pain seems worse now after epidural

Hi Sharan,

I feel for you regarding the constipation . I have had trouble with this every since my first operation (Discectomy (L5/S1)) back in Jan 07. I used to go anything between 10 - 18 days before I went to the loo and when I did it was sheer agony :shock: .

I had another op Jan this year (Posterior Lumbar Interbody Fusion) and again I'm having trouble going, I had to call out the Nurse about a month ago after sitting on the loo for about 3 hours, she gave me a Phosphate Enema, which did the trick. I also take Senna and 2-4 Movicol Satchets everyday now and this seems to be helping alot.

Trouble is the more you sit and strain, the more damage to your back I was getting pins and needles in my right foot every time I tried to go and it was my left leg and foot that was the problem, it's a vicious circle. Ask your GP for the Movicol Satchets they really do work.

The trouble is due to all the strong painkillers which we take, unfortunately we'll be like this until we are off the meds. I hope that you get sorted out soon bye for now.

Angela

hi

just a tip DO NOT WAIT FOR HOSPITAL TO GET BACK

you ring them first thing

they lost my girl friend on there system so its put her treatment back months if in pain ring and tell them it did not work for you and can you see conculton again

YOU HAVE TO DO THE RUNNING IF YOU WANT TO BE SORTED

sorry to say that but its true

girl friend had injection in november it took some of the pain made it live able for 3 months then the pain came back waiting now for appiontment to see what they can do

good luck

After a fall from a horse i stressed a disc between C6 and C7. Later on i started to get numbness around the area followed by pain in my neck. Doctors told me there was nothing wrong and just to take some pain killers. 1 year ago the symptoms had moved on to numbness in my right hand almost constantly and inability to move my head around. Finally, after making a big fuss at my local doctors i went to see a specialist and had an MRI. They found a prolapsed disc between C6 and C7 which was causing all these symptoms and am now awaiting an appointment with a neurosugeon; they have recommended that i have surgery to fix this as it has gone on so long.

I wish it had been investigated properly 20 years ago so that 20 years of pain would not have occured.

hi sophie

i had a cervical discectomy dec 13 on c5-6 although c6-7 is also prolapsed, i too waited a long time but eventually i had it done i immediatly felt the relief and glad i had the op, but at presant im back at the physios as im having a lot of acheing around the shoulder and neck area, but im still working and the pain is no where near what it once was. gail

OH guys

you will not believe this. Yesterday I felt something 'ping' in lower spine on the right, and bad ache at the end of the tail bone

.

Pain ran through me like no tomorrow. Rested, went bed and slept not too well. Awoke this morning , not too bad, then turned around in kitchen and it hit again, then again, then again. As well as thos new sharp pain, I had very bad pain two vertabrae above my scar which has been getting worse, and pins and needles all down my right arm. As the day has gone on it has become agony.

Doctor came out to see me at 2pm. Did the usual tests etc etc. Now have reduced power in right arm, probable disc problems in top half of spine, problems to bottom of lumbar spine - he is unsure as to wether it is the Dynesis system. Severe pain now.

So, four post 3rd op and every tablet I take has been increased, and I'm now on Oxinorm as well. Great.

He is sending the info straight to my consultant and chronic pain team on Monday. In the mean time I have to do very little. Well, it's not like I can leg it around is it? I dont seam to be getting better, just worse. I dont know how much more I can take of this. I feel like I'm cracking up now, I really do. I'm 28 years old and I walk like a 90 year old, bent and limping badly in a weird way. Sense of humour gone now.

Jessica

I have advise for you - change your GP, and get your physio and doctor for traction to communicate.

You must pester them and pester them about your pain etc until they finnally listen. Have you seen your consultant and told him whats happening between the two of them?

I had two prolapsed discs in January and symptoms so severe, paralysis, and since I was admitted that first time, I have had 3 lots of surgery, the last over 5 hours long. I have severe nerve damage to my right leg now, and at present I am not doing well and have had all my medication upped.

(I am 4 weeks post 3rd op!!)

From my experience, I would stress to anyone with symptoms like your to get it sorted quickly. NHS on the other hand like to drag their heels.

