Spine Surgery, ALIF At L4 &5 - S1 :: Leg Cramps
Jul 14, 2015
I am 18 months out from my 4 th spine surgery, ALIF at L4&5-s1. The surgery has been a huge success, no back pain and only occasional mild aching in my legs with ibuprofen for pain control as needed.
My problem is the continuing cramping in my foot, calf, back of the thigh and buttock on the affected side. One or more of those areas cramp multiple times a day. I lay in bed at night and can feel the Calf muscle twitching, have to keep my foot flexed to prevent cramping. As soon as I doze off, my foot relaxes and the calf immediately cramps, meaning I have to get up and walk to stop the cramping. Anyone else have this issue? Any insight? Muscle relaxants have only minimal effect, and I hate the thought of taking them every night. The problem intensifies the more exercise I get, which is discouraging.
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Has anyone found anything to help neuropathy after ALIF surgery? It has been 19 months and the pain is increasing. I cannot bear to wear anything except the loosest of clothing, I cannot walk without a cane or walker, I have new bowel and bladder function problems within the last 3 months. Is there anything that would even work temporarily to allow an airport ride? I buy even groceries online. I am in pain management with a respected doctor. I have have PT, water PT, massage, acupuncture, and narcotic medication. The fusion on L4/L5 and L5/S1 is fine; my life is not worth living.
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I am finally on my way to getting a long awaited L4-L5 Fusion. My doc decided on ALIF due to my previous L4/L5 Laminectomy (2003) creating a lot of scar tissue. That surgery was done posterior and it would not be a good thing to reopen the same L/4 area. I am relieved that this fusion is finally being done. My disc is about 98% gone and I deal with bone on bone pain daily in addition to bone spurs and osteoarthritis. However, I tolerate it pretty well. In addition to the L4/L5 issue, I also have 2 herniations in my neck and another few in my mid back. But these are secondary to my initial problem and need to take care of this fusion first and foremost. I read a lot of negatives about fusions on this board, but I try my best to think positively. Everyone is different and not every situation is similar. My plan is to help anyone I can with my experience and give support. I will try to post my progress after surgery. If anyone had recently (2013) had a ALIF fusion on L4/L5, I would like to hear about your experience. This will be a journey that I will not forget and I am planning on making it the best I can given the circumstances.
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8 days ago I had ALIF surgery on L5-S1 disc. I can not get over how good my back feels. I never thought that I would be pain free again. I spent the last 2 1/2 years in extreme pain, I had tried everything to relieve the pain but nothing seemed to help even a bit. I had been taking 10/325 norco 4-5 times a day. Now after surgery I have absolutely no back pain, I do however have some discomfort in the stomach area from the incision. I go to get my stitches out in 6 days and still have 3 weeks before I go back to the surgeon for my follow up. I am hoping he will let me go back to work after my follow up. I know that all surgeries are not this textbook but for me it was remarkable. I am hoping that I can do some kind of working out once I have total fusion. I have put on 35 pounds over the last 2 1/2 years and have not been able to exercise. I hope others have had such great success with this surgery.
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I have my ALIF L5/S1 Fusion scheduled for Nov. 3rd which is about a week away and I am very nervous/anxious/scared ********/relieved to be having it done. I'm just looking for any advice as to what to expect and also any advice on what to bring to the hospital to help out along the way in recovery.
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Had ALIF surgery almost 3 weeks ago and now bad leg pain on back of my thighs and under left knee. Is this common and when will go away. Back pains I knew but leg is bad.
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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 would like to hear from someone who has had one solid rod from top of spine and pelvis where it is attached to pelvic bone...I would like to know how it affects them and what their quality of life is like...I'm not sure if I should have this second surgery or just stay on my crutches for rest of my life...
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I had a Medtronic spine stim put in me in 2013! Every time I turned it on I got severe burning pain and it would swell up uncontrollably!! Finally on eighth week it exploded!! I ended up in hospital for six days!! After that I have that pain 24/7!! Can't do anything without suffering badly!! Saw all kinds of doctors and they said I needed to try another one!! Against my true feelings I was skeptical and ended up putting it in!! I couldn't even use it due to the severe crippling pain it caused!! Ended up taking it out and after three years of doctors they did an mri looking to see if it burned my spinal cord!! The do to told me that no burn on spinal cord and wants me to put in new nevro hf10 system which I am worried about doing!! The pain is still 24/7!! Pain meds all day long and I still suffer badly!! I am looking for some kind of answers!! I don't know how much longer I can take the pain!! Does anyone know of anyone else that had or has this problem?? I am at my end here!! This is ruining every part of my life!! Lost most of my friends as back so bad I can't go any where!! Not even to dinner,cookout or any kind of event!
