Back Problem and Pain

I had back surgery 6 months ago, and it was the best thing I could have ever done!! I do know that every now and then I get the same shooting pains down my left leg. Mine was L4, L5 and S1 I believe....had a laminectomy, and fusion done. Mine had gotten so bad til my left leg was numb, and sometimes I couldnt walk. (and im only 22)....I told the dr at my lost post op visit that I still sometimes felt the sharp pains and he said nerves DO NOT like to be seen, touched, or especially moved...they had to unpinch my sciatica nerve before I ended up paralyzed. He said that this could take a year to 2 years before the sharp pains actually stopped, bc nerves are so sensitive. Hang in there!! But if they get unbearable, I'd stay on him about doing more xrays!!

Thank you so much for your advice, i greatly appreciate it, being so young and going for these operations are no fun. Hope you are doing well after your operation. take care

Tanya

From a person who had 11 back surgeries including three fusions, your situation is not normal post-operative symptoms. I would get a second opinion from an orthopedic specialist who only does spine surgeries and/or a neuro-surgeon with same speciality. Even after all my surgeries over 25 years I do not feel that bad. Another option is a pain clinic. Once or twice a year I see my pain physician for caudal epidural injections. These are a series of 5 to 6 injections where cortisone is injected into your tail bone:S1. The injections are not painful but they do cause some discomfort. The first stick you feel is a local anesthetic. Then the physician injects the cortisone into your tail bone. I have disc degeneration disease in L1-L5 and C1-C7. In addition if your surgeon did a diskectomy that means there is no disc material at that level. Why that level was not fused I do not understand. Gather you medical records and get that second opinion. Good luck.

No problem at all!! A neurosurgeon did my surgery, and I live in SC where 1 of the 3 brain op rooms are located. Our spine center here is top 5 on the east coast and have the best dr's around. The 3 in my office I go to are all from canada. I had a spell one night when I layed in the tanning bed, and I could not get up at all to put my clothes on. I had to sit there for over an hour and just cry b/c I hurt so bad. Later when I saw my dr, he told me that that was a nerve/bone/mmuscle spasm....which is from the foreign metal in my back. That's only happened to me twice, but he said he could happen many many more. He said that it's very normal, up to 2 years. But, I can actually deal with the pain...if you are experiencing excruciating and unbearable pain, you do need a second opinion....and too, you need to recognize the pain. Like, I KNOW what nerve pain in my lower back and left leg feels like...but if I was to feel something different one day I will no matterwhat call him up. He gave me his cell number, and always tells every patient if they need anything at all to call him. Im actually doing a lot better after my surgery...I can walk better, and actually feel my left leg unless I lay on it for sum time. I have no complaints except for the nerve issues. Hope you get better!! Hope I helped some!!

dengxioping01 wrote:

tanya2 wrote:

Hi

I am 24 years old and went for a back operation last year October 2010, i had to herniated disks, L4 AND L5, i had a laminectomy and disectomy operation. it been 9 months since my operation, and i am still suffering with severe pelvic pain on the right side only that radiates to my buttocks only and i get sever cramps in my right leg only.  i have taken some anti inflammatory medication but it does not seem to help, went to see my doctor and he says its all normal. This is what they had told me before i could be diagnosed with a back problem which took like two years to discover that. is this normal what i am going through. 

Your advice and help would mean alot to me.

Thank you

Tanya

From a person who had 11 back surgeries including three fusions, your situation is not normal post-operative symptoms. I would get a second opinion from an orthopedic specialist who only does spine surgeries and/or a neuro-surgeon with same speciality. Even after all my surgeries over 25 years I do not feel that bad. Another option is a pain clinic. Once or twice a year I see my pain physician for caudal epidural injections. These are a series of 5 to 6 injections where cortisone is injected into your tail bone:S1. The injections are not painful but they do cause some discomfort. The first stick you feel is a local anesthetic. Then the physician injects the cortisone into your tail bone. I have disc degeneration disease in L1-L5 and C1-C7. In addition if your surgeon did a diskectomy that means there is no disc material at that level. Why that level was not fused I do not understand. Gather you medical records and get that second opinion. Good luck.

