Justin, I'm not seeing how to join a group. I had L4/L5 fusion with cage, 2 rods and 4 screws. The 28-year pain was gone when I woke up, which was disc herniation against the nerve; and the 2-year pain was also gone, which was after more than 2 decades the fore part of the disc degenerated to nothing and I had bone on bone pain that would snap, crackle & pop just sitting. Getting up and moving got to be unbearable. Since the surgery, I've had a new pain on my right side which feels like it's in the muscle maybe being aggravated by a screw head (they aren't rounded). Then about 2-3 weeks ago, I think I bent and twisted at the same time while feeding my poultry and got a serrated-type weapon knife twisting feeling, so very sharp and deep. I'm wondering if my movement could have caused a screw to fracture a vertebrae, or it was just a severe ripping of my muscle. I don't understand how my muscle will ever not hurt with a screw head against it or a scar, which would also press on the muscle when I move. Right now, I can't hardly do anything, and I have had chronic fatigue, chronic migraines, and anxiety/panic attacks for many years, which makes it impossible for me to make appointments (like for PT), since my husband works so many hours.

I'm wondering who else has post-op pain and if it will ever cease? I read where a young action biker fell and had a serious back surgery and was complaining the hardware pain, and since his fusion otherwise took, the hardware was taken out after 3 months. I'm not young, though. I'm sure that I feeling a screw head or sharp end of a rod irritating my muscle and moving only hurts worse.

Thanks!