Back Again - Pain Worse

addessa · #1 (**permalink**) 11-30-2007, 03:41 AM

I am 3 1/2 months post op. for L5/S1 fusion with hardware. I posted here about two months ago with pain concerns, those concernes have gotten worse. I am still on hydrocodone and it seems to take more and more to give me relief. I thought I was doing well few weeks ago, but three days ago for some reason I got much worse. I had not done anything different and I just don't understand why I have more pain than I did, I would expect to have less pain.
My surgeon has refered me to pain management but they cannot get me for 6more weeks.
I am very concerned I am 63 years old and would like to enjoy some of my retirement. I took early retirement because of my back, I had not planned to retire until I was in my 70's, but my back and sciatic nerve was so bad I could hardly walk when I got up from my desk and had been for over a year.
If anyone has experienced anythine like this, please let me know as I am terrified that is is just going to just get worse.

mmglobal · #2 (**permalink**) 12-01-2007, 05:21 AM

Adessa, I'm so sorry about your setback. Three days is not very long at this stage. Unfortunately, it's a moving target and what was OK to do yesterday is not OK today.

What does the surgeon say?

Is it leg pain or low back pain. Is it a familiar pain pattern or something different?

Mark

addessa · #3 (**permalink**) 12-01-2007, 02:08 PM

My surgery was 3 1/2 months ago. I thought I was doing fine, but Tuesday my pain accelerated (for no reason) and now I am in awful pain. It taked more pain meds now to get relief.
The pain is in my lower back and down my right leg to the foot.
My surgeon wants me to go pain management, but I can't get an appointment until January 17th.
I would like to know If anyone else has had a backset like this or is something going wrong?
Thanks I appreciate your reply.