severe pain in hip and pelvic region after spinal fusion

Question

I had a fusion of my L5 S1 in January of this year. About a month or two after I started experiencing severe pain in my hip and pelvic region. I had xray of my hip area and my neurosurgeon said that everything looked normal. He said he would send me to an orthopedic because he didn't know what was going on, even after he put me on the table and saw how much pain I was in. Mind you when the technician was taking the xrays i was bawling because the pain was so severe. I am being sent to an ortho for my hip and the pain management clinic to see if it is my SI joint. I went for my mri the other day and they put a towel between my feet and taped them pigeon toed? Any reason why they did this? I was in so much pain I couldn't get off the table. And when I finally did I couldn't bear weight on my right side. I'd like to know if anyone else has experienced this. I am in the military and I feel i'm getting jerked around by these doctors. I'm not sure if I should get a second opinion from a civilian doctor? But I am at wits end with all of this. I am an avid athlete who loves sports and I have not been able to do any type of exercise without being in extreme pain.

varvara123 · Answer

I am sorry to hear it, it looks same as I had after surgery, but in additional i got foot drop after back surgery.. I made IMR, but doctors s told me all is right, but there was not right with a lot of pain. After 6 years again took mri and doctor told I have pinch my nerve exactly, l3-l4 what I had surgery...he said looks like i had surgery but disk compressed my nerve .  I had after surgery much worse then before. I help my self have a good physical therapist, regular swimming, what is really help a lot.  I do not trust any surgeons after my experiences. Usually after surgrey any physical therapist do not want to work with you it is understandable. I helped myself: ate good diet, nerve support, vitamin B... cayon/black paper, ginger, garlic what is reduce inflammation. Best physical therapy swimming. Any drugs did not help me, make me worse with a lot complication of my health, liver problems, headache, ...

Ricci9 · Answer

My pain is specifically when I walk and sit.  Mainly walking activates severe nerve pain in Right buttocks, right hip, down front and back of leg and the joint to my groin.  I am 3 months post L5-S1 and L3-L4.  The L5 to S1 was a revision from 5 years ago.  Found out it never fused.  I have been in all over severe pain because a specialist kept telling me nothing was wrong with me.  I since had 5 surgeries in 5 months and back fussing was the last one.  My pain is mostly on my right side.  If I keep using it then it won't calm down.  After rest the pain goes away.   Does any body have any idea about this?  In my buttocks it feels like something is poking me.  Any idea what can be the cause?!?!   I had an MRI and PA didn't see anything but will have the Dr look at it.   I hope it's not damaged.  I don't want pain killers to live.   Thank you!

clairebeario · Answer

hi, 
i have been reading through these comments and ur plight is very similar to my own. i am 20 months post spinal fusion of the l5 s1. i have had 3 surgeries in 2 years, but now i am suffering with painful hips, leg pain i am used to, due to nerve damage. but my right hip is definately worse. i am reluctant to go to the doctors, as i know they will just say painkillers etc. i take zapain for the pain, but lately this isnt strong enough and i am having trouble sleeping. im 32 years old and i am wondering if you could give me any advice, e.g. different painkillers etc. i too feel like i am just in for a life of pain and lack of sleep. 
thanks 
claire

Tuckamore · Answer

Hi Dolly, Welcome.

I don't recognize a question in your post - If you have one please restate it. I also don't see a specific person that you may be addressing your comments. I'm assuming you mean this for anyone. 

As you know this is an old thread. I don't think any of the posters are active at this time. This community is not my normal "hang out". You can usually find me in the Pain Management Community - however our very knowledgeable Philnoir that usually monitors and respond here has been absent - so I check in as often as time permits.

You're correct. Sciatica is not a disease condition, it's a SX (symptom). I have it and my lower spine is fine. I have severe SIJD (Sacroiliac Joint Dysfunction). Your sciatica may not be caused from the same reasons you experienced before surgery. The Sciatic Nerve is long and extends from the mid-lower spine down the posterior portion of the leg. This large nerve can be compressed any where along it's length. 

I think they are wise to preform some imaging. There are a number of reasons that may be causing your sciatica. 

When you say you have "spynothosis" do you mean stenosis - which is a medical term for narrowing?  It could also be the cause of your sciatica, as I'm sure you know.

