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L4-S1 chronic back pain

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Volleyballmom
Volleyballmom

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 Volleyballmom Volleyballmom

L4-S1 update laminectomy and a foraminotomy

Posted a day ago

In September 2017 I had laminectomy and a foraminotomy for 2 herniated disk and to decompress 3 nerves.  After 3 months postup I started to experience more nerve and low back pain on my right side. Another MRI was performed and the report says, that I still have 2 herniated disk with “somewhat” compressed nerves but widen canal. 

My symptoms have worsen where after 5 minutes of walking I start limping, my right lower back down to my leg hurts and I start limping now laying down both my legs including my feet tingles. also when I hold my phone for 2 minutes texting or search and I set my phone down my lower arms into my hands tingling sensation and false asleep for 30 seconds and after shaking my hands goes away until next time. The other day I was alarmed in my lower side of my back felt like needle sensation, symptoms got worst 3 weeks ago after having epidural injection Below S1 to help with inflammation. I am laying down and from my lower upper thigh to my feet are tingling just like when your hands falls asleep. HELP!

I spoke with my PT and he is saying (nothing else he can think of that will help except the unavoidable fusion. Also my pain management Doctor said before we schedule the epidural injections “If symptoms does not improve sending me back to see my Neuro surgeon🤬😡😫

When I saw my neurosurgeon 3 months after surgery his statement was “your back looks good” nerves not compressed, canal wider, nerves decompress etc...

Why on my written report says 2 herniated disk “somewhat decompress”

What I know is my symptoms have gotten worse. Tommorow I have a follow up on the epidural injection I had. I also do not understand 6 weeks ago I had faucets injections for my thoracic area (happy results repeating in 6 to 7 months) why didn’t the Epidural injections worked?

Thank you for reading this post and any advice will be appreciated.

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1 Reply

  • erela
    erela Volleyballmom

    Posted

    Oh my...... I have a sister in this nightmare..... Back injuries tend to have a "domino" effect...... I had an accident......      L5 S1 were fused..... they didn't fix L4L5 that had a leaky disc and the 5 above that were herniated...... When I was having extreme post op difficulties (which are now worse)  the surgeon told me..... well we started with fixing the worst problem with the thought that the rest of the injury would not require treatment...... what???...... what a load of bulls**t......  at least now thanks to me and others they actually do "Disc Replacement" surgery...... what state or country do you live in????...... and has anyone told you to walk, stretch, and exercise in a warm indoor pool or at least a spa as often as you can??..... the hot pool....when I could get in...... how I miss the water..... I would stay in for hours til they would kick me out.... hours of relief..... injections, the laser that supposedly shrinks herniation.... had them all.....they didn't work...... after fusion I kept falling down.... was sent to a neurologist who said that I had sciatic and S1root nerve damage...... he told me that he read my surgical notes..... that the surgeon noted that my sciatic nerve had almost be severed in my accident..... the Surgeon did not attempt to repair it....why..... I fell so many times since the surgery in 2000 that now I am totally broken..... and my entire spine is broken...... I need a body transplant! lol....would love to be the first bionic women if they could operate on my bones but they can't.

    Have you tried acupuncture....it helped me for a while.... then it didn't.... long story....

    If you live in the USA...... I would not trust going to a back specialist here unless they are affiliated to a teaching  hospital or specifically a back clinic...... here in California they have one at UCSF and Stanford.  I would research in your state......but if possible I would go to Germany..... Israel....... Japan...... anywhere but here.......

    I am going to follow your post and I send you prayers and hugs on the wind.....

    Erela

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