4 Weeks Post-op ALIF-new Pain / Burning / Tingling
Feb 22, 2014
I am 4 weeks post op from ALIF at L5-S1. I've had discectomy done twice (2002 and 2012) The last one didn't help any so we did injections and that offered no relief so it was on to the fusion. So far I haven't reached that point where I'm feeling any relief. My surgeon acted like I should have felt relief immediately. I'm still having lower back, butt, and all the way down my leg into my ankle and foot pain (all of this on the LEFT side) I've read and been told it could be quite a while before I get any relief. I was told I would only be in the hospital for 24 hours and was in there for 4 days. I used a walker for the first week and a half or so. I can now move around without it, I'm just very careful. I mostly lay flat in bed with ice. I do get up quite often to walk around the house and have started sitting up in a chair that my Home PT set up for me when he came to visit immediately after surgery. I also do the exercises my PT gave me.
About 4 days ago, I was laying on my side and I reached back to turn my heating pad on. I guess I wasn't thinking and twisted too much. I felt a sharp pain in my back that shot down my leg. Every since then, I have had the worst pain in my back. (I still had the same amount of pain in my back/butt/leg/foot as I did before this surgery 6/10. This new pain has been added to a new place in my back, and when I move it goes up to about a 8/10) I was giving it a few days before I called my surgeon because I don't want to be one of those people who constantly call the dr with small issues that go away after only a few days. This definitely is showing no signs of letting up) The worst part is, they just moved my meds down from hydrocodone 10-325 every 4 hours to Hydrocodone 7.5-325 every 6-8 hours. (Previously to surgery I had been on percocet 10-325/6 hours since June of last year. My surgeon prescribed that for one week after surgery then refilled me with hydrocodone 10-325/4 hours the last 2 weeks. These really didn't do the job, but at least I was somewhat comfortable so I dealt with it.) Now that they changed me down again, I'm getting no relief. Especially with this new pain. Over the weekend I was taking more than I was suppose to and now I'm worried I won't be able to get a refill when I need it. I've been taking pain meds for a little over 2 years now. I look forward to the day I no longer have to rely on them just to be able to get up out of bed in the morning. That day just doesn't seem to be anytime soon. I feel that at the age of 36, I am too young to be in this kind of physical condition.
When I walk, I am bent over to my right side like a little old lady. I can't stand up straight. And each time I take a step with my left leg, it feels like someone is stabbing me in the lower back on my left side. Hopefully I can get some answers tomorrow when I call. I knew this surgery was going to be a long recovery, and I was prepared for that. This new pain really has me worried and I really hope I haven't done something to mess it up. I just don't feel like this pain is something I should be having
Has anyone else injured themselves while recovering from a fusion like this? If so, what was your results? Did it heal on it's own or what? I know everyone is different, it's just good to not feel quite so all alone thru this. No one understands unless they have been thru it. Especially doctors they seem to think that everything goes exactly like the "book" says it should. That's just not always the case.
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Had this op performed by Mr Reece at Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Glasgow just over 3 weeks ago. I have 8 screws and two cages in my disc space packed with synthetic bone grafts and injected with bone marrow taken from my vertebrae.
I was up walking the same day, baby steps buy nonetheless, walking. I was in hospital for 4 days (I would have been out earlier if my bowels had moved sooner).
The first 2 weeks were pretty uncomfortable. Very sore to move as the front stomach wound was very swollen and tight. Once this initial period passed things became easier.
I can now get up from lying in bed or on the couch without much pain, it's still there in the background but not all controlling.
I'm walking everyday, not far but doing this a number of times.
I'm taking this recovery very slowly as this is last go at resolving my back pain after having two previous surgeries on the same site (S1-L4).
Only sitting for very brief spells, not driving yet due to wound, plus sitting does bring on the pain. I have had some nerve pain down my left leg, probably every few days or so but it settles after some meds.
I am still on my nerve pain meds as the damage from previous surgeries won't be fixed by the op. Also still on Dihydrocodeine 60mg X 4 daily but I'll try and reduce these over the coming months.
Would I say that it's been successful? Yes! I have greatly reduced back pain which was my dominant pain source.
It is a major decision to have this op but I had been through all conservative methods previously which didn't assist at all.
Hopefully things will continue to improve over the coming weeks and months. I'll report back over this timescale.
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I had surgery exactly three weeks ago. I developed a fever (99.9-101.8) in the hospital two or three days post op. They gave me antibacterial iv and oral meds from the surgery on. As I developed the fever, they gave me antiviral medication to treat a huge and painful fever blister I developed just two days after surgery thinking that this sore was the culprit. The fever had gone down to low grade but now i'm concerned because it does not want to go away. Im taking Norco and the tylenol in it keeps the fever below low grade but when I don't take Norco ( which i take less and less) the fever and chills/ night sweats keep returning. It is generally starting at noon or afternoon, almost always present in the evenings. Usually 99.5-100.5.
