I have rods also but they were not Harrington. I always have some pain though nothing like you are going through. Hugs

Than you! I hope you are doing as best as possible considering the pain. Hugs to you also!

I had the same surgery as you. It will be 41 years this May. I empathize with you. I had my fusion extended in 2010. I have since developed flat back syndrome. I use a walker and sometimes a wheelchair. I saw a doctor about revision but was advised against it. Trying to adapt lifestyle in order to reduce pain but find it difficult. I hope you can keep a positive attitude.

Hi cactusmom. Looks like we are going thru the same thing. I also have flat back but I refused to fuse the last lumbar region. I am going to start seeing a pain specialist next week. I am hopeful I can get some relief. I have been reasonably active until about a year ago. Thank you for your encouragement. I usually am positive but as the years go by, it does get harder when you hurt so much. Take care and I hope you find relief also from your pain.

I see a pain specialist and it's been so helpful. Let me know how it goes with your pain specialist. Good luck.

I will let you know how it goes. Thank you. I'll be in touch! Take care.

Hi cactusmom. I saw a pain management specialist yesterday. Dr. Dawn Sparks who is actally an anesthesiologist said that I was a good candidate for the Medtronic Drug Delivery Implant. I will undergo a psychological evaluation first, and also to determine whether it will be by injection or continuous infusion methods.

I'm waiting to see if my health insurance will cover it. Since I've been denied SSDI, I have appealed and now my MD decides I need to seek other avenues of relief. Finally after 10 years, he's actually is taking an active stand on my pain relief. I am frightened yet optimistic about this. I will keep you updated if you wish. How are you doing today? I pray your pain level is bearable if not mimimal. Take care.

I have Harrington rods that were placed in 1984. I have had back pain on and off for years, however as time goes on my lower back is beginning to give me problems. I have started physical therapy to attempt to strengthen my core but skeptical due to how long I've been dealing with the pain. Hope you are feeling better.

Thanks asand, I'm feeling a little better. It's always different every day, so it can be trying at times. I hope the physical therapy helps you. I tried that too, but all it did was aggravate the pain and caused swelling in the muscles which became inflamed, hence ,no improvement. I really would like to hear how it goes with you though. Keep me posted on your results please. Take care till then

I'm so sorry to hear. I have a Harrington Rod from T5-T12 that was placed in 1984, so 31 years ago. I am now 50 and experience so much pain on a daily basis that it's sometimes hard to function. I had a CT Scan last week and will be having MRI tomorrow morning. I'm also starting PT later this month. I'm hoping to find some answers and some relief. I'm happy to have joined this group as it's hard to describe the pain to people that are not familiar with your issue, even though they're your family.

Sorry 1985. Gosh it will be 32 years this coming June! Time flies.

I had my surgery with Harrington rod 1970.My back has been hurting for years had 2 lumbar fusions 2006 but Now my back has new curvature in lumbar severe disc problems. My rod has now displaced at t6. I have one spurs in l4 and 5. I can't sit at all standing walking is getting harder no dr. Can help only pain management which isn't much.Does anyone have any advice on where igofrom here?

I am a new member of this support group. I felt as if is was alone in my pain. Now I see that lots of people have pain with scoliosis. I had a Harrington Rod placed in 1968. I did very good until I reached the age of 52. I had 2 children and worked as a nurse for 30 years. I finally had to go on disability in 2007. I gradually begin to have more and more pain. I am having problems with not having any kind of life now. I am in so much pain that I don't go anywhere, or clean house, cook, spend time with family ect.. My family does not understand about my pain. They think I am putting on. I have got to do something about this pain! I am so depressed. Does anyone have any ideas on what I might do to lessen my pain? I am on pain pills and patches but they do not work anymore. Please send info if you have any idea how to get my life back. Thanks for listening..

Hi verihapyone. I am so sorry for the pain your are suffering. It has to be horrible to have been such a hard worker thru the years and not have your family understand the pain you are in now. I too am an RN, worked 12 hour shifts for years after my fusion in 1996 from T3 thru L4. And I have been the pain med route. I had been on high dose methadone with immediate release morphine for 13+ years, along with Lyrica but still had to manage my pain with activities, or limiting them I guess would be more accurate.
I did question how I could know I wasn't just swallowing pain pills that weren't helping my pain at all, since I still hurt. I never got an answer. But I so feared that there was some unbearable agony being taken care of to one degree or another with the narcotics that I kept it up. Looking back I don't think the narcotics were helping me after the first few months. When my pain mgt dr retired after 13 years the new one cut back the methadone by 20 mg/day and said he would not write more morphine. No change of course.
Several things happened that made me get off the narcotics, with no change at all in my pain levels before a hip replacement. After the hip replacement- the hip was a horrible mess- I also wanted a clear picture of how much pain was from the hip that had been ignored for years and years and how much was back related.
About 90% of my pain was gone! For 3 months I was better than I had been in 15 years or more. But the hip was my low hip from the scoliosis and the surgeon made my leg longer so my hips were then level. I had some concerns that maybe bringing the hip up level was not going to work well for my fusion. Suddenly 3 months and 2 days post hip surgery I was hit with low back pain that has kept me in bed for 2 months. I see a new Dr tomorrow, taking my myelo-cat scan with me and I pray he has some answers. It's hard to stay positive when life is limited to a few minutes out of bed. I am also weaning off the Lyrica and it has been a real hell, much harder and longer lasting than I had anticipated. So I'm weak, nauseated, skinny, in pain and scared the new dr will just say he doesn't see an issue.
I do hope you have had some good days since you wrote and can find an answer somewhere that will take the bulk of your pain away.