Aa
still having pain after fusion
Hello,
I have never posted on this site before, but I read the posts regularlly, and find it very interesting and informative.
I had a spinal fusion l4 l5 with hardware on March 9, 05, I had a herniated disc, and slippage of the spine. At 6 weeks post op, I started having problems with sciatic like pain, (terrible burning pain in lower back and butt) pain worse than before surgery. My doctor put me on neurontin with no help, and at 3 months he put me on an anti-inflamatory, which has helped some, but I am concerned about taking it this early, that it may interferre with my fusion. I also have alot of pain when I try to stretch my piriformis muscle in the area of that muscle and I wonder if that is the problem.
I am wondering if this is normal after the type of surgery I had. I have a appointment with PM in about 3 weeks.
One last thing, I started having alot of trouble with my feet along with my back problems. They burn on the bottom (I have been checked for neuropathy, and don't have that), and also the balls of my feet hurt really bad when I walk, and I was wondering if all that could be from the back problem, and may get better along with the other nerve problems from compression.
I would appreciate any advice. Thanks
I have never posted on this site before, but I read the posts regularlly, and find it very interesting and informative.
I had a spinal fusion l4 l5 with hardware on March 9, 05, I had a herniated disc, and slippage of the spine. At 6 weeks post op, I started having problems with sciatic like pain, (terrible burning pain in lower back and butt) pain worse than before surgery. My doctor put me on neurontin with no help, and at 3 months he put me on an anti-inflamatory, which has helped some, but I am concerned about taking it this early, that it may interferre with my fusion. I also have alot of pain when I try to stretch my piriformis muscle in the area of that muscle and I wonder if that is the problem.
I am wondering if this is normal after the type of surgery I had. I have a appointment with PM in about 3 weeks.
One last thing, I started having alot of trouble with my feet along with my back problems. They burn on the bottom (I have been checked for neuropathy, and don't have that), and also the balls of my feet hurt really bad when I walk, and I was wondering if all that could be from the back problem, and may get better along with the other nerve problems from compression.
I would appreciate any advice. Thanks
Hi, I know that it has been sometime since you posted your message, but I was doing some searching to see if anyone had the same problems as I am experiencing and it seems that you are. I had a double lumbar fusion with cages in the vertebral spaces (ALIF) January 2004. From the moment that I woke up in my hospital room, I felt burning/stabbing pain in my feet. The surgeon came up with all kinds of reasons and one being RSD. Six months post-op, one foot was hotter than the other, but the same pain, hair growth on my toes, sweeling, and severe dry cracking on the right foot. I have experienced severe right hip pain as well. After being referred back to my local doctor, I explained that things were worsening and was referred to another specialist who referred me for a triple-phase bone scan which showed blood pooling and abnormalities. The report also recommended a MRI follow up. The MRI showed fluid build up in several places in my right foot. I see another specialist Monday to see about draining the fluid and possibly an MRI of my low back and my right hip. We are not sure what the cause of all of the problems in my feet are, but we are now getting somewhere. I notified my back surgeon of the bone scan and MRI results and he wanted me to see the ortho in his office, but I can't travel the 3 1/2 hours so am seeing a local doctor. I will keep you posted of the outcome. RSD is still not ruled out though! This may be something that you can discuss with your primary, but don't give up...I'm not! You may also email me at ***@****
Spinal fusion for a herniated disc is done mostly to prevent any damage to the spinal cord or roots. It does not gaurantee freedom from pain as any pain not directly due to the compressed nerves will remain.
After surgery , problems like persistent nerve compression or a residual disc fragment should be evalauted for if suspected by another MRI. There will also be an amount of pain from surgical trauma which may take weeks to months to heal. Seeing a pain management doctor is a good idea as they might be able to differentiate which of the above mechanisms is most likely
the feet problem is less clear, and there may have been some S1 nerve root damage prior to surgery (I do not know if this root was involved or not), surgery does not necessarily reverse any disability, the body has to heal itself over time (weeks to months). In 20-30% of neuropathies the cause is not found and routine tests are normal.
Good luck
After surgery , problems like persistent nerve compression or a residual disc fragment should be evalauted for if suspected by another MRI. There will also be an amount of pain from surgical trauma which may take weeks to months to heal. Seeing a pain management doctor is a good idea as they might be able to differentiate which of the above mechanisms is most likely
the feet problem is less clear, and there may have been some S1 nerve root damage prior to surgery (I do not know if this root was involved or not), surgery does not necessarily reverse any disability, the body has to heal itself over time (weeks to months). In 20-30% of neuropathies the cause is not found and routine tests are normal.
Good luck
A related discussion, Residual Leg Pain was started.
A related discussion, Same story different person was started.
Wow I wish I had prepared and read all this before surgery,though L4 andL5 were severely hurniated,multiple tears,and signifigant degeneration. I had a L4,L5 discectomy and a anterior/posterior Lr,L5,S1 fusion cuz of a lifting injury. I am only 26yo and this has. Been the worst experience of my life!on top of this I have severe bipolar disorder and was not even close to being mentally prepared!!!!I feel the same way as the suicidal guy,my wife loves me and if it weren't. For my catholic faith and my 6yo son I would have done what both of my great uncles did(12gage to the head) I lost my job at the prison and trying to get disability. By the way my wife has seizures bout 1 per week recently.the seizures make our lifes even more difficult. Surgery was in feb 2010 it is now 8-22-10 and for several weeks I've been in severe pain once again,went to the e.r they gave me I.v. doulotted(hydromorphone) and 20 oral doulotted pills,helps but can still feel the stabbing pain in my spine. Just dulled down. Going to c my pcp tomorrow for help,my surgeon is brilliant at what he does but his bedside manner is deplorable! He always brags that he's had 13 surgerys and I always want to say "ya but none like this!" I am done w/him and he sais he is done w/me. Not really feeling to optimistic about the future,I just know that I will refuse any more back surgery! I can not handle it mentally or physicaly! Believe me I feel everyones pain,if only i would have lifted w/my legs!!!!!!!!!!!
