post spinal fusion surgery pain

[mishars]

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

[treemonster]

i am 34 very good shape got smashed by a peice of wood that my boss had cut in a tree from 60 feet work comp ***** the dr put screws rods and a cage in me out of hospital 23 hours most pain i ever had dr not very help full after 6 months no meds for 4 months still in a lot of pain  i would not do surgry again i hope every one heals better than me and also gets a dr that cares i know he did his best work but he just left me hanging cause i could not pay visit fee s  so i have no treatment how can a dr just stop

[mattsandheidi]

I had a laminectomy with fusion and fixation done three weeks ago. 4 rods and 8 screws put in. I had a bone graft done on my left hip to. My back is sore. Mainly my skin but the inside feels wonderful. But where he did my graft hurts like he**!!! I can feel exactly where he took the piece of bone and it feels like someone is taking a very sharp knife and going back and forth through my bone. Can't sleep can't cough. My leg drags after a while when it gets tired. My dr said it would take 6 months to heal. It's going to be a long 6 months I know that. I am not at all upset with my dr cause he is the best just wish he wouldn't of had to do the graft. Filing for disability cause I am a nurse aide and no way be able to stand on my hip for 8 hours at a time. Anyone have any suggestions on how to alleviate the pain in my hip?

[wordfinder]

I had surgery 1997, Spinal fusion, graphs taken from the iliac crest, after the initial post op convalescing and following surgeons instructions within a year I was like new.  I was 61 at that time.  I have had a number of years almost pain free with good quality of life, unfortunately over the past few months I am experiencing acute pain in lower back and especially right leg, hopefully the neurosurgeon will be able to help. fingers crossed.

[siteorg]

Doctor wants to do a 4 disc fusion with my lumbar discs and after reading all the negative results like yours I do not think it is something I am going to do.  Lucky I take heavy narcotics and without them I would not move all day.  I am sorry to hear you are still hurting in new places.  Good luck  ED

[siteorg]

I am 54 years old and have had 3 back surgeries.  The first one was in 1998 and it was for a herniated disc.  That surgery went very well.  Unfortuantely for me I had my own business for 15 years and it entailed a lot of heavy lifting.  Since I have been out of work now for about 6 yrs.  I have had 2 stenosis surgeries in 2007 and 2010.  Still pain.  I have been on a large amount of narcotics for about 5 years.  I take oxycontin, morphine, gabapentin and others to try to stop the pain. My problem now is a doctor said the ony surgery to help me would be to have a fusion from L1 all the way down to S1.  I have now stenosis at L1/L2-L2/L3-L3/L4L4/L5 andL5/S1, narrowing of the spaces between L2/L3 and L3/L4 and proturding discs at multiple levels.  I used to weigh 260 lbs. and now at 205 lbs. but still in pain.  My scitica is bothering me and has since Dec. 2012.  I do not think I will get a fusion with everything I have read and what entails with the recovery process.  Surgery I was told will be 8-10 hours surgery walking the same day, first 5 days to 2 weeks will be the most excruciating pain I have ever had, 3 weeks in rehab and at least a year recovery.  Not something I think I can endure.  I do PT in a pool which helps somewhat, but without all the medicine I take I could not move off the couch which I hve had to sleep on since Dec. 2012. I cannot lie on my stomach ever.  Please if anyone wants to reply please do.  Laser Spine Institute I looked into and have found they are just a money making business.  Read about the founder and how rich he is today after 5 or so years.

[genia108]

I had TLIF 5 weeks ago they said also that my nerves and muscle were tangled so bad that they did not see how I was able to walk i had been like this since May and I had surgery on Oct 23,2012 I had to do Physcial therapy before the surgery,I am using a walker at this time can not stand with out holding on to something can not ride 4 miles in the car to the Doctor with out server pain and can not sit in a chair more than 10 minutes with out sever pain today my back in the hip area so sore can not touch and inside and outside of the leg area my hips feel like they are going to pop out they hurt so bad I have taken Norco 5-325 and the spasm med and Ice and it has not stopped the pain Please tell me what else I can do I can not even lay in the bed it hurts so bad !