hi, just heard about this forum, i usually post in back/neck forum

[squirtatious]

Feb 22nd I underwent open back fusion surgery with instrumentation at l5/s1. I'm off almost all my 4 pain med's I was given. From weeks 4-6, I didn't take anything stronger than tylenol. Then my fusion area became suprisingly more painful and I found my tailbone region hurting also. All I have is percocets of which I take bout twice a day. I'm almost 7 weeks post-op and I don't like the "loopy feeling" I get when I take the percocets. I have my 7 week post op appt on the 9th. I'm asking my dr for a tens unit. Any holistic approaches to pain that I can do? Thank u in advance:)

[Emily_MHManager]

Hi there -

As stated, there are duplicate posts.  Unfortunately, we can not combine them into one, so please post to the other (it had more responses, so let's keep them all there).

You can find the other post here - http://www.medhelp.org/posts/Pain-Management/hi--just-heard-about-this-forum--i-usually-post-in-back-neck-forum/show/1212217

Thanks!

[Tuckamore]

I responded on you other post. Let me see if I can get this combined into one.

~Tuck

[Cherie762]

I cant advise you about the meds, I however had a neck fusion on three levels,,,hard coller for 6 weeks  it hurt bad..metal plate,,screws the whole 9 yards.. it really took me a good 6 months to need no pain meds,,I was on vicodin es and worked down to darvocet for quite some time tylenol 3 for a couple weeks then and now just an occasional one or two tylenol 500, only whan I over do...I get your tail bone hurting...try a donut pillow to sit on..as I am typng right now I have one of those  "U" shaped pillows behind my neck it helps...

tuck knows way more about the meds than I ..just wanted to share that I have been through a very similar experience ..it takes...time..follow drs orders and maybe a bit of PT

good luck to you

Cherie

[squirtatious]

Sorry, it posted twice...whoops lol