Yes, oh yes indeed. We had a cold front blow in and I'm certain it played a role in my misery. My surgery was 3 weeks ago and when the weather changed, my back, hips, legs, and even my belly incision hurt like crazy. Could the weather really make your incisions hurt? Perhaps. If someone out there knows, please help Linda and me...thank you I hope your appt next Tues goes well and please let us know how it went. Take care

I had my 2 level fusion in the summer of 08. Had knee replacement in 07 and they both hurt (along with the rest of my joints. I have "Pick a Joint" arthritis and it picked ALL of the joints.
East Texas is going through the "Rainey Year". Ground is saturated and that makes the pecan leaves slippery. I keep having to take the muscle relaxers because I am so clumsey.
I fall beyond you'lls ages (68) so have a few more "age" things going on.
Best of luck to you both.

This.cold.wet.weather.is.making.me.miserable..We.have.
always.kept.our.thermostat.at.68.in.the.winter.but.i
have.to.turn.it.up.this.year..I.wonder.if.it.has.to.do.
with.the.shivering.and.how.it.affects.the.muscles..
Whatever.it.is.I.am.looking.for.warmth.to.reduce.my.pain.I.will.be.46.in.a.few.weeks..I.wore.2.pair.of.socks.in.the.summer..Soon.I.wont.be.able.to.get.my.shoes.on.
Good.luck.everyone.keep.warm,
Shirley

I was wondering about this too. It has gone quite a bit colder and fairly wet here in the UK over the last week or so. I am now 7 weeks post PLIF on l5s1 and have been suffering with aching muscles in my lower back and stomach since the weather turned. I don't know if it is the weather or just that I have been doing a bit more or a combo. I can see that the cold makes my muscles tense up which I guess would explain some of the pain.

I'm not "one of those old ladies with rheumatism", rather I'm a 30 yr old with it! I was diagnosed with RA about a year and a half ago, and I have OA in several places as well (mostly from sports and such), so the weather DEFINITELY affects me. Only once since my surgery, have I noticed the weather affecting my back that wasn't my usual arthritis aches and pains. We had a short winter storm move in earlier this week, and that first day my back (where my incision is) seemed very achy and cranky, and since I've had basically no pain for close to 6 weeks, I noticed it right away. I didn't need to take anything for it, but I am definitely thinking this winter without NSAIDs is going to be a rough one!

You are not alone!!

After my first PLIF in 2003 winters here in Northwest NJ can be the pits. I don't know about your winters, but here we can have bone-chilling cold for months and there is definitely a connection with the weather and my back pain.

Now that I have had my second fusion I'll be curious to see how I do this winter. And Linda, knock it off with the "I am older than many of you comments"! You are only 55 for crying out loud!!

By the way, I just noticed the date of your post, did you have the appt? How did it go?

Had my one year with my surgeon and now he tells me that my surgery was never about pain relief, but was about stabilizing my spine. I somehow remember him telling me before surgery that it wasn't like I was going to have my spine slip and paralyze me right away, but the stabilization would help my spine! :rolleyes: Ah, well. I guess it's six of one and half a dozen of the other. I am in less pain than before surgery, but I had hoped against hope that it would be very much like my old life once again. As many of us have discovered, we are changed forever.

Linda

I'm so sorry Linda.

I just hope that as time goes by your pain eases. I am sure after such a big surgery, the healing goes on for at least a couple of years.

I remember reading about a fusion patient who saw her surgeon for her 12 month checkup. She barely made it to his office from the hotel where she stayed and used a walking stick for support. One year later, at her 2 year checkup, she stayed in the same hotel. This time she walked without a stick, and without pain, and after her appt. met up with a friend and went to lunch, arriving back at her hotel many hours later, still with no pain. I believe there's still hope your pain will improve with time.