Help needed after spinal fusion

First off all to anyone who as had spinal surgery or is suffering witb back pain still i really feel for you and wish you the best with your treatment and i know whats it like as i am still suffering with pain after surgery in Feb 2015 , as then my normal life ended 3 years ago.

Not going to bore you all and give you a full story on my back but 3 years ago having had my back confirmed with prolappsed L5/S1 disc i tried every procedure going , steroid injections , Discography , Chriopractor, physio, back course clinic.

As i could bearly walk , pains in legs , trouble going toilet even seeing chroipractor he wouldnt touch my back as my disc was bulging from the side.

Anyway having not much choice elected for surgery in a way it was to change my life forever.

Having spent over 7 hrs in surgery and had fitted a fusion on that particular disc with rods and screws surrounded by cage and artificial animal bone to make it strong.

Stayed 5 days in hospital and then it was recovery i thought , the next year or so was horrendous had some really dark days with my back aching all time and these continue to now , for about 4 months this year the pains lowered and thought yes im getting better but then couple months later the pains in my back started flaring up again bearing in mind i was on still fairly low dosages of morphine opiates then i started having pains going down my legs again , not as bad ad before but noticeable u feel tingling sensation.

Anyway having thought i was getting better to finding out i was getting worse as now my back wakes me every night with the pain and then i nodd off during day time due to the strong meds im taking and probally due to me being tired in middle of night.

These past few months ive seen my doctor numerous times telling the pain is getting worse to be told all he can do is increase my meds and to accept at 45 years of age i wont get any better which you can imagine at my age its upsetting and frustrating that i cant work as before , i can bearly walk a few feet even to consider doing gym work is impossible and dont even have a social life no more as its no fun trying to go out when you have all the above holding you back.

My doctor as referred me to the pain team and between them they cant decide what dosages of meds should i be on as the doctor from the pain team says you are on too low dosages and then your own doctor too shoot what the pain zeam advice inbetween its me thats hurting so now having seen the pain team ive got to wait for her to write to my doctor and then too see if my doctor will increase my meds as im on low dosages of oxycodones and oxynorm and lyrica so curious to no what other people are on i also take amtripiline in evening to try and help me sleep which is a joke so thats my first question.

Secondly the pain team reckons my other discs could be under pressure from the 1 st op and that might be the reason for the pain she even said to me yesterday that spinal fusion are good for leg pain but not so good for lower back so that filled me with positive news , not , . She says having some more spine injections may help so ive agreed so as anyone else had spinal fusion and then had spine injections after did it help or is it a waste of time so curious to no on that.

Finally just want to say having worked all my life and being active by walking to work each day and going gym and going out with my mates on friday to now ive not worked for 3 years can bearly walk few feet so have to use walking aid to support me and use a mobility scooter to get out as i just stayed in otherwise , taking very strong meds all day and living with all the side effects of feeling tired all day some days worse than others , having to go bed early around 6.30 as the pain gets worse in evening so find it easier to lie down , have no social life no more .

So to anyone who is thinking of surgery just dont think this will be the cure as i did and nearly 2 years after surgery im just as bad apart from the leg pain.

So its very tough as im living on benefits and doctor as retired me from work at 45 and work are trying to settle my phi claim so finding live very tough at the minute and if i didnt have my wife or kids for support i dont think i could carry on as some days i think whats the point as im in pain 24/7 have to take meds all day just to subdue some of the pain and all other stuff i cant due as before the operation as now its not much of a life.

Sorry for being negative at end its just me feeling frustrated for lack of support from my Doctors as i ask them will i get better to be told i am not sure and then they wonder why you are fed up.

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