I encourage you to begin your own thread - "Post a Question". It will bring you better visibility and probably more responses. I look forward to hearing more from you.

Best of Luck,
~Tuck

dollydagger76 · Answer

anyone everything of sciatica as the problem gad the same I had a full fusion from top to all the way to my scarum with screws in my hips. I had had sciatica before my surgery for scoliosis but it was never this bad . I went to the ER they didnt even take ct scans or xrays but diagnoised me with sciatica gave me aq tramodakl shot for the inflamation and gave me prednisone 30 mgs twice a day abt the second day of taking the steriods I was finally able to start walking again. i never thought of sciatica again cause I had it beofre my surgery,It was a bad case of it. worse i even had . I didnt think it I would have it again and never thought of it. I ws scared infection set in on the screws or the screws splintered my hip. Even though I am getting better they still want me to get checjed again since the er didnt take xrays or anything. Just to mak sure of no fractures or infection. it started to only hurt whenever I tried to walk on it but then It started hurting even when I sat down , It was like a bad toothache never ending pain even my tail bone hurt. I do have spynothosis also. narrowing of the spine. Hurts when I sit down and put pressure on the tail bone. i dont think sciatica will show on and xrays its a inflamation of the main nerves going down from your hips thru those holes on each of your hips and then they get irrated and inflame causes lots of pain if they get pinch.

Margne · Answer

one month out, going through same, although mine started at two week mark when my incision gushed in the Dr office.  I thought I had sat in water and was told the serous fluid could build up and cause it , probably coming. from where the bone was taken in my right hip and also causing the pain.  yesterday I had an X-Ray and this morning the pain is gone.  I'm hoping for good!  Would like to hear what you found out on the 5th of October 2015

Margne · Answer

one month out, going through same, although mine started at two week mark when my incision gushed in the Dr office.  I thought I had sat in water and was told the serous fluid could build up and cause it , probably coming. from where the bone was taken in my right hip and also causing the pain.  yesterday I had an X-Ray and this morning the pain is gone.  I'm hoping for good!  Would like to hear what you found out on the 5th of October 2015

rickc10 · Answer

I'm new to this forum but I have a similar situation as most of the people posting.  I had spinal stenosis with a Synovial Cyst at L5. and dealt with all the procedures from Physical Therapy to Steroid Injections to deal with the pain in my lower back and butt shooting down my right leg to my knee and calf. 
Right now it's been 7 weeks since major surgery on Lumbar L3, 4 & 5 with a Fusion at L4 and L5. No minimally invasive procedures were used. At the 2 week mark I started having a sharp jabbing pain running across my lower back, upper butt and hips with the most intense pain in the right hip area. If I stood for more than 5 minutes the pain became more and more intense to the point where I had to sit down to relieve the pain. Since surgery I'm taking Hydrocodone, Celebrex and a muscle relaxer.  My 3 week post op visit with the surgeon was short with barely enough time to ask about the pain. He took an X-ray and said everything looked good.  AS to the pain his remark was that it was a normal part of recovery and would go away soon.  So far that statement is not true.  As a matter of fact the pain is getting worse. Today it was so bad I cried,  In all the postings from patients with the same pain no one has ever said their pain went away or what they had to do. This pain is worse than the pain I had prior to the surgery.  My surgeon has not heard the last of me. My next visit is October 5, 2015 and I fully intend to get to the bottom of this even if it requires another procedure.

baby1966 · Answer

My name is sheila I've had 3 back surgeries and after the second one I caught an infection in my back and was put on medication which gave me kidney failure. I'm having the same pain in my lower back, my butt cheeks, left and right hips. I can't sleep at night or even lay on my back or right hip. I have to sleep on my stomach. I can't stand up for or even sit down for long time. When I get up out of bed or get up from a chair I can't do nothing but cry, the pain is do bad. For my back infection I had to go see a specialist. I've been seeing him for 5 months and he asked me do I want to get an second opinion and I said yes. The doctor he referred me to is a spine doctor and he is giving me a new ct scan. He looked at my MRI results from my other doctor and said that he thinks I still have infection in my back and he said that I need to have my hardware taking out of my back and have my back cleaned out and get new hardware. So I have my new ct on Monday of this month and I go back and see the doctor on Tuesday.

henrysmom96 · Answer

I had L5/S1 fussion in 2000. It has never been great, but now I am having severe DEEP pain in my hips. More so on the right side than the left. I still have the hardware in my back. I had xrays done last year and they said everything is where it is supposed to be. I figure it is just my lot in life to have this pain.

