I DO UNDERSTAND YOUR PAIN! I do know How Nasty you think it is! I do know How real it is!  Believe me you can do what I am about to tell you. I doubt only 1 or 2 people in the world,  have injuries to match my own. I hope No one has such .
    HI I am new here, but have lived with an injured spien since 1968 From C 1 to C7 and T10 to S2 Fractured and Or had surgery. 1 fusion 2 Artificial disk implants. I am a person who Studies my spine and knows my UPPER AND LOWER limits or endurance. Many of you have been treading in the lower limits for months to Decades fearing damage to whatever started you into the Slippery slope of supposed Back pain. OOPS now you all hate me. I said SUPPOSED BACK PAIN. I may be a wee bit nasty perhaps more so than Your Doctor who has fed you VIcodan Percocets Oxycodone/Contin. or simply T 3 or Acetaminophen. Actually If you’re a long term OPIATE user your pain is NOW IMAGINED PAIN and has little or no reality. However If you have sat on your BUTT for 3 10 15 20 50 years your pain is NOW that of an OVERWEIGHT or if not overweight but a very Stressed person, you’re an UNDER USE PAIN .
HOW to reduce OPIATE DEPENDANCY TO ZERO   
Can I explain your Pain From day 1 until Medical Intervention your pain was UNBELIEVABLE. You needed that Medication. NOW your addicted Dependent is the same word Your Addicted. Accept that term. IF you had surgery your pain should be no more than a 2 to 3 compared to a 10 the worst day. You should be able to tollerate this pain without medication. Actually it was the same Pain you always felt after you took the OPIATES before the surgery. Your mind has learned this Pain and now tells you that you STILL require the pain Medication.
                                         But you do not.!
IF your doctor was honest he would tell you that this is the residual pain NO Medication can reduce at a reasonable dose.
When we are sub, 100% repaired, we always have Pain, and always will regardless of Medication  
Why are you in belief your in pain today PROBABLY LACK OF USE OF YOUR BACK.  I am so certain Ill bet Every PT and Health Care Provider will support me. And without one hesitation regardless of your Physical condition tell you to WRIGGLE YOUR BUTT. GET FIT .
MY favorite exercise is Cycling. Its NON IMPACT (VITAL FOR US) and its continuous motion of spinal muscles from top to Bottom. In a Pain relieving Push pull motion alone the spinal column.
I have 15 Fractured Vertebra 7 C spine 8 L and T I have lost more than 20 % of my spinal height. So much so my Spinal Chord touches the Base of my spine it should not go below L3/4 where thy Give Steroid shots into the Canal not the chord. Yes they found that out the hard way When I DIED. I,  pre-warned them And I was called a LIAR! I do not lie.   That was before Surgery of any kind on my L spine.
YOUR PAIN DISAPPEARED AFTER SURGERY and Exists as that pain you always felt that your Medications could not suppress.
NOW you know the truth. Your continued use of pain meds after treatment is
         
    HOWEVER !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
If you were to take me at Full Value as Stop taking the Medication for pain say after reading this within minutes you will be in so much pain I would be in hidding from your GUN to Murder me .
I tried that and 2 missed doses brought on hell. All the imagined pain I could handle and much more.
IN Canada We all Have to Get off our OPIATE MEDICATIONS and there are no NON OPIATES that will help us SO WE think.
GABAPENTIN and LIKE Medications that are  used, for Epileptic Seizures control pain in the same manner as they control epilepsy. USED PROACTIVELY they will control pain associated to Scar Tissue impinging upon Nerve Roots     
Nerve compression and Nerve root damage. They will not help Back ache Pain from strains or a thump in the back with an object. NEURAL Damage produces so much PAIM Chemical to flood to the Brain GABAPENTIN functions to Neutralize this pain. Hopwever the initial Doses Will not work you need to shift the dose weekly until you find the dose some where between 1000 and 2000 Mgs per day. My Back pain is under 2000 and MY tinnitus is AT 3200mg .
 Gabapentin is not the Only drug but the Best it has no documented side effects only Mrs Jones said it turned her into a Nymphomaniac. Some unrealistic thing It is at first Will make you drowsy but that disappears quickly 2-3 days . Its best to try to settle the dose whilst your still on Opiate medication. Then Increase the dose and You Devrvease the OPIATE GENTLY.
 Have your Doctor replace your large Dose Pills with Small dose pills. Reduce by a small ammount weekly if you on any TRIPLICATE PRESCRIPTION and if on T3 daily drop 1 pill then Half pills for 5 days Good by .
 Stronger your in for a tough time sorry, it has to be however Ask your Doctor For a 5 month Draw Down Program.   I went thru this from Oxycodone to Gaba in 2007 than T3 to Gabba in the last 3 weeks I am Clear of Opiates Yes I am moreso reminded of my injuries than I was whilst on T3.
NOW I can go back Cycling I know I am not in the pain I thought I was. I am 70 years old and Look forward to my next few months getting prepared to Go cycling in March. I need to       Loose some weight then tone up what’s left of an Old Pained body. I know I can do it Regardless of your shape size YOU can too. Target is 100 Miles in 4 hours on a hilly Course. Set a target, I used to Complete as a cyclist That’s why I can set such a WHAT THE HELL goal I will aim at 15 miles in 3 hours at first . That is crawling. IF you choose cycling Get the Correct size Bike . TOO big can Damage your back too small can Cramp it up and Damage it. Go to a Pro shop Byuy a Good used Bike not a cheap New one . Prices range from $600 to $1600 for the less energetic. For my level $10,000 is not unusual for USED . Do not Get a mountain Bike Get Flat handle Bars and Medium wide Road tires. With or without tread Slicks have VERY GOOD Stopping power even in the rain.
Not so good in snow .

I have been tough on all of you. I have lived Cuyycled Raced with A shattered spine I never feared a moment on my bike I did fear the Day I had to Stop ridding because OF a hip injury. It ended up being the end for several years.

Good luck and If your going thru the ANTI OPIATE ISSUE WE are Facing write to me at knightwingfire@outlook.com
 
           

   Peter