leg pain after back surgery

[allison74]

i had anterior lumbar fusion l5-S1 in may of 06. Immediatedly developed leg pain, with numbness and pins and needles. told surgeon on 2 separate occasions he ignored my questions as to why this happened. The last 8 months have been hell for me. i am now on 800 mg of neurotin 3x a day. i cannot put any weight on my left leg at all.i had an MRI and a Cscan done , not really a 100% sure , but it looks as though the screw on the left side of the plate in my lower back went down too far and is actually sitting on the nerve going down theleft leg. any advice would be greatly appreciated.

[anasazi61]

What most doctors do not seem to understand or glean from their patients is : we want pain relief. What they sale us is : we will fix the physical problem and HOPE this cures the resulting pain issues.

We are commonly kept unaware of the side effects not only from Surgical damage, hardware implementation damage and poisoning, but also the true results of the appalling number of failed surgeries where daily pain and or drug intervention is required for life.

I have found Medical Cannabis to be 90% as effective at relieving my post L4/5 Fusion low back, right leg and sciatic nerve pain, as the narcotic pain pills. I do concede that there are still times I need Opiate pain relief to control my pain at night.

I have no side effects from the Medical cannabis. The THC molecule, which does make you feel happy, in marijuana helps with chronic pain, the CBD molecule has been shown to stop siezures in persons with conditions involving musculoskeletal nerve disorders, and has anti-inflammatory properties.

I was tired ot the pills and how they made me withdraw from life even further.

I welcome interesting conversation and debate with you and others with this issue.
Shawn Jensen

[Footprint13]

In June 2013 I went for a disc removal cause of my sciatica during my operation I received a tear in my spinal core leaking fluid around my body causing headaches and sickness.Eventually getting through to doctor who done operation asked me to back to the hospital were I had to stay waiting on MRI scan during my stay my fluid started to leak out of my wound.Then my headaches and sickness returned again.With seeing a different doctor I was rushed straight to theatre to repair the tear and get a wash out .Nine days later I got home.I was home for 1 day when I stared shiffering and then hot sweats, 2 days passed my daughter said to me mummy your back is leaking again I cried .Phoning the hospital they said to return to them ,I received an infection treated with anibocitics the 3rd doctor comes to me and says the only way to get this away quickly is surgery for another flush out I cried and cried... The day had arrived theatre here I come again eventually after 2wks the infection cleared.But I have numbness in my lift leg with pins and needles, I can not bend the leg with out causing pain and it stops me from sleeping plus the cramps ahh getting worse .Now my headaches are back another MRI .I have now started to get a shakey hand when holding anything .Will this go away it stops me from driving and walking to far always have to have support when walking .....

[Dorka13]

Hi all. I had my third back surgery in seven months just two weeks ago, it was lumbar fusion. Like everybody else the back pain is gone and that is wonderful but about three days post op I developed left leg pain.. It started with my knee, I was unable to bear my own weight and was in absolute agony trying to bend my knee, that is gone now but still have the pain in my lover leg with sharp, shooting pain in my foot. Every time I wiggle my toe I it feels as though I am pulling my nerve, it has that burning sensation. I am wearing the back brace every time I am out of bed and go walking twice a day but can't do long distances just couple minutes. I van only sit in reclined position can't stand for very long so spent most of my time in bed.. I just turned 40, have two kids and a husband who is pretty much doing everything around the house.. I am now two stone heavier than I was last November before the first surgery, I try to eat healthy but.... I spoke to the surgeons secretary yesterday and told her about the leg, she is due to come back to me. I am reading all your stories and to be honest I am really scared that my leg won't improve that it will get worse.. I can't have another surgery, I've been out of work for eight months, and now I am on half my pay. Any ideas how can I get better? I am on oxynorm and targin twice a day and the secretary told its time to get off them now! I also take solpadeine and panadol when I need to and of course sleeping pills! Can anyone please give me some advice....? Thank you

[chezieh]

I am 2 weeks post surgery for l5 s1 fusion with cage, the surgery went very well, without complication an I was discharged day 3, all was fine until post 9 days when I thought I had just overdone the walking, my calves and ankles were excruciatingly painful, over the next day or so it changed from one leg to the other, came and went like a searing poker being rammed down my calf, then, numbness then pain again, I had to phone the doc and get a stronger prescription painkiller as my meds were not touching it, I presume it is nerve pain, swelling coming and going and things just settling down, its not quite as bad now but after sitting a while comes on when I stand or walk just as bad. Wasn't warned about any of this so will be reporting it when I go back on wed to see surgeon, hope it eases up soon tho.

[Tovalady]

How did things go for you!.
I'm doing that right now and I done know what to do!

[Tovalady]

How did things go for you!.
I'm doing that right now and I done know what to do!

