for those who have had previous back/neck surgerys

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Lindawalms

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Hi all. I've had a fusion, L4 - L5 and thought recovery was pretty rough and very painful. Has anyone had experience with both spinal and joint replacement surgery and which was worse in terms of pain, recovery? Just curious since I'm terrified to go under the knife again due to the amount of pain I was in after my fusion.
 
Hi Linda,

As you have seen on my posts I had spinal decompression L3/4 two years ago. Someone asked me the same question about the pain yesterday. I have to say that recovery from THR has been a piece of cake compared to my spinal surgery. Even my PT said my experience with spinal surgery would be nothing like my hip - and she was dead right.

I think what's scary is the THR recovery is a bit more "technical" than spinal. There are very strict restrictions and pre-op you wonder how you will ever cope. But it gets instinctive very quickly.

I have nowhere near the pain levels I had post spinal surgery. And my mobility has returned very quickly.

Believe me I was terrified to go under the knife again. Since it has been only two years since the spinal surgery I feel like I have been in recovery for AGES! But I am having such good results with my THR.

I know it's hard but don't compare the two procedures. I think the success rate for THR is much better and from a patient's point of view much more measureable.
 
Thanks so much for your reply - and especially the b/c the news is good. Thanks again:jump:
 
My pleasure Linda. This site was so helpful to me pre-op. It's nice to now get a chance to help others along this journey.

You will be fine!
 
Linda I can't fit all my surgeries on the signature. I first had cervical spine fusion and diskectomy at 3 levels. I don't really remember pain with the exception of my throat being painful.

The other 2 back surgeries, one was a large fusion of my thoracic spine was the most painful thing i ever experienced. It was horrible.

The hip replacement was a piece of cake. My hip/knee surgeon and spine surgeon wokr in the same practice. 'when scheduling spine surgery, i always went to him and told him i wished my left hip needed replacing instead.

In Dec i had more spine surgery, again the hip was easy, don't worry. Also it has such a high success and patient satisfaction, it is awesome.
judy
 
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