A related discussion, How come iam still in pain was started.
A related discussion, continued pain post lumbar fusion was started.
A related discussion, I have more pain in my legs then before surgery was started.
A related discussion, why am i still in pain was started.
Simple question I've had my L-5 S-1 fused two years ago and the pain is still extreme. Does it ever end or is there something I can take or do to eleviate it. I'm doing P/T took vicodins etc. I'm starting to lose my mind. Please help.
hello bella.................
after reading your comment i have a few sugesstions:follow your heart and instincts
1. do not have surgery
2. try epidural injection
3. try ti-chi
4. try bio=feedback
5. try chriropractor
6. stay fit and exercise 4times a week especially weight training join a gym, hire a trainer
7. keep taking the pain pills
8. buy a heating pad and sleep with it under your back
9. keep your legs elevated at night
i had a spinal fusion L4.L5.S1 with cages and it took me almost 6 months or better to even walk right.
i would,nt suggest anyone your age to get this surgery.
i have had several problems since surgery that include numbness in toes and feet that they gave me epidural injections for, also when you walk, stand, sit too long your in just as much pain, then it takes days to get over that.
and the only other thing i know is once the doctors push you to have surgery they really don,t care after that!!
all theywant is that $20,000 dollar operation and thats it.
if your not satisfied with anything get another doctor and you tell them what you want to do before surgery and investigate every option there is before surgery there has to be something that might help.
after reading your comment i have a few sugesstions:follow your heart and instincts
1. do not have surgery
2. try epidural injection
3. try ti-chi
4. try bio=feedback
5. try chriropractor
6. stay fit and exercise 4times a week especially weight training join a gym, hire a trainer
7. keep taking the pain pills
8. buy a heating pad and sleep with it under your back
9. keep your legs elevated at night
i had a spinal fusion L4.L5.S1 with cages and it took me almost 6 months or better to even walk right.
i would,nt suggest anyone your age to get this surgery.
i have had several problems since surgery that include numbness in toes and feet that they gave me epidural injections for, also when you walk, stand, sit too long your in just as much pain, then it takes days to get over that.
and the only other thing i know is once the doctors push you to have surgery they really don,t care after that!!
all theywant is that $20,000 dollar operation and thats it.
if your not satisfied with anything get another doctor and you tell them what you want to do before surgery and investigate every option there is before surgery there has to be something that might help.
Hello everyone. I am new here. I decided to do some research. I am scheduled to have surgery in late February. I have been very nervous about having this surgery. I have herinated disks (L4-S1), degenerative disc disease and problems with my facet joints. I had a discogram back in June which I have to agree with failedfusion I would never wish this test on my enemy. My internist is a real jerk and scheduled my discogram on my birthday, then he proceeded to tell me not to miss the appointment or else. Needless to say the discogram left me in a lot more pain and I had weird sensations for a few months.
I have had this problem for 6 years, I am 25 years old. After reading that so many people have had problems after surgery and my own doubts that I have I don't know what I should do.
I have pain every day, it's never ending. I take pain pills and muscle relaxers and it gets me through the day.
My surgery may be a little different from what others have had. They are using MAST (Minimal access spine technology) to do my surgery. Basically they will cut 4 incisions the size of a key hole and perform the Spinal Fusion.
I am worried that I will end up worse than I am now.
The way it works at the hospital I am getting surgery at is you go to your internist he gives you your meds and schedules you for all the tests. My neurosurgeon then reads results and so on. Like I said earlier my internist is a real jerk and he has said if I do not do this surgery he will not give me pain pills. Day to day life is not possible without pain pills. It's already hard enough to get the pain pills, I am sick of the funny looks I get and the doctors that tell me do you know how much this stuff goes for on the street (Like I care). I do not really want to be on them for the rest of my life either. It just seems like a lose-lose situation. It's very annoying to be treated that way. I used to work as a police officer. My only hope to go back to that is surgery. I am still working (at another job) I am toughing it out as much as I can.
Here is where my dilemma is, I am scared to death of this operation and if it fails I will have to still take meds and I could be worse off, If I do not do it then there goes the meds and that puts me right back where I started.
I guess I just need a friendly place to vent with people that understand and have the same problems. If anyone has any advice to offer that would be great. I am having a tough time making this decision.
~Bella
I have had this problem for 6 years, I am 25 years old. After reading that so many people have had problems after surgery and my own doubts that I have I don't know what I should do.
I have pain every day, it's never ending. I take pain pills and muscle relaxers and it gets me through the day.
My surgery may be a little different from what others have had. They are using MAST (Minimal access spine technology) to do my surgery. Basically they will cut 4 incisions the size of a key hole and perform the Spinal Fusion.
I am worried that I will end up worse than I am now.
The way it works at the hospital I am getting surgery at is you go to your internist he gives you your meds and schedules you for all the tests. My neurosurgeon then reads results and so on. Like I said earlier my internist is a real jerk and he has said if I do not do this surgery he will not give me pain pills. Day to day life is not possible without pain pills. It's already hard enough to get the pain pills, I am sick of the funny looks I get and the doctors that tell me do you know how much this stuff goes for on the street (Like I care). I do not really want to be on them for the rest of my life either. It just seems like a lose-lose situation. It's very annoying to be treated that way. I used to work as a police officer. My only hope to go back to that is surgery. I am still working (at another job) I am toughing it out as much as I can.
