I haven't been told a great deal about what I've had done although the specialist said he had completely removed dics L4 & L5. I am only 31 but have had lower back problems with sciatica since I was 19.
I hadn't elected to have this operation but had collapsed in severe pain with numbness from my waist down and an inability to pee! I had been in a lot of pain for a few weeks beforehand and I knew from 5 years ago when I had experienced a prolapsed disc what exactly I had done but this pain was far more excruciating.
Any way to cut a long story short, at this moment in time I am almost 11 weeks post-op and even though I do not have any lower back pain I havestill got numbness in my buttocks, down the back of my legs and in my feet through to mytoes and with that comes nerve pain which includes; burning sensations, tingling, shooting pains, constant pins and needles type feelings (but 100x stronger) and on a scale of 1-10 my pain is never any lower than a 4.
This amount of pain and nimbness is really starting to get me down and I don't feel as though physicians give me any straight answers.
I am having PT but it doesn't seem to be helping. I am able towalk, stand and sit but for only 5-10 mins max, I'mtrying out a TENS unit but that's not doing anything either.
I was told about a new drug on the market licensed for use on nerve pain - Cymbalta. Can anyone tell me if they've used it or heard of it? I am conventional pain relief at the moment:- cocodamol, voltarol and amitriptyline but they cause constipation and gut ache.
So if there is anyone out there that can tell me how long this will last or have any comments about pain relief you have had success with or just to let me know of your experiences or anything else that you think might help PLEASE, PLEASE let me know.
Many thanks and hope to hear from you soon.
RE: 11 weeks post discectomy and still in pain HELP!
Hi There. I suffered the same thing as yourself in December 2003. I am now able to walk although I use a leg brace as I have dropped foot and also use a crutch for support. I have made a good recovery on my left side but still have a lot of numbness on my right leg, thighs, buttocks and saddle area and suffer with bowel problems.
With regards to the nerve pain I have found that taking both amitrriptyline and gababentin helps a great deal but conventional pain relief does not touch the pain.
The numbness can apparently vary from patient to patient and depends on how damaged the nerves were during compression and how long they were compressed for. I have been advised by the specialist that this is probably as good as it is going to get for me. I just try to look forward and focus on the things that I can do and not what I used to be able to do. I thank my lucky stars that I can walk as it could have been a lot worse.
RE: 11 weeks post discectomy and still in pain HELP!
Hi -
In my experience working as ahospital pharmacistas part of the acute pain team, if you are after conventional western medicine, I would be more inclined to go along the route of Amitriptylline 10-25mg at night if you find that nerve pain "buring, stinging, tingling, pins & needles" is keeping you awake at night and Gaapentin 300-600mg three times a day rather than trying Cymbalta (which is NOT licensed for this type of pain , although is licensed for DIABETIC peripheral neuropathic pain) for these symptoms during the day. Additionally, whilst you may perceive that paracetamol is not helping, I would advise that you take this on a regular basis.
As a complementary/alternative therapist, I would also say that this is not the complete answer, and that you also need to address the underlying emotional feelings that go along with the pain.
Questions -Since the pain started when you were 19,was there something emotionally effecting you 1-2 years prior to this - some major emotional event? What was the trigger? Is there any emotion that leaves you feeling "numb"?
I have found that when you deal with these issues, then the pain usually just goes away, as it is not needed anymore. I would recommend that either Time Line Therapy TM or that EFT should help.
RE: 11 weeks post discectomy and still in pain HELP!
Many thanks to you both for your interest in me and all your help and info.
RE: 11 weeks post discectomy and still in pain HELP!
Hi SJB
Picking up maceuk's comment about addressing the underlying emotional issues, I am about to have my first session of SHEN this week... for my recovering back problem. Mine is of a lower grade (and different type) than yours, though when it was at its worst it was horrendously painful. If you are interested I'll PM you with how it goes, so that perhaps you could decide if it, or something similar, could be useful to you?
N x
RE: 11 weeks post discectomy and still in pain HELP!
Thank-you kindly, yes I would like to know how you get on. All information gratefully received.
RE: 11 weeks post discectomy and still in pain HELP!
I had my second L4-L5 microdiscectomy on 7/10 (1st one of 7/25/05). I began having pain in April, progressed to severe back spasms in May. MRI showed nothing. Then in June radiating pain into my L leg, footdrop and numbness. My doc was out of town and I was scheduled for a LESI at that time so I had that done (it was so painful!) with no help. When he came back I let him know about the neurological changes so he scheduled a CT/mylegram which showed the herniation. Surgery showed 3 big chunks of disc pressing on the sciatica.
I'm having PT 3X/wk and walk 2-3 miles every day I don't do PT. But I still have numbness/weakness/burning in my leg. I have to take a Percocet 10mg and Soma every night because when I get burning and tingling starting in the afternoon and by night it prevents me from resting. My doc said not to worry about the meds - not uncommon to need for some time. He said having a repeat surgery is always more difficult to bounce back from and more painful.
I'm an ER nurse so I'm taking 8 wks off from work. I still also have sciatica pain.
I'm so fearful of re-herniation. Doc has told me that if I reherniate, he'll have to do a fusion. That is my greatest fear. I'm only 51 and physically active - like to camp, canoe, etc. Plus I still have 14 yrs of work before even thinking about retiring.
I guess I'm just asking from reassurance from anyone who's been in this position.
Thanks for letting me vent!
RE: 11 weeks post discectomy and still in pain HELP!
I would advise seeking postural advice and developing core stability so that your muscles strengthen and relieve pressure on your joints.
Try a good Pilates practitioner/ Alexander Technique.
Sharon.