I'm 22 and had suffered with severe back pain/ leg pain / hip pain, constant numbness, tingling and pins and needles for a few years, from roughly the age of 18, at first I thought nothing of it, and managed to get by and cope with painkillers.
Unfortunately as time went on, the more it began to hurt and affect my day to activities.
I'd been to the doctors about it but was just prescribed more painkillers, and diclefenic (spelling?)
The pain just seemed to get worse, and last December I was getting up for work one day and I literally could not move with the pain.
Went back to the doctors, told him enough was enough, I simply cannot live like this, being so young too.
It made me really depressed and I actually came close to taking an overdose.
I was put on amitriptyline and diazepam, aswell as tramadol.
They simply weren't working though.
I couldn't move without crutches and the pain was absolutely unbearable. Went for an MRI scan and was told I had 2 herniated discs in my spine.
I was off work for 10 months and had surgery in May (2012).
It seemed that it was sorted and I could feel the difference straight away.
However, over the last couple of weeks, I've started to feel a bit of pain down the left side of my leg and back, where the initial pain was pre-op. Not to the same extent as before, but today I found myself having to stop and bend down to stretch my leg, which wa a regular occurance when walking before surgery.
It worried me to be honest.
My question is, what if the pain continues? Or gets worse?
Is it possible for the discs to prolapse once again? And if so what are the options that I have?
Apolagies for the long post, I just really do not want to experience the same thing again.
Hi dan
Your a few months ahead of where I am at present so anything I say is purely based on what my surgeon said 4 months ago.
He said anything between 6 months and 1 year is standard for assessing what pain may remain as the nerve can be relieved and heal to some extent but not if there's permanent damage. The way I look at that comment is if the pain post surgery dropped off significantly then any permanent damage left cannot be more painful as the nerves now relieved. e.g if post surgery pain got to 5/10 then improved to 2/10 over 4 months then as the nerves no longer compressed its worst case for 'permanent remaining pain after 6-12 months' cannot exceed 2/10.
However I was told that until this 6-12 month period the nerve will continue sending diagnostics up and down to assess the damage. Spikes in the pain can be caused by:
1) Exercise (when the nerve thinks its in a position that pre-op caused pain)
2) Coming off drugs - especially tramadol which mimics nerve signals for a long period after you stop taking it!
3) Prolonged sitting.
Ok to answer your query of what if pain continues or worsens. I was specifically told if the pain ramps up substanically then to go to the GP. Re-herniation is possible and an MRI will confirm if its occurred. Re-herniations are despite internet writing fairly rare and dictated by life style and other elements of your spine. After the disectomies sometimes a herniation does occur on the opposit side of the disc but again it isn't a common occurance,
As for outcome thats only a call for the GP/Surgeon, I was told my right side had a slight prolapse causing no nerve impingement so if pain returns and the MRI shows the right needs surgery then that will be done. I was told if the operated side prolapses/ruptures again I may need another microdiscectomy or if severe disc loss a possible fusion.
FIRSTLY this is all ifs, buts and maybe's. I have had the odd week when I panicked of a relapse and I know how scarey it can be. You must go see your GP and let them know. I am not bad mouthing the GP's but going in once and saying it hurts won't set alarm bells going in their heads but the 2nd time should. So I'd go see them sooner or later so a possible MRI can be organised.
I have two Qu's:
When did you come off your drugs totally or are you still tappering off with some of them? As this can make it worsen as explained
Was your disc a full rupture or prolapse. If so did the surgeon say if the other side was showing slight prolapse? As again above this can be a cause.
Aware this is long winded but as with me, I refuse to panic until that 1 year point based on my surgeons/physio advice and he hasn't done wrong by me yet.
Hope this helps
Hi micro, thanks for the reply.
Sorry it's took so long for me to view it and get back to you.
I am completely off all kinds of medication now. After the operation up until the staples were removed I remained on the amitriptyline for a couple of weeks.
Since then I haven't needed, and have tried to avoid taking any other kinds, which has made me feel a hell of a lot better.
It was a full prolapse.
Fortunately I haven't had any pain over the last week or so.
I keep getting an occasional twinge in the area where I was operated on.
I've been back at the gym for a month or two now, so maybe it's just my back re adjusting to the workouts in the gym?
Since I posted my original post, the extent of the pain hasn't been that bad, thankfully.
Probably something of nothing, just thought I'd see if this was a common occurrence after said surgery.