Bladder pain after lumbar fusion

I had an L4-5 fusion and three months later started having the most horrible and excruciating pelvic pain. My bladder and anterior vaginal wall are extremely tender.  I am on very strong pain meds of Norco 10/325 four times a day and MS Contin 30 mg twice a day.  They are no longer effective in helping the pain. It's excruciating and has affected my whole life. I can't work, my marriage is broken and I can't even take care of my home. Have you ever dealt with other patients who have experienced this?  They tell me it's most likely nerve pain. The doc is reluctant to give me stronger meds but I am just in misery.  I'm afraid of the narcotics too. I've taken them for 4 yrs and my body is becoming so tolerant to it that I have had to take double to quiet the pain enough to function org sleep at times because my pelvic area hurts so bad. It scares me.  I just don't know what to do anymore. I've seen so many kinds of specialists from urology to gastroenterology and several others in between. I've even been getting nerve blocks with no relief. I'd appreciate anything you could share on this..  God bless. .

[J. Kyle Mathews, MD, DVM]

Hello, sorry to read of your problem. Your complaint does sound like possible nerve pain. Medications to treat nerve pain are available such as Neurontin & and Lyrica.  You might consider trying one of these if you haven't already.  J. Kyle Mathews, MD