L5 S1 Spinal fusion Pain Left leg pain after surgery

[PatriciaM61]

I had surgery 1 month ago and on my L5 S1. I have had very bad pain in my left leg since surgery and now thhey think that perhaps a screw is hitting on a nerve causing this pain. I go for a CAT scan tomorrow, and if this IS the problem, I AM NOT looking forward to another surgery. PLEASE help! I am taking 2 Tramodol, 1 soma, and 2 Oxycodone/APAP 10/325 every 4 hours. Even this does not take the pain away but takes the edge off some so that I can stand it.We tried another pain regimine with time released Oxycontin and they were a joke. I am really frustrated that I have so much pain when I went into this thinking once surgery was over, I would be pain-free after approx. 25 years.

[kappelb]

Long time but I am not seeing anyone talk about a CT Myelogram. A very important diagnostic tool. Don't let them not do that. If they do not know how to interpret that you have the wrong DR.

[burilini55]

I am suffering the same thing with my calves after my fusion.  Did anything help, or was it correctly diagnosed?

[Goetz8]

Hello

I'm about 6 weeks out from my L4,L5, L6,SI and disc replacement -360
Fusion.  I have one long cut about 7/8 inches on my tummy and four 2 inch ones on my lower back. And yet I'm still in so much pain not as much as I have shooting, and Throbbing pain down my right leg and numbness. I can not feel my right calf or the bottom of my foot or my toes. Is this normal or is there something wrong?  The pain is so horrible that I tell my husband about a 100 times a day that I wish I could just cut my leg off sometimes at my hip. Just to stop this pain.. And tonight at my sons Football game, I just fell complete down to the ground because my right leg just gave out from underneath me. So now as I sit here tonight because I
Can't sleep once again from this awful pain, I'm trying to seek out answers.. And plus hoping I didn't hurt my back or anything from the fall. Because I'm hurting on my back and hips and abdomen now. I am scared that I might have messed something up too. I am seeing a pain doctor who (thanks to the ones that abuse these drugs) isn't helping much at all! And she can clearly see from my blood pressure that I am yet indeed in freaking pain.. I'm currently on morphine three times a day, gabapin three times a day and lortabs three times a day. But I'm continuously telling
Her that I'm always waking up around, well this time at night in serve pain and can't go back to sleep unless I take something. But if I do then that will make me short on my meds and she said a that's a major Nono!!!  And that I need to call first for promise.. Really?!! At 2/3 in the morning?! Ok so I do and of course I get an answering machine where I leave my name and number but no one ever calls me back. I'm so tired of this pain and hurting and I'm so clueless on what to do. I did go back for a check up just today and told them I still am having this horrible pain down my right leg and numbness on calf and toes. So they are setting me up for even more injections into my spine called
Nerve block shots! I tried these injections before my surgery and they did nothing butane my back burn.
I hurt way more now then I ever did before surgery. And I do realize it's going to take a year maybe more before I feel the full effects from this major surgery, but I don't understand if they realize it's such a major surgery and they "know how horrible it can feel" then why can't they make the pain more tolerable for me.. Why do I have to sit here day after day letting my kids see me crying all the time, missing out on their sports things ( because if I do go things like today where I fell happen or I hurt even more from doing to sang much) that I thought this surgery would make it possible for me to start enjoying with my kids again.
Could it be a pinched nerve or a nerve that one of the screws hit? That I've read about in one of these other stories??!  
Any helpful reply or suggestion would be greatly appreciated!!
Now m off to call the pain doctor to ask promise to take my medicine so I can go back to sleep possible!! This is pathetic!!

[CTMEDZ]

:ove to hear success stories after  back surgery…Good for you!! I wish my surgery was a success but its caused me nothing but complications. Im a nurse and know that id nothing much left other than a ton of pain meds that eventually won't work anymore and painful needles. Im so happy for you!  Take Care!