Here is where my dilemma is, I am scared to death of this operation and if it fails I will have to still take meds and I could be worse off, If I do not do it then there goes the meds and that puts me right back where I started.
I guess I just need a friendly place to vent with people that understand and have the same problems. If anyone has any advice to offer that would be great. I am having a tough time making this decision.
~Bella
new to the forum, but will be back for sure. Reading FF# post re: pain pump, I can say that it's worked for my husband. He's had 3 lumbar surgeries, no pain relief, and has had a permanent pain pump in for just over a year.
He does have sciatica pain, so his activity level is still limited, but he's out of the hospital bed and at least able to get outside every day, that hadn't been the case until the pump. He has an ill-effect for the first couple of days after a refill for the body to get used to it, otherwise there is no side effect of the medicine. His liver seems to be doing fine (after years of pain meds), and he's more into life than I've seen in over 4 years.
It's definately worth a try. he's 45 and has a lot of years with this pump, but it's better than a lot of years without it. Now if we can get the sciatic side of it under control, we may have a shot at going dancing some nite!
He does have sciatica pain, so his activity level is still limited, but he's out of the hospital bed and at least able to get outside every day, that hadn't been the case until the pump. He has an ill-effect for the first couple of days after a refill for the body to get used to it, otherwise there is no side effect of the medicine. His liver seems to be doing fine (after years of pain meds), and he's more into life than I've seen in over 4 years.
It's definately worth a try. he's 45 and has a lot of years with this pump, but it's better than a lot of years without it. Now if we can get the sciatic side of it under control, we may have a shot at going dancing some nite!
Before having a spinal fusion in early June, I had experienced sharp pains in my right leg. I had the fusion done with cage inserted at L5 (disc was detereorating). Immediately after surgery, my pain was gone. A month after resting my back after surgery, a NEW pain in my right leg developed. It is a constant ache that effects the entire leg and even my right foot. At times the leg feels cold. I was prescribed neurontin and it has done nothing. Only my post op medication (hydrocodone) does anything, but it dulls it at best.
In September I went for a myelogram as suggested by my surgeon. All it would show was a "bundle" of nerves and scar tissue that my surgeon hoped a simple cortisone/steroid injection might help.
Well, it is mid-October and I have had TWO of these injections already and the pain hasn't budged. No matter what I do..lie around all day or take a simple jaunt out to the store, the pain still comes. I see my doctor next month, but I should've been returning to work by now. It seems that every trip to a doctor lends less and less hope. His only suggestion (injections) has failed and I'm still in excruciating pain and still not back to work. What is most frustrating is that the fusion worked, but now I have a problem no one seems to know how to solve.
In September I went for a myelogram as suggested by my surgeon. All it would show was a "bundle" of nerves and scar tissue that my surgeon hoped a simple cortisone/steroid injection might help.
Well, it is mid-October and I have had TWO of these injections already and the pain hasn't budged. No matter what I do..lie around all day or take a simple jaunt out to the store, the pain still comes. I see my doctor next month, but I should've been returning to work by now. It seems that every trip to a doctor lends less and less hope. His only suggestion (injections) has failed and I'm still in excruciating pain and still not back to work. What is most frustrating is that the fusion worked, but now I have a problem no one seems to know how to solve.
HI EVER ONE
i had a fusion on L5-S1 sack in may 2005 still having pain and numbness in my big toe & the next 2 toes and at times it wil go up mt ankle and i have real sharp pain in the lower part of my left butox my doc. has me going to a Functional Capacity Assessment dose this mean i have to live with this
THIS IS THE TECHNIQUE FROM MY MYELOGRAM FROM AUG.2005
Thin section imaging with multiplanar reconstructions
FINDINGS: The thecal sac is filled with iodinated contrast per recent myelogram.
Overall vertebral body alignment to the L5- level is unremax:kable.. There is Grade I anterolisthesis of L5 on S1. with posterior fusion at the LS-Sl interspace. Of note vacuum disk phenomenon is present at the LS-SI level consistent with motion at this level.
At 11-2, no significant disk disease. Central car!al and foramen are widely patent with minimal facet arthrosis.
At L2-3, minimal disk bulge with widely patent central canal Neural foramen are widely patent as well.
At L3-4, bilateral facet arthrosis and ligamentum flavum hypertrophy are present. Central canal is widely patent. no significant foraminal compromise.
There is
At: L4-5, t..nera is minimal disk bulge effa.cing t.n.e ventral theca.l
sac. Posterior decompression with widely patent central canal. There is mild right.and mild to moderate left foraminal stenosis
-n..t LS-Sl, widely paten~ central canal status post-decompression There is se~Tere left and moderate right foraminal stenosis.
IMPRESSION: Multilevel degenerative disk disease with no central canal stenosis: Post-operative changes with widely patent central canal at the lower lumbar spine. Patient is status post-posterior fusion at LS-Sl with abnormal vacuum disk at this level consistent with motion. Bilateral foraminal compromised at L4-S and to a greater degree at LS-Sl as indicated above.
ANY HELP AT ALL
i had a fusion on L5-S1 sack in may 2005 still having pain and numbness in my big toe & the next 2 toes and at times it wil go up mt ankle and i have real sharp pain in the lower part of my left butox my doc. has me going to a Functional Capacity Assessment dose this mean i have to live with this
THIS IS THE TECHNIQUE FROM MY MYELOGRAM FROM AUG.2005
Thin section imaging with multiplanar reconstructions
FINDINGS: The thecal sac is filled with iodinated contrast per recent myelogram.
