Back issues after surgery

[OLDSTER]

In October, I underwent a successful Lumbar Laminectomy to relieve severe pain due to Lumbar Spinal Stenosis. About a month ago, I developed a new pain issue, diagnosed as Epidural Fibrosis, which is development of scar tissue pressing the same nerves in L3,L4,and L5. Scheduled to start steroid shots in a couple weeks. I hope they give me some relief !!! Doc told me the Fibrosis usually takes a year to " settle down". Anyone else go through this ???

 

[jeffrefrig]

I had the laminectomy on L1 & L2, very painful operation, but it seems to have alleviated the pain going to my Sciatic nerve group. I have been diagnosed a few years ago with some bulging discs and degenerative ones in the Lumbar area that they do not advise operating on. I've had shots twice a years for those discs, but they quit helping. I get a prescription once a month for the back pain. Today I start therapy on my left shoulder, but I believe an MRI will be coming up as I will go see doctor in 6 weeks. I think I heard the word Fibrosis in some of my pain doctor visits, but never heard anything about it settling down in a year or so. Good luck and keep the faith in your Ortho Surgeon. I retired last March and that has helped somewhat. Try to stay active without over-doing it.
Ibuprofin and Acetaminophen take the edge off, but prescription meds do what they are made to do.

 

[Ron IL]

I really feel for someone with back problems. Back in the late 80's I had a problem for about 5 years. The company sent me to a back specialist that did nothing but give me exercises to do that made me barely able to work. Then one day I got down really bad. I was off work for 4 days and told the wife I am either going to have to go to work or a doctor. I really got if hurting swinging a 16 lb dead blow hammer on the end of a 6" shaft. So when I got in bed I twisted my back the opposite way from swinging the hammer. My lower back popped like a machine gun about 6 or 7 pops. When I woke up I jumped out of bed like a new man and my back was fixed. Every couple of years I have a little problem if I fall asleep slumped over in my recliner or couch. But I can still fix it myself most of the time. I have a good chiropractor that doesn't twist and pop and he can fix it in one or two trips. I couldn't imagine having that pain all the time. I may find out one of these days but I hope not. I am careful not lifting heavy stuff and I don't jump out of the back of a pickup truck anymore.

 

[F4phantom]

I fell for your pain. Back in 2005 I had a staph infection at T9-T10. It left me without use of anything below my waist. Went to the ER where they figured out what was wrong. In the ER at 1:00 pm; went to surgery at 4:00 pm; woke up in ICU 11:30 pm. They had to remove the disk because it was too infected.

I spent the next month and a half in PT to learn how to walk again. This was complicated having to wear a turtle shell during the day. Very painful getting it on and off.

They installed a PICC line to deliver some powerful antibiotics. Everything tasted like cardboard for about a month. I had to change the IV's a home. That was the easy part.

I was pretty much whacked out from the end of June to the beginning of October. The PICC line came out in October and was on oral meds until the following May. The turtle shell was jettisoned around the end of August. I was able to use a walker and then a cane. Got to drive the beginning of October.
The doctor told me that it would take time for the nerves to heal. Well for the most part they did. I have severe nephropathy in my feet. They continually burn. It's really bad a night when I'm lying in bed at night. The incision on my back gives me fits every now and then. It itches unmercifully and then it stops. Since I'm on high blood pressure medication the doctor does not want me taking anything for the pain. I've learned to ignore it for the most part.

To anyone with back or neck pain, I feel for you.
Oh yea did I mention I lost my sense of smell 21 years ago. Bummer.

 

[SMSgt]

My lower back has been trashed since 1973--bulged, herniated discs, stenosis, etc.--and the docs have done little in correcting it or offering some sort of relief. A pain management doctor performed a bilateral lower lumbar radio frequency ablation in the L4 - S1 region which helped temporarily, but when the nerves grew back, and he said they would, the pain made it not worthwhile to do again.

I try to get by on a day-to-day basis.

 

[A10]

I had cervical disc surgery several years ago, fused 6 vertebrae and removed 4 discs. I ended up with some pretty nasty nerve damage and muscular scarring. Still constant pain but getting a little better over time. Neither my GP or surgeon has had any suggestions other than pain control and stretching. Meh. At least I can still shoot!

 

[beaverislander]

I had lower back surgery 10 years ago. I have been cleared for a lumbar and a cervical consultation by the surgeons at Mayo Clinic just as soon as I can get the covid vaccine and travel. Not sure if I want more surgery but I would like to hear what my options are.

 

[Old cop]

I hate to bear bad news but I developed ortho fibrosis (excessive scar tissue) after my ‘98 knee replacement that left me w/a frozen knee joint and chronic pain. I’ve been to several specialists; all that can be done has been done. Scar tissue is tough stuff, best of luck.