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I have urinary incontinence which presented itself following surgery on lumbar spine back in 1992 and now I also have extremely swollen legs and feet due to the fluid retention. My doctor prescribed Lasix and so now I am having to deal with pants-wetting "accidents" which are so frustrating, but because of my physical disabilities these "accidents" are unfortunately unavoidable. I've thought about stopping the Lasix but have been advised against it by several healthcare professionals. They have all told me that if I don't take the Lasix, the fluid will not only be in my feet/legs but will also get to my heart and cause fatal consequences
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Anyone else have babies back lined up to yours?
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I was recently diagnosed with hyperthyroidism and I have been taking Carbimazole since Aug 6, 2010, since yesterday I have been experiencing painful leg cramps (not the usual night time calf cramps) that begin just above my right knee and travel down to my foot sometimes 5 or so in quick succession - this is really painful :? and I wondered if anybody else has these or should I go back and see my GP?
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Cramps so bad in thighs, I can't take the pain anymore
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I had what felt like ovulation cramps last week and tonight have vaginal bleeding, fresh blood not old.
I did this in 2012 after my mom died, was checked pap smear, uterine biopsy and I feel those hurt, it was all good, they thought it might of been stress related because it lasted only one day.
My abnormally normal periods were only 1-3 days, they were one coming in, one day of heavy bleeding, and spotting on third day. But every 28 days like clockwork with no issues there. In my 20's I was told I had endometriosis and when they went to do the ultrasound the cyst had went away. I didn't take it any further than that but never had children and never took birth control. Cramps were always very painful, had to curl up in a ball, always had severe back pain with them as well.
Last week they were like that not quite as bad but nearly.
Is this just a fluke you all think? Even menopause I had no symptoms, when I turned 50 it shut off like a faucet never again until 2012, and now.
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I'm having a hard time distinguishing between cramps from the intestines/stomach and slight cramps from my "female parts"... Sometimes I think that I have a regular stomach pain, but I'm wondering whether the pains could be slight cramping from my uterus instead? Right now I'm most likely just passed the ovulation and should have my period in about 13 days. Would slight cramping during this time be normal for someone in perimenopause?
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I have asked to be removed from all pain medications as they were not helping at all and did not want to just keep increasing dosage. So my PM Dr. suggested i try Ativan or Diazepam before bed and also a muscle relaxant called Baclofen for spasms during the day (which i had been on in 2013) it did not work, but he insists on trying it over the Soma 350mg i had been on before the surgery.... any input
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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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Would like to hear from someone who has had ALIF and PLIF surgery, especially if it was a revision. I joined this board 10 years ago as I was anticipating my first lumbar fusion (L5/L6 and L6/S1 with rods and screws). It was so helpful to me. Now, 10 years later, I am facing more surgery. CT Myelogram shows that my screws have come loose and are moving, my fusion at L6/S1 is no longer fused, and my L4/L5 now has so much stenosis that it is pinching nerves. [Yes, I have 6 fully formed lumbar vertebrae, so that makes it a little confusing.] I have an appt in 2 weeks with the back surgeon to go over details about the surgery. He has already told me that he would plan to go in through the abdomen and through the back, and also get bone graft from my hip. So I think that means 3 incisions. I can't imagine the recovery from that many incisions. Can anyone share anything to help me prepare? Has anyone had successful surgery of this type? I don't see any alternative to surgery, since my hardware is wiggling around.
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I had ALIF L5S1 revision surgery on 12-4-2014
To repair a failure to fuse after TLIF
In 2012. The past week my left foot at various times during day is ice cold. I started using a digital thermometer to measure and the bottom of my left foot would be 84 degree at same time my right foot is 97degree. My left leg and foot is the leg I have had problems for years along with my back pain. My left foot will return to normal temperature and then get ice cold again. I cannot figure a specific behavior pattern that may cause this. Anyone have any ideas? I am having usual back and leg pain as well.
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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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