[Preciouskitty]

I had 2 discs removed and fusion at L4L5 and L5S1 almost a year ago.  At first my back felt so much better but my legs hurt so bad.  I got off the Morphine and Oxycodone faster than my Dr. thought I should have. He was right I had terrible withdrawals but had been on them for 5 years before surgery. About a month or so after getting off meds my lower back started to hurt again.  I had a CT scan and found out the fusion at L4/L5 did not take and my Dr. said if that was the case it would mean a 2nd surgery.  But I am scheduled for a breast reduction cause I am still tilted forward from the weight.  I DO feel much better but am back on Percocet 15 mgs. 3 times a day. I am able to do so much more than I could before the surgery. I made a huge mistake, I did not  quit smoking b4 the surgery and that is a MUST.  I HAVE to quit for 30 days before and after the next breast reduction surgery. So I won't go back to it.  I also have RA which can reduce the chances of fusion success so I am lucky that half of it fused. There is hope. I will do what my surgeon, a Neurologist who heads the hospital in the spine surgery unit.  Time to heal, it does take time.  Exercise is very important! Walk, walk, walk it will help the healing process and DON'T SMOKE. If you do, QUIT at least a month b4 surgery. I know it is hard, I am struggling now but the Plastic Surgeon for my next surgery will test me for nicotine b4 the surgery and if there is a trace, he won't do it.  Good luck to all, it takes time.  My legs did hurt for months after the fusion. So weird but it was like they ached so bad I had to keep stretching them. Thank God that went away.

[trkrswife]

I am almost 3 months out from my L5-S1 fusion.  When I first had the surgery I did really well with pain and mobility. They did a couple sessions of physical therapy with me and said I was doing great and didn't need it anymore.  I was sent home after 2 days.  Unfortunately, I had excessive drainage from a pinhole at the top of my incision (they had taken the drain out before I went home, with an output still of 30cc I might add)  I contacted the Dr's office several times with concerns about the drainage. Two weeks to the day after surgery I finally got the Dr to see me about this. (A 1 1/2hr drive)  The Dr and his PA expressed the incision site of fluid, with the Dr saying he didn't know if it was an infection or not because I was not showing any other symptoms.  Btw, never bothering to take a sample of the fluid the test it.  He sent me for blood work to check my white blood cell count. The next day the nurse called me and said the blood test was inconclusive and I needed to go get blood work done again. (This time at my local hospital) Again, did not take a sample of the drainage even though the Dr was here for surgery.  A week later I got in to see Dr at the local office. By this time I was expressing 1/4c of drainage out of my back twice a day. When he saw the drainage this time he said he needed to go back in and clean and flush the next day. Another 1 1/2 hr drive and surgery #2. Had that surgery done, and at that time the Dr finally took sample and sent for cultures. Cultures came back with a gram positive bacillis anaerobic bacteria (very serious, and life threatening). Infectious disease Dr started me on Vancomycin, one of the strongest antibiotics out there. Again was taken down to PT and was told I was good and didn't need it.  My JP drain was removed 30hrs before I was released from hospital. Spent 7 days in the hospital that time.  Started a regimen of vancomycin antibiotics at home through a picc line placed in my arm. Tweny-six hours after I was released I woke up from a nap in excruciating pain (couldn't even sit up in bed). I called 911 and was taken to local ER.  They did an MRI and found I had fluid around my spine.  I was shipped to Presbyterian Hospital in Pittsburgh, PA.  Along with the severe bacterial infection, I now had Bacterial Meningitis from my spinal membrane being damaged during the second surgery.  If I hadn't called 911 I wouldn't be here now writing this. I spent 9 days in the hospital and had 3 more surgeries that time.  The first surgery I had there the Dr had to remove the rods and screws from my back because they were contaminated from the infection.  Came home and was doing pretty good, except from the side effects of the vancomycin.  Last Friday I had my weekly blood work done and got a call saying they wanted me back in Pittsburgh.  My blood platelets were down to 23,000 (normal range is between 150,000 - 190,000), and my kidney function was way below normal.   I am feeling alot better now, but may possibility have permanent kidney damage. Only time will tell. Now I am having pain in my tailbone that radiates into my left buttock and my left leg. The neurologist told us that I may need to have the hardware put back in.  That would make surgery #6.  I feel like this is never going to end.  Quite honestly, I don't know if I can take any more of this....

