What Does Spinal Fusion Recovery Look Like?

Lizette was an athlete, a mom, and an outdoors lover whose life changed when unpredictable, stabbing back pain made even lifting her baby impossible. For years, she chased relief that never lasted until she found a team that focused on recovery, not just the next procedure. “I felt like when I got to VSI and talked to Dr. Colin Haines and his team in the office, they saw me as a person with a problem, and not a patient that just needed a treatment.”

In this episode of the Get Back to Your Life® podcast, Lizette tells others that recovery is just as important as the procedure itself. You’ll learn:

• Chasing symptoms is not the same as recovery. Temporary fixes may buy relief, but they don’t rebuild your life. Recovery requires a long-term, goal-driven plan.
• Advocacy matters, even when you’re exhausted. Pain drains energy, but finding your voice and insisting on care that fits your life goals is essential.
• The right questions reveal the right team. If your provider doesn’t ask what you want to get back to and build a plan around it, they may not be focused on true recovery. Find doctors and surgeons who look beyond the operating room, prioritizing your health from start to finish of your healing, not just the surgery itself.
• Surgery should be about more than fixing anatomy. It should be a shared decision based on your values, your goals, and your vision for life after pain. Find surgeons willing to have that conversation with you.

Athletic Mother Whose Life Changed Overnight

Lizette’s story represents thousands of patients who come to VSI seeking lasting relief from chronic low back pain. A former Boston College lacrosse player, wife, and mother of two, Lizette lived an active lifestyle, kayaking, running, and playing with her children on the beach, until severe spinal disc degeneration stole away her quality of life.

What began as an innocent moment in 2020 when her daughter “jumped on me weird” quickly escalated into debilitating chronic pain that prevented her from the simplest parenting tasks. “I’d fall into the crib because I could not stand back up,” Lizette recalls. “I had to stop holding my son and carrying my son around because the pain was too great.”

For active adults experiencing similar symptoms, Lizette’s journey from chronic pain to complete recovery demonstrates why comprehensive spine care makes all the difference.

When Conservative Treatment Isn’t Enough for Chronic Pain

Like many patients with chronic low back pain, Lizette initially pursued conservative treatment options. Physical therapy provided temporary relief for two months, but the underlying disc degeneration continued progressing. “I bent to pick up a pencil and was back to where I had started,” she remembers.

This began a frustrating four-year cycle of short-term fixes that included:

• 17 spinal injections
• 3 radiofrequency ablations
• Up to 24 gabapentin pills daily for nerve pain
• The physical and emotional toll of chronic pain requiring mental health therapy

When Lizette attempted to self-taper her medication after experiencing relief from an ablation, she suffered severe withdrawal symptoms. “Insomnia, sweating, shaking, extreme cold, extreme hot. My heart was racing through the roof. I was jittery,” she describes. What should have been recovery became another setback requiring a three-to-four month weaning process.

By August 2024, Lizette had reached her lowest point: “I was having to use support to stand and walk. Sitting, standing, there was nothing I could do to not be in pain.”

The reality of chronic low back pain: For many patients, conservative treatments provide only temporary relief when severe disc degeneration is the underlying cause. VSI’s comprehensive diagnostic approach helps identify when surgical intervention offers the best long-term solution.

The VSI Difference in Spine Care

Local providers referred her to Dr. Colin Haines at VSI and, despite living three hours away, she made the drive alone. From the moment she arrived, Lizette experienced what sets VSI apart: personalized, comprehensive care focused on understanding each patient’s unique goals. “I’ll never forget when I sat in that office and they said they could help me,” Lizette remembers.

Lumbar Fusion Success: Immediate Relief and Long-Term Recovery

The day of lumbar fusion surgery marked Lizette’s turning point. Despite having surgical pain from the incision, the chronic back pain that had defined four years of her life was gone. “I stood after surgery and I was like, oh my gosh, my back doesn’t hurt,” she recalls. “Yes, the incision on my abdomen is very uncomfortable, but it was like instant.”

This immediate post-operative relief is often experienced by patients whose chronic pain stems from structural spinal problems that fusion surgery can definitively address.

Fusion Recovery Timeline

Lizette’s recovery demonstrates the life-changing potential of successful lumbar fusion when combined with comprehensive care planning:

6 weeks post-surgery: Walking through Disney World with her family while following post-operative precautions. “I could not see how that was possible. And he was like, I think you’re going to do it.”

3 months post-surgery: Cleared for all activities without restrictions. The moment she had waited years for finally came during a camping trip: “There’s a picture of me up on top of like a watchtower… and I’m holding my son.”

One year later: “I was running and sand wiffle ball, metal detecting, swimming.” When she injured her MCL playing sports, she reflected: “I could not have handled having a knee injury if I didn’t have a good back.”

A Message for Patients Struggling with Chronic Back Pain

Lizette’s advice resonates with anyone experiencing the exhausting cycle of chronic pain: “I think that it is hard because you lose energy and steam when you’re in pain. It’s just you have this much less ability to deal with things and not giving up on yourself to advocate, to find the team that does care about start to finish, not just getting you through to the next three months or try this medication, but a whole plan, finding out what your long-term goals are.”

Her experience highlights the importance of finding healthcare providers who look beyond immediate symptom management to focus on comprehensive recovery. “Finding the team that does that to look beyond where you’re at, to look to the future, because that process of getting there, whatever needs to happen to get you there, to recover to the person you need to be, to be a human, a whole person, that’s the thing.”

Why Choose VSI for Your Spine Care Journey

Lizette’s story demonstrates how the right surgical expertise, combined with personalized care planning, creates lasting solutions rather than temporary fixes.

As Virginia’s premier spine center, VSI offers:

• Comprehensive diagnostics to identify the root cause of your chronic pain
• World-class spine surgeons like Dr. Colin Haines who specialize in complex lumbar conditions
• Personalized treatment planning that prioritizes your unique goals and timeline
• Patient-centered approach that sees you as a person with a problem, not just a patient needing treatment
• Proven surgical outcomes with advanced techniques like ALIF lumbar fusion
• Coordinated recovery support to ensure your success from start to finish

Take Your Next Step Back to Life

If chronic low back pain is limiting your quality of life, Lizette’s story proves that lasting recovery is possible. With the right diagnosis, treatment plan, and surgical expertise, you can reclaim the active life you love.

Don’t settle for temporary fixes or providers who say they’re “out of options.” VSI’s comprehensive approach to spine care has helped thousands of patients achieve the same life-changing results that Lizette experienced.

Ready to explore your options? Schedule a consultation with VSI’s spine specialists to discover how comprehensive spine care can help you achieve lasting relief from chronic back pain.