Can't walk without pain after MD and Kyphoplasty

  • Thread starter Thread starter AndyD
  • Start date Start date
A

AndyD

Guest
Hi,

I am just a little over 2 weeks post surgery. I had a Kyphoplasty for a compression fracture of L5 and a double Microdiscectomy at the L4 & L5 levels. I was told that I should be doing some walking after the surgery and work up to 3 miles a day or so. I guess this what they tell most people. My problem is that walking even only 1/10 mile 2-3 times a day irritates and brings back leg, hip, and butt pain that is worse than before my surgery. I called my Neurosurgeons office a few days ago and told them about the pain. They prescribed Prednisone 4 mg in a 6 day triangle dose pack. This is in addition to taking Loratab 10 x 4, Lyrica 75 x 2, Mobic (NSAID) x 1, and a muscle relaxant x 1. In addition they moved my follow up appointment from 6 weeks to 2 weeks (tomorrow).

The Prednisone seems to have really helped the leg pain (I'm now on day 4) but it comes right back if I try to go out for a walk, even a short one. In addition I am now experiencing back pain spasms which have only just started a couple days ago usually when doing something like sitting, standing, or bending to try and put a shoe on. I assume that this due to my muscles losing their tone from all of the sitting or laying around I've been dong. I have always been an active person, and I want to do more but every time I do it just makes the pain worse, often more so than before the surgery. I've not been missing any doses on my medications because they are all that's keeping the pain at bay (even though I really would like to cut back).

They say that something like 90% of all people are supposed to feel much better by 2 weeks post surgery But I seem to be going the other way. This is not looking good because at some point I need to return to work. Has anyone else had surgery and been unable to do the walking exercises that one is supposed to do post surgery? This is really starting to get me worried...
 
Andy, I did not have specific "walking" exercises or instructions post-surgery. (I had a diskectomy five years ago.) Yet one of my co-workers was told to walk as much as possible. I asked my orthopedic surgeon about it -- I told him walking seems to inflame the damaged nerve and, the further I walk, the more pain I'm in later. I asked him if I'm supposed to be distance-walking. He said not to do anything that causes pain.

Sooo, I guess that was no help to you....but your post caught my eye because your symptoms seem so close to mine. I know it's frustrating to have continued pain after surgery -- you just want it to be all better! I hope you can get some relief when you see your surgeon....good luck to you!
 
Thanks for the reply.

I guess it's good to know that I'm not the only one who is going through this. I think that it's the result of taking so long to do something about it.

From the reading I've been doing here and other places I'm afraid of fearful of having sustained long term nerve damage. I suffered with sciatic pains for the last 2-3 years with doctors giving me NSAID's and then Lyrica. Finally with a new doctor and with pain meRAB failing to give relief I pretty much demanded to get to the bottom of all this and so went through a barrage of X-Rays, nerve studies, and finally an MRI. I was then refereed to a Neurosurgeon who agreed to see me ASAP and scheduled me for surgery the next week after seeing my files.

Actually, what they found was that my spine was quite a mess. Scoliosis, L5 Compression Fracture, L4 and L5 Bulging Discs, Congenital Deformities, Bone Spurs, and indications of Arthritis. My Neurosurgeon said he was amazed that I had never showed up at a Spine Center years earlier. You would think that some of my previous doctors (one of them at least) would have seen some of this on the numerous back X-Rays and such that I've had over the years and referred me to a specialist a long time ago rather than continue to prescribe pain medications. It finally took me demanding more than prescriptions to get to see a specialist.
 
Well, you're only two weeks post-surgery, and that's not a long time. I remeraber being very stiff for quite awhile. Did you get prescribed physical therapy? Let us know how you make out at the doctor.
 
Hi Everyone,

Well I saw my doctor today. When I questioned him about my recovery he said I'm progressing slower than some of his patients, but also said that I probably just need more time to heal, and that my sciatic nerve was most likely still quite inflamed.

In the meantime I'm scheduled for PT in a pool 3 times a week to get some exercise without 'gravity' being as much of a factor. I guess I'll know how it's proceeding when I can start cutting back on the pain meRAB. I will let you know how the pool thing goes.

Andy
 
My microdiscectomy was 7 years ago. I have suffered from back leg, hip and butt for the last 2 years after a fall. All medics wanted wanted to put the symptoms down to my earlier spine problems but I knew the pain was different. Eventually my physio has discovered my piriformis muscle is tight and knotted (as well as other muscles in my butt) This can bring on sciatica and hip and grion pain so it might be worthwhile checking your piriformis.
 
Back
Top