Back pain after spinal fusion

Question

I had a double level spinal fusion two and a half months ago, and I am still experiencing severe low back pain and now I also have upper back and neck pain. Also, in the mornings, I have considerable stiffness, upper and lower back pain and both arms which is only temporailly relieved after taking a 7.5mg/750mg of Hydrocone and Soma. I have to get up before 5:00am in order for the pain and stiffness subside - only marginally- so that I can get up and bathe and get dressed for work. I have over an hour drive to work-my roommate drives- and by the time that I get to work, I am miserable again. My doctor has reduced my medication to 1-2 tabs of Hydrocone every 6 hours with a limit of 5 a day. I have him that this is not working; however, he wants to wean me off of the meds. I had a CT scan yesterday and the results showed that everything is fine. However, this is far from the truth because I am in constant pain I am only 47 years old and previously athletic and outgoing. Now my social life is null and void, and all I want to do is stay at home and not move so that the pain will subside. I do belong to a health and fitness club, and I use the whirlpool and aqua therapy to help. However, nothing is helping. I have another follow-up with my ortho surgeoon next week, and I plan to tell him to either increase my meds and or prescribe another med that can give me greater relief. Does anyone know of any other meds or combination of meds that can give me greater relief? Or any type of procedure-not surgery-that can help me. I am thinking about accupunture, but I believe that may only be a temporary fix. I also have trouble sleeping and wake up several times a night with pain all over. My doctor says, and I hope that things will get better, however, I feel uncomfortable asking him about increasing my pain meds because he makes me feel like an "addict" when I make this request. I have done everything that he has suggested, but it doesn't work and he does not feel the chronic pain that I have everyday. I have total empathy for all of you who suffer as I do, and hope that your recovery is going better than mine. Any suggestions on meds or any postfusion treatments will be great! Thanks for listening!!!

This discussion is related to Sciatic pain after lumbar fusion.

KIO · Answer

HI Jackie / OJBRIT,  It's nice to know that I am not alone. It's been 9 weeks for me, I had lower spinal fusion L4-5, L5 S S1. You both sound like me with the pain and the SLEEPING. The Ambien IS spotty, sometimes I take 2 with a Valium ( which I stopped once the begged to get it back). I wake up at 4:30 - 5 very sore and stuff in my back. I have to take a pain pill right away, get up and just sit for a half hour before I can move ,half normal. My pain is then better for a while  till about 3 or 4 in the afternoon but by night I can hardly walk up the stairs. My hips , back , knees and anlkes hurt tremendously.  I had a 6 hour surgery and  havre 3 HUGE scars in my back. So get this, my surgeon doesn not beleive in pain meds. He thinks I have a low pain tolerance and hardly gave me anything from start. I woke up screeming in the hospital and he only gave me pills. Nothing strong enough, I complained to the hospital.  I still have night mares about the sleepless nights I had at the beginning. My visiting nurses even called my surgeron and he would do nothing. I had to go to my PCE for help . Thank god he understood and he helped but now he will not give me anything else, I was taking so much Ibuprophen it was KILLING my stomach,  so I'm going to a pain clinic this week and not even telling my surgeon. I have my 12 week check up at the end of the month I'll bid him farewell and definately go to someone who is more compassionate about excurtiating pain if this does not work. I'm in still in too much pain to tell, although my sciatica I can tell is better. I can say that Physical therapy , the hot tub is great, along with massages and electronic stim. Also, walk as much as you can. This past week we went on vacation and although it KILLED me at first to walk around all day. I found that the next day my leg pain actually was better, I notice a very slight difference every day that I walk and do the pool.

OJBRIT · Answer

Hi Jackie,
I had lower spinal fusion 8 months ago and share your issues.  Pills help alot but restrict my ability to drive safely during the day.  Sleep is a constant struggle and I have tried Lunesta and Ambien and both work OK for a short while and their effectiveness is spotty at best.  The best thing my doc prescribed has been vallium.  I was a little frieked out at first but he wrote the scrip and I tried it for 30 days.  It is a very strong muscle relaxer and, taken in conjuction with percocet would ensure about 6 hours of sleep before waking with pain again.  He has now taken me off that cold turkey which really ticked me off considering it's the only thing that has worked that he has suggested.  I tried accupuncture and found no relief at all.  Apparently, once you have surgery on your back, your meridian is all messed up and is not as responsive to it.  Whatever that means I still don't know!!!
Give it a shot a good luck