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ABSOLUTELY. Go to the best orthopedic surgeon you can find! Mine is invaluable at UC Health. they have the greatest spinal orthopedic dept. I have permanent damage out of L4 (either sides). The neurosurgeon wouldn't do surgery. When I met Dr. Z I said "let's do it!" before he finished his sentence after 20 years. By then, my nerves were crushed and the vertabrate fused together. but the pain stopped! But you have no future so they sawed me apart and stuck in the hardware. It can take up to 10 years for nerves to remodel. So you need to give it more time. I use ALL the tools available. The cortisone injections into my facet joints work pretty great and EXERCISE. When I get super angry I exercise the hell out of myself and it works great. Be sure to try different muslce relaxers as they work on different mechanisms. Go to a kinseology doctor for eval. Find a REALLY good MFR therapist and don't forget all of those great topicals! I have stayed on low dose Percocet for 25 years and it nips the pain out of the tailbone which no one would operate on. You need to be seen by an orthopedist who will take MRI's but honestly - they can work from xrays they take in the office. Its very simple. My screws moved in my cervical surgery and had to be pulled in for a massive surgery on emergency. Don't mess around. You could paralyze yourself if screws move too much and hardware slips. You should see a Orthopedic Surgeon every year to look at your progress. I had very good luck with the nerve damage for 7 years since surgery. Not so much this year, but I take it in stride.

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Replies to "ABSOLUTELY. Go to the best orthopedic surgeon you can find! Mine is invaluable at UC Health...."

I'm sorry you're having so much pain. I had L5 S1 fusion and a cage for a disc in May 2023. I've had neuropathy in both feet since then and muscle spasms. My fusion is failing, bone isn't growing and I have osteoporosis. I strengthen my core which is very important, I don't want to have another surgery. I started Envity shots for osteoporosis but insurance didn't pay much for them and I had to stop (1089/month), I'm now on Fosamax which scares me with the side effects. As for my failed fusion, I went to an Orthopedic surgeon for a second opinion who told me he doesn't feel I need another surgery at this time and continue exercise, eat well, and walk. I did get 2 sacral injections that really didn't help much with the pain. Unfortunately, I had a car accident on August 6 this year and ended up in the ER with a fractured sternum, rib, and a collapsed lung. Another journey to heal and it's painful and I fear it has damaged my fusion, I'm having pain. I'm going to my neurosurgeon Oct 5 , getting more xrays and pray the hardware is intact. I don't think I can go through another back surgery again. I'm 66 and on my own, so difficult to do it alone.
I wish you luck, try PT, exercise, strengthen your core, eat well, and take care if yourself. Hugs.

I appreciate you sharing with me on your journey. Thank giving me a different perspective on this. I wish all the best.