Post 2 yrs lumbar fusion L3- S1, have Si pain and now R hip and knee pain

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Numerous Si cortisone injections w temp relief , and Si ablation 2 mos ago., which didn’t help. Now have R hip pain and R knee pain. Not sure why?? Worst during sleep. Any input??

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  • Posted

    Sorry to hear that nothing has helped, sounds like me. Both of my legs go numb and weak after about 10 -15 min in the upright position. Within the last year, I have been having severe pain and numbness while sitting or trying to sleep in my left hip and leg. I’ve had several surgeries including injections, spinal stimulators etc. I ended up getting arachnoditis which there is no cure for. Look it up, its to much to explain. Anyways, I was told that the L3 level is responsible for my leg pain. They wanted to do another laminectomy, but I refused to go under the knife again at this time.
    • Posted

      Thank you for your response..    this is no fun for sure!   People look at you and say you look great and we are actually miserable.  Just to be pain free one day , please.  I am trying to get him iPad xray, pain management  booked up 6 weeks. 

      I have 6 rods and screws and need to make sure everything in place. Worse at night.  STill have SI pain esp w activity.  2 yrs post op  but things get worse over time 

    • Posted

      Did the nerve stimulator help at all? They have discussed that with me but I am very hesitant
    • Posted

      I’ve had two spinal cord stimulators. My first one was a Medtronics with the buzzing feeling and my second one was the Nevro HF 10 with no buzzing. Neither one really targeted my pain. I had each one for probably a year. My current stimulator is called the Medtronics peripheral nerve stimulator which is just under my skin in my lumbar area. This has the same battery as the spinal cord ones implanted in my right hip. I guess it’s better than nothing because if I turn it off, my legs hurt worse than when it’s on. It really doesn’t do a whole lot for my back. I can turn it way up for better relief, but then I have to charge it twice as long the next day.
  • Posted

    You didn’t say how old you are Kathleen. Is it possibly arthritis? I have back and hip problems, multiple surgeries, had both knees replaced, have been told the hip pain I have is arthritis, but also have back , leg and pudendal nerve pain. Injections didn’t help me either.
    • Posted

      Hi Laura, I am 65 years old never had hip problems before or knee problems.
    • Posted

      My hip pain started after my first knee was done, maybe I walk differently.

      Did you have any bone packed around the fusion? I was fused L5/S1 years ago, and it was only a bone graft from my pelvis, but that started making new bone which has grown up my spine, more on one side than the other, so it pulls me out of alignment. But nothing can be done, it’s too risky. It’s awful being in constant pain isn’t it, and trying to have some kind of a life. I hope they can find something on X-ray, pain clinic wait is ridiculous when you don’t know what’s going on inside you.

    • Posted

      My pain Mgmt Dr is now booked 6 was ahead sad  I love him but he has gotten so busy, hard to wait, then xray, then wait...

      Meanwhile you know! Not much fun

      I am now trying to get appt w a place called “ total body orthopedics, I may get better results quicker at this time. 

      It it really nice talking to others w similar issues, who really understand. 

      The surgery cured one aspect but other issues come from it. I would hate to know how many people in the world suffer from alike issues , so many back problems.

  • Posted

    Here's my L3-S1 (Picture 1)...doc said my spine looked like a "junkyard"...but that was after playing hockey for 45 years!!!  12 days in the hospital, 4 months of rehab, 6 months in the brace.  Took a full year to recover.  After that was another LLIF fusion at L2/L3 (Picture 2), two more spinal laminectomies and a knee replacement.

    What I have found through all of this, is that our bodies subconsciously shift weight and employ different muscle groups to avoid pain.  Especially with the knee, but really with any continuing condition or post-surgical pain, the "compensation" takes place on a sub-conscious level.  For me, it has always resulted in hip misalignment and/or locked SI joints.  I avoid all the RX meds and go see my chiropractor.  Took a while to find one with lots of experience with people who have a lot of hardware.  She knows exactly where to go and where to avoid. 

    Had my last laminectomy in January and still recovering from that 3 1/2-hour ordeal.  Seems that the bone growth from the LLIF the previous year was extreme and all that new bone was impinging on a lot of nerve roots.  So I have to recover from that.  Meanwhile, my body did it's own "thing".  Hips are out of line so my left leg was 1/2" longer than the right plus the left SI joint locked up.  It will take a few weeks of treatments @ 2X/week but I'll be fine.  She ALWAYS fixes these problems which cause the extra back pain and sometimes sciatica symptoms.

    I'd recommend seeing a good, experienced chiro for an evaluation.

    • Posted

      So you are permanently fuse from L what to L what?  including S1?

      That’s crazy I hope I never have to go back in again I was really great post up but as time goes by things seem to get worse I would love to walk for exercise and cannot because of the SI joint pain with activity. Now the hip and the knee are bothering me doesn’t help. But why?

