Chronic pain

[dianef438]

Having had a spinal fusion have been left with chronic pain..was wondering if anyone has any new ideas for coping..

Thanks

Diane

[SandyS22]

Have you looked at pacing? Find your baseline for the things you do and try to gently increase it over weeks. Very important not to do more than you plan when you feel good. That's the fast lane to relapse. The Pain Concern website has good information about self management and coping.

[dianef438 in reply to SandyS22]

Yeah I do that. Have learned the hard way to pace yourself..

[Carla_Leinwander]

Hi Diane, yes I had an L-4 L-5 fusion four years ago. I was fine for 6 weeks after the procedure, and have had chronic pain ever since. The procedure caused more problems than it helped, and if I had tried more procedures before rushing into surgery I would have been much better off. But we tend to think that surgery fixes everything sometimes. I found a wonderful interventionist/anesthesia doctor who gives me routine injections and rhizotomys and keeeps me comfortable. I don't know where you live, but if you would like the name of the doctor I would be more than happy to give her your name. Hang in there, just because I have had all these issues doesn't mean that you will. Don't want to sound negative, because there are answers out there. Good luck!

[dianef438 in reply to Carla_Leinwander]

Cheers.yeah did try almost everything else that was suggested BEFORE fusion but just my luck!!... live in Scotland..don't know where you are but thanks for replying

Diane

[Bazer-Sci]

Hi, I had a L5 S1 fusion 25 years ago and a L5-L4 four years ago. The first op bilaterally denervated my gastrocnemius which means I have quite a lot of foot pain if I walk much. As a previous responder said pacing is important. However, I have found Pilates and regularly gym work have helped a lot with background back related pain that I was left with after the last op after which I quit full time work.

Take it very, very carefully but I have found that back extensions, planks, squats, dead lifts and other exercise that you would expect to be inappropriate for "my back" help me a lot and I am virtually free of low back pain and sciatica. This could of course all be down to endorphins.

My main issue unfortunately is an apparent overall lowering in my pain threshold which the exercise does not help with. I found 12mg Matrifen patches worked well with this although I am no longer on them as I found I needed to up the dose but could not tolerate 25mg due to side effects.

I hope some of this proves useful.

Barry

[dianef438]

Yeah hi. Physio did suggest I try Pilates but for me I found didn't have great results..just trying to find something that remotely helps,even a little..

[makemepainfree]

I had l5s1 discectomy 10yrs ago still suffer pain all over body on pregabalin loadine diazepam amitrptyline thyroxine longterm shorter citalopram pacing is all very well too say but when I have a good day I want too get things done then suffer is there any other Meds I could be on too cut down on what I have and have better effect regards