Hi I'm new here

I am very happy to find a place where others will understand what I'm sure we all go through. I had a fusion L5-S1 back in '93. Was fine after that. Then I got hurt in October 2003. Ended up having another fusion in March of '04. My doctor was actually the head of the Spine Institute in town and the head professor at Baylor University. He did my original fusion. He used a bone morphogenic protein and bone and he packed my back with it. My original fusion held strong thank goodness, but the disc above it was ruptured and pressing on my nerve root. Within a month, all the bone he put in was dissolved. He said it is very rare and I ended up having another fusion five months later. This was the 360 one, through the belly and in my back, removed hip bone and all that.

Make a long story short, I am okay if I live inside my 'box' and if I go outside of it, the pain that hits me is so bad I literally pass out. I consider myself a strong person and really hate for my husband to find me passed out from pain. I work from home now after leaving a job where the boss thought I was making more of my problems than it was, so I quit and quickly found another job working from home.

Yesterday when I got up from my sofa, I felt a very sharp pain in my left buttock and I went right down on the floor. I swear it felt like the screw poking me. It still burns today and I'm not walking too well right now. They did say that they thought I may have a screw loose - I'm not suprised with the past four years! I sure hope it didn't break on me. I'm giving it a few more days and if it's not better soon, I'm heading to the doc. Only thing is my doctor retired. I don't trust another back doc.

Has this happened to any of you? I sure could use ya'alls take on this one.

 

Thanks Cheryl. Prayers and my family have been my saving grace through this.

Hey. Wow! What a mess. I had a similar mess myself. I was hurt on a weight lifting machine at a major hotel. I blew out the L3,4,5 and the SI S2. I also had my tail bone pushed in 90 degrees and it was shattered. I have been under the knife twenty times or so for this injury and live in chronic pain; life changing pain, pain that simply does not go away or grant any respite. The pain is jealous of any other desires I have and refuses to share me with anyone else. The pain won't grant me the respect of letting me have even one night a month of peace. The pain then allows me to be a perfect ass, at times. I take Oxycontin and get some relief. Relief is a subjective measurement, and it seems to be never enough. I have had failed surgeries, just like you. Of course the doctor blames me, the egotistical prick. He is more worried about his record than my success.

Prayer is one that helps a LOT! The frustration level is so high that I too need help, BIG TIME. I am at my wits end and don't whether to give up or not. Sometimes I jsut can't live with all this torture. Why should I. The answer is always in my children's eyes; the touch of my wife's hand, the smile only daddy's little girl can provide. I have to hold fast to those time.

Please, PLEASE, hang in there, not just for you, but for me too! Tell me if this helps anyone, of if I have pissed anyone off. This is my first time here. Pain will take more than one can ever endure and come back for more. My surgeries all failed; all four fusions. Please, pray and ask others for input; just those you trust. Set yourself up to be successful. Surgery is a gamble; know the odds before you go. A surgeon will never say, I screwed up. It is always the patient who ruins th procedure and it is such crap.

Hey, How do I get rid of old Oxycontin scripts? I hate to throw them out if someone else can use them. It is just 12 pills (the 80's), but still; should I just throw them out? Not looking for prison or anything like that. If there is a way I help someone and keep it legal, fine, if not, they will be flushed.


I need help big time. Anyone in Richmond VA area please? Thanks...

BCDJAN

Thank you all for your prayers. One thing I've always done is pray and now thank Goodness, I have more good days than bad. I figure that life throws you alot of curve balls and the road back Home is a long winding path. I take each challenge as it comes and just hate to conceed (sp?) that I can't do what I used to. Thankfully, I don't take much of my pain medicine but sometimes once a day if I take it easy. I'm best in the morning so that's when I do most of my stuff. I've got an understanding family and friends and a husband that has been my saving grace. My friends have been a great support system. Plus it helps that many of them are in the medical field so they see alot.

The pain from last week has gotten better. There's a cold front moving in so I'm pretty uncomfortable today. But - such is life. All of you hang in there too. I know it gets to be too much on your plate at times but focus on the good. If you look hard enough, you will find it. And remember it.

I agree with destroying the medication too. Pain med's are getting harder and harder to come by. Keep looking at the postive and stand strong.