Kick and scream until you are heard girl. Dont be fobbed off.

Jessica

Oh Jess I'm at a loss for words, I just can't believe you seem to be recovering a little and then something else hits. I really hope they treat you as an emergency and help you as much as they can.

I really feel for you and no wonder your sense of humour has gone, mine would've gone a long time ago after what you have suffered.

I'm sending you lots of big but gentle hugs. Please keep us posted and keep talking.

Love

Jude xxx

I know I've told you guys that I'm waiting for my operation date, well I've had the letter through today asking me to go for my pre-op assessment on the 25th April. I just wondered, if I have that, isn't it only a few weeks before they do the op? They haven't given me that date yet.

I've tried not to think too deeply about it recently, I know I've got to have it but when the letter came through my bottle went a little .

Love

Jude xxx

Hi Jess,

OMG, you poor thing. I just don't know what else can happen. Try to keep calm and remember you have been here before, right?? But you know the drill.....if it gets worse or you have really bad vibes, follow your instinct and go straight to hospital. In the meantime....don't do anything...not cooking, cleaning, even opening a tin of beans!!! I know you have had enough of lying aound over the last few months and who could blame you but seriously if it was me, the only part of my body I'd be moving right now would be my eyelids (to blink).

Take it easy Jess, I'll be checking back here regularly over the weekend, if you just want a 'chat', scream or to know someone is there.

With very best wishes my young friend,

TFU

Hi Jude,

Good to hear that things are moving along for you. At the hospital I went to, the procedure was that it took about 7-10 days for them to get the pre-op tests results back. These if you like are the final hurdle to declaring you fit for the op. They test your blood, weight, do an ECG and also test for MRSA and ask you about a zillion questions!! Once that stage is cleared, which will be early May it may be about 6 weeks before the op, so say towards the end of June. However, once you get medical clearance there is nothing stopping you advising the Admissions Manager that you would be happy to take a cancellation if one came up. The downside of that is that you may only get a few days notice and if you have tons to do first, e.g. stocking up the kitchen, arranging childcare, buying new nighties etc then it can all be a bit of a rush. By law though, they have to give you what is known as a 'reasonable date', which is a choice of two dates and at least three weeks notice in writing. In practice they usually ring and say we can offer you this date or that date (with more than three weeks notice) you choose what one you want, then they send the letter.

I can understand you being apprehensive. I found I had to put huge amounts of energy quite calmly into moving the process along, but when the time actually came, I just thought OMG!!!Hopefully for you all will go well and by the end of the summer it will all be a distant memory.

Bst wishes

TFU

Hi Faye,

I agree with Jess. I know that it is difficult when you have to trust the so called professionals, but they do have a habit of letting things drag on. Days, become weeks, become months. And in the meantime clearly you are getting no better. I don't want to alarm you, but statistically if a prolapsed disc is going to 'pop back' it will usually do so in three months or so and once you start to get a lot of numbness/pins and needles etc, then the nerve compression is usually quite bad. This is sometimes a progression from the pain. In fact although pain is horrible, it is usually a better sign medically than numbness.

I would suggest that you ask to be referred to either an orthopedic surgeon or a neurosurgeon. Ask your GP to do the referral, it will be quicker than the hospital physiotherapy department. This is because if the GP does it they have to see you within 13 weeks, but if it is hospital to hospital, or department to department, there are no time limits and you could well just get shunted down the list.

I hope this helps. I know that for me I found the whole thing quite mystifying, but pretty soon I learned that it was going to be an uphill fight to get proper treatment. Bang on some doors!!!

Best wishes

TFU

Awww thanks TFU, that really helps me with my expectations of a date. I know they said my op would be 18 weeks max from the date of referral which was the 12th Feb so hopefully by June it will have happened. I kinda thought the op would be in May which would be preferrable just to 'get it over with' plus we booked a holiday on the 14th June for a week in Dorset and I really want to make that so the sooner the better for me. Maybe I'm just being naive in thinking I'll make the holiday, but I have to have something to look forward to (it was booked in January when I didn't know I would need an op).

