Fusion Surgery Pain Management (Top voted first)

Had back fusion surgery. Only 6 weeks of low dose norco. Ended up with nerve pain in my foot (zapping shocks that will take the strongest person down). Ortho doc said It would go away possibly in 6 weeks, maybe longer. Ortho surgeon they will never give anyone any opioids past 6 weeks no matter what. He tells me to go to pain management but he does not recommend or refer for any one of his patients to a pain management clinic. Says he does not want the responsibility of that. Truth is he doesn't want docs asking why he give very little pain meds or have his patients being referred back to him. He said to go to my regular doc.

So I did see my regular doc and they said I have to go back to my surgeon as it's his responsibility. One time the pain was so bad I went to ER, they said my ortho must work on the pain meds. I can only go to them so many times. My PT guy is shaking his head over all of this. We are working on the mental part of pain with a book called Explain Pain. However we are only able to get the pain and use of pain meds only so low because the shocks I get from the nerves.

I cannot take Tramadol. Does not mix with Zoloft and had a seizure on half a pill. Cannot take NSAIDs or Ibuprofen because it hurts my stomach and ulcer. No matter what I try and because it stops the growth of fusion in back. I am on such a high dose of Gabapentin that my glands are swollen. I am concerned with going to any pain management, I don't want to waste time and money just to be told NO. Anyone can help with advice in central IL??

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This is crazy. When are we chronic pain patients going to stand up together and say WE NEED OUR LONG TERM OPIOIDS. WE ARE NOT DRUG ADDICTS!!!

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If You had a lumbar fusion done then most likely prior to surgery you had something called epidural steroids injections done? How many epidural steroids injections did you have done?

Have you ever heard of a condition called Arachnoiditis????

I bet there is a 90% chance you have Arachnoiditis and your doctors caused it And that's why you are getting the run around from one doctor to another doctor to another doctor to the hospital then to another doctor.

If I were you because I've been there, I would definitely be looking at the am arrive for evidence of arachnoid adhesions or even lipomas in the epidural space.

There is a reason that the drug manufacturers add steroids have said not to use the drugs by epidural route. There is also a reason why the Food and Drug Administration has never ever approved steroids to be injected into your spine.

Why? Because they cause lipomas or lipomatosis and Arachnoiditis. The thing about that is, If you're still having significant pain following all of this then there was most likely caused by your doctors.

If I were you I would be writing everything down who you talk to, what they said, when you talk to them, what reasons they refuse treatment.

If a doctor causes a failure of back surgery it is his fault !!!

Don't let them push you around. Be demanding. Take a pen and paper and show then you are taking notes of everything.

If you have not had a recent MRI then you need to get 1. And you need to have someone with the expertise that is capable of interpreting the imaging to see if the doctors messed up.

Good luck. It isn't normal to still have significant pain after

surgery. Isn't that the whole reason why you had it done in the 1st place?

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Hello,

I’m a 44yo female that had 4 major surgeries on my back in March. 1st one was a spinal fusion from L2 to S2. A week after the initial surgery I fell and broke 2 bones and dislocated all my hardware. Had 3 more surgeries in one week to fix it.

I’m 8 months out and have an amazing pain management doctor. She is conservative and smart yet understands pain. I’m so sorry you’re going through this. I know what it’s like. Everyone treats you like you are drug seeking and it’s not fair. I’m supposed to move in 5 months and am scared to because of my med situation. What do you do if a new doctor disagrees with your current meds?

I’m 8 months out and still hurt even with Morphine. Hope you find a doctor that can help you.

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It’s your PCP’s responsibility to refer you to pain management. It sounds like they thought you wanted your pcp to give you pain meds.
If your insurance doesn’t require a referral you may be able to find pain management that lets you self refer if you send them records.

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Well, it’s the way the doctors are doing it. They are actually sending post surgery folks home with no pain meds. I’m a person who has severe pain daily, since going through the windshield of my car in an accident. It’s difficult to get any doctor to give you any pain managing medication . Pain management may help you but I’ve heard of them reducing meds people are on when they go there. My only saving grace is going to my personal primary care doctor who has known me for 25 yrs. and knows I’m no junkie. It’s sad but I truly pray I pass away before he retires. That’s a sad way to go about life. As my grandkids need me because they have no one else responsible enough to care for them. Yes, I’m their guardian and I’m hoping for death. This is so out of character for me. But it’s the situation we are in because of the abuse of these meds. And they are a deal with the devil. I hope you find relief somehow . I wouldn’t wish this on anyone. But my thinking is to try the pain management at least they will prescribe something for you.