    • Posted

      Chirpractor can fix the SI problem.  I have chronic SI problems.  Chiro gets me back to normal every time.
  • Posted

    Hey Kathleen, I am a retired pain management doc and I think what the others have been saying on here about you being misaligned or shifted as the cause of your hip pain is dead on.  This easily happens in fused patients, and you really can't tell that you are doing it. The SI joints take the brunt of the pain because they are really stuck in space and can't move very much. I certainly think you have had enough surgery, you might want to check on the surgery that you have had- is everything in place.  I don't think any more nerve blocks are in order and SCS are the latest gizmos now.  The advent of the high frequency burst mode- ie the type where you don't feel the stimulation has increased the number of patients who get pain relief from 50% to up to 90%. So, I would bet your PM doc would recommend a trial for you. That would mean a week spent with the leads threaded as best they could, probably above your fusion, connected to a generator that you wear outside your body on a belt.  They play with the settings to see how your pain responds and if you like the results then they talk to you about a permanent placement.  The other option that a PM doc could do is a pain medication pump to inject medication directly into your spinal area, so it would be a much smaller amount of medication than you take orally ( think smaller side effects).  Lastly, I think that you might benefit from someone certified to do deep tissue massage therapy who can properly re-align you, I'd bet that your legs are no longer the same length to start with.  That needs to be fixed. You need to go to physical therapy to strengthen your core muscles, that would take a lot of stress off your SI joints.  Lots to thinks about. Hope I helped.

    Lynn

    • Posted

      Thank you so very much for being on this forum and taking the time. You are awesome. I am also a retired nurse and get so frustrated with managing my own care sad  should I see a chiropractor to get my alighnment checked, leg lengths etc. my surgeon pretty much discharged me at 1 yr post op w Si pain and told me to get a nerve stimulator. I have tried very hard not to go that route, for now.  I was just for a message, also went to physical therapy last fall and she worked on my psoas  area, tight!!

      I am afraid to have a chiropractor adjustment sad

    • Posted

      No chiropractors, they are quacks in my opinion and usually out to bilk you for money with continuing appointments. I was thinking more a licensed deep tissue massage therapeutic type massage therapist, someone with a license on the wall. LOL this massage may not feel great, but it will re align you. Right now you have tight muscles and scar tissue pulling all out of whack along with you walking a certain way. A good therapist will need to be digging their fingers deep into your abdomen to release your psoas and other ligaments, that’s the sort of massage I am talking about.  But don’t do any chirp “adjustments”.  That therapist can measure your leg lengths and gauge her therapy by them.  Once you work on that your SI joints will be less twisted and so they will feel better.
    • Posted

      You have your opinion, I have mine.  They have helped with misaligned hips, sciatica and locked SI joints for decades...especially during my 45 years of playing hockey.  To dismiss an entire medical specialty that has proven itself to be helpful to millions over the past century is both uninformed and irresponsible.  Yes, there are those that take your money and provide little benefit but every one I've seen over 40 years has fixed my issue either immediately or over the course of several weeks...and they ALL have licenses on their wall (gee...what stupid thing to say...)  The ones I have seen have always been dedicated, healing professionals who do a great job.  It would be better if you would keep your prejudices to yourself instead of spouting unsubstantiated gibberish.  Mic drop...

    • Posted

      Thank you for your advisement, I will look into finding the correct one!! Much appreciated.
    • Posted

      They weren’t saying a chiropractor without a license , they were talking about a message therapist being licensed,  not a feel good message. 
    • Posted

      Sorry but the last chiropractor I went to 4-5 yrs ago was afraid to touch me, I could hardly stand. She was scared to death.
    • Posted

      I meant the massage therapist be licensed!  Everyone knows chirps hand themselves licenses smile
    • Posted

      Actually, I think that chiropractors could have a place in pain management if they would just stick to doing their adjustment of the back that is out as a cause of pain.  My problem with them is when they try to set you up on an ongoing schedule for your "overall health".  They then usually start making claims that they can cure the common cold and what not, all the while taking your money.  I have a daughter-in-law who takes her kid to one to help with the kid being a picky eater. Yea, explain how cracking her back is going to help that?

      Their origins were also not exactly as a rigid medical specialty like surgery is, on a spectrum they are nearer snake oil than truly medical and there was quite a bit of argument over granting them licenses and the title of "Dr" back when licensing started.   Osteopaths then developed the same hands on healing techniques but with a true medical basis and they do have medical degrees.  In fact, a lot of PM docs are osteopaths, or DOs.  If I were to need my back cracked, I think I would go to one of my DO colleagues for it. As a pain management doc I had to do 4 years of college, 4 years of medical school, 1 year of internship, 3 years of residency and one year of a pain fellowship.  To be a chiropractor you don't need to graduate from college, you only need 3 years and 4 years of chiropractic school. Which takes me back to the beginning of my post, if they would stick to what they are trained for, given their relatively limited understanding of the back, they would be a helpful adjunct in the field of pain management. So, yes Chico, you are right and I was wrong to dismiss all of them. But, I have seen far too many who are out there to take folks money and since I know what limited training they have, I don't recommend them.  And I have tried a chiropractor, I got my neck cracked, then I got put in front of a 20 min video of why I needed to come weekly and when I told them I was still in agony at the check out desk, they just took my money and said they would see me same time next week. I went to Urgent Care and got actually treated by an MD.

    • Posted

      I completely agree, there are bounbries in the medical process for a reason, other than over stepping and confronting Mal-practice.

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