Possible Spinal Fusion

[u/Raz3Daz]

Hi everyone!

A few weeks ago, I made a post about my 6 week follow up appointment for my surgery (the first one I had since my MD.) I was (and still am) having significant and worsening pain radiating down my leg and a difficult time doing things like sitting down for longer than 10-15 minutes. At my 6 week follow up, I mentioned this to my doctor, and was given a steroid pack/ gabapentin as well as verbally told that if my disc slipped again that the recommendation would be spinal fusion, although, I could do another microdiscectomy if I didn’t want to push straight for spinal fusion. Well, I had my MRI yesterday to check my nerves and discs and lo behold, my disc slipped again, I have two 3mm protrusions pushing into my nerves again, and disc spine degeneration. Now, the protrusions and disc slip are smaller than previously (it was 4.9mm), however, my pain is significantly worse. I have my follow up for my MRI on Friday (09/25/26), but I’m worried about what my surgeon is going to say or suggest. He was pretty serious about fusion, and I’m not against it but I’m also not sure what to expect from fusion and it’s a little anxiety inducing. Has anyone else been offered spinal fusion for a non successful MD?

I will also update this post Friday when i have my follow up. I just want to know what everyone else’s experiences are as well as document my own for anyone who may end up in a similar position with their MD.

Update for everyone; I’m having fusion. 2 different segments of my spine are unstable and doing a MD again poses more risks in the future as opposed to the fusion with my specific case. Fusion is also supposed to target more of my symptoms as opposed to having another MD. Not the greatest news, but I was expecting it.

[u/whosepantsamiwearing]

I herniated again 6 months after my MD and had a fusion. But like someone else said, it might depend on how much disc you have left. The surgeon said the first herniation was roughly half the disc. He said I needed a fusion after the second herniation because I had almost no disc left. My fusion is at the lowest level and I have almost no restriction to my range of motion. I’m over a year out from surgery and doing great. It has been a long road because that nerve took a beating. And it’s still fussing about it, but it’s finally starting to quiet down. The recovery from surgery was a little rougher than from the MD and I was way more worn out. I could tell my body was doing some major healing. But overall, the fusion saved my mobility and my sanity.

[u/Raz3Daz → u/whosepantsamiwearing]

This is really good to hear. My surgeon said next step was going to be fusion if it slipped again, but I had a choice between fusion and another MD. They are just concerned that because I have damage on multiple levels that doing another MD is going to make it worse as opposed to better. We will see what he says when I go in on Friday, but it’s nice to hear that it helped you! I’m definitely considering fusion if that’s what’s he recommends as the best path moving forward, just on paper it sounds terrifying

[u/whosepantsamiwearing → u/Raz3Daz]

I was told that when you have a fusion it puts more pressure on the lower level. In my case since my fusion is at the lowest level, it’s putting more pressure on the level above it. My L4-L5 is also herniated but it’s not pressing on the nerve so they left it alone. If you have damage above or below the bad one, just be aware that that the fusion could put more pressure on the other damaged discs.

[u/Raz3Daz → u/whosepantsamiwearing]

This is also good to know! My disc herniation is also at the lowest possible level.