only at the surgical site?

I would keep using the patches. I found personally that for my MP pain, that the lidocaine eventually put the nerve to sleep and the nerves stopped firing
after 2 weeks.

Another thought is shingles. You can have a herpes zoster titre run to see
if you have activated the zoster virus. Sometimes there is only pain, and no
eruption with this. If the titre is very high, you can ask for Valtrex for a month, and it may help.

Where are you placing the Lidoderms? Only over the pain area? Try a second one around on the back on the side where you have the pain. I would put it a bit higher near the shoulder blade along the spine vertically...that way you will hit 4 vertebrae. If your pain is lower, in the abdomen, then lower on the spine accordingly.

I know a guy who had laparoscopic gall bladder removed...he had pain in one incision for YEARS. If you can get away with using Lidoderms and not the more centrally acting drugs with mega beaucoup side effects, you might
see some improvement over time.