Overall vertebral body alignment to the L5- level is unremax:kable.. There is Grade I anterolisthesis of L5 on S1. with posterior fusion at the LS-Sl interspace. Of note vacuum disk phenomenon is present at the LS-SI level consistent with motion at this level.
At 11-2, no significant disk disease. Central car!al and foramen are widely patent with minimal facet arthrosis.
At L2-3, minimal disk bulge with widely patent central canal Neural foramen are widely patent as well.
At L3-4, bilateral facet arthrosis and ligamentum flavum hypertrophy are present. Central canal is widely patent. no significant foraminal compromise.
There is
At: L4-5, t..nera is minimal disk bulge effa.cing t.n.e ventral theca.l
sac. Posterior decompression with widely patent central canal. There is mild right.and mild to moderate left foraminal stenosis
-n..t LS-Sl, widely paten~ central canal status post-decompression There is se~Tere left and moderate right foraminal stenosis.
IMPRESSION: Multilevel degenerative disk disease with no central canal stenosis: Post-operative changes with widely patent central canal at the lower lumbar spine. Patient is status post-posterior fusion at LS-Sl with abnormal vacuum disk at this level consistent with motion. Bilateral foraminal compromised at L4-S and to a greater degree at LS-Sl as indicated above.
ANY HELP AT ALL
Im so sorry you all are having neg. results from your fusions. I just turned 22, and had my fusion in May of 05. I was on Vioxx, Pericott, Morphin, demoryl, vicodin, flexerial, and many more. I went to 9 doctors, that keept telling me I was too young for such back problems. They tried to digonis me with MS, and even accused me of not having any problems at all. Finally having an MRI after a year it showed I had hernited disc. Went through physicall threapy, steriod eperdials, injections in the butt, chricoprator, etc.I had L4-L5, and L5-S1 levels fused with plate and screws. I have fear of the screws moving reading all of your stories. I have had x-rays done and everything looking ok! I did want to let you know that I was given a bone stimulator! I suggest for yous that have to go through more surgery to request it Its called an EBI Spinal Pack ll. I highly recomened my doctor. So If anyone would like to know please feel free to email me. ***@****. My bigest thing is that I was opened from the back and front. So its been 5 months now, no pain, but my stomach is still REALLY SWOLLEN! I dont know whats going on.
God bless you all, and GOOD LUCK!
God bless you all, and GOOD LUCK!
I would like to thank everyone for bearing their soul and opening their hearts in this forum. I have never made a post before, but I am at the very end of my rope here.
I just saw my NS Monday and am facing my 5th and 6th neck surgery. I have had 3 anterior surgeries and 1 posterior. I currently have a plate at C4, 5 and 6, and another at 6-7. Posterior I have rods and screws at 4,5 & 6. Previously I had a plate at 3,4,5. The screws broke on that one, but luckily the fusion held at 3. They could not get one of the broken screws out.
Monday, the doc told me that the fusion at 6-7 did not take and the disks are slipping again. This has pulled one of the screws in the back and now it is no longer where it should be. He wants to go in from the front and re-do the fusion there, and the next day, go in the back and extend the rods to the top of my back.
Needless to say, I am scared to death. I can handle the front surgery, but the posterior surgery was the worst thing I have ever gone through. I have had 2 fusions with my bone, and 2 with bank bone. Neither method has proved successful. He is talking about using an artificial material along with bank bone for the fusion this time.
Any support or feedback would be soooooo appreciated. I am 48 years old, and I take 40=50 Vicodin a week, along with Robaxin & Flexaril.
I just saw my NS Monday and am facing my 5th and 6th neck surgery. I have had 3 anterior surgeries and 1 posterior. I currently have a plate at C4, 5 and 6, and another at 6-7. Posterior I have rods and screws at 4,5 & 6. Previously I had a plate at 3,4,5. The screws broke on that one, but luckily the fusion held at 3. They could not get one of the broken screws out.
Monday, the doc told me that the fusion at 6-7 did not take and the disks are slipping again. This has pulled one of the screws in the back and now it is no longer where it should be. He wants to go in from the front and re-do the fusion there, and the next day, go in the back and extend the rods to the top of my back.
Needless to say, I am scared to death. I can handle the front surgery, but the posterior surgery was the worst thing I have ever gone through. I have had 2 fusions with my bone, and 2 with bank bone. Neither method has proved successful. He is talking about using an artificial material along with bank bone for the fusion this time.
Any support or feedback would be soooooo appreciated. I am 48 years old, and I take 40=50 Vicodin a week, along with Robaxin & Flexaril.
I had a tri-level fusion 1 monthago. L-4, L5, S1. This is sfter waiting a year after having a botched discectomy. I am VERY concerned about the continua pain dowm ny left leg. It went away immidietely after surgery, but is now back full force. I am a 31 yr old man, who cannot do anything og substance for more than 20 minutes at the most.
I have been told additude is the best medicine, well I am trying to maintain a good attitude, but I feel like I have hot knives stabbing me in the leg. I rarely eat, because I am nauceous continually. I have intrests in life, depression is not the issue, and I DESPISE pain pills, I deal with pain sometimes rather than take them, because I know LORTAB can do liver damage and I want to live a long, healthy life.
I still need pain medicine....something that wont make me sick, will somebody please help me. I am desperate for amswers.....and I hurt continually.
I have been told additude is the best medicine, well I am trying to maintain a good attitude, but I feel like I have hot knives stabbing me in the leg. I rarely eat, because I am nauceous continually. I have intrests in life, depression is not the issue, and I DESPISE pain pills, I deal with pain sometimes rather than take them, because I know LORTAB can do liver damage and I want to live a long, healthy life.
