P
PC509
Guest
Thanks for the advice. I'll call the Dr. on Monday and see if he thinks it is expected or neeRAB me to be seen.
Thanks again!
Thanks again!
M
ms_west
Guest
I also just thought that sometimes they put medicine in while you under that nurabs things until around the 4/5th week and alot of us experienced a large increase in pain. This might be what you are experiencing but nevertheless your doctor should be aware of the increased pain so that he can adjust your medication if necessary.
Good luck and I hope you feel better.
Good luck and I hope you feel better.
P
PC509
Guest
Hi,
I had my second back surgery last friday (first was a disectomy 5 years ago, last one was a lamenectomy). I was looking forward to my last surgery, but now I am regretting it. The first couple days were fine. Now, I am taking lots of pain killers just to stay sane. My hip hurts, my leg hurts, and my back hurts. I can barely walk. It hurts so much more than before my surgery. I don't know if it was a bad surgery, or if it is permanent nerve damage. My Dr. is 3.5 hours away, so going back to him just for a follow up isn't easy. And I don't know what a local doc could do, other than say it's normal...
Any suggestions? Is it normal that I have pain like this AFTER the surgery? I thought it would fix the pain like it did last time, not make it worse!
I had my second back surgery last friday (first was a disectomy 5 years ago, last one was a lamenectomy). I was looking forward to my last surgery, but now I am regretting it. The first couple days were fine. Now, I am taking lots of pain killers just to stay sane. My hip hurts, my leg hurts, and my back hurts. I can barely walk. It hurts so much more than before my surgery. I don't know if it was a bad surgery, or if it is permanent nerve damage. My Dr. is 3.5 hours away, so going back to him just for a follow up isn't easy. And I don't know what a local doc could do, other than say it's normal...
Any suggestions? Is it normal that I have pain like this AFTER the surgery? I thought it would fix the pain like it did last time, not make it worse!
P
PC509
Guest
Well, I talked to the surgeron, and he said it is probably inflammation, so I am on oral steroiRAB (Dexamethasone, 4MG) for a couple weeks. Hopefully that fixes it. I'm a hurtin person right now! If there is permanent nerve damage, and I have constant leg pain, does that mean that incontenance is going to be permanent, too? 
M
Moldova
Guest
After my first fusion lurabar surgery I had unbelivable amount of pain, 100% worse than before the surgery. And this severe pain i experienced for about 4-5 month. I ended up at the Hospital couple of times during recovery due to severe pain and needed narco meRAB IV.
You can't talk about nerve damage yet, too early. It can take up to 2 years for nerves to heal. We are so different and healing process takes different time for everyone and pain levels are varies from person to person.
I am always suprised when i read about patients whose pain disapeared after surgery or got better right the way. It was not a case for me. My pain level was 9-10 for a very long time and I was on very high dose of PK for a long time. I had another fusion 5 month ago and due to only L-3, L-4 levels this time, my pain did not last as long as the first time.
Bottom line is: recovery is so different for everybody.
Best of luck to you on your recovery!:angel:
You can't talk about nerve damage yet, too early. It can take up to 2 years for nerves to heal. We are so different and healing process takes different time for everyone and pain levels are varies from person to person.
I am always suprised when i read about patients whose pain disapeared after surgery or got better right the way. It was not a case for me. My pain level was 9-10 for a very long time and I was on very high dose of PK for a long time. I had another fusion 5 month ago and due to only L-3, L-4 levels this time, my pain did not last as long as the first time.
Bottom line is: recovery is so different for everybody.
Best of luck to you on your recovery!:angel:
T
Tuttie51
Guest
I Had surgery now 2 years ago and i am left with a lower back ache and my left leg pain especially around my knee...not to mention i fell down the very first day of surgery.
C
carol632
Guest
No, it certainly isn't "normal" to have this kind of pain. Since your surgeon is so far away, isn't it possible to find a spine specialist closer to you? You really do need to be seen; I would think an MRI is in order to find out what is going on. After having had both a discectomy and laminectomy, it's possible that the rest of the disc has herniated. You are having leg pain as well, as that indicates the possibility that a nerve is being impinged on. I think it's vital that you be seen by a neurosurgeon or ortho who specializes in the spine only.