Anyway thanks again for replying, it's much appreciated and hope you are doing well?

Love

Jude xxx

Hi all,

I thought I'd write a few lines. My ongoing situation is really getting me down the last few days. I just want my latest MRI results back so I know where I stand now. It was going to be next week, ut now I have asked to change surgeon I have no idea when it will be. Being back at work has been totally exhausting, by about 3 o'clock I can hardly function at all and in the mirror I look like s**t. My eyes are all grey and glazed, my skin looks awful and I can see people looking at me, clearly wanting to say something. As a so called professional business woman it isn't great. Then yesterday at work, I didn't do any work at all. I just couldn't. I think I am totally stressed out and heading for exhaustion. Without the meds I have a lot of pain, but I think there is something else going on. I just don't know what, but as the surgeon mentioned about possibly there being a new problem with the dural tear, it may be connected. If the tear has come open slighty again and once aain the csf is leaking into my body, I'm wondering if there is some new infection. It would explain the exhaustion/lethergy and the fact that I feel a bit feverish sometimes. Maybe I'm just tired. Sleeping at night is still a it hit and miss and the pain/numbness in my leg is getting worse. But my toes are completely clawed up now so I'm wondering if the pain/numbness is a reaction to that. And most of my socks have holes in them now at the big toe where the other toes are pulling and causing resistance. I was going to go to buy a load more today, but whats the point???

I get to see the Consultant Muscleoskeletal (??) specialist on 16 April so I'm hoping he will have some ideas. I don't know when I'll get to see the Neurologist and Urologist now, as I am changing Neurosurgeon. I guess that will be sorted out as a part of the complaints procedure. Under the Data Protection Act I forced the hospital to send me copies of their internal memos and emails relating to my earlier complaint, post surgery and the e-mail I sent about my 'care' after the first omission, but before I knew I was going to be re-admitted the following day. Honestly, they really couldn't care less. It was quite frightening really that the complaints system was so biased in their favour. And whatever words they write to me are just meaningless crap.

Oh well, it is the weekend and as usual I'll try to strike a balance between resting up ready to face work again on Monday and doing some chores so the place doesn't look like a tip!!

Best wishes to all

TFU

My complaint against the NHS rumbles on.

Jude, TFU thanks.

I am at a loss for words for what is happening to me. I feel like I am being punished for something but I dont know what. I am supposed to be going out tonight for the first time, to a charity Do for hubby's uncle. He has cancer and kidney failure. Was really looking forward to it. I may go for an hour if feel ok later.

I am resting big time and these damn Oxi effort tablets combined with the Pregab ones have sent me doolally. Can only feel a deep dull ache at base of spine, but when I walk I get the sharp one. I cant walk up my stairs again. I have to sort of crawl.

I am praying to God that it isn't top disc problems, but am very concerned about the base of spine pains. Hurts when I go loo. Its weird.

My right leg is as bad as it was a few days after surgery. I hate this.

Really frightened that I am heading for severe spinal probs and disablement. I j ust want my 'normal' life back where I could walk and play with my children. Its so upsetting when my little boy wants to play and mummy says she cant all the time, when thats all we used to do. Or when my daughters face falls and the tears start when I am crying in pain or crawling up stairs.

I should be getting better, not worse. Sorry I'm crying again.

I'll post soon. Thanks for the hugs and thoughts. Hope you are all feeling better.

Jessica

xxx

TFU, take heart in the fact your new consultant etc will sort your problems out now. I know you have been, and are still going, through the mill, and I know whats the demsnds are today in being a career woman and looking after the home. That was a reason I went to a part time, mind numbing sh*t job that I dont have to think, or worry about when I go home.

The group, U2 had a line in a song -

\"dont let the bastards grind you down\"

Tiredness makes you feel and look worse, I know, I am known as the ghost who floats around the bedroom with baggy eyes and no smile. Lavender is good for calming the mind. I have lavender everywhere. I am also trying acupuncture next week.

Just keep your chin above the water a little longer and before you know it, you'll be swimming strong for the shore. (I should take note of what I'm telling you)

Back to resting. Big hugs to you TFU.

Jessica

xxx