I still need pain medicine....something that wont make me sick, will somebody please help me. I am desperate for amswers.....and I hurt continually.
Well Now-
Sob story, after sob story. Sorry, can't help but being a bit synical. It helps to vent. I have a fusion at the L4-L5 and L5-S1 levels. I was 30 when I went through with the surgery. The day after surgery I woke up feeling worse than prior to the surgery, and it has never improved. Now I have pain that actually makes me groan out load in public. I can't help it. It hits me like baseball bat. I howl out load and cry like a little girl. I used to play Rugby and was prep football star. I know tough. I've been tough, just as everyone who has gone through this experience is. We are the toughest SOBs walking the face of the earth. Remember that God doesn't gives us what we can't handle no matter the hell we think we can't live through. Even though sometimes things seem bleak, I believe God is with us and watching over us at all times. It could be he is carrying us through what we think is the hardest time of our lives.
What the medical community fails to understand is that tough has limits. I tell my wonderful, beautiful wife, that Navy Seals and other special forces soldiers ar trained to ignore pain, for a short period of time. I want to see one of them deal with this type of pain for 4 years. Anyone can be tough for awhile, but eventualy you reach that point where you can't take it anymore, and then your body somehow finds a way to increase the pain even more than you could ever imagine.
I'm 34 now and new MRI's and CTs show that the L3-L4 disk is degenerative. What the Dr. failed to tell me was is that the rest of my spine would have to absorb the burden of the fusion. Meaning the L3-L4 , above my fused area, has bee taking the brunt of the friction and motion in my spine since the surgery. In medical terms they call this staircasing. If I have surgery on the L3-L4 then the L2-L3 will absorb the weight and burden of my lumbar spine and may eventually need surgery. Since fusions only last 10-15 years this means I could expect another surgery should I live into my fifties.
I'm also beginning to wonder if the hardware, specifically the pedical screws, are starting to work their way out of the bone and thus out my back.
I don't know about the rest of you, but my experience with doctors has not been positive. They look at me sideways when I say I need more pain medication. They refuse to support the pain I'm in. The government, DEA, society has them so scared to prescribe anything more than arthritis relief medication that I want to cry. It is always a fight to get the bare minimum. They laugh when you say the pain medicine just dulls the pain and doesn't rid you completely of the pain. Many doctors are unaware or refuse to acknowledge what breakthrough pain is. Like many of you, I long for pain free lifestyle. I long for a full night sleep.
Who will help us fight for our rights? Who will recognize that we have the right to live pain free, whatever this means. So far I've never met an advocate on this issue. I guess the insurance companies and government have more money than those of us who are hurting.
My family doctor will prescribe oxy but a very limited amount and he has never heard of breakthrogh pain. It is not his policy to support breakthrough pain. In our area pain management doctors all went out of business. The only one in now is a guy who supplies what he thinks is best for you, not what actually works for. Now we live in the Olympia area and this is about 100,000 people in this area and only one pain management doctor who is new, but still wants you to conform to his own preferences, not yours.
Now my pain has escalated to a new level and my disability with the state was approved but only for two years. I fall into the what insurance companies call a predetermined category for back problems. They have it all mapped out and certainly do no take it on a case by case basis. I am suppossed to be able to work a sedentary job. Except I can't sit for more than 20 minutes without excrutiating pain.
I don't want a support group.
I want a doctor to take care of my pain and provide me with a specialist to give me hope that I can resolve my back pain. I want my disability company "The Standard" to understand I can't work sedentary work and take care of my like they originally promised me.
I guess I just live in a world that doesn't exsist and should come backe to earth and face the reality that I, once again, will not get what I want.
Does this sound familiar to any of you? If it does, my vote is to start a website and begin deciding how we can control our own future and own fate. Maybe we all go into business together? Maybe we all open our own pharmacy and buy from just this one source, but please, I refuse to go through the rest of my life hoping upon hope that doctors and insurance companies are going to change, or that I'll find the right one to make things all better.
Feel free to email me at:
Brian McGinty
***@****
Sob story, after sob story. Sorry, can't help but being a bit synical. It helps to vent. I have a fusion at the L4-L5 and L5-S1 levels. I was 30 when I went through with the surgery. The day after surgery I woke up feeling worse than prior to the surgery, and it has never improved. Now I have pain that actually makes me groan out load in public. I can't help it. It hits me like baseball bat. I howl out load and cry like a little girl. I used to play Rugby and was prep football star. I know tough. I've been tough, just as everyone who has gone through this experience is. We are the toughest SOBs walking the face of the earth. Remember that God doesn't gives us what we can't handle no matter the hell we think we can't live through. Even though sometimes things seem bleak, I believe God is with us and watching over us at all times. It could be he is carrying us through what we think is the hardest time of our lives.
What the medical community fails to understand is that tough has limits. I tell my wonderful, beautiful wife, that Navy Seals and other special forces soldiers ar trained to ignore pain, for a short period of time. I want to see one of them deal with this type of pain for 4 years. Anyone can be tough for awhile, but eventualy you reach that point where you can't take it anymore, and then your body somehow finds a way to increase the pain even more than you could ever imagine.
I'm 34 now and new MRI's and CTs show that the L3-L4 disk is degenerative. What the Dr. failed to tell me was is that the rest of my spine would have to absorb the burden of the fusion. Meaning the L3-L4 , above my fused area, has bee taking the brunt of the friction and motion in my spine since the surgery. In medical terms they call this staircasing. If I have surgery on the L3-L4 then the L2-L3 will absorb the weight and burden of my lumbar spine and may eventually need surgery. Since fusions only last 10-15 years this means I could expect another surgery should I live into my fifties.
