L5 S1 Spinal fusion Pain Left leg pain after surgery

[PatriciaM61]

I had surgery 1 month ago and on my L5 S1. I have had very bad pain in my left leg since surgery and now thhey think that perhaps a screw is hitting on a nerve causing this pain. I go for a CAT scan tomorrow, and if this IS the problem, I AM NOT looking forward to another surgery. PLEASE help! I am taking 2 Tramodol, 1 soma, and 2 Oxycodone/APAP 10/325 every 4 hours. Even this does not take the pain away but takes the edge off some so that I can stand it.We tried another pain regimine with time released Oxycontin and they were a joke. I am really frustrated that I have so much pain when I went into this thinking once surgery was over, I would be pain-free after approx. 25 years.

[ladyarrasmith]

I had spinal fusion a year ago on the L4, L5, and S1 for spinal spondylolithesis over 50%. My major complaints were back pain and sciatica in my left leg. since surgery I still have lower back pain and now tightness in my calve muscles it feels like I cannot stretch them enough and sciatica in my right leg, pins and needle feelings in both feet. I am taking 1800mg gaipentin, 60mg cymbalta, and 2 muscle relaxers a day. The meds make me feel so tired and confused not to mention the weight gain.  I have a physical job and worry how long I will be able to continue doing it. I feel useless and lazy.

[Sue62007]

On June 25th 2007 I had PLIF with Laminectomy  at levels L4 L5 L5LS1 .My surgeon told me that there was a 50/50 chance of it helping my discs were ruptured and herniated before i even thought of having surgery done I did physical therapy ,steroid injections and pain meds.Well almost 6 years later im still in severe pain my lower back feels like its a huge bruise very tender to the touch it burns and is always tight.I have stabbing pains going into my bottom suffer from severe spasms of the hip and all the way down my legs to my toes along with sharp stabbing burning pain and pin n needle feeling especially when im standing or sitting it does not matter.At night the spasms and creepy crawlies (all i can do to describe this is as if i have lil bugs crawling around in my legs. So i have had numerous test done had NCST done showed nerve damage in both my legs.I have been on so many different meds I cant take methadone gets me really sick been on the Fentanyl Patch lyrica Cymbalta now im currently on MS-Contin  200 mg in morning 200 at night I also take Neurontin Baclofen n and a whopping .5 mg of Klonopin at night for my spasms . I tried after the surgery about 3 years to do more steroid shots and epidural done and in return i end up in the hospital for 5 days due to they did the injection in the scar tissue and the hole never closed and i got air in the base of my brain talk about more added pain and i tried 2 blood patches before i was even admitted to the hospital which they didn't help at all.So long story short after taking all this medicine every day IM STILL IN PAIN my back  & legs. Im seeing a new doctor in a week due to me moving 2 miles down the road which put me in another state LOL.The only thing with that is that they have to send me out to a specialist before they can play the medicine game again with me.My current doctor told me if i split your meds your on up between the people in the office here they all would be sleeping well im up and functioning as well as i can it does not make me tired and after taking 200 mg of morphine in the morning 3 hours later im in severe pain again. I just want to find some meds that will help a lot with the pain i know nothing will take it away but i waited 10 years before i had the surgery done and im still suffering im tired of complaining to my husband about how bad my back and legs hurt sleeping maybe 2 hours a night because of the pain and spasms and thank goodness i have a 18 year old and another almost 21 and they understand what im going through but NOBODY has a solution on what to do for me but test after test and increasing my meds that dont really work. I have not yet tried OxyContin i have tried soma which worked wonders on my spasms but no luck for anything for the nerve pain or the back pain or lack of sleep.I have trouble driving cant lift anything bending over or going side to side is almost impossible walking is supposed to be good for you not in my case if i step on uneven ground i get this sharp electric feeling in my leg and back .All i want is to be somewhat normal and be out of at least 75 % of my pain ! Anybody have any ideas or suggestions.Since i have bars screws and rods in my lower back of course i cant bend like a "normal" person.I also have spinal stenosis and degenerative disc disease among a few other things.The doc told me in 10 years after i had my surgery i would probably be all metal in my back lot of confidence he had but as he explained when you have the surgery done and the hardware as low as it can go in your back all the stress from it will start rupturing above everything which i do have another ruptured disc at L2 & L3 now.I would really think long and hard BEFORE you have anything done to your back if a doc tells you its 90 % effective go to a different surgeon because as with any surgery its a 50/50 that it will help make you worse or you will feel the same except you will be full of metal sitting in you stopping you from doing normal daily actives. So if anybody has suggestions on any meds that have helped you with similar surgery and nerve damage in the leg s and lack of sleep from the pain and spasms help me out and on top of it i will be 40 in 2 weeks so i have been dealing with this for a long while and they had no response when i asked them how this happened since i never had major injuries to the back in my life there answer wear and tear like im a car tire or something !!

[chuck493]

had l4 l5 s1 fusion on jan 16, left leg burning feeling after surgery back feeling very little pain went too therapy  in february after three weeks burning went away in my left leg.very little pain in my back seen the doctor in march he let me come out of the brace feel funny and presssor on my lower back but i am moving around doing good next day went too therapy got out of my truck took couple of steps my left leg gave out on me end of march i go see the  doctor again we are going turning me lose too work i work for steel mill 12 hours shifts i don`t  know i can handle it short term disability well stop and if i mist work i don`t get paid and i don`t have no choice but too work i got a family

[Amac2829]

My L5 had ruptured and I got the operation.. Everything was going well, the shooting pain down my right leg had just about stopped and I was able to sit comfortably.. I had a nap one afternoon and woke up and I could hardly walk.. Apparently another piece of the disc had come loose.. It's been 2 weeks after my second operation and I've sneezed.. Now I can hardly bend my back.. I don't know what to do.. I'm only 24.. What happens if the disc keeps rupturing??

[stella1982]

I did a disectomy fusion of L4 and L5 on the 2 Nov 2011 it lasted for approx. 7 hrs it took 4 screws 2 rods to do the surgery it was very painful in the first few days after the surgery most things went well for the surgery but have been having some form of discomfort in my left foot especially ma left big toe which burns me real bad after standing I wonder if I am moving too early and am doing therapy like 5 times per week the therapy helps me a lot even though I get burning in my toe

[stella1982]

I did a disectomy fusion of L4 and L5 on the 2 Nov 2011 it lasted for approx. 7 hrs it took 4 screws 2 rods to do the surgery it was very painful in the first few days after the surgery most things went well for the surgery but have been having some form of discomfort in my left foot especially ma left big toe which burns me real bad after standing I wonder if I am moving too early and am doing therapy like 5 times per week the therapy helps me a lot even though I get burning in my toe