S
schragie
Guest
Hi Cherir:
I've seen some of your postings recently and wanted to ask you about the S1 nerve root problem. I was diagnosed with this one year post-L5-S1 TLIF with roRAB, screws, cage, and my own bone and it's been a real drag. To further complicate things, I have moderate facet joint arthritis at the level of and above the fusion and multiple bulging discs. I also have some permanent nerve damage (it took five months for me to try everything under the sun before my surgery) but less severe than yours because I can feel my feet and legs just fine, except my feet do go nurab after prolonged sitting and I notice that I trip over them more than I used to. I have stabby pain, muscle spasms and my legs and feet lock up in cramps. My doc gives me flexeril for the spasms, but I find that it relaxes my brain in addition to my back, so I can't take it during the day. Also I'm on cyrabalta and neurontin, but not happy about the side effects/memory issues.
That said, I am wondering how you are treating the nerve root irritation. Are your back and legs in constant spasm? Do you get epidural injections? (I've had two recently and the second helped) My PCP just told me to add magnesium to my multi-vitamin to help with the cramping but she wasn't exactly hopeful about it working. She also recommended asking for skelaxin instead of flexeril, which has fewer side effects.
On the lighter side, I am waiting for someone to tell me I have "a lot of nerve" because with a swollen S1 nerve I can confirm that I actually DO have a lot of nerve.
Thanks for any advice you can offer!
Schragie-girl
I've seen some of your postings recently and wanted to ask you about the S1 nerve root problem. I was diagnosed with this one year post-L5-S1 TLIF with roRAB, screws, cage, and my own bone and it's been a real drag. To further complicate things, I have moderate facet joint arthritis at the level of and above the fusion and multiple bulging discs. I also have some permanent nerve damage (it took five months for me to try everything under the sun before my surgery) but less severe than yours because I can feel my feet and legs just fine, except my feet do go nurab after prolonged sitting and I notice that I trip over them more than I used to. I have stabby pain, muscle spasms and my legs and feet lock up in cramps. My doc gives me flexeril for the spasms, but I find that it relaxes my brain in addition to my back, so I can't take it during the day. Also I'm on cyrabalta and neurontin, but not happy about the side effects/memory issues.
That said, I am wondering how you are treating the nerve root irritation. Are your back and legs in constant spasm? Do you get epidural injections? (I've had two recently and the second helped) My PCP just told me to add magnesium to my multi-vitamin to help with the cramping but she wasn't exactly hopeful about it working. She also recommended asking for skelaxin instead of flexeril, which has fewer side effects.
On the lighter side, I am waiting for someone to tell me I have "a lot of nerve" because with a swollen S1 nerve I can confirm that I actually DO have a lot of nerve.
Thanks for any advice you can offer!
Schragie-girl