Im very worried that it can be some kind of a stubborn infection. I'm three weeks after surgery, i should not have a temp at all. Plus I'm not fever prone, i hardly ever had a fever in my life, flu or any other illness i pull thru with no temps.
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I am interested in how you have recovered and how your nerve pain is.
i just had an alif L5=S1 on oct 22 and i think things are going ok. I only have slight discomfort around my spine, have slight nerve aches in my left leg but my feet ache like i have been standing all day. My surgeon told me to expect nerve pain for up to 4 months but i cant help worrying when i get pain where i never had it before I don't get pain walking or sitting, only the foot pain when standing and nerve pains when lying down.
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I am going to be scheduled for an L5/S1 (ALIF) fusion surgery. While I am in significant amounts of pain, I am nervous about the recovery for this procedure. I would like to think that I have a high tolerance of pain but I am very nervous about this procedure. How long is the typical recovery time and how bad is the post-op pain? I am having a difficult time deciding when to have my surgery because I don't know how long to expect to be incapacitated.
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I am a 40 year old male that has had two back surgeries. First Surgery February 2014 Lumbar Spine Posterior Discectomy Micro-discectomy on L4 & L5. Surgery failed no improvement. My Second surgery March 2015 Anterior lumbar interbody fusion (alif) surgery on L4, L5, & S1 with cage implants and bone grafts harvested from my own hip bone. I experience sciatica on my right leg and most frequent on left leg ;shooting pain down my right/left hip/buttocks, goes down the back of the leg. The last 3 years left foot numbness. My worst pain is in bed getting up is very painful. Before my ALIF surgery I suffered from sciatica foot numbness and pain in mostly my left leg region. After 6 weeks post ALIF surgery or so I started getting pain in my buttock/hip region. This actually started during my physical therapy. At first I was doing water therapy this is when it started. My last day of water therapy I was literally about to go to ER from P.T clinic. From there on it just had gotten worst, no real improvement. I went back for more P.T sessions stretching and other exercises . What Physical Therapist did notice that my hip motion was very limited and not much improved happen during all my sessions about 40 or so. Its being about 10 months after surgery and 4 months of P.T. and pain on hips doesn't go away. I have to be careful going up or down stairs. Getting out of bed or moving around in bed its a battle. I have spoken to my surgeon and he says it will take more time for recovery and possible have to live with this pain as a fact of life. I have also spoke to other doctor s and pretty much same response. Once thing I just found out recently is about Hip Bursitis. I was diagnosed with Arthritis. My surgeon keeps on saying its my Arthritis causing pain but prior to ALIF surgery I never had this buttocks pain , specially getting in and out bed. I was wondering if anyone has had same symptoms after spinal fusion surgery having Hip Pain From Arthritis or Hip Bursitis?
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I had a total robotic hysterectomy 5 weeks ago. Sunday night had unplanned sex. It was not painful, I'd say uncomfortable. When my husband ejaculated, it burned!
Today, Wed. Still burning, uncomfortable and frequent urination.
Does this sound like an infection? Or irritation because it was too soon.
I even resorted to using hydrocortisone last night because it was driving me crazy and I could not sleep.
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for about a week now i have had a dull burning ache in my jaw on both sides, with burning, tingling, and numbness in my chin. it doesn't get worse when i talk, eat, etc., just comes and goes for no apparent reason.
now i also have been suffering chest/arm/shoulder pain the drs "think" is nerve pain, but coupled with this new jaw pain, i am constantly worried i'm having a heart attack, though i know, intellectually, i am most likely not.
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Surgery was 'success' they were originally planning on putting a bracket on the posterior side but said my bone structure wouldn't allow it or something.
So it was mainly an ALIF but they did go through the back to do some bone grafting, so I have incisions on both sides.
So far so good on recovery, obviously very ginger but have been up and moving since 24 hours after and was in hospital for 2 1/2 days.
Have used painkillers when needed but I plan to take it very easy and not push anything. Doing my regular exercises / walking each day has worn me out pretty good but overall so far so good. ANy questions let me know and I will keep updating this thread over the next couple weeks.
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I am 10 weeks post op and I am getting periods every 2 weeks. Not as heavy as before no flooding it's the frequency that bothers me. Pretty bad period pains as well in my lower back today yesterday it was both sides of my bikini line. Everything else is better I can now walk my dog for an hour without coming home and having to sleep. My energy levels are getting better all the time. My tummy is going down as well ( although the period has made me bloated again) also I am having discharge between each period where I have to wear panty liners.
