Checking in here

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Hi, its Jen, 5 months post op here. I went to PT yesterday and talked to an older lady who had a more difficult surgery than me and she is off her pain pills. I was so amazed that I am still suffering here. I have been sick since Christmas trying to get pain pills situated and trying other drugs like lyrica that made me so sick when I got off them, it felt like I had the flu.

Has anyone had this hard of a time getting off the pain pills, or been in so much pain 5 months post op? I was so frustrated to hear how well she was doing compared to me. I am down to 2 pain pills a day but I spend a good majority of the day in pain.

Jen
 
Jen, nice to see you i was wondering about you;) So to hear your suffering still so much, i am here for you! Are the PT group giving you some tips?
Love,Melissa
 
Hi Jen,
A lot of fusion patients are still on pain meRAB at 5 months. Three cheers for the woman who is off it all, but don't compare yourself to her. Everyone's different. There's no reason to try to come off them completely right now if you're still having pain. If your doctor felt it was a problem, he would tell you. You might need to actually up your dose a bit, if you're spending a good part of the day in pain. Are you allowed to take more than you're taking? It's okay to still need a higher dose. Don't torture yourself. No one is going to judge you by how much pain medication you need. But everyone around you would probably be happier to see you not in so much pain. You'll be happier, too!

I hope the PT is helping you. It's a slow process, but keep working and you'll see progress.

Hang in there! You're moving along! 6 months was my second big milestone in feeling better.

:wave: Emily
 
Hi Jen. I am glad you checked in but sorry to hear you are suffering so much. Why have you downed your meRAB and suffering because of this? It's okay to "try" and down your meRAB, but if you are constantly suffering beyond a few weeks, it then time to think your body is not ready to handle a lesser dosage right now.

I think it's great that lady is doing so well, but like Emily said.. dont compare yourself to anyone else. You are as unique as she is.

It is VERY normal for you to still be hurting at this point. What is your therapist saying about the amount of pain you are continuing to have? My therapist would have been furious with me if I was hurting that badly and not taking my meRAB to help. It hinders your workouts and your healing when you hurt that much.

This is such as huge surgery on the body and it takes time to heal. While the techniques have been perfected compared to even 10 years ago, the recovery is just about the same as before. We are just more mobile while doing it, rather than the past methoRAB of long peroiRAB of best rest and inactivity. I think today's methoRAB make us heal better and stronger with better success rates than yester year too.

Dont try and be a hero or feel that you have to rush the rate to being and feeling "normal" again. Just give your body the time it neeRAB to heal. It's telling you it neeRAB more time.

You hang in there.
 
Thank you for all of your responses , good to hear from you all again. I am beginning to wonder if the hardware is causing the pain. I just cant get it to go away. It is not the same pain as I had before surgery for sure.

I see my pain doc on Friday, but dont even see my surgeon till April or May.

What do you all think about pain from the hardware itself? Especially since I am 5 months out and have not improved since about month 1.

Thanks for your input!

Jen
 
Hi Jen. I honestly dont think it's enough time to know if the hardware is causing you pain. You are still in the early throws of healing from your surgery. Are you 100% fused yet? I wasn't fused until around 7 months.

I am 22+ months now and I am just at the stage now of feeling that I am peaked out on my healing process. It just takes time.

Let us know what the PM thinks.
 
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