Hi Guys,
I just wanted to send a quick post. After my visit with Dr Bitan last thursday he was not really sure why I was still haveing pain at 8 weeks.. he put me on prednisone for 12 days. I am on my fourth day and 4th day of muscle relaxers. The thing is I am having much worse spasms and increased pain. I am frustrated maybe I haven't given the new pills time to work yet. The other problem I seem to have is riding in a car. I spent 2 hours going up to new York on Thursday and 2 hours in the Dr office then 2 hours drive home. Then sauturday I was an hour in the car going to a grocery store an hour shopping and an hour ride home in the car. Does anyone think I totally over did it bouncing around in the car for hours. I just can't understand why the new medicine isn't working? last night my pain was a 9/10 I didn't know what to do with myself, I basically took one of all my pills, I did finally fall asleep. I just want to start seeing some great improvement I feel like I never have any let up with the pain. It is just constant.
Well thanks for listening.

Driving in a car for that period of time is definitely an overdo. I did the same thing myself at 6 weeks I drove 10.5 hours to go home for Christmas. Paid dues for that but it was important to go home. I then drove my Mother-in-law around to do Christmas shopping, saw friends, went to parties, the usual and then drove 10.5 hours home. Had to take pain pills just to survive the ordeal. Driving hurts after you just had major spinal surgery. Hang in there. It will probably get better. You sound like a slow healer. We all heal at different rates.

Go with God.

Terry Newton

Sharon,

I had my ADR just a few days after yours so I can relate to where you are at in your recovery. Yes, that is way over doing it in the car. Our spines are not stable. The muscles and connective tissue that connect to the spine are supposed to be the first ones to fire when needed to stabalize it. They are supposed to fire without us thinking about it. Unfortunetly, after our surguries those tissues have decided to shut down for a while because of the insult to the area. That is why it hurts so much when you are being bumped around in a car. Even if you see a bump cominig and try to push down on your pelvic floor to brace yourself your back will still get jarred, because the deepest core stabalizers are still on sick leave. My PT has shown me research to prove this in her quest to slow me down and to promote healing. My spine pops during certain exercises and activities of daily living no matter how hard I focus on not letting it pop because it isn't stable yet. The pops are getting fewer and farther apart as time goes on and my spine gets stronger. At this time anything that causes pain is setting back the time that the deep core stabalizers will fully return to duty. All of us have been disabled and are anxious to return to normal, but we have to be patient. Hast makes waste.

Cordially,
Grizz

L4-L5 ADR 01-12-2007

I don't know if this is happening to you, but whenever I take muscle relaxants, I have to keep taking them all day. When the pill wears off, the spasms are way worse than before taking the pill. It takes overnight to get this 'rebound' to quit. I also had muscle spasms about 6 weeks out from my surgery, but they eventually got better. Try to relax and be patient. It's so hard to still be in pain, huh? It'll get better though! Like Grizz said, your body is trying to protect itself! Good luck!

I had to drive 4 hours each way for my 6 week post-op and it nearly killed me. My Mom drove me and we stoped every 1 hour so I could walk around, we spent the night in a hotel and it was still really bad. It sounds like you've been doing a lot. I remember having some bad pain around 8 wks when I walked on sand (it messed up my hip) and I was in so much pain I was in bed for 2 days. I'm great now and that's all a distant memory.

It's just a very l-o-n-g process. It's hard in the begining and it's scary, hang in there and rest more. You can do a lot, but take breaks after each activity, pace yourself.

BTW I'm almost 10 months post-op and if I sit on a plane for 2 hours straight I have to take pain pills... sitting is still hard. Thus, your pain is probably normal.