Did dr show you the xrays and do you believe the pain is from spasms for the most part?
muscle pain vs nerve pain?

muscle pain and spasms can be helped with expert therapists & techniques - IMO
- it may take trying a few different PT & therapies to find the ones that help best....but if I were you I'd request a advanced PT evaluation & some trial sessions.

You might also have trigger points { a very small sore knot in the muscles} these will cause spasms to continue unless the TrPs are released - something to ak a PT about.. if they don't know about them find a more adv PT.

here's a link to one of my posts scroll to find triggerpoint info and other therapy links - http://neurotalk.psychcentral.com/post388-1.html
I think something there will be of help for you.

As far as wc, my case took 2.5 yrs to close - but it all depends on so many variables you really can't compare time lines.

When i was off work due to my injury - my focus was to heal as much as I could - that was my job.
getting books & videos from the library on pain, healing , recovery, posture, bodywork - and tried stuff from each one to see what worked and what didn't..
many times a day - stretches, relaxing, heating pad, acupressure, ice/heat, triggerpoint - anything I could do myself

thank you so much for taking the time to respond to my letter. i am a nurse and i am aware of alot of treatments and etc..... even though i am a nurse i am a pt right now and i thank you for the reminders of anatomy of body etc.. the mind is a funny thing i guess for me until i am aware of all the facts i cant seem to move forward.. stuck i guess emotionally and scared for my future physically,spiritually and fiancially. have a child graduating this comming spring and cant give him any answers to ho much Mom can help out with college. i really want to go back to my job, i was paid well and at some point savings i will have to use to keep up with bills.. it must of been so difficult for you to wait 2.5 years for these answers and for your loved ones. i just cant imagine waiting that long for answers that would outline my future. unless it was a degree program. i have started making provisions as far as no more rib eye steaks and heating left overs and all that kind of stuff. i am going out tomorrow to buy an indoor walking machine.
i read this nursing article that Omega 3 tablets take 2 daily can help with pain and nerve damage as well has other atrabutes... brain power and aids with depression. also there is a cream similar to bengay that most chiropratis sell that is all natural. and boy does it work for that muscle pain. i also drink tons of water a day, dont forget the water it does so good for the body.
Scarry thought: just learned from eye doc that taking valium and other meds weekend my vascular vein going to my right eye and that is why i am seeing spots.
if you now of any other natural ways to help with healing please share.
thank you again for your time and understanding.

went to dr. visit this past friday. dr tells me anxiety is impeding my healing. xrays look ok bone graft is half and new bone is starting to grow in the back. as far as anxiety i told him i agree with him to a certain point (i am not catotonic i do have some anxiety but not to the degree he claims. dr. asked me to trust him and go speak to some one. i asked are you ordering a psy eval he said no what is your ins. i told him and he said go see someone. i agreed for i have no problem talking to anyone and trying to find my way. then asked that he trust me and order an MRI and EMG i want him to see what i am feeling. my husbands opinon was that it seemed dr was trying to defend his surgery. also food for thought the mg he has me on for valium should make me so calm; i think he forgot that he prescribes them. what ever the case maybe i have dr orders for new tests and hopefully workman comp will approve and i can take those results and go for a second opinon.
has this ever happened to anyone?

Well, quite often drs will suggest "speaking to someone" or place blame on emotional or mental stress - esp when pain & symptoms continue after a course of treatments or surgery.

May or may not be a factor in the continued symptoms.

Where did I say I have arrived?!!!! I struggle every day with what i can't do that I used to. but I also realize, just like everyone on this Earth, my days have a number on them, and they count down one-a-day just like everyone else. . . . and if I am going to leave my mark (hopefully a good one) on this world, then it is up to me to find a way. It is much like my training to climb mountains. . . . the mountain didn't care one way or the other if I was up there struggling, so it was up to me to be a strong and positive as I could be!

In my case, 6-12 months is normal for full recovery and control after j-pouch surgery. Since i was getting worse and losing ground approaching one year, I realized it was unlikely to get much better. I have an occasional stellar great day . . . . about 1 or 2 a month. Most are somewhat tolerable, with a good smattering of days I lose completely to pain control meds.

But being an artist, the ideas I have in my head won't ever see the light of day if I don't paint them, now, will they? What if Frida Kahlo had given up . . . or Van Gogh, or Monet, when he learned he was going blind?

Gotta admit, though, I have days I would love to just give up. But I have family and loved ones who keep me going. . . . . and a really silly cat. . . .

i would agree with you that after treatment this could be a possibility; there are in general 4 levels of aniety [B]mild,moderate,severe and panic[/B]. to have a level that would imped healing would be in mod-severe stage, and require medical attention due to fight/flight . if the body is left for a long time in this stage exhaustion sets in and you must get help or death could occur. i am 6 mo. post op and staying that long in anxiety would exhibit symptoms that i just do not have. adding anxiety to my current dx. i guess in a sence would be beneficial to my claim but it does not exist to the level the dr. claims and i am not about to start manufacturing/faking symptoms to prolong my healing and to stay out of work longer. i am sure people out there do have these symptoms and it must be so difficult for them. i am just not one of them. if dr. really felt my anxiety was so bad he would of ordered a psy. eval. the only treatment i have had since surgery was surgery itself. dr. wont order/give PT of any kind, says nothing will help me. the only treatment i had prior to surgery was nerve root block. i have never had therapy of any kind. kinda odd i think due to the fact most everyone will receive some kinda therepy especially after ACDF. irreguardless i found excercises on line for my condtion and perform everyday. basically range of motion.
i too have family who are my inspiration and also have mini toy pinctures who light up my life. they also weigh 5lbs or under so lifting them is great weight training to some degree. cant climb mountains but i can walk and so i do daily. also i have been reading on the benefits of meditation and deep breathing. great ways to get in touch with self and losing weight with deep breathing has been documented.