I'm also beginning to wonder if the hardware, specifically the pedical screws, are starting to work their way out of the bone and thus out my back.
I don't know about the rest of you, but my experience with doctors has not been positive. They look at me sideways when I say I need more pain medication. They refuse to support the pain I'm in. The government, DEA, society has them so scared to prescribe anything more than arthritis relief medication that I want to cry. It is always a fight to get the bare minimum. They laugh when you say the pain medicine just dulls the pain and doesn't rid you completely of the pain. Many doctors are unaware or refuse to acknowledge what breakthrough pain is. Like many of you, I long for pain free lifestyle. I long for a full night sleep.
Who will help us fight for our rights? Who will recognize that we have the right to live pain free, whatever this means. So far I've never met an advocate on this issue. I guess the insurance companies and government have more money than those of us who are hurting.
My family doctor will prescribe oxy but a very limited amount and he has never heard of breakthrogh pain. It is not his policy to support breakthrough pain. In our area pain management doctors all went out of business. The only one in now is a guy who supplies what he thinks is best for you, not what actually works for. Now we live in the Olympia area and this is about 100,000 people in this area and only one pain management doctor who is new, but still wants you to conform to his own preferences, not yours.
Now my pain has escalated to a new level and my disability with the state was approved but only for two years. I fall into the what insurance companies call a predetermined category for back problems. They have it all mapped out and certainly do no take it on a case by case basis. I am suppossed to be able to work a sedentary job. Except I can't sit for more than 20 minutes without excrutiating pain.
I don't want a support group.
I want a doctor to take care of my pain and provide me with a specialist to give me hope that I can resolve my back pain. I want my disability company "The Standard" to understand I can't work sedentary work and take care of my like they originally promised me.
I guess I just live in a world that doesn't exsist and should come backe to earth and face the reality that I, once again, will not get what I want.
Does this sound familiar to any of you? If it does, my vote is to start a website and begin deciding how we can control our own future and own fate. Maybe we all go into business together? Maybe we all open our own pharmacy and buy from just this one source, but please, I refuse to go through the rest of my life hoping upon hope that doctors and insurance companies are going to change, or that I'll find the right one to make things all better.
Feel free to email me at:
Brian McGinty
***@****
failedfusion3: Your story is almost exactly the same as mine. I have had the L4 - S1 fused with an Anterior/Posterior complete fusion and a C5 - C7 fusion and I am is worse condition than before surgery. I am almost 11 months post-surgery and spend most of my days on the couch. The rest are in bed. It hurts to walk, sit and lay down. I have a 9" incision in my stomach and a 9" incision on my back and a 3" incision on my neck. I can hardly move my head down and side to side.
I have terrible pain down both legs that radiates from my waist down to the pads of my feet. I have muscle jerks like the jerks you have right before you fall asleep all day and night. I was having severe muscle jerks about 300 times a day and am taking medicing to slow them down. It is now about 100 - 150 a day and some of them are really hard.
I am taking a Duragesic patch at 100 mcg/every 3 days and 4X Lortab-10/day along with Percoset as a breakthrough pill for when it gets real bad. Plus a host of other pills. I have severe depression and severe chronic fatigue. I do not like going anywhere because I feel so miserable.
I am very fortunate because my wife truely loves me and supports me and I have an awesome Son. If it were not for that and my faith in God, I would no longer be here. I thought this kind of suffering was only meant for those already in Hell. Not for the living. I oftentimes cry myself to sleep during the day or late at night because the pain is so severe. I also live my life with pain rarely going below a 7 and more often stays around an 8 and occasionally going to a 10. I have even passed out a couple of times from pain.
I hardly eat at all. I never get a full nights sleep. I am nauseaus all the time and I always feel like I am just slowly dying. Although I would NEVER do it, the thought of suicide is a daily/hourly though.
My legs ache. My legs have severe sharp pain that goes all the way to my ankles on the side, sometimes down the front and ALWAYS down the back. My legs always tingle and when I walk over 150 - 200 feet, my legs feel like I am trying to walk through a bog. I have never been able to walk any faster that 2.2 MPH on the treadmill at PT for more than 4 minutes.
I feel so useless as my family has to do everything at the house now. We had to sell our dream home because I thought we could loose it as it would be better to sell than to loose it. We live in a shack now and I can't even mow the yard. I was always the one who did the heavy stuff outside and my wife and I were always looking forward to doing yard work together planting plants and trees. Now I am just stuck in a useless body.
The Pain Management doctor says if he can;t get a handle on the pain within another 6 months or so he will look at implanting a morpheme pump. The Workers Comp Dr. I was seeing made me work for 9 months with this injury until I sued to see another doctor who had no stake in this injury. He immediately took me off work and 4 months later I had the first suegery (lower back) then 12 days later had the neck surgery. Next month will be a year since my first surgery. I really thought I would be running by now. Heck, I can't even drive a vehicle!
So after just about every pain pill and Tens unit out there, we are just about ready for the Morpheme pump.
I wish you all well and I am glad there is a forum where we can spill out guts and get things off my chest.
I have terrible pain down both legs that radiates from my waist down to the pads of my feet. I have muscle jerks like the jerks you have right before you fall asleep all day and night. I was having severe muscle jerks about 300 times a day and am taking medicing to slow them down. It is now about 100 - 150 a day and some of them are really hard.
I am taking a Duragesic patch at 100 mcg/every 3 days and 4X Lortab-10/day along with Percoset as a breakthrough pill for when it gets real bad. Plus a host of other pills. I have severe depression and severe chronic fatigue. I do not like going anywhere because I feel so miserable.
