Chronic Back Pain

[szimmer958]

I had Back surgery 22 sept 2003, since then I have been through pain management and other tests. The surgery that was preformed was laminectomy of L4-5, the nerve was also pinched. Since that time the pain has worsened and I have had more pain management treatment with interthecal epidural injections and PT. A couple of days ago I had an MRI done and received the results. I have a hard time understanding what it all means. If you could help me it would be greatly appreciated. It said I have post-surgical changes with a defect at L4-5 with enhancing granulation tissue and scar formation in the ventral epidural space, along with Buldiging Disc at L3-4 with early facet hypertrophty. What does all this mean and how can it be corrected? I am tierd of the chronic pain and would like for it to end. Again thanks for your help.

[CCF-Neuro-M.D.-PW]

The MRI report does not suggest a clear cause for your persistent back pain, although I am limited to referring to the report and not the scan itself

the defect at L4/5 is just the part of the bone they remove as a standard part of your surgery, and the enhancement with contrast and granulation tissue at the surgical site is also normal for a postop appearance. There is also a bulging disc at a higher level than the surgery - sometimes surgery can make a higher disc more unstable - that is one of the limitations of surgery like this. It does not sound like it is causing much trouble thoufh. The facet hypertrophy is part of 'wear and tear' - in time it could be enough to pinch a nerve.

Good luck

[njeric]

I'm right there with you. Got hurt @ work. 3 herneations L34-L5S1. Had a laminectomy L5/S1 June this year. Right leg pain still there. MRI from 2 weeks ago is hard to understand, and ortho surgeon trying to say I'm fine.
It says under L5: "There is diffuse enhancement along the diskectomy path enveloping the right L5 exiting nerve root at the nerve root entry zone."
Chiropractor said "diffuse enhancement" means swelling?
I wonder if my pain is caused by the HNP at L4/L5?
Fighting with comp now to let me see a Neurosurgeon.
Im taking nuerontin for the nerve pain, but still need the vicoden when it gets unbarable.

[szimmer958]

Fight and get workers comp to get you to neurosurgeon.  I pushed them and they sent me. The neurontoin did not work for me either. I had pain killers but they did not work either so I don't use any. I on;y take ambien to help me sleep. I also read that only 10% of laminectomies are successful and that 75% end getting worse. These things the surgeon does not tell you. I found this information on webmd.com while serching for answers to my problem, if I knew the what I know now I would not have done the surgery, because i'm definitely in more pain now. I hope you get to the surgeon but do not let him fuse your spine, then everything above the fusion will go bad in a few years. Again good luck and thanks for the support.

[JoAnnaRF]

My Neuro gave me stats before my surgery that were completely opposite saying 75% of the time, the surgery makes everything better. Now that I am one of the many suffering from "failed Back Surgery" "Post Laminectomy Syndrome" he says my case isn't very common. What a joke!

[beba176]

I had chronic back pain for the last 4 years,Surgeons tell me they won't do surgery cause it won't make me feel better,although I appreciate their honesty,I don't know what to do.I go to pain management and went through dicogram and all the other injections and I am left with a choice of either getting a morphine pump or go on disability.I had the pump trial and ended up in the hospital for 5 days with a spinal headache and dehydration.The pump did help my lower back pain,but now I'm afraid to get the permanent pump.There are alot of risks.Does anyone have suggestions?

[maw1953]

I had a lumbar microdisectomy on Sept. 23, 2005 and am still having lots of pain. My back pain is much worse now than before surgery. I had an accident at work in April, 2004 lifting and twisting with bags of heavy coin from the drive thru window at the bank. I had a herniated disc at the L5-S1 level. In May of 2004 I had a series of 3 steroid epidural injections which gave me relief for a week or so between injection.  I then went through 4 weeks of physical therapy and home therapy. The workmans comp. insurance company sent me to one of their doctors who of course said I was fully recovered.  The insuranc company closed my case so I had to get a lawyer to reopen the case. My surgeon sent me for a second MRI in Jan, 2005 which showed the disc herniation.  Now I am 3 1/2 weeks post op and doing physical therapy again for 4 weeks. I take Neurontin and Vicadin  for pain control.  I am not sure what to do execpt give it more time.  My right foot is numb and the pain in my right buttox and leg comes and goes depending on how much activity I do. I have trouble sleeping, sitting for more than 15 minutes and very hard to drive more than 10-15 minute trips.  I hope some time soon this back pain goes away because now it is about a 9 out of 10 in pain.

[Matt83]

I had a lumber lamincetomy to L5/S1 two weeks ago after suffering from chronic back and leg pain for six months.  As I am only 22 the doctors here in England took my complaint seriously and sent me for an MRI scan after trying to fix the problem through physiotherapy for six months.  The scan showed that the bulge had taken up 80% of the spinal cavity, so it was important to operate because permanent damage can be done to the nerves that control toilet and sexual functions if pressure is on them for too long.  I had an emergency operation within two weeks of having the scan, and the risks were put at between 1 & 2%.

I saw the physiotherapists the day after the operation and they got me standing up, and walking about and noticed immediate relief from the pain I had before the operation.  Over the past two weeks I have got better and better, so even though I am still sore after the operation there isn’t a doubt in my mind that I won’t fully recover.  Recovery is supposed to take between 12-16 weeks and if you don’t want the problem to reoccur the doctors advise you to get physically fit, which I am going to do as soon as I feel able to do so.

Plus as a resident of England the NHS pays all my medical bills.  Thanks Tony Blair

[jewles c]

hi it's been about 5yrs already i fell on a flight of stairs and landed on my lower back at first it didn't hurt, but slowlyit started hurting every day from the time i get up to i go to sleep my lower back is always hurting i have numbness in my lower left leg and sharp pain that goes form lower back ,buttocks,my inner left calf and big toe its driving me crazy i had epidural shots and nothing works, my mri says that i have 3 bulging disks and 1 is more pronouced the L4-L5 which is pinching the nerve root my neurologist did an emg and said my sensory nerve is damage idon't know what to do i'm staring to get depressed because i could barely do anything without it hurting and it seems like know one wants to help the problem just give pain meds i've been to PT over 20 times and no help com someone help they also said my siatica is involved

[shorty7]

I have had two spinal fusion sugeries. One through the back which failed and my back became worse and wound up on 200 mg of oxycontin. then a year later I had it through the front. The fusion was successful but I am in pain still pretty much 24 hours 7 days a week. This surgery was over 2 years ago. My doctors dance around the subject of presribing me pain meds. I told them Vicodin isn't helping The Lidocain patches are okay but when the pain is sevre (which is at least five days a week) nothing helps.I am stll waiting for approval for facet injections from the compensation board which can take for ever. A nurse at my doctors office says "Everyone has there aches and pains, just take extra srength Tylenol." I've had aches and pain and have an extremely high tolerence for pain but this is chronic pain that is all day all night. I am at my end of the rope I am depressed and even embarassingly admit that I am contimplating suicide because no one understands what I am going through. Hopefully now that I found this forum I can talk to someone that is sharing the same feeling. Such as my life as I know it is over at 36. I can't sit, sleep, go on vacation, play with my kids, intamacy is even painful to the point of shying away from it. Can anyone give me pain med advice or just talk to me. Danny or you can e-mail me ***@****

[dog36]

A related discussion, leg hip and rib pain was started.