1babyboy · Answer

I know this is an old post but I feel the need to comment here.I like most of u am worse now after the fusion l4 l5..Im in tears reading this because I am not alone..the surgan really thought I must have ruptured another disc I now have atrophy as well in my right leg..buth of my legs are going numb and to lay on either hip creats worse sciatic pain..the nerve pain is so much worse now and the purpose of the surgary was to help that pain my back was not as much of an issue but it is now..exspecially if Im getting up from bed or from sitting it is horrible pain that circles around to my sides..
 besides the nerve problem becoming worse now I deal with back pain I didnt have before surgary...
 I can no longer lift my big toe and the cramp and burning is so bad. in my legs exspecially the thigh and calf muscels.the pain is bone deep though.. 24 hours a day with no relief...
  what does the surgan say..everything looks fine..how can that be...I kept telling him there has to be something..not that I want something wrong I just want something fixable....
 has anyone gotton answers does anyone know where to turn..like you I am being set to get druged up that doesnt fix the problem and will just add to more..I have been on all kinds of meds for 11 yrs now due to this...so taking pain pills is not a big help I have become immune I think..but I must say I let myself run out of pain meds cause I didnt think it helped as much as aparently they did..I went int a meltdown the pain was so bad I didnt care what took away the pain..and I used the lidodern pain patches with a heating pad and over dosed..it was very scarey..so as a warning do not use heat with pain patches..

Jan256 · Answer

I have degenerative disc disease. In March of 09 I had an L5S1 fusion, In April of 09 6three fusd in my neck and in March of 10 theL5S1 undone and the L4 added to it. I have constant low back and groin pain and my legs cramp. No matter what I do I cannot relieve this nerve wracking pain. Dr. says everything looks good but I dont believe it is or I wouldnt be in so much pain. I am much less active therefore I am gaining weight which I know doesnt he4lp the situation. I do not know what to do. I toss nand turn in bed every night and many nights do not sleep at all even with my meds. Is there anyone who can offer me any advice? I was put on total disability with restictions and have no medical coverage for six more months. My colon was even injured duriing the surgery so the pain pills I take keep me from having bowel movements unless I take laxatives daily. I am so disheartened....You turn to the medical community to help you and this happens. Then you end up like this and they cant help you...especially with no medical insurance. Whatever happened to a doctors oath?

MRSavory · Answer

i Want to thankyou for your post as im at my wits end ,i know this post is a couple of years old , but again i woke at 3 this morning in pain , i had spinal surgury 8 weeks ago after years of back ache (ive always had back ache) and drs giving me useless pain killers they agreed to give me a scan , i also had to call the Dr out as i could not move the pain was so bad i kept passing out , the scan should a problem enouth to sugest an opperation , i was due to have my overies removed (i had an hysterectomy in 2005 at 35 ) due to Endro , they wanted me to have the opp first as gyne probs can cause back problems . sadly after it got worse so anouther scan was done my back prob had got worse . so i went in for a spinal fusion in surgury they found that 1 disc was well over sized and flat as a ribbon and around that the spine had started to crumble , i did have complecations i lost blood and developed a blood clot i also lost feeling in my bladder so i had to have emergancy surgury 2 days after ,  weeks on i have Numbness in my feet and my left leg drags, for a few weeks ive been getting hip pain and bladder pain witch wakes me up , i also have trouble sitting up and lying on my left side, ive also developed 2 larged lumps on my left leg on below my hip and one just under the top of the leg there hard and painful and burn , do i bother the Dr ? but buy the sound of it from the replys theres not much point , the pain killers help a bit but im on a high dose and i dont really want to up them , im allergic to anti-inflamities and morphin . it seems like this is a common problem , its been a couple of years for you all now i might not even get a reply is there light at the end of the tunnel ? i do hope so i hope your all doing well and thankyou for posting this :)
best wishes for the new year :)

CoxRox · Answer

I had L1 & L2 spinal fusion surgery and I'm only one week post op.  My pain in my back is getting better day by day but the hip & pelvic pain I'm experiencing is terrible.  There is absolutely no way for me to get comfortbable (laying down, sitting, standing, etc).  I was wondering how long the pain lasts?  I go to my post op appointment on Monday but the doctor had to write me a couple more prescriptions (neurontin, & some steriod pack), I believe that's to help with the hip & pelvic pain.  It's almost as if my skin hurts, like it hurts to touch it.  Is that normal?

