Sciatica :: Still Pain After L4/L5 Microdiscectomy
Apr 22, 2016
I had a microdiscectomy back in December 21, 2015 right before my 18th birthday ( today marks the 4 month post surgery mark ). I still have pain running down my right leg ( upper glut and sometimes in my calf muscle ). Before the surgery I have had the disc pinching on my nerve for nearly 10 months.... It ruined my summer and I couldn't do what most of my friends were doing... My parents were too scared that something would go wrong with the surgery, so we tried Physical Therapy for about 2-3 months. My pain was getting worse and worse. After a lot of convincing I got my parents to allow me to get the surgery ( No regrets at all ). I would rate my pain before my surgery as 9/10 and now after my surgery I rate it as 5-7/10. I can't even remember how it feels to have no pain... It is constant and doesn't go away ( I feel better when I lie down on my back or stomach ).. I feel better when I sleep on the ground rather than on my, what used to be comfortable, bed.... I am starting to lose hope on ever feeling better... Everytime I walk I have pain in my upper right glut ( every time I extend my right foot ) and sometimes it goes down my right leg to my calf.... I still can't bend down without a massive amount of pain running down my right leg... I can't even sit down for longer than 30 minutes because I start to have a lot of pain in my calf, which makes going to school really hard.. Are there any patients that have had this type of surgery and felt better in more than 6 months?
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I've had horrible back pain for over a year now due to a herniated disc at L5/S1 and a bulge at L4/L5. It's gotten better at various times during the interim, but I've never been able to bodybuilder/workout again. I usually do not have sciatica (only severe back pain) but every time I re-aggravate it I do get sciatica that shoots into my right heel. I visited my neurosurgeon and he told me he does not think I would be a candidate for a microdiscectomy because my primary symptom is not sciatica - but I want some second opinions. Did a microdiscectomy help your back pain from the herniation and not just the sciatica?
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I am a RN and I have had years of low back pain with a history of herniated
discs from L3-S1. These symptoms would aggravate me from time to time but, being a nurse, with a
familial history of arthritis I thought it was just par for the course. Until three months ago when i
developed sciatica pain down my left leg and it was present every day, and it ruined my summer.
I couldn't walk without pain, bend without pain and basically was bedridden and depressed all
summer. I am healthy, took NO meds up to this point and I was always a pretty active person. I finally
decided to have the surgery. On Monday 09/30/13 I had a microdiscectomy and was pleasantly
surprised with how easy it was to go home the next day. My pain was minimal, honestly, I do not
think I even needed the Oxycodone, it wasn't that bad. However, I did need the Valium, I noticed
the incision was sore in the am and was happy to have the Valium. By day 3 post op, I was off all
of the narcotic meds and only taking ibuprofen and tylenol (valium at night). Day 5, I was walking, no numbness, no tingling, doing fine... Until I coughed. I literally re herniated from a cough and ended
up back in the hospital undergoing a second round of emergency surgery to remove the extruded
disc. I now have numbness in my left foot and toes that I am so sad about. I have read and read on
line and all that I have heard is that it very rarely goes away, yet the surgeon says it will? Who do I
believe? And how long does it take? I just want my life back (much like everyone here) so, any
information you can provide me with would be very much appreciated. I'm still not having any pain to speak of so, for those of you worried about post op pain, it's really really not bad at all!
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I had L4/L5 microdiscectomy and laminectomy about 4 months ago. I had on and off low back pain for 6-7 years but it became unbearable couple of years back. Prior to surgery I had buttock pain and I couldn't walk or stand without pain. I am recovering pretty slowly. I am off pain meds and I walk 45 mins a day and do gentle back stretches as advised by the surgeon. The surgeon said that I had a big herniation and he removed about 60-70% of the disc. Is it common to have that much removed?. Will I be able to recover fully or will i need more surgery like fusion in the future. I am just 27 yrs old and I don't want to live in pain.