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I am now 3.5 weeks post op from second hip replacement this year. I feel like I am sitting on a golf ball, is it just muscle healing?
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I had Big Toe Replacement Op 10 weeks ago, I am still in pain and also have Tendonitis. I go to physio and can bend my toe, but the pain is no better than before the op.
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I am three weeks post op having had a full knee replacement. My recovery is going well and I'm not using crutches or a walking stick but am still in a lot of pain and having to take painkillers. My question is I have developed loose bowels only once a day at my normal time but it has been going on for over a week now, I have no bloating or abdominal pain with it. I can only take paracetamol as I'm allergic to codeine and Nurofen I felt might be causing the upset stomach but I haven't taken them for nearly a week now. Has anybody else suffered diarrhoea after a TKR?
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I had my surgery carpal tunnel syndrome 7 weeks ago on my dominant right hand. My job requires a lot of manual handling with adults with learning difficulties and pushing of heavy wheelchairs therefore I am still off work. I am in constant pain and scar area is solid and tender feels lumpy. I started physio exercises 2 weeks ago and hadn't really done much before that except wiggle fingers as I had not been given any advice at all post op. 2 weeks ago I couldn't even make a fist or reach my thumb to each finger, now I can make a fist and touch all finders and am using it normally but with a lot of pain, more so at night and shooting pains, my grip is extremely poor which worries me after this length of time. I am scheduled to have my left one done in around 6-8 weeks but I am now considering cancelling as I worry constantly that this will not resume to 100% mobility. Has anyone had this problem after this length of time? and did it improve up to 12 weeks post op?
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I am probably worrying about nothing, but I had surgery on 11 July and since i had my stitches out and cast changed on Tuesday (22 July) my heel has been quite sore. I am PWB and the cast moves slightly when I walk... Could the pain be caused by the cast rubbing on my heel? During the surgery I had metal shards removed from the tendon (caused by calcaneal osteotomy screw disintegrating), treatment for tendinitis and the tendon was re-anchored. I also had a lateral ligament repair, but the site of that is not so sore. I'm not sure whether to call my doctor... I don't want to bother her if this is just healing pain and is normal.
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I am 3 weeks post op. And I still have pain in my right buttock as I walk. I know we are all different but I wondered if anyone else experienced this and if they did how long after post op did it last?. Getting worried cos I found something online that listed leg pain as a complication of UAE. But another said its normal and will go in time (whatever that means)
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Hi just wondering if anyboy else had sudden pain 3 weeks after open myomectomy? I was recovering well and beginning to feel almost back to normal other than some pulling pain at the sides of my incision scar and being slightly uncomfortable sitting up normally for longer periods. I also feel less bloated and although my stomach is still a bit swollen it is back to being flatter without the pregnant bump look.
I didn't have a general anaesthetic opting for a spinal anaesthetic and sedation instead. Initially after the surgery I had some issues with pain relief due to not being able to take certain medications and also going to the toilet. My GP gave me some morphine and strong laxatives and all went back to normal. I stopped taking the morphine about 8 days ago and was able to cope with the pulling pain. The skin around the scar is still very sensitive and tingle.
Since yesterday I have a sharp pain almost in the centre of my belly but slightly to the left and it is very painful to press on that side. I should add that I've been doing quite a lot round the house as my husband is unable to do much due to hurting his hip while I was in hospital and is therefore on crutches. I have been trying not to carry anything and I feel that I am still very weak so not sure if I might have pulled or strained something.
I have an appointment booked with my GP tomorrow anyway (actually to discuss something else) but was wondering if this was normal?
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Why am I in so much lower back pain, left side and my bladder hurts, I've had a vaginal hysterectomy and posterior repair. It can't be a water infection as I'm just finish the a course of antibiotic. Really fed up now. Is anyone else the same?
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I am 5 weeks post opp of TKR, am doing ok but a question to you all, this morning i had the worst pain since my opp, as i was sat and tried to turn, this pain like a stabbing pain came on ,at the outside of my tkr knee, i couldn't bend or straighten it for a abit till the pain eased off. has anyone else had this or any one no what it could be, similar pain has been there since the start but no way as bad , just thought the pain was part of the recovery.
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Well the good thing is that now 12 weeks post ankle fractures in 2 places and dislocation I am up and about walking again which is the good news. The not so good news is that I have a slight limp (to be expected) but unfortunately I now have pain in my knee which is causing me to limp more! How on earth can I get rid of this knee pain which is counteracting my rehabilitation. Has anyone out there had a similar experience?
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I'm now 7 weeks off the 6 month mark. Today is not a good day had pains both sides of my bikini line even the meds won't shift them. Thought I was past this fed up.
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