Pain after fusion surgery

[tammy525]

I had an L3-S1 fusion in May 2010. I am 52 years old. I have pain now down my left leg...hip pain, shin pain and numbness, ankle with electric pain and swelling. If I walk to long my lower leg swells. I have been to several spine surgeons trying to get aswers. It is very frustrating after 18 months. I have been told that my bottom screws are to long but they don't think that is the cause of pain. I have been told by my surgeon to remove appliances may help. Other surgeons say no need to remove them. I go get second opinions just to get more confused. I have had injections, MRI, CT Mylagram and 2 EMGs in the last 6 months. I take 1800mg of Gabapentin a day. This is causing weight gain which can not help my back or leg. So I feel everyone's pain. Any suggestions on my situation would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks and good luck to all,
Tammy

[stillamommasgrl]

Hi Tammy,
I am so sorry you are suffering like this.  The things you mentioned are just some of the things my mom goes through daily after having had 2 lower back surgeries and 1 cervical surgery.  She has suffered in much the same way for over 30 years (after her first surgery).  I won't go into the details here because I don't think there is enough room, but if you want more information just send me a message and I'll fill you in.  She too was taking Gabapentin (3000 mg daily).  It wasn't until I began taking first Lyrica, then Gabapentin and lastly Topomax (for PHN due to shingles) that she finally realized that part of her pain was being caused by the Gabapentin.  While on the Gabapentin I noticed that I had pain in places unrelated to the PHN.  I also had swelling in both ankles as well as hip pain, shin pain, and numbness in my legs, along with many other side affects that were less than comforting.  I knew this was not caused by the PHN because it affects my upper back, shoulder blade, arm, hand and fingers.  As I mentioned, I tried two other medications to try help with the nerve pain and had much the same with those.  The one thing that happened only with Gabapentin was the swelling in my ankles. I also had weight gain on lyrica and gabapentin.  The awful taste and sores in my mouth, as well as the heartburn and other stomach issues that I had while on the topomax helped with the weight gain because eating was the last thing I wanted to do.  My mom said that as she was listening to me describe the "new" pain I had while taking the above mentioned meds she began to notice that some of what I was experiencing was what she had been going through since her 2nd surgery (when she was put on Gabapentin).  She hadn't even thought about the possibility of the medication causing any of her pain because most of her issues have been in her lower back, which affects her hips and legs.  Anyway, to make a long story a little shorter, after talking to her doctor, she stopped taking the Gabapentin and although she still has a lot of pain due to irreversible nerve damage and degenerative disc disease and spinal stenosis, the pain in her shins and the horrible deep muscle pain in the top of her thighs (which I experienced as well) is gone and her hip pain is much better also.  There is a huge amount of information out there on the side affects and dangers of all three of the medications I mentioned.  I would recommend that you look into it.  I'm not saying  Gabapentin is the cause of pain for anyone, but I know that for my mom and myself, it added to the pain it was supposed to be helping.  Had I known what I know now (isn't that always the case) I would never have taken any of those meds.  As I said, I don't know if the medication is causing you any adverse affects, but it might be worth your time to look into it and discuss it with your doctor.  I have more information I could share with you if you want.  Just let me know.  One more thing -- I'm sure you already know this, but I feel like I need to say it anyway, DO NOT just stop taking it, even if you think it might be causing some of your pain.  This is one of the reasons I wish I had never even started taking any of these meds.  It took FOREVER to stop taking them.  
I sincerely hope you find some answers and relief, and if I can help you in any way, please let me know.

[S. Kaul, MD]

Hi Tammy!

I am really sorry for what all you have been through. Well, it would be very difficult to judge and comment on the situation without knowing the relevant clinical details. If there is difference of opinion between the doctors regarding the management plan; I would suggest getting a third opinion from another orthopedician preferably at a university or teaching hospital and only after considering the pros and cons of each should a management plan be decided upon.
Hope this is helpful.

Take care!