chronic lower back pain since spinal fusion

[rh_of_idaho]

I am a 32 year old female who underwent a spinal fusion 9 months ago, and still live with chronic pain in my lower back if I do not take medications. I have tried repeatedly to get off of these medications thinking my back was "better" only to find out the pain returns...worse somedays more than others. I have recently had a severe fall and my family doctor told me it was nothing to worry about, and has completely taken me off all medications without prior notice.  I cannot live with this pain anymore and am unsure as to what to do! Could someone please give me any advice? Since the fall, I feel as if all the hardware in my back "pops" when I walk and I have pain radiating down my legs again as I did before the fusion of my l1 s5 ad L1 s6 discs...please, any advice would be wonderful!
THANK YOU!!!
RH in IDAHO

[spiritdog]

try medical marijuana ive found it really helps with the pain.You can smoke it/or Use the butter to eat with it/or Use the THC pills. I've been doing so for two years its worked wonders,easier to move/sleep.

[Hajji]

sounds like your symptoms are a result of the hardware moving. Have you had an xray to verify the hardware has not moved? Walking is the best form of massage for your spine. believe it or not it also speeds healing and improves quality of sleep. If you do not sleep minimum of 7 - 8 hours a night your body cannot heal. you have to do whatever it takes to get that sleep. I call it stealing sleep because without a sleep aid I only get a couple hours. not enough sleep causes premature aging. seriously, blurred vision depression and everything horrifically bad for your healing process not to mention your long term health. Sleep is underrated. Women need more than men especially as we age. I dont need to point out that perimenopausal women begin to sleep decline that only gets worse. The other thing I feel strongly about is the pain med factor. You have a quack if he/she takes you off cold turkey instead of waning you and preparing you mentally as well as physically. Withdrawal symptoms - OMG - I went 12 full days without sleep. All I could do was stare at the t.v. unaware of what I was watching. My eyes dripped water for that whole time. My sleep is still not normal which is why I have to steal it. I had a discectomy and my whole spine has little to no disc matter left. I suffer 24/7 and will till the I die. I consider living on opioids but dread the possibility of one day a quack deciding he is fearing losing his license and so takes me off of them. I know a woman who had hardware installed in her spine and she is in just as much pain as I am. the thing about her is she lives on oxycontin AND has a morphine pump installed in her stomach that distributes morhine as the pain mngmnt doc has it set to do. every month she goes back to the doc and they inject the hockey puck shaped device with morphine and renews her scripts for oxy. the insurance companies have faught this because oxy is the most expensive drug on the market. It seems that you are at the beginning of your battle of finding the right/humane pain mngmnt doc. You need to find one that is not scared to use his license to prescribe the meds you need. having hardware installed in your spine will take years to heal, becoming part of your boney matter. This is no secret. years! the question for you to ask yourself is; can I live with this pain because it will not get better overnight. It will take years, years. Then, after you've been on opiates for years can you picture taking yourself off of them? I thought I knew what pain was, it wasn't unitl I detoxed and learned to live without opiates that I learned what real pain is. Unlike most folks I detoxed by my own choice in the privacy of my own hell. getting up to crap or crap on myself or vomit was a chore. Now I am dreading the possibility of getting back on opiates long term and perhaps living on them for the rest of my days. It is like a slow walk into hell. I was on oxy for 5 yrs and other opiates for a decade prior. Either way it really *****. your relationship with your doc is essential. Pleasefind one that cares and be honest, they will know if you are not. The right doc will move heaven and earth to make your experience the least painful and most beneficial. If that doesnt work move to Europe where you can buy opiates over the counter. I know that's unrealistic but it is an option I have toyed with. My thoughts are with you.  

[Tuckamore]

Hi RH,

Welcome.

Have you consulted a PMP? If not I encourage you to do so. Often they have treatment options that another Physician cannot offer..... or doesn't have the knowledge.

A fusion frequently isn't a cure all. The vertebrae(s) above or below the fusion line are placed under more stress and they can develop problems. A surgeon should have informed you of that possibility. It often doesn't take away the pain... remember they have changed the normal structure of your spine. Sometimes ppl require some type of pain meds for the remainder of their lives. It doesn't always mean you'll require narcotics...... but it usually means you'll need some pain management.

If you only consulted  your PCP after the fall you may want to see your surgeon... or a Orthopedic Specialist. It's your body and only you know how you feel. Be assertive. It's your body.

I wish you the best and hope you'll find some answers. Please keep in touch and let us know how you are doing.

Take Care,
~Tuck