Monarch_Kim · Answer

Did you have instrumentation? After my 1st of 4 surgeries last year... Found out a rod was impingeing on a nerve in my hip: the pain was worse than before my 1st surgery! (the ureter to my left kidney was also cut) Now, a year later, I have "adjacent level syndrome". My spine is unstable AGAIN & I need another fusion. I pray that on one else experiences this. Good Luck!

inpaininnewport · Answer

I had a 2 level fusion of L4-5 L5 S1 and am 7 months post op.  About 3 months ago the pelvic pain started.  It's absolutely horrible.  I'm curious how your MRI came out?  I had broken my back as a child and didn't know until about 10 years ago.  They told me prior to fusion that a main complaint of women post-fusion is pelvic pain.  Now that the fusion is done, they figured out I had also broken my pelvis so now I'm screwed.  It's now fused totally lopsided.  I think the pain is in the SI joint.  It feels like my pelvis is going to explode at times.  I can't sleep.  What do we do next?  I feel like there is no hope left for a normal life.  I'm a 39 year old female.

memas3 · Answer

I had fusin 3 4 in my neck about 3 weeks ago. Neck is doing amazing but have developed severe pain in left hip join and left side of lower back. They used doner bone for fusion

abuckatatime · Answer

I just had a three level lumbar Spinal Fusion. This is my fourth surgery in three years. The first three surgeries were lumbar micro disectomy's. Right after the surgery I was in extreme pain. I couldnt even move my body either way, I couldnt sit up any higher, and all I could do is move my hands and toes. When I first woke up from Surgery I kept asking for pain meds cause it wasnt doing anything. The drug they were giving me was demerol. Finally after three hours I got a nurse to call my doctor to get my drugs changed. My wife about beat her up in the hospital cause she told me that I just needed to let the drugs work. The Nurse came back about thirty minutes later and I asked her what the doctor said and she said" Oh you wanted me to call the doctor?" My wife came unglued. Now my wife never says anything bad about anyone. And she gave that nurse a ear full. Just say I dont cry about anything, and I was bawling cause of that nurse and the extreme pain I was in. So finally my meds got changed about 12 hours after I had my surgery and they put me on morphine. My pain started to go away and I started walking the second day. After leaving the hospital I developed extreme muscle spasm where I couldnt even walk or stand up. I was put on a cane and have been walking with it since. Two weeks after my surgery I called my doctor for a refill on pain meds cause I have extreme pain in my hip/ pelvis area. I have had pain there before but not a lot, now I cant sleep at night sometimes, and I have pain getting up in the morning, but when i get going in the day it doesnt effect me so much. The Doctor after two weeks of surgery told me that I couldnt have any more pain meds cause its been to long since my surgery. I didnt even get to talk to the doctor just some secretary. What has this world come to with Health Care. My suggestion to you is trust your heart. After my first surgery where the doctor screwed up. He said there was nothing wrong and I fought him on it cause I knew there was something wrong. Trust your instinct and go for it.,.,,,

big orange fayray · Answer

I had my spinal fusion L3-L4-L5-S1 April 05'. After 3 months I was back at work full time. Then 3 more months I was having every scan and test there was. Nothing. Everything fine. Doc thought I had cyst on ovary but I had hystorectomy 20 years ago.   I could not walk or sit up straight for weeks. Neuro surgeon sent me to pain mgmt August 05'. I still go there monthly for my pain meds. There is nothing more to be done. I was diagnosed with fibromyalgia. The pain meds help but on BAD days or weeks I have to stay in bed. I know this is not what you need to hear but this is my life now. I had to quit work Dec. 05'. I never knew when I was able to get out of bed or not and it wasn't fair to my employer so now I work on me. On good days I go to curves and exercise. On bad days I stay in bed. I hope your outcome will be better.
Soft hugs and prayers.

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