Posterior Cervical Fusion, 4 months later, PAIN

Hello again,
I am posting because I am back in a fair amount of pain. If you don't remember me, I had posterior spinal decompression, laminectomy, etc, with rods and screws back in August of this year.

I got off all the pain meds and have been doing okay, but ever since the end of October, I have had one thing or another pushing me to do a lot of stuff around my house, and of course, the Holidays are here and I'm swamped. I have been in touch with my surgeon's office in the past week to let them know my level of pain is almost intolerable. BTW, they cancelled my follow-up in November, so he hasn't seen me since the first week in October. He put me back on pain medicine, and it promptly made me sick. Plus, it only helps if I lie down, and I really don't have time to do that anyhow. I detest pain medicine's effect on me.

The pain is in the middle/upper part of my back, it burns, burns so badly that I cannot think of anything else. I just called his office again, and his nurse, who is really sweet... told me to take the medicine around the clock and hopefully I will be better after the Holidays. She said to not do as much. hahaha

Just checking to see if Abilene, or anyone else who has this type of surgery thinks its okay? I mean, he hasn't seen me in so long, and I have never had a xray or anything else to make sure everything is fusing properly? I thought that's what they would do? I cannot seem to get through to them that I am worried about this pain... she thinks it is from over working. Maybe it is, but I would like to know if it is the norm to not be xrayed or checked at this point?

I appreciate your input because I am frustrated by all of this. Thank you so much

Thank you so much Abilene. I knew you'd know where I am coming from. Yes, the pain did decrease, and it kills me when I try to do stuff. I keep getting the thought in my head that I can do all the normal stuff, but I pay big time.

I used to spend ALL DAY in the kitchen baking, or cooking, and I just cannot do it without coming to tears. I have bunches of family coming this weekend, and I have luckily gotten most of the stuff done, but still lots to do. The nurse told me to try taking 15 minute breaks on the couch, and that's helping. I just cannot tolerate taking pain medicine 24/7. It makes me feel so bad. This pain STOPS me in my tracks though. I am thinking osteoporosis may also have something to do with it.

I was supposed to get that IV treatment for it, but they wouldn't do it before my surgery, and I can't get another appointment til the end of January. It hurts so bad it's scaring me. But since it gets better when I lie down, I am hoping it's just that I'm truly overdoing things.

The surgeon's office did refer me to PT when they cancelled my November follow-up, but there's a mixup or something that I've been trying to get them to work out. The referral is stuck with them. I'm trying. After this week, I will not have the time to go because my house will be full of folks from out of town.

Thank you so much Abilene, I feel like maybe it's closer to normal now! I hope you're enjoying the Holiday season!!!

Yeah, I had MRI and X-rays 3, 6, 9 months later. The disc they did fix fused great. For me I have to get more discs done.

You may have overdone it with all the stuff you're doing. When most of us feel good we do things just because we can but later pay the price.