As most of you know, I had my hardware removed back in September. I was told my L1 and L2 had grown and fused themselves together, and things would be fine. My neurosurgeon also told me that I might have an issue with the bones not actually being grown together enough and grinding on each other. Since my surgery, my pain was less, until about a month ago. My spine constantly hurts and pain pills don't work on the pain! I've built up such a tolerance to opiates that morphine and hydromorphone (Dilaudid) don't work on me.
I'm nervous that my bones aren't fused completely and I might have to get hardware put in again. I go see my neurosurgeon in February, and hopefully he can come up with a solution to my chronic pain which often hits a 9 on the scale.
What is your guys' experiences with hardware and multiple surgeries? I've had 3 spine surgeries.
Sorry to hear that Knight, it doesn't sound pleasant at all I've only had one surgery and I hope it will be my last. I still have hardware in my neck but I do wonder what will happen to it a few years from now.
If the meds aren't doing it for you anymore, would it be ok to get off them completely? Hopefully when they do the testing in February they won't find anything serious. Have a look at this post if you haven't done so already to see if there's any info that can help - Nerve Pain Info & Management
I have only had one surgery Knight and i hope no more too I was told i may need another but i seem to have escaped that one so far lol
Mmmm its tricky about the pain management, DJ has a point about coming off the meds if they are no longer effective? Can you come off them (with advice) and then have something alternative introduced gradually?
Im no help on the issue of the pain in relation to the fusion..hopefully everything should have healed in that respect but that dosent explain the pain. Hopefully your consultant can shed some light on this
Sorry Knight, I too have only had one surgery and extremely fortunate that pain is not an issue for me, all I can say is that I'm thinking about you and hoping for the best outcome for you.
DJ and Lαrα, I go through 60 hydrocodone-acetaminophen 10/325mg a month. They work a little bit but I am at a loss for where to go from here.
Do you have access to a pain management specialist Knight? It may be a way forward for you. Sometimes we do get immune to certain meds so a switch could be a good thing.
DJ and Lαrα, I go through 60 hydrocodone-acetaminophen 10/325mg a month. They work a little bit but I am at a loss for where to go from here.
Honestly Knight, I think those meds are worse for your body than they are good at this point. I'd resort to trying different natural ways to help with nerve pain until you get a definite answer/solution from your neurosurgeon.
Post by kilg0retr0ut on Jan 3, 2014 16:39:16 GMT -8
Weaning down the opiates may be one way to go.(no fun) My guess is you have tried Gabapentin/Lyrica, if not it might be worth a shot. I haven't had near the grief you have had with your back, the pain is intense I'm sure. Opiates only work only so long with gradual increases. Then all of sudden they just stop working completely, they seem to make the pain worse. This is only my experience with Vicoden and Anexia. You almost have to take some time off to have them work effective again. I take Lyrica and Tramadol together and it helps. I found out the max doses of my meds and try to stay as low as possible, because in all reality I'll be needing a higher dose in the future.
I don't know if you have an exercise program but a lot of my normal back pain was relieved from working out.
Seeing a pain specialist is important and I wouldn't mess with you meds without proper instruction.
I would love to not have to take pain pills on a regular basis. I think something has to be wrong for me to have so much pain like this. My nerve pain is fine; I've gotten used to it in the past year. Hopefully we can find what is wrong, if anything, in February. I do not have a pain specialist. North Dakota doesn't have very many specialists, and the ones we do have are all an hour and a half drive away.
DJ, it's not nerve pain that I have a problem with. My nerve pain is left untreated but almost nonexistent. This pain is bone pain and muscle pain.
Ah ok I see, it the pain always there or only at certain times? Does exercising help at all like kilg0retr0ut has said?
I do some exercise, but today every move I make makes it hurt worse! It was like that yesterday too. I stretch everyday regardless of pain because I know what will happen if I don't. Right now I had to lie down after my bowel program and it still feels like someone is crushing my spine!
Ah ok I see, it the pain always there or only at certain times? Does exercising help at all like kilg0retr0ut has said?
I do some exercise, but today every move I make makes it hurt worse! It was like that yesterday too. I stretch everyday regardless of pain because I know what will happen if I don't. Right now I had to lie down after my bowel program and it still feels like someone is crushing my spine!
Oh that's definitely not good Would it be possible to go to emergency and get it checked out?
DJ, last year, I went to the ER to find out why my back hurt so badly. They took X-rays and told me I was fine. A week later, I found out my hardware had been dislodged from a fall a MONTH prior. ER here is useless.
DJ, last year, I went to the ER to find out why my back hurt so badly. They took X-rays and told me I was fine. A week later, I found out my hardware had been dislodged from a fall a MONTH prior. ER here is useless.