hi

don't know how you coped after your back operations, just one and i can barely make it, but not giving up. When i had asked prior to the operation why he did not want to do a fusion since he was going to remove two discs he told me that it was not needed. Thank you for the advice, i will definitely be getting a second opinion, take care.

hi, you seem to have the best doctors at your finger tips, i am from South Africa, it is very hard to get experienced specialist like you do out here, but i am trying since last week to find out a good orthopedic surgeon to go to for a second opinion, so i can be pain free one day. i can bear with the pain for a few hours, but i work like a 12 hour day always on my feet, so after a few hours its gets worse. this pain is definitely new to me, it was not like the pain i had when my disc were herniated. i hope eventually i would be myself again. Thank you so much for your time, consideration and advice. You have really helped me. i am so happy that you are feeling better and can walk again, i am sure you will be get better as time goes on. do take care of yourself. i will let you know how my second opinion goes after i find someone. thanks :-)

When an orthopedic surgeon removes the disc between local vertebrae the rationale for not doing a fusion is that the disks will naturally fuse themselves. However, if you are a person who develops scar tissue from surgery that will cause pain. In addition the loss of a disc at one level puts pressure on the disks above and below it. A fusion typically stabilizes the spine so that any movement is avoided to the affected disc. When you get into see another surgeon ask for an MRI with a contrast. What that does is first shows pictures of the area in three dimensions but the radiologist will not see disc material, bulging disc, or scar tissue. During the second part of the MRI they inject a dye into your blood stream that will show as a contrast against normal tisssue. Basically the radiologist and surgeon will have a 3 dimensional map of the affected area. Since you live in South Africa these medical options may be limited. Try to use a teaching hospital or another country. The recovery time for a fusion is 6 months until the bone is solid. Once again good luck.

dengxioping01 wrote:

tanya2 wrote:

hi, you seem to have the best doctors at your finger tips, i am from South Africa, it is very hard to get experienced specialist like you do out here, but i am trying since last week to find out a good orthopedic surgeon to go to for a second opinion, so i can be pain free one day. i can bear with the pain for a few hours, but i work like a 12 hour day always on my feet, so after a few hours its gets worse. this pain is definitely new to me, it was not like the pain i had when my disc were herniated. i hope eventually i would be myself again. Thank you so much for your time, consideration and advice. You have really helped me. i am so happy that you are feeling better and can walk again, i am sure you will be get better as time goes on. do take care of yourself. i will let you know how my second opinion goes after i find someone. thanks :-)

When an orthopedic surgeon removes the disc between local vertebrae the rationale for not doing a fusion is that the disks will naturally fuse themselves. However, if you are a person who develops scar tissue from surgery that will cause pain. In addition the loss of a disc at one level puts pressure on the disks above and below it. A fusion typically stabilizes the spine so that any movement is avoided to the affected disc. When you get into see another surgeon ask for an MRI with a contrast. What that does is first shows pictures of the area in three dimensions but the radiologist will not see disc material, bulging disc, or scar tissue. During the second part of the MRI they inject a dye into your blood stream that will show as a contrast against normal tisssue. Basically the radiologist and surgeon will have a 3 dimensional map of the affected area. Since you live in South Africa these medical options may be limited. Try to use a teaching hospital or another country. The recovery time for a fusion is 6 months until the bone is solid. Once again good luck.

hi, thanks for the help and advice. i had went for a second opinion to another doctor, he infact said that i have scar tissue and that was causing my pain. he also that i said do swimming to help build up my muscles, he didnt book me to go for any MRI. What do you think of his suggestion, do you think i should go for an mri just to make sure and would a fusion be better for me, and help prevent further back operations and herniated discs?

Hi, I am a sport person who has a back problem. The end part of the spine is always hurting me. Please help.