am i crazy?

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stillinpain2

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okay here goes, i am 3 months out from back surgey on the L4,L5 disc, I am still experiancing pain,nurabness,tingling from my buttcoks(inside area) to my big toe and middle toe, also in the private areas, is this normal or am i going crazy, could it be from damage to L5,S1 nerve? had MRI and it shows some compression there also. Seeing Doc today for 3 months visit
 
What kind of surgery did you have at L4/L5? The symptoms you describe correlate more with L4/L5 instead of L5/S1.

I had laminectomy/discectomy surgery last August at L4/L5 and reherniated immediately. It didn't look that bad on a regular MRI, but I had an upright MRI where I was sitting that showed severe nerve root compression and tethering at L4/L5 and a discogram that showed my L4/L5 disc is shot. I will be seeing a surgeon next week to discuss another surgery, very possibly a fusion. Also, my pain is along the S1 nerve root which normally doesn't happen at L4/L5 (normally this is caused by L5/S1 problems).

Are your symptoms worse at certain times of day? Does your pain vary depending on whether you are standing, sitting, walking, or laying down?

It sounRAB to me like you probably are still having problems at L4/L5 even though you already surgery.
 
my symptoms are the same always,it never stops, just like before my surgery. My back pain and the sciatia nerve pain are gone but still have the nurabness and tingly in both legs on inside and buttocks on inner portion and private areas, also all the the way down to my toes.My Doc(surgeon says this will go away) but i'm thinking it isn't going to because there hasn't been any change in those areas(maybe more nurabness)since surgery, sorry I had a spinal fusion with tlif at L4
 
Thanks BrittleBones, if the Elavil doesn't do much I will suggest the Cyrabalta.
 
went back to Doc today for 3 month post surgery, told him about the tingly and nurabness, told me to try to stop wearing my b race as much as I could and lets see if that helps the symptoms. He also put me on Elavil to help me sleep at night.
 
It can be residual, I had some of that too, and it slowly dissapated but took a very long time, and then dr put me on neurontin and it helped ALOT it blocks nerve pains and symptoms of residual nerve damage/healing nerves. Since i been on it I don't know what nerve pains I still have though, as it blocks alot, but when I do WAY too much, they all come back really bad even ON neurontin. See if your dr can put you on that to help you out and get you more mobile too. It may help you. Dr told me nurabness is the last thing to go away, so be patient.
 
Elavil is used for nerve pain as well and lets pray that it helps you.

Before surgery did you have a discogram? Did you have any relief after surgery at all?

I know it is hard but don't give up hope about having the symptoms after surgery because one must remeraber that nerves heal very slowly. I would just be careful that you are not doing anything that is aggravating the symptoms like carrying heavy items, sweeping, mopping, etc. Because once you get the nerve irritated it takes forever to calm it down.

Good luck!!
 
Thanks 123dietdrpepper, The Elavil is working some, I can sleep at night now, but during the day it all comes back,and the side effects are kinda scarey,is there anything that you know of that I could take for daytime and nighttime that won't put me to sleep?Also how long before I can start doing some of my own housework? my hubby isn't doin to well with this, he says he will never complain about what I do at home now because he now sees all that I do do that noone really notices.lol
 
You aren't crazy!! At least not yet.... if the Elavil doesn't help your nerve pain, you might try Cyrabalta. It is a corabination anti-depressant and nerve pain med. I tried it after I had bad reactions to Lyrica, Neurontin and one other one. When I first tried it several years ago (it had just come out) it didn't help my pain. But I think that's because the pain I was feeling at that time wasn't really nerve pain. Now I am having most of my pain from nerve impingement and I started taking it about 8 days ago. This time around I'm finding it to be working astonishling well!! It makes a huge difference. Good luck. Kath
 
You are NOT crazy - I had a fusion 3 months ago - was told by my surgeon that the surgery would "cure" me completely. It's 12 weeks later, I'm still taking vicodin b/c of the pain and have had a real setback this weekend because I sat for three hours in a metal folding chair during a graduation ceremony. I should have looked at the chair, apologized for having to leave, and left. I knew it was a bad idea...the rest of the weekend, Ive gone back in time to where I felt two months ago and I'm so PISSED. I've been doing my PT exercises without fail, walking 2 miles at least three times per week...and I choose to sit in a folding chair and it kills my progress. I have now made a conscious decision (w/my husband) that getting my back better has to come first, because I really had been getting better! Now the pain is searing across my lower back, burning down my left leg all the way to the sole of my foot, and my buttocks are on fire (and not in a good way!). I'm glad I found this site b/c I can vent to people who understand - non-chronics don't get it. It's been 12 years for me now...
Take care..
 
nope, I didn't have a discogram, not even sure what that is. All i have had is 3 MRI's. Yea I have had some releif after surgery, I no longer have the nerve pain going down the backs of my legs and tha pin across my back is gone. Just left with the nurabness,tingly feeling on the inside of my legs all the way down from groin to toes, and the pain in the upper part of my buttocks
 
this back deal is awful!!! I haven't even gotten to the PT yet, my doc told me when I could go for 7 days without my brace then I could start my PT.Needless to say....I haven't been 7 days without it. beginning to wonder if that is going to happen. I can go like 3-4 days and then wham my back just about kills me. I just don't know anymore. I do not want another surgery and i am praying that won't have to happen to get the the rest of the way out of pain.Hopefully if you take it easy for a while your back will get lined back out and you will on the road to a pain free day:) Take care
 
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