Discectomy/Laminectomy post op... 3 months

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rescuegreen3

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It's been nearly three months (12 weeks) since my lami discectomy for a herniated disc L3/L4. I am going back in for a check-up in two days. I still have the severe sciatic pain in my glute, still running down my leg and sharp pain in my toes. I have been on Gabapentine for the last month, not much help or noticable relief. I currently take 2400mg of Advil daily (12 pills).

As some of you may remeraber if you're following my threaRAB, immediately after I woke-up post operating room, I told the neurosurgeon that I could still feel the sciatic pain, right there. They all said "oh don't worry, that's just swelling. It'll be gone shortly." But... How much shortly??? Three months out, it still lays there, just waiting for me to bend beyond a few extra degrees. It just lays in wait.

I will demand another MRI and insist on a CT too. This is not normal recovery for a 180lb/ 6'4" totally healthy non-smoker. I have been following the post-op directions to the letter.
Stretching, PT, light yoga, prednesone, Advil, Gabapentine, short walks, staying mobile, changing positions, sleeping with pillows elevating the legs... you name it. I have been forward facing on my recovery.
Something is not right. It will have to be faced and addressed.




btw... This it the thread chrono:
For those who are googling, searching or following my other thread titled (one month post op)
http://www.healtrabroadoarRAB.com/boarRAB/showthread.php?p=4289947#post4289947

Here is where I was at: open discectomy / lami 2 months post op.

I am currently flat on my back, feet elevated with 4 pillows, typing on my iPhone 8 weeks since my laminectomy/discectomy L3/L4. The disc was severely ruptured, I probably waited too long, dreading and procrastinating the eventual surgery. All the while gobbling up Advil and tramadol thinking I could keep on toughing it out. Looks like all I was doing was eventually delaying recovery and creating more serious (potentially permanent) nerve damage.

So... At week 5 I started light PT to open up the facets, begin the mechanical aspect of repair. I actually was able to lay on my stomach for 10 minutes! Something I hadn't done since last April/May. I believe PT has been good. However, I still have the sciatic pain. Its probably anywhere between a 2-8 on the pain scale. I just had a 2 month follow up with my doc who said that at 2 months, it is somewhat a-typical that I still have sch sciatic pain. I take no narcotics or major meRAB anymore, just Advil & 1 tramadol per day. So, he just put me on Gabapentine for nerve neropathy. It hasn't really helped or hurt thus far. I do t feel anything quite yet but will be increasing my dosage gradually (I guess this is how it is prescribed).

So, that's where I am. I walk 3-4x per day. Take 10-12 200mg advil for swelling per day, can't sit in my office chai for more than 15 minutes without having to either walk or stretch for a bit. I have much better range of motion as a result of pT, still have soreness at the incision area, the sciatic pain still lingers but I am constantly aware of where it's at and manageable. I am still optimistic. It seems lime this is going to take a while to recover.

8 weeks... Tadaa! I hope this helps some of you. I'll check in at three months post op.

Best & happy healing
 
Bogeyfree (sorry I got it wrong the lst time), are these orthos Spine Specialists or just orthos? A world of difference. Even if you have to go out of town, it would be worth it to find an OSS. From what you are saying, I wouldn't want one of those in that group to touch me! SounRAB like quite a litle "clique" they've got going there, and I just don't trust that kind of group.

Please let me know if you have any luck finding someone new.

Carol
 
>>>>>> I think you are right to insist on some tests at this point. The nerve pain has continued for too long. It sounRAB very familiar. I had a lami at L5_S1 in 1981, and while still in the hospital, I told my doctor and the nurses that my pain was worse than before the surgery. I got the same answer you did.

Well, after complaining for 3 months, the mighty neurosurgeon ordered an MRI. Lo and behold, I had ruptured more of the disc, so he went in and did a second laminectomy. Problem was he removed too much disc and within 3-4 months, I started with pain running down my leg and a burning sensation. He told me it was just post op pain. Finally, after messing with him for another 6 months, I made an appointment with an Orthopedic Spine Specialist. It took him about 2 minutes to diagnose me as bone on bone at the L5-S1 site. Mri confirmed it and a month later I had a fusion.

I tell you this not to scare you, but to urge you not to let this dr. blow you off. If he does, if you have to fight him to get tests, then maybe you should consider finding another doctor. I wish you the best and hope you will stay in touch.

