Scar tissue after surgeries- anyone? do tell! EMG? too

[marshrose]

SOO my mri also states "Mild enhancement within the epidural space at this level attributed to post operative 'scar' "

secondary to that I have a L5, S1 annular bulge with posterior ridge.

I am 6 months post op 2nd surgery, (first was 2 level lurabar microdiscectomy3-4-5) second was L 4/5 fusion (5 month apart was my surgeries) it is now almost a year since my FIRST surgery, 6 months since my 2nd.

I have had increased shooting icky nerve pains over the past two months or so dr increased the neurontin too I WAS on 1500mg, now he said I can take upto 2700, I am working my way up, makes me groggy bigtime and lose my balance more, I am also on vicoden (does crap) soma, lunesta, and nausea meRAB, some nerve pains rip down my spine to my big toe, others just half a leg shooting or stabbing in both legs.

I cant keep up with people or my kiRAB walking in a store, if I try faster or a 'normal' stride it rips a nerve pain down my back to my toes and I stop dead in my tracks from the pain, or if I am walking more than about 20 minutes (sometimes less) they start worse.
Rain- I'm dyin w nerve pains and back pain, and also if my legs are bent too long, as well as sometimes when I sit, one or both of my legs go dead and I try to get up and my ankle will roll till the leg 'wakes up' which hurts like the dickens and takes upto 20 minutes.
Sometimes i don't know its gone dead til I try and get up. Cant move it or walk til it wakes up.
Dr stopped PT for now, I was going 3x a week.
SO I am trying to understand whats going on, no new appt set w the dr yet til I get also an EMG done.

As for the EMG I assume that will decipher permanent nerve damage or if its coming from the L3, L4, L5, or S1? I do hope so.

I can really just only lay down to ease the nerve pains, and even with that sometimes they still will go off but not as bad, and sometimes the back pain is tremendous, even with a heating pad. And sometimes it makes the nerve pains even worse. UGK!

Would LOVE to hear some insight, or others with surgeries, recovery, scar tissue or had an EMG

Thanks!

 

[ms_west]

Hi Rose,

I have had 5 major spine surgeries and I have alot of scar tissue. My biggest advice to you is to be extremely careful. The more surgery you have the more scar tissue you will have. Also if you should consider a spinal stimulator be sure to make sure that a neurosurgeon does the implant because he will be working very close to the nerves and the leaRAB will need to be sewed in instead of threading up thru the spinal column. With the threading of the leaRAB thru the spinal column, when you run into scar tissue a injury can occurr which is what happened to me.

I have had an EMG and it was fairly easy. They had me lay down on my back, put pillows under my legs, cleaned my legs with disinfectant, and they put needles thru out the legs and added some electricity. To be honest, this was nothing compared to my normal pain. My EMG showed that my nerve damage was permanent @ L5/s1.

If you have any questions, ask away and I will check back tomorrow.

 

[marshrose]

Thanks so much for posting!!!

Wow 5 surgeries, I don't know how you could bear them honestly. 5 months apart for me was beyond difficult phsically and emotionally. I AM better than I was, as I can walk now and drive some, but nothing extended. I cant even goto my uncles wedding as it's too far and I'd never last thru the ceremony and reception and a long ride home.

Sucks. Its been 6 months. I am glad to see the EMG was helpful.

What kind of pain do you get? I get severe nerve jabs and the 'dead leg' really is difficult to deal with, the shooting pains when severe I haveto stop walking immediately, but the dead leg is erabarassing if I am out with my kiRAB at a store. It can take upto 20 minutes before it comes back and while it does its painful severe pins and needles til its back and I can walk.

I am not in pain management yet. I think that will be coming soon. The only ESI I've ever had caused beyond excrushiating pain, and I could not move whatsoever or I'd be in agony. SO I refuse to get one ever again.

Do you think the neurontin loses strengh in my system as its been 4 months I've been on it this round? or is it possible the nerve(s) are getting worse and the neurontin can't cut it? I don't understand. When it rains I am totally in bed beyond miserable and hurting, its truly horrible, somtimes from 2 days before it rains until it stops raining.

My surgeon says I've been fused since the 4 month mark. I don't know or see how that is possible as people always say it takes a year??

I am so glad you posted. I am just wondering if I have 'mild' enhanclement within the epidural space, how in the world can 'mild' cause such bad nerve pains and dead legs(s) depending on my position and I can't squat to grab anything other than as quick as i can or most likely it will go dead nurab.

What kind of pains do you get? Nothing is nurab all the time, but I have decreased sensations in both of my legs now, bad leg moreso of course. I get a 'crawling' nurab but it doesnt stay permantently. Regular nerve pains is the same areas (about 10 diff spots) of both legs, and the horrid shooting ones if i am up too long, did too much, walked too fast to keep up w kiRAB, and the more I am up and walking,the slower and shorter stride I get to the point I am erabarrassed as i am so slow in public. I am 36 yrs old.

I have a bulge at L5/S1, and a posterior ridge (as i can read so far its arthritic type thing that pushes disc into canal and hurts nerves etc).

I do get stabbing nerve pains right in my groin, and down the side of my groin, and BEFORE I haveto goto the bathroom, my but or groin will go nurab, and then I goto the bathroom and it goes away. That is not the dead nurab tho like my legs get.

The level ABOVE my fusion is a repaired microdiscectomy L3/4, and the level below it is a L5/s1 bulge. Not the best area for a fusion that's for sure.

How long does scar tissue take to start forming and when does it stop? I am wondering WhIICH surgery the scar tissue is from, and, if more is still yet to come as its 6 months past my 2nd surgery??????

Thanks again so much.