[RosemaryB1]

I am only 4 months out from my surgery, yet the pain is horrible. I am on Neurontin, Robaxin, and hydrocodone. with all of those i still am in debilitating pain. I feel like my doctors are ignoring me when i tell them i am hurting so bad, worse than before my surgery. They say it is muscle pain and Physical Therapy will help. I do not feel like it is muscle pain. it is a stabbing pain that makes it hard to bend my back. After the surgery i could not move due to pain on the opposite side of the original pain shooting down my left leg and shin. This is why they put me on Neurontin. Any activity causes my back to feel locked up and after taking the muscle relaxers i am not able to do anything the rest of the day. I fear there is permanent damage to my back and the surgery was unsuccessful. I have asked for further test like an MRI, yet they feel everything is fine. I know it is not. How can i get better results with my doctors. they act like i am making up this pain.   Rosemary  

[charlene49]

I had mine done in 2005 S-1, L-5, and they say they see nothing wrong.  cat scan w/contract, from my bone graft, buttocks, left leg. Is in pain most the time. I try to have a good attitude, but sometimes I just need to cry.

[charlene49]

Dr the problem is they don't show what the problem is.  I have a similar situation.

[charlene49]

Patricia I an greatful for this site, everyone (majority) has said the same thing, mri and cat scan with contract shows nothing. I feel very upset because doctors hear this and you would think they KNOW what the problem is.  But do not disclose that this could happen, before doing these surgery's, to many of us have the same problem.

[charlene49]

Charliem I so agree we need to do something about it. Would like to talk with you. ***@**** I have some ideas, starting with Hippa privacy act, making doctors have another form allowing patient's a list of other that have had the surgery. So we can call or email, the patient privacy act seems to be pertecting the doctor's and not us.

[terryj0164]

If it worked for them then I doubt if they would be on this site. I have known two people that it did work for and were pain free.  I had L4 and L5 done 2 weeks ago, and so far it has gone ok.  I did it because for me I would have been a cripple the rest of my life, been in constant pain and unable to walk more than a block. So even if It reduce the pain by 75% and can walk again then it's a win for me. I am 63 and just wasn't ready to lie down and quit. I wished there were more choices, but I was certainly unable to find them. I wish you all the best.

[BrokenCowgirl1]

I'm 6 weeks out!   For the first time in 5 years my back doesn't hurt,  I can feel my legs and feet again.  Although it is still early in my recovery it's already made at least a 50% difference in my life.   My only pain now is my calves, dr said that's my nerves waking up after being compressed so long.  At 6 weeks I can walk without a walker or cane, I can take care of my daily needs and for the first time in years, I can sleep though the nights.  I'm  still healing and I don't know if I will fuse or not, I use a bone stimulator for 2 hours a day, still no bending lifting or twisting, but I'm getting better every day.    I was told it take 6-12 months to fully heal.....but my life has already improved!   So yes, there are those of us who actually do feel it made a positive difference, at least so far.

[tnkdaddy]

this scares me. I am about to do this and I am so nervous.i am 33 and drive a truck for a living. I hope that I am able to work afterwards. my doctor said 3mo to a year recover time... I don't know what to do.