I am very fortunate because my wife truely loves me and supports me and I have an awesome Son. If it were not for that and my faith in God, I would no longer be here. I thought this kind of suffering was only meant for those already in Hell. Not for the living. I oftentimes cry myself to sleep during the day or late at night because the pain is so severe. I also live my life with pain rarely going below a 7 and more often stays around an 8 and occasionally going to a 10. I have even passed out a couple of times from pain.
I hardly eat at all. I never get a full nights sleep. I am nauseaus all the time and I always feel like I am just slowly dying. Although I would NEVER do it, the thought of suicide is a daily/hourly though.
My legs ache. My legs have severe sharp pain that goes all the way to my ankles on the side, sometimes down the front and ALWAYS down the back. My legs always tingle and when I walk over 150 - 200 feet, my legs feel like I am trying to walk through a bog. I have never been able to walk any faster that 2.2 MPH on the treadmill at PT for more than 4 minutes.
I feel so useless as my family has to do everything at the house now. We had to sell our dream home because I thought we could loose it as it would be better to sell than to loose it. We live in a shack now and I can't even mow the yard. I was always the one who did the heavy stuff outside and my wife and I were always looking forward to doing yard work together planting plants and trees. Now I am just stuck in a useless body.
The Pain Management doctor says if he can;t get a handle on the pain within another 6 months or so he will look at implanting a morpheme pump. The Workers Comp Dr. I was seeing made me work for 9 months with this injury until I sued to see another doctor who had no stake in this injury. He immediately took me off work and 4 months later I had the first suegery (lower back) then 12 days later had the neck surgery. Next month will be a year since my first surgery. I really thought I would be running by now. Heck, I can't even drive a vehicle!
So after just about every pain pill and Tens unit out there, we are just about ready for the Morpheme pump.
I wish you all well and I am glad there is a forum where we can spill out guts and get things off my chest.
Failedfusion3-I am in tears after reading your post. I found this website, but was not able to post a question to the Dr. since it was filled. Out of desperation, I started looking for answers to my situation in the archives and I found yours. My situation is so much like yours. I have been searching for any info. on failed fusions and loose screws (which is what I have) along w/ many other spine problems. But just knowing that there was someone else out there who understands my pain and anxieties is comforting.
I had my fusion a year ago. I never fused and one of the screws is loose. 2 Drs. have said I need ro re-do the fusion and change out the hardware. They said that if I don't, it is possible the screw can break off. But, today my insurance (W/C) has said they aren't convinced that I need a 2nd surgery. Now I am really getting scared that the screw will break off and cause worse problems.
I am sorry you are going through this as well and I am praying for relief of the pain for all pain sufferers on this board.
Lorie
I had my fusion a year ago. I never fused and one of the screws is loose. 2 Drs. have said I need ro re-do the fusion and change out the hardware. They said that if I don't, it is possible the screw can break off. But, today my insurance (W/C) has said they aren't convinced that I need a 2nd surgery. Now I am really getting scared that the screw will break off and cause worse problems.
I am sorry you are going through this as well and I am praying for relief of the pain for all pain sufferers on this board.
Lorie
I feel for everyone who has undergone a sort of fusion and it's failed.
It took some hot shot spine specialists a year to find my ruptured disc, if they would have done a CT scan first it would have shown... on the MRI they only read it as a lesion of some sort at the L5 location even reading the MRI backwards YES it can be done...
I have had over 19 injections done to my tailbone and butt cheeks, the treated it as SI problems... SI blocks done at the hospital into each side... an L5 Nerve block with NO help whatsoever...
Finally after a year they did a discogram and I would NOT for the life of me wish that test on my worse enemy even. Needless to say it's only gotten worse the past 5 yrs.
I've had an L5/S1 fusion (8" scar tailbone on up), with the bolts and rods moving, never fusing, somehwere between month 4 and 8 a titanium bolt completely sheared off!! No xrays were taken from month 3 on... nope, they tried every drug imaginable to ease the pain, made me go back to work, had me wear a TENS unit, a bone stimulator my god I was a walking machine!
Surgery #2 at month 9 to try to remove the remaining hardware.
Leaving 3/4 of a bolt/screw now in my body for the rest of my life causing pain whenever it rains/snows, etc. 3rd surgery was a whole year later, finally a differen doc, diff hospital, he did it laparscopically <sp> and inserted metal cages after cleaning up the bad disc and remaining tissue that had now moved to the right and bulging there causing more pain the past year.
Every single minute of my life is pain. I have not had a day below a 6 out of 10. I have been on every drug that Jerry Lewis has been and then some. My poor stomach the past 5 years survives off crackers of any sort and gingerale.
This week they add a new pill to my aresenal of locked up meds. At age 43, how am I to have a life??? Do I eventually lose my home cuz I can hardly sit a few hours to work (sedentary job of course!). No one seems to understand.. disability insurance thru works think I should be up and running around, well standing is a bit better but only temporarily until the pain down my legs starts up all over again. Laying on my side is the ONLY relief somewhat to this nitemare.
The PM&R doctor who manages my meds just keeps doing one to the other. Who or what doctor should be the one managing the new pains, the new inability to sit on my right butt cheek now as the pain there has gotten so much worse. How about my knees now that can hardly move as they have been my rock at the times that I cannot sit I have had to kneel or squat to get thru the 4 hours a day I do work 4 days a week...
