I had my PLIF aug 23rd. I seem to be doing well. I had a bad set back with hip pain that went down my leg. The NS said I had an inflammed nerve and gave me Lyrica 75mg 3 times a day. Its working for the pain I'm off my oxcontin and still on soma 3x day and cut my percocet in half.Down to 3 to 6 a day I go to rehab twice a week which causes its own kind of pain.PT says she sees improvement but feels I need to tell the Dr. I am not ready for work.Here is my problem Yes I have cut down on my percocet because the soma andl yrica are working on the nerve pain. I can walk around a store for an hour before getting tired and having to go home to bed. Also I can sit in my computer chair almost 2 hours. Yes in pain but at my computer I block it out to try to stay on it longer. Give me a different chair and 45 minutes is my limit. I still can do some things around the house but if I do too much Im sore and misirable the next day. Kind of my life before surgery with back pain and fibromyalgia. Go to work go to bed etc.. Lucky My job let me work 3 days a week for 5 hours. Now I have lost that job after being out six months. I dont blame them they really needed to replace me long ago and really tried to hold out. NOW the big fear I go see my NS he says OH the surgery looks great I did all I can now you go to work!.. Is this how its done. What happens at the crucial visit. Does the PT have any say. Still being weak or on meds and pain influence anything. Do they refer you to a different doctor if they are done with you. How do they decide when you can work and when you are finished as a patient?

HI.

Your PY will write an eval that she/he will send to your surgeon that will give an evaluation of how he feel you are doing physically with both the theraphy and the ability to return to a "normal" work enviroment. My therapist errered on the side of caution as they don't want to see you injur yourself and have a relapse.

When I saw my surgeon he did some xrays right in the office and did an exam checking my mobility and we discussed my normal day at work and how I handle it etc. After we discuss everything he talked about our home life and how we handle it, cleaning, cooking kids etc.... He took everything into account before he ever spoke about me returning to work. Only then did he give me a time that he thought I should go to work. Then we started bartering as to when I thought I should return to work. We finally reached a compromise. It is only now two and half years after my surgery that i am willing to say that he was right about when I should return and I really did push and go back too soon. But I will never tell him that to his face!;)

If you surgeon is good, he will work with you on your return date. Most of them are compassionate when it comes to that part and are actually trying to help you get back to work and manage to get better and up on your feet...