painful sciatica, hip pain 3wks after fusion?

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jodi n

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Help!!!!!
I am 3 wks out from fusion, L4/5, with roRAB and screws, as well as spacers between disc to prevent height loss in vertabre. I now have painful hip pain and sciatica that grabs a hold of me!!!! I did not have hip pain or sciatic problems before, plus i am also getting leg spasms, What is going on here??
I thought the whole idea of surgery was to get rid of the pain, and not create new ones? This is my 2nd surgery withen this year,, as the doctor from the previous surgery did a microdiscetomy, and did not notice i have spinal stenosis!!!!!!
Has anyone experienced this before? I am terrified this is my life, all i keep doing is crying, try explainging that to your toddler who says why "mommy crying" I am so miserable i cant even pick her up yet, i can move my back much better than a week ago, but now this hip pain is unbearable!!!!

Any advice is welcomed, Any!!!!!:confused:
Thanks,
jodi
 
I think you are expecting too much too soon. You have just had very major surgery. This is so early in your recovery only 3 weeks out. It takes a long time to get over a fusion. Talk to your doctor about getting some pain relief. Sometimes the pain can come from the surgery itself when nerves get pushed around but that does not mean that you won't eventually fully recover but it is going to take time. A fusion is a much more major surgery than the micro that you previously had experienced so the recovery can be much longer. Things will get better but it will take time.
 
Post-operative nerve pain is not uncommon for people who have had back surgery. The area is packed with nerve bundles, and it is almost impossible to avoid some amount of nerve damage during surgery. After surgery, swelling and scar tissue may cause (rare) or aggravate existing nerve pain.

Most acute post-op pain resolves itself within six to twelve weeks, but can take up to six months. After six months, most doctors will consider significant pain to be a chronic condition, and may treat you accordingly.

Has your doctor given you anything for the pain? Nerve pain generally doesn't respond well to analgesics, and even potent opioiRAB often just dull the pain. You may need to ask your doctor to let you try Lyrica (pregabalin) or Neurontin (gabapentin,) as these are commonly used for neuralgia and are usually well tolerated. Other meRAB like Elavil, Pamelor, Cyrabalta, and Effexor may help reduce the sharp pains, though dry mouth and constipation are common side effects. You will be the best judge of whether the side effects, if any, are worth it to cut down on the nerve pain.
 
Hello,
And rhanks for the reply,
It is now 31/2 wks, and my back above the incision hurts, it did not before, i still have leg pain, when i spoke to the doc, he said my x rays look good, hardware is in place. He also said it will take some time for the nerves to settle down. Before the surgery i had nerve pain above my ankles, now i have it all over, i still find it hard to walk, and the doctor wants to see me on monday which freightens me in thinking he thinks there could be something wrong. How long does it usually take to feel a little better, will i be like this the rest of my life!!! What kind of life will i be able to give my daughter, when i went to my doctor he was a 3rd opinion, and very respected doctor, now could kill myself for having it done, what did i do!!!!!! He was so happy with the outcome of the surgery, i woke up with no leg pain, and had none for 2 weeks, and than boom!!!!
Has anybody had this happen before to them, i am so desperate, and depressed... I just dont know what to do.
Jodi
And i am on 1200mg of neurontin too
 
Jodi,

I had my fusion many years ago but I had a very slow recovery. I had complications which kept me in the hospital for 3 weeks. Obviously the techniques used nowadays are probably vastly improved but even so it is not a cakewalk. I sometimes wonder if surgeons tend to raise expectations with patients. That is fine when you have a great recovery but many of us do not spring back so easily and I believe doctors should give patients the unvarnished truth about fusion sugery and the possible time it may take to recover.

Three months after my surgery I was bedridden and unable to place any weight on my leg. The spasm in my back took a full year to subside. Eventually I was better overall for a period of five years. That does not mean I didn't have back and leg pain but that it was much improved from my pre-surgery state. So surgery gave me some relief for five years.

Perhaps things are much better now but it is difficult to know when the outcomes can be so different from patient to patient. Nerves take a long time to recover. Inflammed and angry nerves can give you intense pain. Your Neurontin (gabapentin) may be increased. I have been on 2100 mg for years. Narcotics are known not to be very effective in treating nerve pain.

I know how frustrating it can be but as I said previously this is very early in your recovery and nerves are acting up which is very common.
 
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