[jbcool35]

As some of you already know, I had a 360 lumbar fusion with hardware, cages and screws at L5/S1 in May 2008. It didn't fuse and one of the screws is loose in the hardware. I'm guessing that means it's unstable, don't really know. I'm in pain most days, worse than before the surgery which was for spondylolisthesis. The bottoms of my feet feel bruised, burn and tingle, something I got after the surgery. Legs don't really hurt at all but lower back is most painful and it comes and goes depending if I walk too much or do anything too demanding, which could be lying down wrong or sitting back in a chair. I saw in my surgeons notes that I could have a possible nerve stretch injury. This is something he never told me. I am terrified to get another surgery! It was the most painful thing I ever went through. Who's to say this next surgery won't make me worse? I cling to the hope it will make me better but that hope is fading fast. I have only heard of a few people getting better after surgery and most getting worse. If this surgery is necessary to stabilize my spine, then I will get it. If not I say forget it! What do you guys think? I'm pretty clueless.