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allanbruce · 03-31-2011, 08:58 PM

Well it is taking longer to recover from the surgery than I thought but the pain is manageable. For so long I have been in chronic pain with little relief but the surgery then the physio has restored me to something like I was 10 years ago. I think money made all the difference as usual. Once I had some money behind me I soon found a surgeon who could fix things. Though I found the physio at the public hospital was better than the private one I first tried.
Now 4 months down the track I am on a 1/4 of the patch I was on and don't need any other pain medication or anti inflammatory. Just a panadol once in a while.
I do have some pain when I do extra on a day but in general things are manageable. I would have liked to started part time work but I am better off concentrating on my physio and walking each day. I am also able to do more maintenance around the home and I can do things to help my disabled niece and other family members. My parents are getting old and my younger sister has hurt her knee and had surgery. She lives on her own and has needed a lift often. I was even able to mow her grass the other day.
Well I didn't get a lot of sleep last night as I was working on some old photo's of family and then I was thinking about the past so I am going to have a sleep this afternoon. The rest seems to be important with healing so I do try to rest when I can.
Allan

jonnstar · 03-31-2011, 10:18 PM

Fantastic news Allan!

ibake&pray · 04-01-2011, 07:41 AM

Allan, that's great news! But you need to remember that four months isn't very long when youo have suffered for 10 years. It takes 6 months to see fusion and a full year for your back to gorw solid and hard again. So pamper yourself some and pace your days. Every day will bring a little more success.

mju58 · 04-01-2011, 12:30 PM

You hit the nail on the head with sleep. Glad to hear you recognize how important good sleep is to our healing and basically our chronic pain in general. Keep getting well and my Best to You!

timboo · 04-01-2011, 04:37 PM

i am new and im disabled now for 20 + yrs failed lowback fusion bone graft did not take left me in horrible pain 24/7 so dr put me on oxycodone and fentanyl pain patches they for me worke good enough but to get a dr any dr to write the scripts each month is the pitts i have to call 3 days ahead then go to dr and find out nobody did anything no meds back home call dr again and again then told dr quit so find a new one i have seen 3 different dr's in 3 months right now withdrawls are occuring im sweatin like a fish dizzy messed up stomach shaky oh well see the dr next tuesday dr don't work on mondays i may as well see a butcher better relief and permanent too left hand in cast from steel plates and screws 3/11/11 2 weeks out pain is pain and well dr should let me hit his hands with a hammer for a while might slow the next shot of scotch to his lips after he charged me 17000 and change gave me norco for pain made me sick i thre it out dr thinks i sold it or somthing ?why i been in pain for 20 plus years looking for somthing that worked and would get me off the couch or floor from the pain now im all out of all and have to wait now till tues dr don't do monday so between now and then if i withdrawl which i will ill go to ER tell them why im there dr wouldn't treat my pain of low back thinks im all 100 % healed act of god i guess if there was one why on earth would he let me suffer so and for so long what is around the next corner overdose for me but first have to have something better than asprin some dr's are dr's and some are quacks dr called the sherriff on me today for asking why i had to wait till tuesday to get refill scripts i been on for years allways the same problem either the dr doesn't write it right or the insureance company denies payment to drug store has happened 100 times in last 20 yrs i don't know what keeps me going but i want some more of it just to keep up

allanbruce · 04-01-2011, 09:28 PM

I am so sorry Timboo that the doctors are the way they are there. I really hope you can find some relief from pain. I know how it is to live with pain over many years. I have had some form of back pain since I was 13 years old. Not many people really know how it feels. This contributed to me becoming an alcoholic. I drank heavily for over 25 years.

I have also had trouble with specialists and surgeons in the past but thankfully I have a good team now, after seeing about 6 surgeons, 4 specialists and a number of doctors. My present GP has been very supportive and as long as my specialist has me stabilised on particular medications he rings for authority and I get a months supply of patches etc without too much drama. The specialist I see works from a normal medical centre and I can usually get in within a few days if I need to see him. He is also very supportive and is always willing to listen to my suggestions. As with most patients here I have experienced many injections and different treatments.

If you are having problems with your doctors please keep looking for one who will believe you and help. I have walked out of a couple in the past and moved on. I have also spent many hours in emergency rooms sometimes having to lay on the floor. Not pleasant at all.

My surgeon is expensive but as I mentioned my brother has supported me financially and I am paying for private insurance who paid the other $18,000 for my surgery. I still owe my brother about $5,000. I am also on a government disability pension which gives very cheep pharmaceuticals and other medical support as in scans and dental. We are very lucky here in Australia that our economy is doing so well that they can support the low income and chronic patients. This is a good place to live.

I would really like to do more with my life but as I have learned and been told by those here that it takes time to recover from chronic pain and that once a spiny always a spiny. I have lots to learn but also have some to give. I hope I can be some help to others here. I do still suffer pain when I have to sit and when I go out but I certainly can do more now than I used to. I know I still have to change my life style as I do have another damaged disc at L4-5 but if I am careful I hope I don't have to go through years of increased pain or spine surgery again. I hope one day to find a new field of work I can do in future.

Allan

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