Lumbar Fusion L4/5 and L5/S1 on 8/24/09

[Pogo20]

My only pian pre op was severe lower back pain and we tried everything.  My surgeon is very conservative about doing fusions.  All my othe discs looked great.  My question is, since my surgery last Monday I have the worst nerve pain in my hips and both thighs and hamstrings all the way to my ankles than I have ever had in my life.  I ice and rest and walk a little as directed by my Doc.  Most of the time my pain is so bad I just want to die (not reallydie).  I have been taking dilauded 4 mg every 4 hours and it doesn't even touch the pain!  Dilauded is strongetr than morphine.  I don't even get "high" from it.  I think it actually makes the pain worse.  I asked my Doc if maybe my pharmacy is replacing the real stuff with a placebo and she said it's very unlikely.  Can anyone suggest something for me.  I am up all night in pain and can't find a comfortable position.  I nap a little during the day for a couple of minutes at a time till the pain wakes me up.  PLEASE HELP ME!!!!!!!
Liz

[dani62]

I am post surgery same exact procedure and you brought back really bad memories for me.  I know how bad you feel and the uncomfortability is a complete understatement.  I am not sure you are aware of the position you are placed in during this procedure.  If they went in through the back, you were placed in a jacknife position, the table and the pressure was all placed on your hips and thighs and legs.  I only know this because a very dear friend of mine is an OR nurse and she told me the position is one that would cause the most severe of pain for some time.  I was in the hospital for 6 days and I lived with that pain for a couple of weeks.  It took time for it to subside, hang in there.  It is inflammation and if you knew exactly the positioning you were in for the surgery would help you to understand that it makes all the sense in the world.  I remember not being able to sleep and that pain being one hundred times worse that the pain from the incision and drains.  Hang in there, it gets better and I promise it will all be behind you soon.  I can't believe I am post op 6 mos already, those days felt like the 6 mos would never come.  Good Luck with your recovery, and hang in there, I hope this helps you relax and understand once again, the positioning for this surgery is a bear and it puts so much pressure on those areas, i wanted to help you when i saw your post, that's why i took the time to write this.  it gets better, i promise.

[hags4christ]

Hey there,
One thing I can tell you about dilauded that I have been told by doctors is that the pills are a horrible choice for pain control.  Intravenously it is a great pain reliever, but I was told the pills do absolutely nothing.
One suggestion I have is to ask your doctor to try you on something else for a week and see if you get more pain relief.  
The other thing I have learned just recently is that every person is different in our chemistry and make up.  What works for one person does not mean it will work for another.
An example of this is that Percocet does not work well on me.  Now every other person would tell you this is crazy.  However, I get much more relief from pain from Lortabs than Percocet and Percocet is twice as strong as Lortabs.
I hope this might help some. I had anterior/posterior decompression and fusion 8 years ago and I was in horrific pain for weeks and it was weird pain.  My feet and toes hurt so badly and when I woke up from surgery in recovery I remember the pain being so bad I wanted to die.
It does get better and I know that the more you can walk the faster you will heal, but do not push yourself because you can damage your fustion.
I am no professional at all, but I would suggest talking to your surgeon about trying another pain med, even if just for a couple of days.