10 months out from back surgery-still having problems.

[torredcuda]

Had to leave work at 11:00 today due to a killer migraine caused from my back problems flaring up again.Actually it is more my sciatic nerve bothering me as I don`t really have any pain in my lower back area but have shooting pains in my leg.It`s already been 10 months since surgery but the nerve doesn`t seem to be getting any better and anything I do at work or home seems to aggravate the nerve and cause my leg to ache,twitch etc. almoast as bad as before.I have been very carefull not to do too much lift anything heavy so I am getting worried something is still not right and pinching the nerve.I know others have been thru this and need to know if I need to be patient and give it more time or should I be concerned.My doc keeps telling me to give it at least a year but I get the feeling he is just prolonging the bad news that it isn`t fixed and I`ll either have to live with it or maybe go back to surgery yet again!

[Alaskan_TA]

Have you gotten a second opinion from another doctor? If not, you really need to and soon.

Barry

[Bullitt-]

Different patients have different experiences with the same problems, You did not mention if you are taking any physical therapy. Most folks I know recovered much better when under a supervised therapy program.
Good luck Dude ,  The back & headaches are no picnic.

[torredcuda]

I have been thru PT and still keep up an excersise program at home when I can but sometimes the excersising aggravates things.

[bigblock4speedman]

Man, that's rough, I would get a second opinion, and keep being carefuf what you do. I have to remind myself all the time to watch what and how I do anything, still recovering from upper back/neck surgery a little over two weeks ago.  Take care of yourself and I'll pray for you.  Remember, second opinion and be careful, that kind of thing takes a while to heal.

[Hemi Challenger]

I know your pain, I went throught that myself with my Neck  C-4 and C-5 was replace  and I was out for 7 month, still have pain if I turn my neck the wrong way, good luck and it will take time and PT

[torredcuda]

I did get plenty of other opinions before I had surgery and they all agreed the approach my surgeon was taking was the best way.I guess I still need to give it some more time,it just gets old after 3+ years of dealing with it.It`s bad enough that it affects my job but what really kills me is not being able to work on my Mopars! 
     

[bigblock4speedman]

I feel the same way!!!!!!!!!!!!!  I have to keep reminding myself, I don't want to screw anything up, sure don't want to go through that again!!!  So I'm just idling along, not doing much, it's driving me nuts!

[fantum]

You didn't mention where you were operated on, but I would guess that it is the lower back due to your mention of your sciatic pain.

I dealt with lower back pain for 3+ years until I finally went the surgical route.  The first thing I did was ask my wife (who was a Recovery Room Nurse) to find the name of the hospital's best surgeon.  After finding out that you don't want an orthopedic surgeon playing with your back I was told to see a neuro-surgeon.  After some minor manipulation the neurosurgeon who was recommended to me determined that I had a bad disc at L5-S1 (which was clearly verified by the results of the MRI I had done later) and suggested that I have the disc surgically removed.  The neurosurgeon I visited for the second opinion said the my situation was clear cut and that I needed surgery.

To make a long story short, I had the surgery.  Two days later I drove myself home from the hospital.  Three days after surgery I was coaching my men's baseball team, and the following evening I was at Dolphin Stadium watching a Monday Night Football game.  Two weeks to the day later I was doing aerobic exercises, and one month to the day later I was playing baseball again - pain free.

Like the others mentioned, I believe you should seek a second opinion from a highly recommended neuro-surgeon.  IMO, with my experience, there is no reason you should still be having the problems you are.  I would expect that another MRI would be in order as that should clearly show what your back's current situation is.

Do not put it off any longer.  Back pain is nothing to play with, and the longer you wait the better the chances that you could do some irreversible damage to your nervous system.

I hope things work out for you as I know that living with back pain can be a miserable experience.

Good luck and keep us informed,

fantum

[js27]

I feel your pain. Since my car accident in December of last year I have had low back and right leg pain. I have two herniated disc. ( L4-L5). My neurosurgen said surgery is a last resort. He also said it will never get better and may get worse. Sometimes the disc will actually collapse I have been doing some checking and found out that 66% of back surgery is unsucessful. Either with the person being the same or worse after surgery. Yes it does work for some people but I think alot depends on the degree of damage and the quality of the doctor and the care. I am a nationally certified massage therapist and have been getting some releif from a good massage. At the same time you need to get a qualified therapist who knows what they are doing. I was in so much pain in my right leg from my sciatic nerve I would die driving the car for more that 10 minutes. No I am seeing a pain management specialist and have been getting injections in my low back. The first set I got  had me totally pain free for two weeks. The second set didn't work  hardly at all. I just got my third set on Thursday and today I am pain free again. My specialist sais it does usually take 3 sets of injections for most people. Have you tried that route
There is no doubt about it, Back and Neck pain SUCKS!!!!
Hang In Their,
JS27

[torredcuda]

I have the exact problem you have-herniated L4 and L5 and sciatic nerve.I tried PT,injections,excercises etc. with no relief and in fact I think the PT made it worse.My surgeon,who is highly regarded by everyone I checked with, also held out surgery for the last resort but after nothing else seemed to help I had it done.I heard all kinds of opinions about what to do and what the outcome should be but every case is different and even the surgeons can`t promise you a full recovery.I  talked to a lot of people who have had surgery and there are a wide variety of results from 100% pain free and feeling great to being in more pain than before surgery and everything in between.I am glad I had the surgery as I am 90% pain free in my lower back but my leg still aches almost constantly and the more I do the more it acts up.At 47 having this type of problem I never expected to be 100% cured and feeling like I`m 20 again but I don`t think I`m where I should be in my recovery.Another MRI is the only way to tell what is really going on in there but getting the insurance to approve it will be a battle as they barely approved the first one.I`m just not sure whether to waste more time and money on this getting more or just settle with what I have seeing as how the docs just seem to be guessing and trying things

[js27]

Torredcuda,
What did they do for your back ??Did they put those clamps with the rods through ??
I know what you mean about insurance. My family doc sent me for my first MRI because she thought my leg pain was a disc but the insurance denied it because it is their protocall to do PT first. So I went to PT for 10 sessions of heat packs --E-Stim and excerise. I to think they made it worse. Finally when it was over and I was no better they oked the mri. Lo and behold I had 2 disc out. Family doc was right. Now for the best part--I hope your sitting down--not only did the PT not help and may have made it worse the same insurance company that made me get it in the first place  turned around and billed me $ 1,200.00 for it.  Finally they agreed to pay part of it but I had to pay $ 700.00 myself.  What a racket !!!!
I just turned 50 one month before my accident so I know what you mean about not healing as quick as we use to.
GOOD LUCK and hope you are feeling better...
JS27

[torredcuda]

My surgery was basically grinding out bone to alleviate the pinched nerve and cutting off the herniated parts of the discs.My discs will never be better as they have lost fluid and are compressed a bit but at least the majority of the back pain is gone.After a couple Percosets    and some rest I am feeling better,just frustrated and somewhat depressed from still having problems just doing normal everyday things.I am going back to see my surgeon  but wil probably hear the same thing as i usually do-give it more time.  I really hate to complain too much as there are a lot worse off people than myself but sometimes it helps to vent which is why this board is so great-lots of support thru the good and bad times. Thanks everyone!

[Rev-It-Up]

My surgery was basically grinding out bone to alleviate .....

 

I couldn't read any farther.... 

[torredcuda]

Rev,you should have seen the needle they stuck in me for the injections,it was huge!!!    I even got to watch them stick it in on the moniter!!