L5 S1

[Sweetpotatoe57]

If anyone has had problems with L5 S1, and could not sit, where was your pain located?  Did you also feel as if your leg was being crushed, as well as ribs, etc?

[msfergy]

I could not sit,stand or walk 2 weeks prior to when they finally listened to me and did other test as I mention in other question.

[Sweetpotatoe57]

When you talk about hernia, what kind are you talking about??  I don't have a disc issue, I guess.  I have loss of disc height, stenosis, and some mild budging, and other ****, that I just don't understand, and of course the tarlov cysts, that are really scarring me.  Did you have a fusion??  What kind of surgery did you have??  sweetpotatoe57

[Poobah]

Yes, my butt all the way down to my leg was in pain and numb.  It also had a tingling feeling from top to bottom.  I could only stay in bed to get comfortable.  It hurt if I stepped down by mistake, for example if there was a pothole in the road, and I didn't see it and stepped down by mistake.  It would hurt SOOO bad.  My nerves in my buttocks area were very sensitive.  If there was anything wrong with the cushion I was sitting on, like if the seem of the cushion were underneath my buttocks, it would absolutely kill me.  All this is because there is a nerve inflammed or pinched.

I opted for surgery because it gets rid of the pain immediately.  At least it did in my case.  I have a 1 inch scar from the whole thing.  I was able to get up and move around 2 days after my surgery.  Of course you will have to take it easy for a while, and you will NEVER be able to use your back like you used to.  No more picking up heavy weights!  By the way, even if you do have the surgery, your hernia is still there!  They will just cut the excess out.  So don't be fooled in that it can't come back.  It can.  I didn't know that, and am now feeling it creeping back into my lfe!

If you're not in a lot of pain, I think you should try some other kind of therapy before you opt for surgery.  Stretching excercises can help alot.

[Sweetpotatoe57]

Did you have buttox numbness, or pain in the area of the sit bone?  I do have leg involvement, had injections, not luck, and will be seeing a neurosurgeon on Oct. 1st.  Any other symptoms you had??  sweetpotatoe57

[Poobah]

Yes, I had the same problem 6 yrs ago.  I was not able to sit for 8 months!  Couldn't drive a car and could not stand for very long periods.  

My pain was located in my buttocks, and went all the way down my right leg to the heel.  My heel would numb up and tingle, almost like electricity going through it.  The pain was so bad at one time I thought amputating would be better.  Of course it wouldn't have been.  But boy, when you're hurting, you get pretty desperate!  LOL

My leg felt heavy, and I felt like I had to drag it.  I didn't feel crushing if I remember correctly.  And no, I had not pain in the ribs.  

Have you had an MRI done yet?  I am assuming you have.  

I ended up having surgery to have the hernia removed and have been fine until last year.  Now I think it is coming back.  Only the pain is a little bit different this time.  My back is not hurting, but just from the knee down.  But I still think it has to do with my back because all I have to do is lift something a little bit heavy, and the tingling/numbness in my heel comes back.

Be careful with your back.  Listen to what the Dr's say.  If the pain doesn't go away with excercise, then the only other option would probably be surgery.  It was an immediate response to my problem!