"lumbar fusion, cervical fusion. 12 years of opiate treatment for the pain led to a large tolerance for these medicines. i&#039;m opiate free now. i have been put on gabapentin. i love it. for me the build up of stiffness is more of a problem than the pain is. don&#039;t get me wrong, it hurts!, but i seize up the more i do a physical activity. i&#039;m on day 4. the stiffness is all gone. the pain is reduced to the lumbar area only, and only a 2 or 3 on the pain scale after a full day of housework. so many good reports out here, i thought i would share...thanks."