Hi. I am new to these boards and am glad to have found them. I have been intrigued by reading your posts about your disk replacement surgery. I, too, am recovering from surgery. I had my second spinal fusion on Sept. 20th. I was in a car accident in 1997 at the age of 23 where I herniated a L4-L5 and buldged L3 L4. Long story short years of pain, PT, message therapy, medication therapy, etc. In 98 had disectomy laminecotmy of L5-S1(that's where the disectomy showed the pain coming from). It didn't do much for me. In June 2000 fused L5-S1. Felt great. Back to work by September 2000...but by Jan. was starting to feel pain back. Left work in February was put on some serious opiod narcotics, became a changed person on them and told my doctor i wanted to stop (tried 2times and had terrible withdrawls). He said keep taking them because you need fusion of L4L5. So I had the surgery just a month ago on Sept. 20th and am now going through the hell of weaning off these narcotics. I am no longer taking the fentynl (actiq) and am on 2mg of dilaudid. I am still in a lot of pain..which is expected after surgery. The last fusion took me three months to be up to snuff. What I am wondering about is if this doesn't work, once you are fused is disk replacement something you can't do? I am so worried this surgery won't work. At 28 I am now divorced (I was a newly wed when the accident happened) I have become depressed and hopeless that life won't get better. I've dealt with this for five years now and it's taken my young adulthood from me....as you all can relate. It's so frustrating to be given narcotics which causes another problem. I wasn't told my body would become dependant on them and I would have a terrible time getting off. The aches and anxiety are unbearable. I am hoping the pain I am feeling down my left leg now is just surgical healing as my Doctor says. He said he stretched out my spine and it could be my nerves reacting and getting used to it. If it doesn't get better in a few months, he'll do more tests. I am just so frustrated and am looking for support. It's so lonely living in chronic pain. Thanks for any support.

Rachel

Thanks for the uplifting messages. I know that you all understand what living with pain and disappointing surgeries is like. I am hoping this is the one. As far as living on narcotics..they've been no good for me. They increase my anxiety for some reason and the ones I've been on have driven me crazy. I was put on the duragesic patch after my last surgery which wasn't too bad (has fentanyl in it) Although I had tons of anxiety for the first time while on it. Then in Feb. after not being on anything but vioxx and zanaflex to sleep at night (have fibromyalgia so they say)...the dr. started me on another short quick acting medicine called actiq (fentaynl in it again). over 8 months of that med. I nearly lost my mind. I became severly depressed, bed ridden, anxious, hopeless, and physcially dependent. Got body aches all over btw. doses. I had the surgery and now they are weaning me with dilaudid. I am now on Bextra (which is like vioxx) and dilaudid and that's it. I take 2mg every 4 hours and each week I am supposed to increase the time btw. doses by a half hour until I am off it. As much as I may end up needing something for pain, my body and mind is just too sensitive for these powerful things. That's what is so frustrating. I think the hardest thing has been the side effects of the medicines and the anxiety. it's hard living with a constant back pain for 5 years. I am sure you can relate. My other question is for those who have had multiple surgeries...do you get better? Or do you end up worse than before due to scar tissues building up. I've had 2 anterior fusions and a disectomy/laminectomy. I am hoping this leg pain is not due to irritated nerves and scar tissues now. Thanks for helping! I appreciate the words of encouragement you've given!

Rachel

You all are so inspiring. I am slowly finding myself getting better. Yes the Doctors had put me on paxil, then switched to effexor, then to zoloft...all for the anxiety. However, we discovered over time that nothing was working and most of my anxiety was most likely as a result of a reaction the the fentanyl in the actiq they had me on. Now my anxiety is up a little because I am weaning off all this stuff. I am down to 2mg of dilaudid every 5 hours or so. I've only taken .5mg of ativan twice this week. (that's addicting too! sheesh) So I am not on any antidepressants/anxiety meds regularly right now. I'd like to try to hold out and get all of this narcotic stuff out of my system and then decide if I really need anything. since this medicine experience, I am very scared to be on anything if I don't have to due to dependence and changes the meds. can put you through.

Lori, we seem to have a lot in common...I am a teacher also. Special Education. I also coached lacrosse. I had to take the year off this year due to the surgery. I was non-tenured yet and left work last Feb. They held my job the rest of the year, but when I was scheduled for surgery Sept. 20, they couldn't hold it another year. They did say they'd hire me back.. Only problem is I find I do ok for a while..then go through bad spells which last a long time..then do ok for a while..then another spell. It's hard to keep a job with that problem! So who knows what I will do in the future. Right now I am a stay at home dog mom. haha. My girls (5yr old golden retriever and 1yr old bulldog) are my only company. It's so hard being single and at home while all your friends are working. I miss the friendships you make at work and the socialization of it all. It's suprising to find how important that working is to one's mental health!

Well thanks again for the support. Oh..one more thing. Why do some doctors do fusions without hardware? I have cages implanted for both of my fusions. I wonder what the studies show as the difference of with and without!

Rachel