Help!

[Ash]

Originally Posted by Maria

I'm guessing that you still have the same symptoms? Anyway you mentioned getting xrays. I don't think xrays will tell you if the L4 disc is compromised or if there is soft tissue type of concerns although it seems to have given you some answers re the ADR not moving so that much is good.

Are you feeling about the same, better or worse? Have you seen your surgeon already? How many weeks post ADR surgery are you? I'm guessing that the only way you'll know if there's something going on with another disc is by MRI and even then I don't know if it will show something unless there's some there a bit significant there to show). What's considered a "mild" bulge of L4 could possibly be giving you symptoms but then again might not be significant enough to the surgeon or provider to think it's giving you what you're feeling.

I'm wondering about muscle spasms (although would think they'd be alleviated in about 3-4 weeks). I get an injection of 60mg Toradol IM every month to help me out with lumbar muscle spasms (and cervical) and it works pretty darn good to alleviate most of my symptoms. It's just a non steroidal anti-inflammatory medication.

Anyway please keep us posted. I think trying to lift 60lbs is a pretty good load post op so personally I'd avoid lifting this much (or even 20lbs) until seen and cleared by the surgeon again. I know that's not always possible though when it is I'd try to strive for that ..especially for those that have to consider release to work type of situations.

I am 7 months post surgery. I was pain free for 3 months.. The numbness down the right leg is getting abit better, but I have the pain around the sides again, some days it's good, other days it's bad. Most days it's on the right side of my hip, every now and then its on the left. I do have the burning pain at the l5/s1 level however depending on what I pinched could be causing the other misleading pain..

Thoughts?

[mmglobal]

Find a dermatome chart.... search this forum for dermatome and you'll likely find links to some. Is the distribution of the leg pain and numbness more for L4? L5? S1 distributions?

It sounds like your L4/5 was already compromised before you L5/S1 surgery. It's possible that you aggravated that. I'd think that the doctor (having ruled out problems with the ADR) would want to treat this like a new problem and do conservative treatment... anti inflammatories, PT, rest, ice.... All the appropriate, "I'm not a doctor" qualifiers belong here.... please take everything I say with a grain of salt.

Mark

[jsewell]

I know it has been half a year since you posted, I was wondering how you are. If not better, I would suggest you have an EMG it will tell what your nerves are doing. I have had quite a few and they give great information.
judy