Sea 2'er Report post Posted March 29, 2018 Ok so I'm facing a spinal fusion 'soon'. Anyone out there have this done and what limitations - restrictions with elk hunting did you encounter in the years since? Bob. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
sheephunter2 Report post Posted March 31, 2018 Had my L4, L5, L5S1 fused with titanium rods and screws about 20 years ago. I could hike up into anything but coming down I felt like someone was sticking me in the back with an ice pick each step. Glad I got it fixed. All the pain never goes away but I probably got 90% relief which is good. I use poles now for most my serious hiking which helps the back. Don't play as much golf as I used to because it isn't worth the stiffness to me. I still hunt and hike as much as I ever did including horseback and backpacking. You just have to be careful and smart when healing. You only get one chance to heal and you do not want to rush it. Follow your doctors orders explicitly and walk a lot. Walking is the best thing you can do for recovering from back surgery. I know a guy here in Eagle who rushed it after a fusion by playing golf, etc. His back is more screwed up now than before he had the surgery. I took a year off from golf after my surgery. What does happen however is that the next disc up above the fusion gets all the torque and extra use so it goes bad over time. My L3 is not good but I can live with it as it is. The lower lumbar fusion will relieve your day to day pain but your back will never be the same. You can however still hunt, hike, pack, etc. with time if you use your head and don't get in a hurry. Hope this helps. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Titanium700 Report post Posted March 31, 2018 If archery is involved can you get a temporary disability? Then you can use a crossbow? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bonecollector777 Report post Posted March 31, 2018 If archery is involved can you get a temporary disability? Then you can use a crossbow? Yes he can. But better not use one of those evil airbows! They're from Satan and were made to take away everything good there is about hunting. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Sea 2'er Report post Posted March 31, 2018 Ha! Yeah that would be be different! No airbow, archery only. Looking at same level fusion here, been walking 3-5 miles a day. PT helping only minimal at this point - trying to postpone inevitable until after Fall hunts. Glad to hear it worked out well for you, and good advice. Appreciate it Bob Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Delw Report post Posted April 1, 2018 very close friend of mine / fishing partner had to have this and something else done in an emergency situation. he'd been putting off the surgery for 3 or 4 years then one day his back just snapped while at home walking into his garage. the docs gave him a 50 50 chance of needing a wheel chair the rest of his life. surgery was successful and doc told him xx amount of months. well being the dumbass's we are he conned me into taking him to the lake after 6 weeks for some fishing. that lasted 20 mins and he was back in the hospital the next morning but out that day. point is do what your doc says to do on that stuff. if he says 2 months you do it for 2 months not 1 month. never miss your appointment for physical therapy/ rehab(what ever they call it) either. after another 3 months I think it was he went to the doc and the doc gave him the ok. he's been good ever since that was 8-10 years ago. since then he fell off a ladder from the second story, been in 2 very serious car accidents and hasnt had back problems since the surgery. before the surgery he would hit a speed bump or wave too hard and he would be useless for 2-3 days. nothing is worth not walking again or being a paraplegic if you can prevent it. good luck on your surgery. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Sea 2'er Report post Posted April 1, 2018 Good words of advice. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
MuggyMan Report post Posted April 1, 2018 I have issues at L2,L3and L4. Trying to avoid the surgical consult, but I think it's just a matter of time.... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Sea 2'er Report post Posted April 1, 2018 I had a disk removed at L3-4 last year. Went well, but other discs are trashed. Didn't hunt last year due to recovery. Fusion for me only matter time Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
1uofacat Report post Posted May 25, 2018 I had a 4 level laminectomy in early Feb, '11. It went well, but was a long recovery (12 weeks out of work). I also followed doc's orders and by September was able to chase elk with a bow in a very limited fashion. I didn't connect that year, but I'm sure I wouldn't have been able to carry much if I had. My back is now basically fine, and for the most part doesn't affect me much other than soreness every now and then (just as "sheep" said above, will never be the same, but for myself it was that or never walk again). My avatar pic was taken in 2010 about 4-1/2 months before the surgery and it was all I could do to carry just that much... had lots of help though. Best advice I can give is don't wait too long and stick with your surgeon's recommendations afterwards! I have a friend who had a similar surgery to what you described as needing right before I had mine and he pushed it a lot during recovery. He also actually went skiing the next fall against everyone's recommendations, said it was "OK", but he could only make one run... He basically pushed it all the time, and now only has a good day a few times a month! Therefore, don't "push it", listen to your body as everybody is different too. Best of luck! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
