Four months ago I had a spinal fusion on L3,L4 & L5. Although the most severe pain down my right leg has gone I seem to be left with varying symptoms that I would like to control without pain killers. Lifting anything like shopping from the car or bending to vacuum seems to trigger an ache in my lower back about the syatic area. This rapidly turns into weakness and I have to sit down to relieve it. Also walking any distance leads to weakness in my legs and they start to shake. I also have a general fatigue a lot of the time .. some days I need to go back to bed because I can t stay awake. I am walking about 500mtrs to and from work three times a week and feel this is building up my leg and back mussels again. I am also having a remedial massage once a week to loosen any knots. Most days my back becomes weaker towards the end of the day and I can t stand for more than a few minutes at a time. Sometimes I get a heaviness in my legs. It feels like they weight a ton and I m dragging myself around with not a lot of messages from my brain getting through. Nothing is consistent enough for me to put a finger on it so it is difficult to decide what works to relieve it. I still use 50mg quick release Tramadol when I ve had enough of the bite and I find once they start working I usually can get on with my day except for lifting or bending. Can you suggest anything.