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Re: IN2B8U (# 5)

Hi -Sorry you’re having such a rough time. First - welcome to the endless loop between docs when you’re trying to find relief. I would suggest making an appointment with either a neurosurgeon or a different ortho. You’re describing neuropathic pain. You’re on gabapentin, which is specific for neuropathic pain. You’re in PT. You’re doing what you’re supposed to do to get better, and you’re not. It’s time to rule in or out if your surgeon screwed up. When you talk to a new surgeon, make it clear that you’re not doctor shopping, or medication seeking. You’re looking for answers as to why you’re experiencing so much pain. Get your PT to back you up on this. I would suggest a neurosurgeon for the re-exam. Sorry your ortho is such a dick.

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Personally, if any Dr.kept me in moderate to severe pain, he will be reported (seriously “approached) and make his life ***. Think about it. What can I live for!!!? I have a fiancé to take care of. There’s an oath taken they take and says “DO NO HARM”.

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The chances are that you have a vertebral disc that has blebed from its natural position to impose itself on an adjacent nerve bundle that inervates you leg. If that is the case Brielle Orthopedics (Dr. Joseph Marsicano) offers a day surgery fix, which I got, which is minimally invasive, snips the bleb and removes the debris, then go home. I have never had a reoccurance in over 10 years. Pain meds will tear up your digestive system and some of the Pain Management oraganizations look to secure reoccuring business.

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Re: Optimistic (# 2)

Every pain management I checked in town said they will not dispense pain meds either because because I as not referred by surgeon or they want to give me injections 6wks after surgery even though over time this will heal. I'm blown away how the patient is trapped in the middle. I don't need but them to not feel the majority of the shock in my foot. I'm learning how to deal with the pain but I need something higher than IBU and no more than 5/325.Norco. This has gotten out of hand. I would love to take something electrical on whoever foot that made this one size fits all rule.

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An option may be to get a spinal cord stimulator ... this is an implant ant that has leads resting on your spinal cord inside your vertebra that go to a control unit .... you do a trial of a few days to see if it helps .. they put leads in spine and you have a belt to carry the control unit ...you do this for 3-7 days then it is removed .... (I suggest keeping a log of events starting a couple weeks before trial period thru a week or so after trial.... this will give you a guide of the usefulness of the unit) I got my unit in sept of 2020 my 30 day follow up is coming up soon.... my trial went great improved my situation 300% at least but I did not remember it is a band-aid (like pharmaceuticals) it does not fix the problem thus after the fact it took a week or two for my increased pain (from over straining the areas of pain because I pushed myself to get a good understanding of how well it worked) then a couple months (end sept) I received the implanted unit (out patient surgery) the unit is helping but I am on restrictive activity till I heal ... (this is to lower risk of moving leads & opening the pocket in my back made to hold the control unit ... I researched almost 2 years b4 I decided to go with a boston scientific unit ... there are several you tube videos on you tube videos about spinal cord stimulators ... the channel djporkchop73 is a scs patient that had his procedure about 3 years ago if you want input from a long term user ... there are also other videos both by stimulator companies and other users of stimulators both by boston scientific & other stimulator companies... I will need to learn how far I can push myself (as do all users imo) with out making it hurt later .. it does stop a lot of pain but the pressure is still there (kinda like the novocaine effect @ the dentist) .... just wanted to share another option with you hope you find relief with something .... (ps the lack of opioid fog is good thing)

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Re: Beth (# 11)

Hello Beth,

I had an appointment with an amazing new ortho spine surgeon in early December. He pointed out things on my old MRI's and CT scans that were never brought to my attention before. He ordered new MRI's and CT's of my lumbar and thoracic spine. The radiology report showed a .6 nerve sheath tumor between T12-L1 butting up against the Caudia Equina along with some other things. I have an appointment on Jan 14th to review my case with him.

This entire experience is very frustrating. Fortunately, my pain management doctor is at the same hospital system as this surgeon so he has access to all my records. I actually put off a move out of state because I was so worried about switching pain management doctors. Happy holidays!

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I had the same exact thing after fusion surgery of my entire lumbar 4 months ago. It really came on in the second month as I switched from walker to cane. If I miss-stepped with my left leg or lost a little balance and had to quickly correct myself with the left leg, it felt like lightning shooting through my entire left leg and my ankle would feel numb and weak for a day or two. After thinking about it, I finally isolated the movement that caused the problem and carefully avoided that movement for a while. My surgeon had no answer. I actually went to the ER twice, thinking I screwed something up, but X-rays and CT scans showed all ok. So, I began working on that movement in a slow and controlled manner. Lots of stretching and PT. After a few weeks, it began to get better and I continued to avoid that guilty movement. As I continued the "therapy" that I came up with for a few more weeks, it got better and better. Now, after 4 months I'm walking without a cane and in the gym everyday strength training. I am almost ready to get back on the tennis court and hit some balls (I was a tennis pro). I know full recovery from my surgery will take at least a year, so I'm not gonna be stupid about it.

