Back surgery again, need some advice

[5 point]

Here I sit in the heart of prime elk county recovering from my 2nd back surgery I had on Sept 1st.  I had most of my L4/5 disk removed.  If this fails it will have to be fused. My brand new Liberty Contender has been hanging on the rack since July.  Will start PT next week.
I was hoping some of you could tell me how you fared after similair surgerys.  I am confident I will be back shooting and hiking the mountains at least by spring bear season.  I am worried about being able to carrying a pack, dragging or packing out an animal, hanging tree stands, all the stuff I used to do without thinking twice about.  I would like to know if those of you that had this problem carried heavy packs after your recovery or if you were forced to change the way you hunt.

Thanks,
Dave

[Brad_Gentry]

Dave,
I had surgery on February 19th of this year. L4/L5 and L5/S1 were herniated when they decided to do the surgery. By the time I was in surgery, L4/L5 had ruptured. They had to remove a pretty big chunk of the ruptured disc from the nerve canal, then trimmed both discs.

I was back shooting in the backyard and working out in the gym by the end of March. I drew my bow just a couple weeks after the surgery (64#), and it didn't seem to bother me (although I'm not recommending that!). Stringing it was the hard part.

Deer season starts here in about two and a half weeks, and I really don't think the way I hunt is going to change. The biggest thing I think is, once they clear you, get active and stay active. My back doesn't bother me near as much anymore when I'm sticking to my workouts. It's when I slack off for a few days that I start to feel it.

Good luck, and do what they tell you! You'll be back at it before you know it.

Brad

[Keefer]

I just had a doner disk installed with some rods and 4 screws to help hold till my L-5 fusion heals. I had the surgery on June 26th  of 2007 and I have been shooting 50 # O.k. but will shoot my Dryad Hunter 43# just to be on the safe side this year. I go back to see my Dr. this Wednesday to see how much the bones have mended since surgery.  I have been back to work since August and I haven't done any heavy lifting or bending but feel very good.Follow the Dr's orders and if the pack is heavy I would hunt with a buddy with a good back and let him do the hauling.Take care & God Bless! Keefers <")))><

[beachbowhunter]

5 Point, if you need the fusion, do it. I just got back last night from elk hunting in NM at 10k feet and feel great, even after packing out an elk nearly 2 miles in the wilderness up a hellaceous slope (that's a story the will be told next week!). I had L3-L5 fused in 1999 and have been fine. The only worry is for disk problems above or below the fused area (had a problem after dragging a bear last year).