I hope you will stay in touch and let us know how you are doing.
Carol
I hope you will stay in touch and let us know how you are doing.
Carol
M
ms_west
Guest
I agree, please call your doctor now. You need to be seen and have some tests ordered.
M
Mel52
Guest
I had a laminectomy and discectomy in March. One week post op I was still very uncomfortable. I had stabbing pains in different parts of my legs, spasms in my back, cramps in my legs and burning. I was only taking tylenol and an occasional 1/2 vicodan. My back hurt alot and it was very difficult to sit or lay down. I was exhausted.
It is a gradual process. I was told if the nerve was compressed for a long time it takes longer to heal. I figured the nerve was swollen just because it was moved around during surgery.
I feel like I have turned the corner the last few weeks. I certainly have my moments and sometimes bad nights but I don't regret having the surgery. I am having improvements. Give yourself some time. It has been only a week.
It is a gradual process. I was told if the nerve was compressed for a long time it takes longer to heal. I figured the nerve was swollen just because it was moved around during surgery.
I feel like I have turned the corner the last few weeks. I certainly have my moments and sometimes bad nights but I don't regret having the surgery. I am having improvements. Give yourself some time. It has been only a week.
L
lfoster21
Guest
I will say that after both of my surgeries, I had worse pain the 4 weeks following the surgery, than I did prior to the surgeries. It did gradually get better, but 1 surgery took 6 weeks and the other took 10 weeks of being on the same amount of narcotics as I was on just out of surgery. I know that I healed slower than the average person, but I do remeraber that the first few days were the typical post surgery pain (that I was expecting) but then all of the sudden things got so very bad. I kept calling the dr., and going in, to have the Dr. tell me that it was the nerves "waking up". At 1st, I could not believe the type of pain I was having, was basically muscle spasms and nerves finding their way back into place. But, it was and after the 1st month or so, things did get better.
I agree that you do need to let your Dr. know of your concerns, and if he feels that you need to be seen, see if he can recommend a surgeon that is closer to you. Sometimes it is difficult to find a surgeon who is willing to take over for another surgeon, but I would think that if your Dr. placed a phone call and explain your situation and distance from his office, that you should be able to find someone closer.
If all else fails, you can always go to the ER and have them look at you. Make sure though, if you do this, call your Dr. 1st and tell him of your concerns and that because of the distance, you'd like to go to your ER and have an MRI done. I learned the hard way, at least hear in VA, if you just show up at the ER w/o the Dr. 1st calling ahead and refering an MRI or CT etc. they won't do one. They might do an Xray and give you some meRAB. if you are out, but that is it.
Good luck and keep us posted.
Lorie:angel:
I agree that you do need to let your Dr. know of your concerns, and if he feels that you need to be seen, see if he can recommend a surgeon that is closer to you. Sometimes it is difficult to find a surgeon who is willing to take over for another surgeon, but I would think that if your Dr. placed a phone call and explain your situation and distance from his office, that you should be able to find someone closer.
If all else fails, you can always go to the ER and have them look at you. Make sure though, if you do this, call your Dr. 1st and tell him of your concerns and that because of the distance, you'd like to go to your ER and have an MRI done. I learned the hard way, at least hear in VA, if you just show up at the ER w/o the Dr. 1st calling ahead and refering an MRI or CT etc. they won't do one. They might do an Xray and give you some meRAB. if you are out, but that is it.
Good luck and keep us posted.
Lorie:angel:
L
Linda100
Guest
I had my last lurabar surgery, and I knew right from the start something was wrong.. my left leg kept going completely nurab from my panty line to the floor, it would only last about a hour at the time, but enough to scare me to death, every time the NS would put me on the Steroid dose packs and it would be better for a while, well 6 months out I had my PM doctor order a MRI, and sure enough there was a large disk fragment left in there right against my nerve...
so who knows any more what to think, I sure hope it gets better for you..
so who knows any more what to think, I sure hope it gets better for you..