My point is that by identifying the action that caused that electric shock of pain, and working on it with controlled, slow movement, it will get better and eventually go away. Oh yeah, I was taking Peracet and Tramadol to help along the way. Be patient my friend and don't be alarmed, you can make it go away on your own. Hope this helps.

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Hi I know it has been a while since your last post on your condition, I hope and pray by now you have received some kind of help. I have had 3 back surgeries and ended up with a incurable disease in my left leg from my surgeries ( something no doctor will tell any patient it can happen) and I have been dealing with these health problems for over 39 years. I have been through it all from doctors telling me my leg issues are in my head to injections in my spine ankle and toes for year and I have been in pain management for over 39 years, and they want to operate on my spine and do a fusion from the top of my neck to the bottom of my spine and I will not have it , so now I am so hunchback and I can’t stand up straight at all but I deal with it. I truly understand how you feel the first think you did wrong is you had a orthopedic doctor touch you NEVER have them operate on your spine always go to a neurosurgeon. Also if your PCP won’t help you get into a pain management program fire him and get a new PCP that will help you. Now as far as the leg pain goes I would look into a medication that is called amitriptyline I have been on it for years for the same pain you have and it’s the only medication that has helped me, also if this doesn’t work for you they have hundreds more medications for the nerves that you can try. I hope I have helped you or someone else with these health problems cause I know what it’s like.

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Re: Groundhog (# 15)

Check my earlier post #8 it has an option that has helped Me

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Re: Optimistic (# 10)

So true I had c-1- to C-6 fused 18 inch rods 14 2 half inch screws , lasered from c-1to C-6 inside vertebrae to open up, cadaver tissued all the way up , and THEN HERE COMES GABERPITEN, yes Dr.Tim after 3 years of this s*** and all kinds thing happening to my head and body , but did help with nerves, GABERPITEN JUST DECIDED NOT TO LIKE ME, I ENDED UP GOING TO A PSYCHIATRIST AND HE EVENTUALLY GOT ME OFF AND THE LAST PILL WAS A MONTH AGO . Still fill the pill in me and other adverse effects for a little bit but psycay said no issues with my mind r crazy, it had to go to him just to get off this dangerous pill, ow I feel everything and my next step is pain management it I live in Fairbanks Alaska and doctors r not so giving here even though they see my back because from c-1to C-6 all my vertebrae r sticking out like a skeleton because 6 weeks later they took stitches out and whole surgery site opened up and had to rush back to Seattle for another 9 half hr surgery so they cut 1inch and half away because of infection so all I have covering my spine is a membrane of skin and messed up muscles not attached because they couldn’t and nerve damage BEYOUND,I hurt so very much every day because of these two surgeries and to try to get help is impossible these days, well Dr.Tim thanks for listening,

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Re: Hard place (# 18)

The oil does not have CBD in it.

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Re: Curt (# 19)

I’m sorry , I missed quoted my self, I had from c-1to T-6 fused spinal cord canal Lazard cleaned all disc out and fused with codavor bone then rods ,cadavor tissue wrapped to make it all hold together, 14 screws , they went through front and back,2 of these surgeries and no relief at all. Pain management dry soon. As my other article talks about me getting off high dose gaberpiten. Thank u all,

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I found THERAPLANT 360X-HYBRIDOL cannabis oil in a syringe to be the "bullet" for my pain and nerve damage, post 2 fusions where I had a cerebrospinal dural tear by three surgeons repaired. after they cut me. Marijuana products are now legal for purchase from licensed sellers in Illinois to consumers aged 21 and older (as of Jan 1, 2020).

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Re: Doug (# 23)

Ok Doug let's hear the options because I am kept in severe pain unless I am the guy on film that lays in bed & doe nothing but watch tv ..... I was doing ok until the govt got involved and severely cut my meds I was losing weight 3-5 pounds a month I have since gained all but 10 of it back I can do a few things for a short time but I pay the price plz give your suggestions

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Re: Sus (# 26)

What state do you live in? I live in CT., and we have medical mj. I have the same issues with NSAIDS, as you do.

They THINK we are making that up to get pain meds....I walked out of the pain clinic and went to my primary care doctor.
He prescribed to me knowing I was also adding in Medical mj cannabis oil with a high THC level.

GABAPENTIN worked until one day, I started crying and just wanted to die. I had to wean off it 100%.

The cannabis oil is the least dangerous medication I use for my arachnoiditis (nerve damage) and I have foot drop from THEM, cutting my spinal cord.

They threw me away and canceled all my appointments, but he did call my primary to officially hand him over my medication prescribing.
Crossing over state lines into states that have recreational, is an option IF your state does not have it yet.

PS: I lobbied for MEDICAL MJ in CT, I was the 3rd person to get a card and now my workers comp insurance reimburses me for it. I'm exhausted, but my pain is under control.

Wishing you all the best.

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