[MissNoSelfControl]

I am 34 and I have not had a history of back trouble.

In January of this year I had yet another gallbladder attack. It landed me in the ER. They opted to surgically remove it.

I came out of the anesthesia numb below the waist and unable to pee.
The doctors were unconcerned. They kept me another day and a half with an indwelling catheter then removed it. When I was still unable to pee, they put another in and sent me home.

Long story shortened, 3 weeks later I was still unable to pee, I wasn't walking well and was still numb. Finally the doctor referred me to a neurologist. He ordered an MRI. I had a more then 75% slip at L5/S1, completely compressing my Cauda Equina.

I had emergency decompression surgery less than 2 hours after the MRI. Laminectomy L4-S4 and a bone graft fusion thing (they used the bone they removed, ground it up, added it to a calcium putty and used it like paste to attempt a fusion).
They have to go in later and do a hardware fusion with rods and screws, but we're waiting on that. We don't want to risk traumatizing nerves that we're hoping are going to heal.

Other than chronic coccyx pain, I've been pain-free, the coccyx pain is manageable. Last week a pain in my spine set in. It's bad. It's interrupting my sleep and making me miserable. I saw the surgeon yesterday for my 4 month post op x-rays. The fusion is holding, nothing has moved. (I was worried, because since I don't walk well, I fall a lot. I was concerned something had been jarred loose lol)
I'm not one to complain about pain and ask for narcotics (I don't even take narcs, I've been on Tramadol). So I know there is no way he could think I'm just a dope fiend or that I'm a sissy/whiner/hypochondriac/whatever.

This is very concerning for me, and I would think for him. I know I'm not a doctor, he's the one with the impressive education and I should trust him (but it was also a doc with an impressive education, that I trusted, who ignored all the "Red Flag Symptoms") I just wish he was evenly slightly alarmed by this pain, I'm very alarmed. His solution is more pain pills, and narcs this time. I HATE narcs. They make me feel like hell.

I feel like he just blew me off. Is anyone in this same situation, or similar? Is this new pain 4 months in NOT something to be concerned with? Do I just stay the course with pain pills like the surgeon says? Is this normal?

[Imito]

BTW -
Tramadol IS a narcotic. It is an opioid pain reliever with some other stuff added.

[gruvingal]

I have been to three doctors and told them about my pain and numbness and that all of my symptoms pointed to Cauda Equina. None of them even batted an eye and one told me "Oh, you don't have that". REALLY! I just got off the phone with my Dr office and demanded they have someone see me immediately, so they put me on tomorrow at 9:45. I am not leaving until I get some answers! This has gotten to the point where I pee myself and don't even know it. I need to see if it is in my records and if it is and I am diagnosed with this and there are repercussions from not being diagnosed there is going to be trouble!