B
brendaks1
Guest
A little background: I had an L4/L5 laminectomy/discectomy last August due to severe sciatic pain along my S1 dermatone in my left leg that had been there for 5 months. The surgery helped improve some muscle weakness issues, but didn't take away the sciatic pain. My sciatic pain is the worst when I sit, and I am unable to sit for more than 5 minutes at a 90 degree angle. My life consists of standing and laying down, and I am currently on long-term disability.
My doctors have done MRI's and a myelogram, and have found compression of the L4 and L5 nerve roots, but cannot find S1 nerve root compression which is where my pain is at - not at L4 or L5. My L4/L5 disc looks really nasty on these tests but the L5/S1 disc looks fine, even though that would likely be the disc that would cause my pain along S1. They are now saying that the only test there is left to do is a discogram, but they would only allow me to have it if I am seriously considering another surgery to fix the problem.
If you were me, would you have the discogram? I am not worried about the pain, but I have read that it is possible to damage discs that are fine with the procedure. How true is this? My pain is tolerable as long as I don't sit at all and take my pain meRAB. I am worried about being able to return to my job or get another job when I am unable to spend any time sitting, as well as what life quality I will have like this.
My doctors have done MRI's and a myelogram, and have found compression of the L4 and L5 nerve roots, but cannot find S1 nerve root compression which is where my pain is at - not at L4 or L5. My L4/L5 disc looks really nasty on these tests but the L5/S1 disc looks fine, even though that would likely be the disc that would cause my pain along S1. They are now saying that the only test there is left to do is a discogram, but they would only allow me to have it if I am seriously considering another surgery to fix the problem.
If you were me, would you have the discogram? I am not worried about the pain, but I have read that it is possible to damage discs that are fine with the procedure. How true is this? My pain is tolerable as long as I don't sit at all and take my pain meRAB. I am worried about being able to return to my job or get another job when I am unable to spend any time sitting, as well as what life quality I will have like this.