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post spinal fusion surgery pain
I had spinal fusion on my L5 5 weeks ago, and i am now hurting now more then i ever did before surgery. My Doc said he had the surgery and was back to work in 2 weeks. At 2weeks for me i was hurting so bad i thought i had messed up my fusion. So i went to see my my doc and had an xray and was told it was fine. He gave me a RX and said it was my last one. So i have had nothing for pain since 3 weeks after surgery. Right after surgery in a drugged state I told him my leg hurts worse (I don't remember saying it) and his answer was " Then we shouldn't have done surgery"
I had no problem with my right leg priop to surgery, but now at 5 weeks i have to drag my leg, and it hurts unbelievably, i can't even lay on my right side. Sometimes it feels like ants are crawling under my skin. I can't sleep, 3 times now my leg hurt me so bad i got physically sick.
Also my Doc's nurse says pain is just a state of mind..........My pain is very REAL!!
Is this normal?
How long should i be on pain meds?
Thanks Dawn
I had no problem with my right leg priop to surgery, but now at 5 weeks i have to drag my leg, and it hurts unbelievably, i can't even lay on my right side. Sometimes it feels like ants are crawling under my skin. I can't sleep, 3 times now my leg hurt me so bad i got physically sick.
Also my Doc's nurse says pain is just a state of mind..........My pain is very REAL!!
Is this normal?
How long should i be on pain meds?
Thanks Dawn
My 1st surgery went very well until 15 days post op I got a spinal fluid leak and my Doc was on vacation, his P.A. told Mom "its normal"! To soak towel after towel? 3 Daze later I went to my surgeon, he took 1 look @ me & said get to hospital you need surgery to seal the leak & as I was leaving I heard him screaming at the PA "Get the F outta here I'll be lucky if she lives!" I worked hard to make it back to 80% normal-tho I suffer w/ extreme migraines now. So, Faith! She will get depressed & You frustrated...But Faith Bella, you are both in my prayers.
Just want you to know you are not alone! we are all living our own hell! Did this "Butcher" order any physical therapy for you during post-op period or let me guess, he is a neurologist! Your legs hurt from neuropathy- you need Gabapentin....STAT! For this "doc" not to admit it means "IT" failed and it cannot accept that.
Think of these docs as the GEEKS you would of beat up on the play ground and now they are demi-gods! Treat them as such...you have they power cuz w/o a patient they have no practice! Also, find a website were you can GRADE DOCTORS...warn others NOT to go to him!!! Best of Luck, Your are in my Prayers Dawn.
Think of these docs as the GEEKS you would of beat up on the play ground and now they are demi-gods! Treat them as such...you have they power cuz w/o a patient they have no practice! Also, find a website were you can GRADE DOCTORS...warn others NOT to go to him!!! Best of Luck, Your are in my Prayers Dawn.
Yeah, your all ok, BUT! We really shud put a Stim in you, cuz you aren't hurting Girl! Its all in your head as well! Can you not get 2nd opinions? I live in the States & its what I would do. Then SUE of course, Just joking! My Doc told me to sue him!
When you say you've "been there" with pain management, then who is writing your medication scripts?
This is one area of the specialty of pain management -- they find new ways to use medication to treat pain. So I don't understand what your "pain management" experience was like.
This is one area of the specialty of pain management -- they find new ways to use medication to treat pain. So I don't understand what your "pain management" experience was like.
I had a fusion between the t2-T4 in September of 2014 and really having a hard time wth this, having a lot of pain, balance, now having some stabbing pain.....been there physical therapy, pain management, etc...I wish I never had this surgery because I have lost so much of my life of doing things that I loved to do that I can't do anymore because of this pain, the doctor put me on Lyrica which helped a great deal but made me gain 15 pounds in a week so I had to go off that and switched to Gabapetin which I broke out in quarter size hives from so know we are trying Toapmax which helps a little bit but not enough to doing what I want to do, anyone else having any ideas? Please need advice
I can only guess that no surgeon EVER read these posts. Yes, they are busy, but I did not read anything other than lots of painful patient experiences.
