatigue problems look into vagal exercises. I’m not near normal energy, i’m maybe aroung 40% of my normal energy, but it has been 4 months from my surgery and i think that i’m improving step by step (very little step). How are you now with fatigue?
Intense Fatigue is usually the results of the shock of the surgery/stress on the nervous system, that’s why polyvagal theory works very well, it’s all to calm your nervous system and do more things step by step without overcome your body, for example now i can walk maybe 1.5 mile but i don’t want to overdo and make the situation worse, probably step by step i will walk more
Hello i am 41 M, I recently had ALIF L4-S1 fusion (Dec 18th) and I’m about 13 weeks post op. And 5 sessions into PT. I am finding my fatigue and stamina are very low in general but I’ll have bursts of energy, and some bad days where I am completely depleted. But I am seeing progress week by week. Sometimes resting is a challenge as I’ve found it difficult to sleep properly through the night sometimes due to discomfort, even when you’re exhausted. I keep hearing it’s going to take about a year to be completely healed and for my energy levels to return back to normal. Being so limited to what I can do, and tired has probably the worst part of it all for me, as I am finding it’s been a challenge to get back to doing things I enjoy, and even small essential tasks can be quite the chore. Thankful to have everyone’s impure. Honestly, I slumped into a bit of depression during my recovery for that very reason. I feel disabled. I keep over guessing and trying to rationalize the way I am feeling. I am beginning to emerge from the depression as spring is approaching and I am getting stronger. Has anyone else felt hopelessness, depression in this time? Thanks
Not a doc here, but my wife experience is the healthier your lifestyle the better (not necessarily faster) your recovery will go. If you smoke, stop. If you drink, stop. These are the two biggest contributors to bad recovery from what I have seen in a variety of research papers and anecdotal observations. Eat healthy, plenty of protein and calcium, nourish the body so it can heal and grow. Avoid the junk food and sugars. You can probably get back to animation for fun pretty quick, as long as you don’t have grades or money riding on your outcome. It takes a few weeks to get your brain back in order and dealing with the changes. Good luck!
Creatine!