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I am early on after my discectomy (day 3), but I am concerned. I see many people have immediate pain reduction, I woke up and still had my preop pain. Now it's just pain deep in my thigh and the surgical pain. I am also worried because I still can't stand up straight! I haven't been able to stand straight for two months following a car accident that reherniated my l5s1. The original injury was resolved to an acceptable level without surgery. It was interesting that the car accident immediately stopped all nerve pain in my right leg that I learned to live with, but it moved to the left leg!
I am just getting concerned since I see so many posts where people wake up painless and can walk freely. I can walk for maybe 2 minutes then i am in really bad pain, and i'm hunched over while walking. Should I be concerned? Any insights from people with less than storybook recoveries?
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I had a microdiscectomy almost 4 weeks do to the disc pinching my sciatic nerve. The pain before the surgery went from my left butt cheek down to my foot, and felt like someone was sticking a knife in my hip and calf. Since the Surgery I have had severe nerve pain in my left foot in the ball of my foot to my toes. I am currently on gabapentin pills and gabapentin cream. I was just looking to see if anyone had any ideas what could help get me off the recliner. Or any ideas whether this would go away or how long this usually lasts.
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I'm 5 months post op, Is they any light at the end of the tunnel for me?
I'm still in pain especially my right calf, feels like constant cramping.
I can walk ok, as soon as I stop I can't stand up straight due to my right leg feeling very tight.
It was a herniated disc at l5, s1 nerve.
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Week 5 post microdiscectomy on L5/S1. Numbness and pain on my leg and toes is gone BUT currently experiencing numbness and sharp shooting pain on my left testicle making it difficult to have an erection.
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I'm a long time sufferer of low back pain (20 years, I'm 42). I believe I've given my diagnosis & previous treatment rundown on a previous post, but I'll post it here again, hopefully short and sweet:
Last MRI (Feb. 2012)
Bulging L4-L5, Herniated L5-S1 (Central Annular Tear, 6mm protrusion)
Previous MRI in 2008 showed basically the same as above.
I have tried most therapies & treatments, including but not exclusively:
Acupuncture, TENS, PT, ESI in 2008 & 2012, Prolotherapy, Mackenzie Stretching, Chiro, Massage.
Some of my main activities that I've had to scale back to, and serve as productive exercise:
Walking everyday, inversion table, swimming, Mackenzie stretching.
I used to do martial arts and grappling and have not done so in a couple years now.
I have a hard time now with doing things that I HAVE to do, like working around the house or sitting in my car to drive to work as a couple examples. I cannot do any type of sports that have ANY kind of flexion movement. (I'm able to swim because my back is in extension position)
I've been reading some posts regarding folks who've had the microdiscectomy procedure done, and I've met with many neuro and ortho surgeons during my long journey. I've also begun to research BMSC treatment as well, as this is proving to be very promising, but is still in the very early stages of acceptance and use in the States. I've always opted to not have an invasive procedure because of fear of it not helping and possibly making things worse.
However, I'm just tired of the conservative approach not working and I'm tired of not being able to fully live my life.
Believe me, I understand there are many that are worse off than me and I wish I could help you because I know how bad chronic pain is and what is does to you physically AND mentally.
All the doctors I've ever seen look at me (at 5'9, 150 lbs, lean and "looking" healthy), and I pass all the "strength" tests they give me. They tell me to go conservative, which I fully respect. However, just because I look healthy and can pass them pushing on my legs and feet while I resist, and I'm not losing bladder or bowel control doesn't mean that the slightest move or overdoing it won't put me down again.
Case in point, (After 2 years since my last episode and the walking and my conservative exercising not giving me the progress I'm expecting after 2 years), I decided to, (at the recommendation of a sports med doctor), to go see a well respected and very highly recommended, (by friends), PT Strength and Conditioning coach. He put me through an initial PT type evaluation and I had my first session last night. Well, about half-way through, something wasn't feeling right. We scaled down the workout, (which was pretty conservative already), to just stretching at that point. Long story short, I'm now back to stabbing pain, radiating leg pain and tingling, and standing crooked and not being able to sit down.
