I had my l-4, l-5 fused in 2-07. What are my chances of recovery & how long can !
Question: ...I went to the doctor for back pain & leg numbness. Now I have severe neck pain & leg still gets numb. I take 2 vicadens daily & my activity level has droped 99%. I'm 50, no job, bad knees,stiff hands. Can't walk well any more & stress. I feel doomed. I'm worse than when I went in the hospital. I caught mersa as well. It's been a year and I feel pain still. Is there any one out there in the same condition that got better?
Answers: ...I went to the doctor for back pain & leg numbness. Now I have severe neck pain & leg still gets numb. I take 2 vicadens daily & my activity level has droped 99%. I'm 50, no job, bad knees,stiff hands. Can't walk well any more & stress. I feel doomed. I'm worse than when I went in the hospital. I caught mersa as well. It's been a year and I feel pain still. Is there any one out there in the same condition that got better?
Do you mean L-4 L-5? Seems you are one of the unfortunate few where fusion surgery didn't have the desired effect. I too had this fusion in 2004, ( I was 50 too! ) and I was lucky, my leg pain and numbness was gone entirely, still is. But you are not doomed. A second surgery might be called for. Talk to your neurologist about it. As far as back pain relief, my results were not as good. I was pain free till just recently, and the neurologist says it's not uncommon for the vertebrae above and below the fusion to weaken over time. As far as pain killers are concerned, you will eventually get to a point of diminishing returns with taking more to achieve the same results, but it seems they are not working for you anyway. You do have a couple of options I can think of. First, go to a pain management clinic. Second, consider what are called "trigger injections" where they inject a combination of powerful pain meds and possibly steroids directly into the spinal area. This treatment can often give relief for many months. The last resort, but one that is being used more and more is an implanted Morphine pump that is programmed by your physician for optimum relief. You might also want to begin the unholy maze of bureaucracy in order to be declared disabled by social security and receive disability payments to help you financially. Be prepared for a LONG wait, but the sooner you begin, then better. Don't give up...there IS hope. But you must try to take control now. Perhaps there is a social services office where you live. They can be a big help in getting the paperwork madness in order for you. I wish you the best.