Foot Drop with L5 Nerve Damage
Posted , 4 users are following.
Hi! I'm new here and this is my first post, so please be gentle if I goof. I am desperate for interaction with folks knowledgeable about this topic. My surgeon is hopeless and isn't forthcoming about what happened. I have advanced disk degeneration and had cervical fusion done in 2016. I went back to the surgeon last fall, expecting to schedule the lumbar fusion I had been putting off. It turns out my thoracic spine had herniated to the danger zone and I was told I needed diskectomy and fusion done ASAP to avoid paralysis. To further complicte the situation, the herniations had calcification around then, which was being pushed into my spinal cord. In order to remove the herniations, an air saw was necessary to cut through the calcifications. All literally in my spinal cord. My regular surgeon couldn't do the surgery, but referred me to another surgeon in his group. I had the surgery 11/7/17. Looking back, I would never go back to this surgeon, as he was in way over his head and admitted to being "terrified" when he opened me up and saw the damage. The general surgeon that assisted told me my surgeon wanted to close me back up when he saw the damage, but he talked him out of it. Well, the surgery itself went well enough -- fused from T8-L1 with an 18" incision from the top of my left shoulder blade, down my side and ending at the hip. Obviously, I had to be positioned on my right side, where I stayed for the 8.5 hours the surgery took. When I woke up, the foot drop on the left side was discovered. I was in the hospital for 10 days and received physical therapy for the foot drop. Physically and mentally, I was off-center (to say the least) after the surgery. It's the most painful procedure I've ever had, in a life of plenty of painful procedures. And recovering has been almost like recovering from a stroke. Add the plentiful narcotics I have been relying on because of the pain, and I am out of touch, to say the least. After basically being abandoned by my surgeon (I think he fears a lawsuit), I have been feeling my way with the foot drop. I did start physical therapy and have been doing the exercises prescribed. But it finally occurred to me the other day that nothing I have read re: foot drop addresses the fact that I can't walk at all without assistance for the weakness in my thigh, and I can't lift my left leg when laying in my right side. I know I sound thick, but I'm just now getting it that I have more nerve damage than just foot drop. It looks like the L5 nerve itself was damaged. I made an appointment to have a medical spine evaluation done but it's occupying my brain and I keep trying to find stuff on Google about what I have. Well, there isn't much. And what I do find pertains to lumbar surgery or direct injury to L5. Remember, my fusion ended at L1, so this damage is likely from positioning during the surgery -- or at least the foot drop is. I don't know if this is possible for the more extensive nerve damage. This is mainly why I am here. I am also here to talk (and commiserate) about my journey with this. Any insight from you folks would be much appreciated.
0 likes, 3 replies
Carolineq8 kwiklip
Posted
Hi, so sorry you've been to hell and back but the fact that your surgeon seems to have run a mile sickens me, I'm no expert but what I have found is the thoracic is the most dangerous part of the spine to operate on so to have a surgeon not experienced enough to take on such a mammoth task is absolutely mind blowing.
The foot drop could be the result of nerve damage and hopefully with time and physio you'll get some sort of feeling back, nerve damage can take years to heal from.
I would look for another surgeon who can go through your scans and hopefully explain where you are at and what to expect from your recovery.
good luck, I hope you get the answers your looking for😊
paul32508 kwiklip
Posted
Hi sorry to hear your troubles makes mine sound like a paper cut.. I had surgery on my lower discs L3, 4,5 a year and a half ago after 20 years of trouble and after surgery I discovered a numb big toe part of my shin and thigh so also the dropped foot I suspect. I asked if it was the result of the op but they explained or suspect it's the thorasic which has turned out to show multiple areas that need attention. The surgeon has I indicated he doesnt want to do the op at the moment as it is risky and he is the top specialist in the North of UK so I have heard so it is interesting to hear your experience but mine will hopefully release the nerve and remedy the dropped foot. Is it true the operation compared to the lower back op is hugely different as I thought the lower wasn't too bad
Thanks
Paul
kwiklip paul32508
Posted
Thanks for the reply, Paul. Unfortunately, it seems I am now a kind of expert on back surgery, as I've had surgery in all three regions. Ranked easiest to toughest, I'd have to say lumbar, cervical and then thoracic. I was out of bed the morning after my lumbar surgery and felt much better than when I had gone in. Comparing that to my thoracic really isn't fair though, as I had two inch-long incisions in my lower back, versus this whopper of an incision along my side. I haven't been able to wear a bra since November, but that probably won't be a problem for you lol. Not knowing how they will cut you or what you are having done, all I can say is this surgery was hell for me. I only had it because I had no quality of life anymore and faced becoming a paraplegic without it. That's what it would take to get me to do it again. I'd say it's a last resort.
Best to you!