DrugBuyers.Com: BACK SURGURY- good or bad idea?

I have had the L5-S1 fudion with the rods and all - I had about 2 months no pain and then it slammed me again (I was at the point where it was surgery or slowly slipping into paralysis). More tests, mri's, mileograms, etc - according to the doc - nothing wrong must be scar tissue. Had a spinal injection at a pain mgt clinic (won't go back) and started have the numbness and tingling down the legs and feet - couldn't sit, stand, or laydown with out MAJOR pain, and of course the doc gave me ultram and then told me to stop taking it (these did work prior to the surgery, so don't exactly know what happened). Finally we worked out the meds to Darvon, combined with vistril, elavil for sleep, voltarin for inflamation, and muscle relaxers when needed (and tylenol controlled by me) and low and behold I feel better - not 100% relief, but I gave up on that a while ago. The only thing not handled is breakthrough, so I just go to bed and do exercises and wait. I have had the steriod course multiple times and the best one I found was 3 days of IV 1g prednisone - it helped to knock the pain down a couple of notches.

There has been discussion of another surgery to see what's going on and clean out scar tissue, but I am waiting. I can't tell you whether or not to do this - My Aunt had one, same place 20+ years ago and has had NO pain since, so there's one up and one down...

As for the pain in the rear - I do have that, around where they took the bone graf and also below where they did the fusion and it is a sharp stab, which nothing seems to help...

GOOD LUCK!!!! Whatever you chose to do - get a second opinion, talk with other patients, talk with family. I'll be glad to tell you more of my experience if you wish, just let me know.

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Bronwyn