Hello all! This past November I had my 3rd back surgery. My first was in August 2008, which was an L5-S1 fusion that broke 3 months later. Stayed that way for 13 months. Had 2nd back surgery in January 2010, which was a cage to fix broken fusion since wearing a bone stimulator didn't help.

After this surgery (fusion of L4-5-S1), which was because of a huge increase in pain after being hit from behind in an accident last May, my pain seemed to be better for a couple of months. The relief wasn't right away. I had been taking aquatic PT and was almost entirely off of pain meds. However, it was like all of the sudden around late march that the bottom dropped out on me. A new pain I had after this surgery (when the surgeon got in, he found that a screw from 2008 was hitting the next vertebrae up and that my body absorbed bone between fusion levels. I never grew bone) was chronic pain towards my right hip/SI joint. The doctor told me it was because he took none marrow from that hip. I now have the most severe pain you could imagine in that area which gets worse with any lateral movement. Sitting is horrible. Walking hurts. The only relief is while lying on my side with pillow between knees.

Has anyone ever had this happen after fusion? Ever had it happen and the doctor say the fusion looks good? I'm losing my mind it feels like. I'm walking with a cane. I'm up to 100-120 mgs of Oxycodone a day in addition to 1800 mg of Neurotin. Some days I have to add Norco and Flexeril. Please tell me I'm not the only one, when I go to sit down I let out a scream. It feels like my back is tearing in two.