[Brokeheartbrokeback]

Dexamethasone steroids are a corticosteroid has any body been put on this post op from lumber surgery?  10 weeks post op And a week 1/2 ago I've been off of them. Was on them 8 days and I felt and still feel weird. Nervous jittery, can't sleep feel And look puffy. Weird thing is I feel more puffy in my face and neck than really am. At first I. Could not eat enough food and went to the bathroom every hour to pee because I drank so much fluid. My mouth was dry like the desert. Could not and still can't recover. I'd rather be in this pain without those drugs. I had a revision surgery on my L5-S1,2,3 & a new fusion on L4
Had drop in foot immediately after surgery so after 10 days in hospital ( had other things go wrong ) ie; took.catheter out too early and had bladder get to 1000 cc 3 times before they recatheter'd me) got dehydrated ?? Had Iv come out. Had a pik line put in arm. Etc. I went to rehab for 7 days then was sent home I was doing ok until 1 1/2 months at home woke up and had the worst left leg pain. Just like all the stories previous to mine. It's excruciating. I would rather be pre-op than this. I've lived with this too long. I don't see doc until June 7 and I'm afraid of what he's gonna say. Because I feel like I know the answer. I had my first surgery in 09 after I was told I had DDD at 30 years old. Had surgery came out in pain. Had screw impinged in nerve root. Went back in 5 days later and they removed screw said bone graft was grafted and would hold. I was feeling ok after surgery but immediately felt pain. When I walked I had to lift my left buttock up. I complained for nearly 8 months at doc appt at home. I would call and I kept getting that's normal healing pains. Finally I get 'my doc to do MRI and ct and ta da!  My fusion was broke. Ahh really? Now back in for repair in 2000 and it was a 14 hour surgery and statute of limitations had run out so I couldn't sue. Now I'm with nerve damage and severe back pain and stuck in pain mgnt up until today 5/24/13 I'm in bed can't get left leg down to floor one or more of the sciatic nerves is pinched post op from February 18th and I have a little bruising at incision site. Hoping that's from being on my back so long at first when it started because I couldn't move for up to 8 hours sometimes. I'm home alone my husband works he comes home at lunch and doesn't get off until 7 and he's exhausted taken care of me, shopping cooking getting my meds several times a month taking care of our cats and dog laundry etc. he's at a new job 1 yr hates it. We have no family or friends here. We moved from calif. to Texas in 2009 from stress at a job that he was working at 16 hours a day he got wore out got sick and then had a seIzure  2 times in 5 weeks now he's diagnosed with idiopathic epilepsy. So needless to say we've been thru a lot. Hard on marriage he's tired I'm tired where is rainbow. Is there gonna be relief in site. What if I need another surgery?  I feel in my heart I do. I can tell that something moved or broke. I'm also afraid that I could get poisoned because I'm taking so much pain meds and my doctor like to stop one and start another without weening me down. It make me nervous and I have side affects. I can go on all day about steroid injections etc. Anyone have New info or something good to say that's positive or will help me help myself. These Internet postings scare the hell outta me and also at the same time I feel not alone just a greater sadness that there are so many of us suffenring from the same pre and post op nightmares that go on and on. Sorry so long of story. Healing prayer to all before and after me.

[fellowsurgsufferer]

i had surgery L5 s1,,,my pain was due to a shift of my vertebrae therefore pressing on sciatic nerve. my surgeon put in a titanium spacer and used it as a compression n decompression. the spacer was used to push up but also to pull sideways...thats why its considered both compress and decompres. Immediately after the surgery...the original pain was gone. No more nerve burn tingling fromm hip down to foot. I only had pain in surgucal site (normal) but after 3 wks I started 2 feel the pain cming back and thought i did smthing wrong even though i followed all dr orders. i wear a custom brace when not in bed n nd 3 for 4 to 6 months. Dr. said no twisting or bending' during my 1rst post op...no complaints really...2nd i was in some pain n dr said that the friction on the nerve that was going on prior 2 surgery needs to heal due to constant friction...kinda like if u keep scrapping your skin with smthing sharp over n over again...the pain dsnt stop bc u stop scrapping at it...it needs 2 heal n can smtimes inflame. also lack of stretching dsnt help...so i hope thats what it is. makes sense. I take everything 2 help spead up recovery. was told lots of protein from red meat. body needs good nutrition 2 heal. when im not hungry i drink ensure and eat lots of anti inflam foods such as berries. tons of supp. fish oil b6 b12 L-glutamine glucosamine chondroitin d-3 iron multi probiotics lots of vit c...im still in pain but not as much. surg was done dec 10th 2012, so to early to tell...also...for u women...if u r still nenstruation the added inflammation may add to pain so take notice if thats the case. the oxycodone 10mg help n i will take 1 in the morn n 1 at night if i nd 2. its not excessive n i refuse 2 deal with the pain. if 4 months in... im still in pain then i expect smthing is wrong unless dr sees smthing wrong thats not part of the pain from healing. remember...this is spine surg not root canal but knw ur body and go with ur intuition n trust ur dr unless u hve reason not 2....OK FOR YOU WHO NEEDS A 2ND SURG N WILL HVE NO INSURANCE TO COVER,,,,IM PRETTY SURE THAT IF U CONTINUE WITH COBRA WHICH MAY COST A BIT...ITS FAR LESS THEN SURG COST. LOOK INTO THAT...IT SHLD HVE BEEN OFFERED BY UR EMPLOYER 2 CONT COVERAGE CUZ IF U DNT KEEP COV N THERE IS A GAP...UR NXT COV MAY NOT COVER WHEN U GET A NEW JOB CUZ IT MAY BE CONSIDERED PRE EXSISTING. HVE THE SURG. YOUR PAIN IS NOT WORTH DEALING WITH N MONEY WILL MEAN NOTHING IF UR I PAIN. UR FELLOW SURG SUFFERER