I'm really beginning to seriously consider surgery, or possibly explore BMSC treatment for the disc(s). I'm sure since it's been 2 years from my last one, I'll need another MRI before doing anything.
My question is, what would you do if you were in my shoes?
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I have had a lumbar L5S1 mico on feb 14 of this year. Now I am having sharp pain in my back under my right shoulder blade by the T7. Plus this makes my back tighten up and spasm. Any thoughts out there. I know it has to do with the injury but does anyone know what this is... btw not the gallbladder I don't have one anymore. This pain is at its worst when I am lying down and if I rotate to the right side the pain will be so sharp it stops me in my tracks...any help would be great. I also got my S! nerve checked and it is relieved from the surgery but I am left with the numbness in the foot, calf, and upper thigh and also told this might be permanent.
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I'm a teenager who suffers from Sciatica pain. Please note that doctors have not told me this, I googled it and Sciatica exactly describes my pain. I have Spina bifida occulta, but was told it shouldn't cause me any pain. Not sure if that is relating to my pain. I had an X-RAY and an MRI (I think) and the doctor said it was fine... but that still does not explain my pain? It's been going on for maybe 4-5 years?
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I've had problems with my neck and back since I was a child, but recently i've been having more problems with my back, i've had about 3 or 4 episodes of lower back pain but this time I have been diagnosed with lower back pain and sciatica, the doctor put me on codeine, but they didn't ease the pain and now nefopam which are basically doing the same, i've also been seeing a physio for the last 3 weeks, when he had a look he said my spine was twisted/curved and my right hip was lower than my left so I was walking lopsided, I feel like I'm going in circles and feeling fed up and in constant pain,
When I was born I was put in cast from above my hips to my toes as my hips/pelvis and legs weren't formed properly, I was in cast till I was about 2 or 3 years old, I then had an accident as a child and hurt my neck and back ...
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My dr. did a CT scan on my left side to see if I had sciatica as I had a lot of symptoms of it.  It showed minimum damage to the nerve. I was not told what to do next? Should I get a follow up with what kind of specialist? Would a MRI show more information then the CT scan?
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what causes sciatica?
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I have my second hp (right) done 2 weeks ago. I had a terrible sciatica pain till the op. Now there is a less sciatica pain though, I still feel the nerve is irritated since I still feel the stretch on my hamstring. I was wishing that it was going to go away after thr, but it seems it will come back after I bear normal weight on my leg.
Is there anybody who got rid of sciatica pain and how did you do that ?
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on April 2nd I was standing in my kitchen and suddenly had lower back pain. Â I thought nothing of it and had to go and drive I stuck a support belt on and carried on. Â Things got progressively worse I had to initially lift my feet onto the pedals and getting in and out of the car was really really painful . Things started to ease slightly then I had to drive someone to A&E and this aggravated the problem and it settled into my buttocks and sent shooting pains down my right leg. Â That's when my problems really started. Â I couldn't lie down I couldn't sit down all I could do was walk or kneel for the last five weeks I have had.very little sleep, the kneeling phase didn't last long as my legs started to swell up. Â I can sleep for about an hour tops two if I want to manage to move without being reduced to tears with pain. Â The doctor has prescribed me naproxen which had no effect and co codamol which upset my stomach. Â I had an operation at Christmas to remove my appendix and gallbladder and around the muscle group in my stomach is sore. Â Paracetamol is all I can take and I have munched through over 150 tablets so far. Â I can now get to bed and manage to get four hours sleep but wake up with such muscle stiffness it takes up to an hour to straighten out in the morning.
sorry for the long winded explanation but can anyone tell me if things are going to ease I went to the doctor because my osteopath told me if may be a disc problem. Â He helpfully told me after having to endure a car trip which is hard as I can't sit stood around for half an hour then was told that I had a sore back was very helpful. Â He is sending me to a back pain clinic which will take about eight weeks to get an appointment and I will hopefully get an MRI Scan in twelve weeks. Â I have a full time job and I can't work is there any hope.
