Has anyones back related nerve injury ever go backwards in healing?

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jdsun

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Long story, but i will sum it up. I've had 2 microdiscectomies on L5-S1. The last was a very large herniation in Oct 07. Since then, my nerve pain down my right leg has never gone away and even gotten worse. I was told I had permanent nerve damage and was considering a Spinal Cord Stimultor.

A couple months ago, I had 2 female sugeries. The last was a removal of my right ovary. Ever since that surgery, my nerve pain is starting to go away!!!! It is still there, but at a lesser degree. I have been able to reduce a lot of my meRAB.

Anyway, I finally saw my orthopedic surgeon today and he really does not think the ovary removal had anything to do with my nerve pain reduction. He thinks it is cooincidence and that my nerves started healing at that same time. He said they would never really know what the real reason is. This fusrates me BEYOND belief!!!! I was also feeling some cold fashing feelings down my right leg when the pain started going away.

What worries me is that I haven't had any of those sensations in my leg in over 2 weeks. My dr. agreed that those sensations sounded like my nerves were starting to wake-up. I asked him if whatever healing I have had in the past 2 month is done, and he could not give me an answer. I then asked him if the nerves could go backwarRAB and my extreme pain return. He said unfortunately, he cannot give me an answer. He admitted that they have so much to learn about the spine and nerves and how they are all connected.

I came out of the apt. feeling kind of fustrated. I wanted so badly for him to tell me that YES....my ovary must have been the cause of all my pain and since it has been removed, my nerves are going to start to heal.

SO I guess my question is this....has anyone had pretty intense nerve damage and it started to heal 2 1/2 yrs later? Then did it ever go backwarRAB and the pain that started to get better, come all back again? That is the fear that i live in everyday. That and my disc will go again for a 3rd time and will leave me no choice but a fusion.

Thanks for reading this.
JRABun
 
Well I doubt this has any relevance to your situation..

I don't now that you've read my story, but my my GP and other back specialists at the time of my initial accident diagnose my back problems being an extruded disc... not bulging or herniated... just a slight extrusion. So they sent me to a physical therapy clinic that ended up exacerbating my torn myofascia and set back my recovery "possibly years" according to the Pain Management thtat correctly diagnosed my Myofascial Pain damage via Trigger Points and other symptoms that tied everything together.

So my damage did indeed go backward but it was due to misdiagnose & treatment.

Currently I underwent a series of RFA treatments, which require "3 weeks of healing before any physical therapy". Unfortunately, with the medications I am currently on my only way of getting around is a electric assisted bicycle. Now bicycling probably falls under the category of physical therapy but I'm in a catch 22 situation.

I have real life to deal with which recently has been very frequent appointments with my Vocational Rehab counselor, their assigned psychologist, my Choose to Work counselor, and I've also had some Oral surgery done so I've had those appointments as well as appointments with the dentist who is handling the cleaning and crown procedures once the posts are implanted in the collars the oral surgeon put in. Corabine that with everyday living, going to the store for groceries, cooking, cleaning my apartment. That's a lot of physical activity, the majority of it bicycling but I can't put life on hold and lay in bed 3 weeks at a time after every RFA or else I might end up homeless.

So technically I'm not fully compliant with my post RFA procedure directions, but what choice do I have?

So I might have some reversal in the healing process at a result of having to tare care of my life. But I can't let it get me down or depressed. The alternative is resigning my self to living off disability Social Security and getting around via an electric wheelchair. I want more out my life than that.

Anyways just my experience with reversal in healing, like I said it probably has little relevance to your situation, but maybe someone can get some benefit with from reading it.

~Myo:angel:
 
JRABun,

Usually after 2 years you have reached the point of no return. If you have not started to regain use of the nerve or feeling in it, you aren't going to. At least that is what my PM doc and my internist both told me. Nerves regrow at an extremely slow growth rate as it is...and then to have someone tell you that if you haven't felt anything by 9 months.....it's awfully discouraging.

Your ovary may have been pushing against your nerve and causing the problem. But true to form, without seeing it and holding it in his hand your doctor isn't going to admit that it could have been the problem.

Good luck!
 
See, this is the proble.......all my doctors tell me nerves that affect my pain area (down my right leg) are not anywhere near the ovary!!!! So, they don't believe the ovary removal had anything to do with this.

So, they are left with my nerves coincidentally started healing at that exact moment. But I am way past the point of no return. My surgery was October 07.

I just wish someone could tell me what the heck is going on. They wont even give me a new MRI because they say they only give MRI's when problems get worse....not better. Also, they tell me chances are they won't see anything new anyways.

Don't get me wrong, I am VERY excited my pain seems to be getting better. But I am VERY scared at the same time, not knowing what is going on and if this is only temporary or what.

JRABun
 
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