 

[SMSgt]

I hate to bear bad news but I developed ortho fibrosis (excessive scar tissue) after my ‘98 knee replacement that left me w/a frozen knee joint and chronic pain. I’ve been to several specialists; all that can be done has been done. Scar tissue is tough stuff, best of luck.

Usually they put you under and bend the joint for that, to break up the scar tissue.

 

[GypsmJim]

My wife had a bad back problem and the doctors just gave her pain pills. After about 2 years, one day she was lunging her horse in the indoor arena and the horse gave her a big tug and almost pulled her to the ground. When she got home she realized that her back was OK again.

 

[ladder13]

I had an L4-L5-S1 discectomy/laminectomy in 2008. I still have some pain 13 years later. There’s some new procedures available nowadays but the pain is not enough for me to have them open up my back again.
Good luck to you.

 

[madmikeb]

I had two laminectomies done 15 or 20 years ago, the bottom two discs, and have to say that the neurosurgeon that did mine is my hero. Both times I practically crawled into the hospital in the morning, and walked out in the evening. After the second one I even stopped and ate on the way home, and did the whole recovery with no painkillers.

I can't say that my back is perfect, there has been some numbness in my lower extremities ever since, but the difference has been night and day.

I am able to live a pretty much normal life these days but I do have to show my back some consideration and not do stupid things!

 

[Moo Moo]

I'm still dealing with chronic lower back nerve pain. In 2007 my back was injuried during a search warrant at an indoor Hydro Cannabis plantation. By 2014, the pain was getting so much that I required an L3-S1 fusion and decompression. Whilst the back is now structured correctly, I've been dealing with this damaged nerve pain. I don't believe any of my scars have produced pain like the OP is getting.

Since then, I've been on numerous opioids and antidepressants, as well as having cortisone injections, nerve blocks, and a neuro-stimulator implant.

I'm now trialling the THC/CBD Cannabis Oil; no pain relief as yet.

 

[Ranger514]

Back in 2019, my ongoing sciatica situation became pretty unbearable, and I experienced serious pain radiating down my right leg, along with tingling in both feet. That progressed until I could no longer pivot my right foot upward for normal walking. The "foot drop" issue was caused by a combination herniated disk and stenosis, which required a L3 ,L4, L5 laminectomy.

The surgery never fully alleviated the sciatic pain in my lower right hip area. Eighteen months later, pain still wakes me at night, causing me to change positions frequently. Sometimes, I have to simply get out of bed and stretch and walk to alleviate the pain. Now, my right foot has started tingling again at intervals, and I'm beginning to worry about further future issues. Following my convalesence and PT, I've stayed fairly active, walking, hiking, and motorcycle riding, plus we have horse property that I help maintain. As I approach my 70th year, I'm pretty much resigned to the thought that my condition is just something that I'll have to deal with as best I can. My surgeon said if the laminectomy didn't work out, further surgery with metal rod implants was an option. I'd rather not go there for now.

 

[OLDSTER]

Back in 2019, my ongoing sciatica situation became pretty unbearable, and I experienced serious pain radiating down my right leg, along with tingling in both feet. That progressed until I could no longer pivot my right foot upward for normal walking. The "foot drop" issue was caused by a combination herniated disk and stenosis, which required a L3 ,L4, L5 laminectomy.

The surgery never fully alleviated the sciatic pain in my lower right hip area. Eighteen months later, pain still wakes me at night, causing me to change positions frequently. Sometimes, I have to simply get out of bed and stretch and walk to alleviate the pain. Now, my right foot has started tingling again at intervals, and I'm beginning to worry about further future issues. Following my convalesence and PT, I've stayed fairly active, walking, hiking, and motorcycle riding, plus we have horse property that I help maintain. As I approach my 70th year, I'm pretty much resigned to the thought that my condition is just something that I'll have to deal with as best I can. My surgeon said if the laminectomy didn't work out, further surgery with metal rod implants was an option. I'd rather not go there for now.

I feel for ya ! The return of pain after your laminectomy sounds like Epidural Fibrosis. That has been my diagnosis. Before you do anything, please check that out.

 

[jeffrefrig]

I've come to the conclusion that not everyone's back pain operations are alike, and I know that when my back is "acting up" that I am one miserable *** (more than usual.) I have paid attention to all of my acquaintances' back pain treatments because it's serious stuff and if something works on someone, maybe it'll work on me. I know very few people that operations help...they may temporarily but they almost always come back. I do know that although I'm on prescription meds, people I see other than my PCP think I'm going to become a heroin junkie and die. If you take the meds as prescribed, you won't OD on dinosaur tranquilizers. But Debbie Do-Gooders think they need to stop everyone from getting a little relief. That's what they are made for. Fix my back and I won't need them.
Oldster, I really hope they can fix you up.