No one has ANY answers for me and I feel sooo lost. I have ready every article imaginable that I can find anyways online. Jerry's story, when the docs mention a morphine pump my heart gets scared... my stomach can hardly handle anything new...yet I don't lose weight? My blood pressure is still good, my asthmas is still under control, it's just the dang pain... minute after minute, even after I sit here typing this I have had to wiggle from one butt cheek to the other. Sitting is my absolute worse, as well as driving. I have not slept on my back or stomach for more than 10 minutes in over 5 years, this lady is soo tired... I only get about 4-5 hours a sleep a nite, yes the docs know this, yes I have ambien for those nites, but I don't wanna take 'one more pill'... I'm feeling very desparate for some answers or even where to go (dang as the tears well in my eyes right now).
I am just looking forward to the end of my day here and heading home to once again lay on my side for an hour after I take my 'noon' pills.
Thanks...again I pray none of you ever have to go thru my hell.
It took some hot shot spine specialists a year to find my ruptured disc, if they would have done a CT scan first it would have shown... on the MRI they only read it as a lesion of some sort at the L5 location even reading the MRI backwards YES it can be done...
I have had over 19 injections done to my tailbone and butt cheeks, the treated it as SI problems... SI blocks done at the hospital into each side... an L5 Nerve block with NO help whatsoever...
Finally after a year they did a discogram and I would NOT for the life of me wish that test on my worse enemy even. Needless to say it's only gotten worse the past 5 yrs.
I've had an L5/S1 fusion (8" scar tailbone on up), with the bolts and rods moving, never fusing, somehwere between month 4 and 8 a titanium bolt completely sheared off!! No xrays were taken from month 3 on... nope, they tried every drug imaginable to ease the pain, made me go back to work, had me wear a TENS unit, a bone stimulator my god I was a walking machine!
Surgery #2 at month 9 to try to remove the remaining hardware.
Leaving 3/4 of a bolt/screw now in my body for the rest of my life causing pain whenever it rains/snows, etc. 3rd surgery was a whole year later, finally a differen doc, diff hospital, he did it laparscopically <sp> and inserted metal cages after cleaning up the bad disc and remaining tissue that had now moved to the right and bulging there causing more pain the past year.
Every single minute of my life is pain. I have not had a day below a 6 out of 10. I have been on every drug that Jerry Lewis has been and then some. My poor stomach the past 5 years survives off crackers of any sort and gingerale.
This week they add a new pill to my aresenal of locked up meds. At age 43, how am I to have a life??? Do I eventually lose my home cuz I can hardly sit a few hours to work (sedentary job of course!). No one seems to understand.. disability insurance thru works think I should be up and running around, well standing is a bit better but only temporarily until the pain down my legs starts up all over again. Laying on my side is the ONLY relief somewhat to this nitemare.
The PM&R doctor who manages my meds just keeps doing one to the other. Who or what doctor should be the one managing the new pains, the new inability to sit on my right butt cheek now as the pain there has gotten so much worse. How about my knees now that can hardly move as they have been my rock at the times that I cannot sit I have had to kneel or squat to get thru the 4 hours a day I do work 4 days a week...
No one has ANY answers for me and I feel sooo lost. I have ready every article imaginable that I can find anyways online. Jerry's story, when the docs mention a morphine pump my heart gets scared... my stomach can hardly handle anything new...yet I don't lose weight? My blood pressure is still good, my asthmas is still under control, it's just the dang pain... minute after minute, even after I sit here typing this I have had to wiggle from one butt cheek to the other. Sitting is my absolute worse, as well as driving. I have not slept on my back or stomach for more than 10 minutes in over 5 years, this lady is soo tired... I only get about 4-5 hours a sleep a nite, yes the docs know this, yes I have ambien for those nites, but I don't wanna take 'one more pill'... I'm feeling very desparate for some answers or even where to go (dang as the tears well in my eyes right now).
I am just looking forward to the end of my day here and heading home to once again lay on my side for an hour after I take my 'noon' pills.
Thanks...again I pray none of you ever have to go thru my hell.
Especially to Terecia37. I had fusion surgery in April 2005 on lowest 3 disc with metal hardware. I had right foot pain as I became conscious. I could not get pain relief without heavy duty pain meds along with large doses of neurontin. The bottom of both feet but especially my right one is really tender to any walking and especially the balls of the feet. I mostly stay off of them since it does hurt so much. Mine start with a tingling burn to more of a straight burn sensation to a numbing burn to what feels like a really bad bone bruise. I just have to get off of them and let them settle down in several hours to sometimes a day. Sitting also causes feet to start burning sensation. It appears for me that anything that compresses the sciatic nerve like walking or sitting causes the nerve to go off while lying in bed but still on medication makes pain much more bearable. Both Rehabilitation doctor and neurosurgeon seemed to have blank looks and give me feeling that I was describing to them some impossible reaction to surgery. I was elated to see your post and joined forum to answer your post
I have been reading these boards for awhile, and I had occ-c3 fused in 1997. Now there is only fusion between c2-c3. I understand how fusion patients feel. Pain is something they told me to live with, and thats not a way to live. Recently numbness in my right arm and shoulder, agnozing pain from levels lower than fusion.... Constant cracking and horrific pressure in my neck. Here's my problem, I read how these people all have doctors, I don't. The state denying me benefits, and I sit without my medications or care in any way. I know if my current cervical problem goes untreated then, one day it will have caused serious damage. I broke and dislocated c1. I go to emergency rooms where I am dumped, and sometimes not even given common x-rays. They give me that look like, your lucky you lived through that...... and shuffle out the door. What do I do? Will the medical community help me when its too late?
I knew when my neck was broken, and they told me nothing was wrong...Now without any care, medication, or tests, everyday is hell for me and my family...
I knew when my neck was broken, and they told me nothing was wrong...Now without any care, medication, or tests, everyday is hell for me and my family...
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