Post Surgery Anxiety- Back & Foot

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amisharma

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Hello everyone, I just came across this great site & as I sit in the middle of the night unable to sleep, I thought of all the great people out there.

I had a back surgery (fusion in L4/L5 vertebrae of the spine), last Dec. I had been having ongoing back & feet pain since past 7 years & out of frustration, I decided to go for surgery. It has been almost 7months now & I have seen some change in my condition but since last week, I have been in unbearable pain in my feet & legs. I feel very restless & am unable to sleep. With 2 children (ages 7 & 4), I have already gone through a lot. I am more worried about not being able to take care of them when they need me most.

Can anyone who has had a similar surgery, let me know how long it would take to recover & what are th signs for a failed surgery of this kind??
thanks a lot...ami
 
BUT, from personal experience...not from surgery, but a fracture in the same area as you had surgery.....have you gone to a chiropractor, physiotherapist, pain managament doctor, or a neuro/ortho doc to ask about a pinched nerve? Your sciatic nerve may be irritated or pinched...it comes from the
L4/L5/S1 area. When mine was pinched the pain was excrutiating. I chose NOT to do surgery and have worked exclusively with my chiropractor and have resolved that pain issue. It isn't cured by any means, but I just couldn't bring myself to do the surgery...it terrified me.

I was told, when I was doing research on the back surgery, that it would take up to 18 months or longer for full recovery. I think you are still at the beginning. You could go to your doc and do an MRI or xrays to just double check that all is well.
 
Did we talk about taking Lyrica or neurontin? Lyrica is a new drug that was developed for the pain of shingles and peripheral neuropathy so it does help with those burning, tingling, electrical type pains. It is supposed to have fewer side effects than neurontin and you don't need to take as large a dosage of it.
 
Thanks for your response. As I said this problem had been ongoing for 7 years, so I have tried all sorts of therapies, including physio, chiro, Bowen's therapy. The surgery was meant to relieve pressure off the pinched nerves. I also was unable to move for days together due to excruciating pain. After 7 long years, when I did not get anywhere with the docs here in Canada (I was not even sent for an MRI nor to an ortho/spine specialist), as the Rheumatologists associated the pain with Fibromylgia, I took an opinion of a Spine Specialist (friend) in India who recommended surgery. He has also said it will take atleast a year to recover, but I have started to panic already.

I am not even sure if the feet pain has anything to do with the spine. But like you said, I will ask my doc to have an MRI done once again to be sure.
 
Hi. I just had 360 fusion done at L5/S1 for lower back and severe foot pain. I'm two weeks post opt and the pain in my feet has returned. I understand your frustration. I'm praying mine is matter of healing. Just seems strange when I hear of so many others waking up from surgery to find their pain has been elevated immediately. Feel free to write. Foot pain is the worst!
 
Is your current pain similar to what you experienced prior to surgery? In the same location?

Have you had pain ever since your surgery?
 
I had a multi-level fusion in Oct. of '07. I too woke up from surgery without the leg and foot pain and nurabness. However, about the 5th month post-op, all those symptoms returned. My doctor told me it was scar tissue as well, as it often occurs @ about a few months after surgery. Please talk to your surgeon about your complaints-it may be scar tissue, something else,or nothing @ all. Best to look into it.--janiee:)
 
StevieRayfan,

Your thread has been moved and is entitled "Scar Tissue". Do not ask questions on other individuals thread. Please always start your own thread so that you don't hijack others threaRAB.

Thank you for your cooperation.
Mod 08
 
Yes, it is quite similar to the pain I had in my feet prior to the surgery. I was feeling much better, since the surgery but since last couple of days, I feel like I am back to square one. I feel like my feet are on fire & I am not able to sleep through the night. Just saw my family physician today & he is trying to get an MRI appt. for me. He thinks it could be due to pinched nerves in the back due to some scar tissue post-surgery, as there is feeling of tingling & nurabness. He said it is quite normal post surgery but MRI is the best way to figure that out.
I am not sure how long I have to wait for the appt., as the wait times for MRI here could be anything from a few weeks to months.
 
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