 

[MTC(SS)Ret]

I also have been dealing with back issues for a few years, more than likely caused by a combination of "old age" and 25 years as a truck driver. My primary issue was pain and numbness in the left leg that started in the foot and moves higher, when walking and standing. If I walked long enough I would get pain in both hips that would soon get so bad I had to sit and rest. At times if I walked at a normal pace far enough it would bring me to tears. I started with Pain Management and after the usual battery of tests (MRI, xrays, Cat Scan) was diagnosed with degenerative discs at L3, L4 and L5 and a herniated disc at S1. I was referred to a nerosurgeon who recommended a series of steroid injections along with OTC pain meds. The pains eased up to a tolerable level as long as I didn't get carried away. I had another series of injections 3 months after the first set and my pain doctor prescribed Lyrica in addition to Tylenol and Ibuprofen. So far my pain has been reduced to about one fourth of what it was. So far so good as I refuse to get on the opioid train unless as a last resort.
My last visit with the surgeon in January he started talking about surgery...a L5/S1 microdiscectomy/laminectomy followed in 2 days by L3/L4/L5 disc replacement with vertibrae fusion with a cage.
I am considering the microdiscectomy as a possible solution if things get worse but have major doubts about the effectiveness of the fusion.
I have done a lot of online research about the procedure of fusing at L3/L4/L5 and most resources including Mayo Clinic, Johns Hopkins, Cleveland Clinic to name a few say it's about a 50/50 shot at success and I don't like those odds considering it is Major surgery with all it's potential risks, not to mention the long recovery time and likely hood of decreased mobility even after recovery.

If anyone of you have had the L3/L4/L5 fusion I would like to hear what your results were.

 

[cherrypointmarine]

In 1997 I had a discectomy and in 1998 a fusion , both at L5-S1 . The fusion didn't take on the left side . I suffered from back pain for 20 year4s , but worse was the nerve pain . About 10 years ago I had a temporary spinal cord stimulator put in for a week to see how it would do .

My pain Dr. said to wait , they were getting smaller , batteries were getting better and finally they made them so you can get an MRI with one in . At the time I was eating 16-1800 mg of nuerontin daily . As some of you know , this is nasty stuff , but if that's all that works , well.....

Finally 2 years ago I had another trial , and W/C ok'ed me to have it done . Where as before I was zoned out and not able to do much , I now walk 3-4 miles a day and have a much better life . I take 100mg of nuerontin 2x a day .

For me this was a life changer . I'm able to do things I haven't done in 20 years . Now I still have problems , but the nerve pain is so low I don't let it bother me . I'm sure a spinal cord stimulator is not for everyone , but it changed my life , for the better .

 

[MTC(SS)Ret]

In 1997 I had a discectomy and in 1998 a fusion , both at L5-S1 . The fusion didn't take on the left side . I suffered from back pain for 20 year4s , but worse was the nerve pain . About 10 years ago I had a temporary spinal cord stimulator put in for a week to see how it would do .

My pain Dr. said to wait , they were getting smaller , batteries were getting better and finally they made them so you can get an MRI with one in . At the time I was eating 16-1800 mg of nuerontin daily . As some of you know , this is nasty stuff , but if that's all that works , well.....

Finally 2 years ago I had another trial , and W/C ok'ed me to have it done . Where as before I was zoned out and not able to do much , I now walk 3-4 miles a day and have a much better life . I take 100mg of nuerontin 2x a day .

For me this was a life changer . I'm able to do things I haven't done in 20 years . Now I still have problems , but the nerve pain is so low I don't let it bother me . I'm sure a spinal cord stimulator is not for everyone , but it changed my life , for the better .

My pain doctor told me about the nerve stimulator. First they do a 7 day trial with and external battery pack then if the results are good they implant the permanent model. From what I have read online most people had mixed results and they had many problems with the implanted components. I'm not really sure about trying it out.
Very fortunate for you that you had such great relief.

 

[Golddollar]

Finally 2 years ago I had another trial , and W/C ok'ed me to have it done . Where as before I was zoned out and not able to do much , I now walk 3-4 miles a day and have a much better life . I take 100mg of nuerontin 2x a day .

For me this was a life changer . I'm able to do things I haven't done in 20 years . Now I still have problems , but the nerve pain is so low I don't let it bother me . I'm sure a spinal cord stimulator is not for everyone , but it changed my life , for the better .

Congratulations and thank you for your service. You deserve your new blessings.