[fortitudine]

After mainly lurking on this forum, mostly because I had no pain or symptoms from c3/4/5 cord compression, I seem to be suddenly in need of answers.

I had a total knee replacemnt 8 weeks ago, and was on morphine for pain management. Of course I was in bed for the better part of 3 weeks, lying with my head propped on pillows or leaning against the headboard. No pain in my neck. Duh. The morphine, which I'm now off, hid the onset of what has turned out to be a nasty surprise - neck/shoulder area that starts burning/aching in the late afternoon. I probably did it to myself with my position in bed.

Anybody know if that signifies anything in particular, like the facet joints are toast, or might it just be achy muscles from bad positioning? I'll know more next week after a new MRI, but not sure it will indicate anything different than all the others.

One more complicating factor - I went off the morphine way too fast 2 weeks ago and went into nightmare withdrawal. It sometimes feels as if I am still in withdrawal as far as body aches and pains and other symptoms go, so I'm wondering if the neck thing is just part of that?