Where is some hopeful advice/posts for some of these patients? There should be more tracking of the ages of patients & best case/worst case recovery times & did this fix/not fix the problem. There are no guarantees but what about being informed? This could make the patient can feel better about making their decision. Also, what is the worst case scenario they have encountered for those who may not recover as quickly as explained by their surgeon. How confusing and frustrating to not have all the information necessary for something as serious as having your neck or spine disc/discs removed and replaced with a new and different disc & put back together with parts that resemble items in a tool box. How weird?
My mom just had neck fusion surgery, post 4 weeks, 3 days. Still quite a bit of neck pain & was led to believe that pain would be minimal and for a short time. In her case, no neck brace...not even when sleeping? She is in her mid 60's. I would think some amount of mobilizing just after a surgery such as this is a good idea. It is depressing for her because the Dr. made it sound like it was no big deal, easy recovery. So anxiety & depression kick in because of the unknown & as usual not much consolation from the office team. As usual...too many patients, offices to big, communication lacks, patient care is 3rd party managed just like everything else has become & here we are. Just hope to never have to be involved in healthcare. Lives have been saved I realize but it healthcare is too unpredictable due to lack of communication, sensitivity and information for the patient.
I am not a physician but why do their ideas of recovering always vary so much? Why do they not agree on the best way to recover? Are they cutting costs for insurance or what? I have seen so many varying ways they prescribe recovery. That scares me as well. What will be the recommendation for recovery (therapy, neck brace, etc) & ask him/her what are ALL the different ways to recover? Why do you choose this method?
It is overwhelming to think of having surgery & just want to feel normal again. So, I offer some advice since we apparently are on our own, ask these questions above.I assume they will be annoyed by these questions but it is your body & health measures your overall happiness actually more than anything. Yes, even money.
I feel the Dr. does not care much afterwards. They do not even bother to see you in your post surgery appointment and make the nurse explain the x-ray & listen to your complaints. Almost seems intentional because they do not want to deal with all the complaints & pass the buck to the nurse or whatever their title is. Also, makes the patient uneasy not seeing the physician who did the work. Is he hiding from something or what? I am sure they are busy with surgeries & everything else but they should be in the room with the patient listening to any complaints because they are the hands who did the surgery.
Faith, Truth, God. That is all to all this.
Where is some hopeful advice/posts for some of these patients? There should be more tracking of the ages of patients & best case/worst case recovery times & did this fix/not fix the problem. There are no guarantees but what about being informed? This could make the patient can feel better about making their decision. Also, what is the worst case scenario they have encountered for those who may not recover as quickly as explained by their surgeon. How confusing and frustrating to not have all the information necessary for something as serious as having your neck or spine disc/discs removed and replaced with a new and different disc & put back together with parts that resemble items in a tool box. How weird?
My mom just had neck fusion surgery, post 4 weeks, 3 days. Still quite a bit of neck pain & was led to believe that pain would be minimal and for a short time. In her case, no neck brace...not even when sleeping? She is in her mid 60's. I would think some amount of mobilizing just after a surgery such as this is a good idea. It is depressing for her because the Dr. made it sound like it was no big deal, easy recovery. So anxiety & depression kick in because of the unknown & as usual not much consolation from the office team. As usual...too many patients, offices to big, communication lacks, patient care is 3rd party managed just like everything else has become & here we are. Just hope to never have to be involved in healthcare. Lives have been saved I realize but it healthcare is too unpredictable due to lack of communication, sensitivity and information for the patient.
I am not a physician but why do their ideas of recovering always vary so much? Why do they not agree on the best way to recover? Are they cutting costs for insurance or what? I have seen so many varying ways they prescribe recovery. That scares me as well. What will be the recommendation for recovery (therapy, neck brace, etc) & ask him/her what are ALL the different ways to recover? Why do you choose this method?
It is overwhelming to think of having surgery & just want to feel normal again. So, I offer some advice since we apparently are on our own, ask these questions above.I assume they will be annoyed by these questions but it is your body & health measures your overall happiness actually more than anything. Yes, even money.
I feel the Dr. does not care much afterwards. They do not even bother to see you in your post surgery appointment and make the nurse explain the x-ray & listen to your complaints. Almost seems intentional because they do not want to deal with all the complaints & pass the buck to the nurse or whatever their title is. Also, makes the patient uneasy not seeing the physician who did the work. Is he hiding from something or what? I am sure they are busy with surgeries & everything else but they should be in the room with the patient listening to any complaints because they are the hands who did the surgery.
Faith, Truth, God. That is all to all this.
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