New pain after fusion surgery

[thedon597]

Hi, new here so be patient.  Had l-4 l-5 s1 fusion surgery March of 10.  They went in from the front and back to perform.  Everything seemed to have gone fine, but I am still experiencing considerable pain what I believe is where the hardware is.

In the last few weeks there has been a new pain occur, just above my right buttocks.(The hardware is on the left side of my spine, that's where I had most of my problems pre-surgery).  This pain is always there, 7-8 on the scale and does not run down my buttocks.  Plus I am still having pain where the hardware is.  7-8 on the scale and my walks are getting increasing difficult to complete.

I have contacted my Dr. about the pains but they say it's normal.  I can't see how this new pain is normal.  Has anyone had something like this happen to them?  I am trying not to bother my Dr. too much until my 6 month x-ray which is in about 35 days or so.  But if this pain is because something is wrong I don't wan't to mess that up either.

Thanks for listening to my babble, hopefully someone can offer a bit of help.  I would appreciate it!

Thanks,
The Don

[thedon597]

Thanks.  I guess it's getting more frustrating not knowing in the next 4 to 5 months whether this is going to work or not and less on the meds.  I am so used to manual labor this has been incredibly hard.  Worked through pain for so many years, now still being in pain and not being able to do as much as I used to is just so strange.

Must stay positive though, and will do as much as possible on my part to help this heal.

Take Care

[jenniferinknox3475]

I can certainly understand your apprehension at not having anything to control pain.  I've had those thoughts myself in what will I do if I come off the patches and such, where do I go from there without being physically addicted?  It's such a fine line and not one the doctors understand at all.  They know how to do the surgeries, write the prescriptions, but once it gets to the hard part, the pain, the addictions, that's where the docs back off and suddenly can't help.  I hope that you can remain positive and can find help through your physician or maybe a new physician if you need to find one. Good luck on this never-ending journey!  

[thedon597]

Hi, no relief yet 6 months in.  They are cutting my meds down pretty far, probably be off completely in about 2 months.  The medicine I have been on has been pretty conservative, that's fine.  I understand the problems that can come from narcotics, but the prospect of not having anything with still no improvement in the pain is not comforting.  I will try to remain positive and hopefully this will work.

Thanks for your post, I appreciate it!

[jenniferinknox3475]

Long story short (I did explain more in my profile) I had fusion surgery in June, 2005 fusing L4-L5-S1.  This past March, I had surgery to take the hardware out because of movement of the screws and it was found that while I had L5-S1 fuse perfectly from my earlier surgery, L4-L5 never fused for me.  I've worn an external bone stimulator for several months and according to my x-rays it's helping promote bone growth and I'm finally starting to have a fusion at that level after 5 years.  I was told that I might have some pain up to a year as it's a painful thing for the body for bone to knit, just like it's painful if you've broken and arm or leg, etc. The problem for me is I've been in constant, non-stop pain since I had the disk at L4-L5 rupture the second time back in 2004 (with 3 subsequent surgeries since).  It's a understatement to say I'm OVER being in pain.  Have you gotten any relief?  If you have, it is with medication or something else? I've been on the pain management routine (oral pain meds and Fentanyl patch) for way to long now and I'm slowly decreasing my medications whether I'm in pain or not.  They've robbed me of to much in my life and I'm beyond tired of the side effects.  I too have dealt with depression because of this but thank goodness I have a lot of love and support from family - they help more than I can tell you.  I hope you're doing as well as you can be - looking forward to being in touch!

[thedon597]

Hi again.  Had 6 month follow up with ct scan.  Scan showed l4 nearly 100% fused, good news.  L5 S1 is not fusing properly though.  I need to wear a bone stimulator for 4 to 5 months.  Question I have is, has anyone had where one fuses completely and the other one doesn't?  And if they have, did they have a stimulator and it worked?  Any input would be appreciated and I can certainly answer any questions that may be asked.  Becoming a little depressed but trying not to.

Thanks!

[thedon597]

Thanks for the response.  I go back in about a month for another x-ray.  Walking at least a half hour a day, but the pain is keeping me from doing a lot more than that.  No PT yet, I'm assuming that will start after the next x-ray.  The last one showed that the fusion was beginning.

I guess I'm just getting impatient with it, but after your post I realize that it is going to take time.  I will keep working hard and hopefully the next x-ray will be good and I can move on from there.

Thanks again, I appreciate it!

[Kalvin]

They always say  the pains normal. It takes a lot to recovery from one of these. It's been a few years since I had my L4-5 fused, but I remember the recovery was rough. And where the hardware is hurt for me too, really bad and the fusion site too, it does for a lot of people. You have to figure, all the muscle retraction that they have to do, there's a lot of healing that has to be done, and you had a 2-level that's even more to recover from.

I wish Squirtatious was around, she's just about recovered from her back surgery and she would be alot more help than I am. Are you still wearing a brace, did your last X-ray show if you'd begun to fuse? How much walking do you do a day, have you started P.T. yet?