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I have had back pain problems now since 2008 I am currently taking morphine and pregabalin which help but don't eliminate the pain. I have flare ups where the pain in my back becomes unbearable for couple weeks then goes back to the pain I am used to living with daily. Two weeks ago I had another flare up but this time is completely different the pain is so intense horrific but the pain I am getting in my buttocks and down into my right leg is just to much it's disabling me more and more every day I have never sobbed my heart out as much as these past few weeks. My skin has gone numb in my lower leg and tingly pins and needles top of leg I cannot put full weight on it at all just taking a few steps is unbearable. I felt like calling ambulance this morning as the pain was horrendous. I know from mri scan I had few hrs ago that I have two discs that are no good and a tare which was giving me the pain I have been in for hrs now. But this pain I can't cope with even with the morphine. I believe that a disc has gone causing pressure on the spinal nerve which would cause the leg pain. I want surgery the fusion of the spine where the discs are no good. I would like advice from people who have had the surgery, has it helped are there any complications people have had after surgery. What is it like how long was the stay in hospital are you pain free now. Or is there anyone else with same problem that is awaiting surgery. I am 49 yrs old.Â
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For the past 6 years I've been having shooting agonising pains up both backs of legs for no apparent reason. Â (bending forwards can make it worse)
I lost 4 stones in weight when my dad suddenly died, the weight went from around my bum and thigh area. I've since put weight on - not as much as I lost.
I had a hysterectomy a couple of years ago.
I'm told that it sounds like sciatica - from people who have the same thing and my doc said the same.
Recently it has got much worse, after walking for a few minutes both legs go numb from the foot up, I have trouble with my balance anyway (MD, Surgery etc) this makes it worse. I'm also in pain if I stand still - basically I can't, I have to sit or walk (i use a stick to help with inner ear balance trouble, which docs / specialist can do nothing about)
My doc has said "it will go away" - yes, right, when?
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I have been having this pain for quite a while but today when I woke up it was bad. I have never been diagnosed with anything but I don't have money to go to the doctor right now.
The pain is located in the upper left side off buttock/side of hip. This pain usually is middle of buttock and lower back it has radiated some down the leg but not as a main symptom. it mainly hurts when I am walking or lift my leg up high like I'm stepping over something. It is sudden and painful. When I sit it's a constant pain and when I stand up from sitting (without moving)it feels a little bit better.Â
If if anyone could please give me any advice on what this could be i would be super happy and grateful as today I am left sitting on the couch because it is too painful to walk.
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I have been suffering from sciatic pain from last 9 months. The degenerative changes are at L5-S1. Had an MRI(attached as thumbnail) and one of the docs has asked me to go for surgery while other have told me it will heal on its own. I have been doing exercises in this period. But the thing is that it has not healed. There were periods of like weeks
where I was almost pain free but then again it would flare up out of nowhere and suffering would start. Another thing I have noticed is that some times with exercises the pain increases, and the days when i don't do the exercise i don't feel any pain. Sitting is the main culprit, but I can sit for like 2 hours and if my posture is good it would be normal.
My job requires me to sit for like 4-6 hours and then stand for 6-8 hours(i work in 12 hours shift). Had days off from the job, I thought it would go away with with rest and light exercises but that didn't happen. Now I am required to work otherwise I would lose my job.
My request to all of you is, does sciatica go away/heal on its own and if it does how long does it take, or do i have to live like this. I can't even sit as a passenger in car let alone drive, couple of road
bumps would trigger it right away(by the way is there a way out avoiding jerks to your body while travelling). ANd for the job I have to travel long distances in remote areas.
Thanks
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Has anyone experienced sciatica pain? I went to my doctor yesterday for my 20 week check up and told her about the pain because it has started a couple days before. She referred to me a physical therapist for sciatica but who knows how long. Anyone have tips/tricks to help with this? Should/when should I call my doctor again since the pain has gotten worse. I can't move,walk or stand without the pain being terrible. Defiantly a 9/10 at least.
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