Pain 3 Years Post Op

[JamieAnn]

Hi All,

I haven't been on the forum in quite some time! That is a good thing, as I've had no pain or problems since my surgery 3 years ago.

HOWEVER, now I seem to be having an issue. I THINK it's just muscle related, and my surgeon's office guessed the same based on my initial phone call, but I'd like to run this by all of you too.

I am at home full time caring for my 1.5 year old baby, and I seem to have "pulled" something while changing diapers so often . I must have bent forward in the wrong way or stressed something, as the pain is on the left side of my fusion, right in the middle (I am fused T5 - L1). It is a sharp sensation when I bend or reach forward, sort of like a muscle is being pulled from the fusion area.

I guess I'm not sure whether or not I really NEED to go back into my surgeon's office as I really do not want to spend the money and take the time if it's just muscular. Has anyone else had this happen? Until now I haven't had any pain whatsoever, so this is worrisome to me.

Thank you,
Jamie

[Pooka1]

If you have someone push on the area, does it hurt? Can they feel if there is the end of a broken rod there?

Just throwing out guesses here.

Good luck.

[titaniumed]

Hi Jamie

I had an event at 23 months post where I pulled something and had a 1” circle of 9-10 level pain at my L3 area just off to the side. It lasted 14 days. My surgeon said it was a soft tissue injury.

The pain quit suddenly on the 14th day.....funny how nerve related pain is like that, just like a light switch, on or off.

Lifting children is not an easy thing to do.....even with a normal back. And these kids feel like “lead” at a year and a half. 30# feels like 100# (smiley face) Why are the kids getting heavier? lol

How bad is the pain? 1-10 scale?

With the way they have these co-pays and deductibles setup these days, I cant blame you for waiting. I had to foot the bill on my neck MRI last spring. That was painful. $1800 for a cervical MRI these days. Laying down and taking it easy is our first line of defense.

Ed

[JamieAnn]

No, it does not hurt if I push on the area - I can feel "something" but I feel the same thing on the other side (which does not hurt). It does appear to be muscular, I suppose.

Ed, your description sounds like what I'm dealing with. The pain is bad, it's like a stabbing pain, but it goes away when I get out of whatever position is bothering me. It just doesnt feel like a traditional muscular pain so "soft tissue injury" makes more sense. It has lasted more than 2 weeks though - this has been more like a month or 6 weeks, so far. Upsetting because I'm finally about to get back on skis this winter - after surgery, pregnancy, etc... I don't want to end up with a "bad back" afterward!

Thank you all. Will keep you posted..

[JamieAnn]

Hi All,

I just wanted to close the loop on this thread, as this pain actually did go away. I got a "trigger point" massage and I'm not sure if that did it, but a few days later the pain did start to go away. The massage therapist I met with really worked the area where the pain was but all of the connecting muscles too in the area. I now am finally taking my back a little more seriously, realizing that having such limited mobility in the fusion area (which is only 9 vertebrae for me, I know it could be worse) really does mean I have to keep those muscles loose. I continue to get massages every so often.

I hope my experience can help others who may experience something similar.