Carol
 
I sure will. I go on wed. to a local nuero.
To answer your question; The orthropedic surgeon is a orthropedic surgeon even though he performs alot of spinal fusions and back surgeries.
 
For those of you who have been following up at home & encouraging me to keep with the updates..... Here we are.

nearly 4 months post back surgery. Back surgery was open discectomy with laminectomy. 40yr old. healthy male. 6'4" 180 no other outstanding med conditions.

3-2010
 
rescuegreen 3, follow the advice of maltluver. I'm going through the same thing as you. I had a microdiscectomy in march of this year and had t he same problem after surgery as before. The only thing about mine is I did get better for 1 month. At the 2 1/2 month, my nerves (according to my nuerosurgeon) calmed down. That was only for 1 month. Then the same burning in my back (at the incision site) and extreme weakness in my right leg. This week it will have been 6 mos. since surgery. My doctor did order other mri's, ct-scans, mylegram, x-rays. According to him everything is fine. He said there is nothing else surgically that can be done. Said I might need to consider SSD. I don't want to be disable. I was always very active, played sports,walked long distances to stay in shape. When I went in for my surgery, the doctor said that these types of surgery help 90% of patients.
I called him the other day and ask to go to pain management to see if they can help me in anyway. Imagine that, I had to ask the doctor instead of him suggesting it.
I'm also going to a nuerosurgeon in my hometown this wed. I'm taking all my recorRAB, pictures, and what the doctor performed on me. I also have a appointment with another nuerosurgeon on oct. 1st.
So rescuegreen3, if your not satisfied with your surgeon or do not get any better you might want to let other spine specialists take a look at your back. Acquire all the recorRAB and pictures you can. That's what I'm doing.
Good Luck and keep us informed.
 
>>>>>>>>>> Bogey3, may I suggest that one of the 2 more doctors you plan to see be an Orthopedic Spine Specialist? I have found them to be much more likely to be helpful than any ns I have met. You know if you are having pain, everything can't be "normal". The ortho spine spec's I have seen have always dug hard to find my problems or, lacking that, to send me to pain management for pain control. I have had 2 nsurgeons that totally blew me off. May just have been the luck of the draw, but that's been my experience.

Either way, I wish the both of you the best of luck in tracking down whatever the problem may be. If an MRI isn't showing anything, I don't know why they haven't tried doing a myelogram followed by a ct scan.

Please stay in touch!

Carol
 
Rescuegreen3, it's good to hear from you again. Sorry to hear that you are still experiencing pain. Hope your MRI shows what causing your pain.
Since my last post I have been in alot of pain. L3-L4 is burning feeling and also right leg heaviness. The same as what I went for to my nuerosurgeon back in march. I'm not seeing him now. Going to PM tomorrow and then on the 18th I will see a orthro spine specialist. Heard alot of great things about this doctor.I to have gone on predisone. Sleepless nights and weight gain. I said I would not go on them again two weeks ago. But my pain level is so great from inflamation that I really have no choice. Hopefully after seeing this new doctor I will get something done. Probably a fusion. Even though I don't want it. I want my old life back but I guess that's not going to happen.
I know all you are going through.Glad you keep your spirits up. Good Luck with your neurologist. I will keep you informed on what happens with me.:)
 
We recvd the new MRI. Good news, surgery was clean, no scar tissue, no cysts, no bne chips /fragments, the laminectomy is wide enough, no reherniation of disc, incision area is clean and a clear picture shows everything where it neeRAB to be. :)
Bad news, why do I still have the lingering sciatic?
Well... It is getting better very slowly week by week. I can sit, stand, drive, etc longer than before. Actually, now that I know mechanically everything is good & sound, I believe that I can mentally and emotionally begin to "get better" too.
It's just going to take longer to heal up this leg pain/sciatic issue.

From May to now (end of October) seems like a million lifetimes away... What a journey huh?!?!

I'll check-in in two months.

Be well
 
Maltluver, I tried to get in and see my orthro but he has divorced me. Will not see me anymore ( for my back).
If I don't get any satisfaction from this nuero I will look for a orthro near me if I can fine one. Most of them in my hometown are all in together at the same place. My regular orthro would not recommend me to any other orthro in the same building. They are alittle funny after they fill that they were your only surgeon only to find out that I had a nuero do surgery on me.
 
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