[RonInGrandRapids]

Sorry to hear about your pain. In 1996 I had a fusion done on L5 S1 and probly the worst thing I have ever had done. They sent me back to work (construction) after 6 months, myself I thought it was to soon after surgery. Things seem to be so so for first year then went down from there. Tried all sorts of pain pills and no releif until after living in pain for six years after surgery, they tried methadone and within 1 hour I knew that we were onto something that worked. Started out at 5mg 4 times a day and now after 12 years methadone has only been increased to 40mg twice a day, still have back pain but I can manage it. Shame I had to retire from being an electrician for twenty years and go on disabilaty, But I had to do what I had to do.
RonInGrandRapids

[Labones]

Hi, I realise this is 6 months after your post, but I want to tell you, you are not alone in this.  I had L5/S1 fused two years ago, and am still visiting the physiotherapist every week, am constantly tired and battle with the extreme pain.  My spine has fused and fused hard - the cage and the screws are all in the right place.  The discs above and below are starting to tear but nothing can be done to take away the pain.
I too am a single mum of two kids - and getting up every day is a task, and even worse, I still look at my shoes and have to sum up the energy to find a way to put them on my feet.  I gave up all of the pain medications - they did nothing but made me nauseous, dizzy, and feel out of control.  I came off them slowly under the watchful eye of my GP but now I am off them I feel more in control of me - even though the pain persists.
I've had all the nerve tests, MRIs, CTs, a needle with dye put into my spine, all of them post surgery and it shows nothing.
All I can say to you is look at your child/children and remember why you keep going - for them.  I have had to accept that I will now live with pain for the rest of my life, that I will need a nap for a couple of hours most afternoons just to cope and that life will never be as it was prior to my accident.
The only thing I have found freedom in, is aqua aerobics.  It is old fashioned, but it gives me a great boost and I am free from the pain for 30 minutes.
Good luck and remember to stay strong.
Lisa

[SissyWalker]

HELP PLEASE!!! I had a fusion L5 S1 in February 2009 and I am in more pain now than before my surgery. The night of my surgery I was up all night in extreme pain and crying like a baby. When my Dr. was told this the next morning he released me and did nothing to try to ease my pain. For 6 months I cried all the time because I was in horrible pain and had no idea how to ease it. My Dr. said my x-rays and MRI were fine, after that phone call I have not heard from him. I have had my family Dr. send me for more epidural/cortizone shots, I have tried numerous medications (neurotin, lyrica, narcotics, controlled, muscle relaxers and the list goes on). I have had my Dr. also send me for more opinions. Everything that has been done since my surgery is at my request, my Dr. does NOT recommend anything. I just feel I'm alone in this. Actually, I am alone in this. The Dr. that give's me the injections did a nerve test on me where he puts needles into my back and legs. He said it shows I have a nerve that is pinched. I tried the injections again and it didn't help. I finally talked my family Dr. into sending me to another neurologist. I had a test that included dye and a CT scan. My results were the fusion did not fuse , he said the screws were in the wrong place and one of the screws were loose, to me it looked like it was just hanging there but i'm not a professional. During this visit he said if he could operate and make me 50% better it would be worth it. I left and thought about everything he said and 2 months later I went back. During this visit he told me he would NOT operate and he can't say for sure this is the cause of my pain. Needless to say I left the visit crying like a baby because I thought finally someone was going to try to help me. My main problem is for the last 3, almost 4 years I have been trying to find the source of my pain and something that could ease it enough to live a normal life and I feel there is no one who believes me. I feel like I am in this alone. My fiance left because he said I never feel like doing anything, which he is right, if you are in pain like me you don't feel like doing anything. I am ill all the time, I don't want to talk to anyone, I am constantly hurting in my back, my right and left legs and feet, and I sometimes fall because my leg doesn't want to work. The smallest tasks cause me to be in horrible pain. I wake in the mornings and it begins. I can't even sleep all night, with the help of many meds. People just don't understand and many don't believe me. If anyone can help or give me any ideas of what to try next I would appreciate it. This is the first time I have asked for help from others beacuse I don't want to feel like I am whining and I know there are other people in worse shape than me but I am breaking down, I need help. I just want to be able to buy groceries or take my daughter to school without being miserable the rest of the day. I am a single mom and I have to do it all, if anyone can give me any ideas of how to do it with less pain I will appreciate it. Have a great week.

[wntnrmlife]

Yes - me.  I had a l5 s1 fusion for spondylolisthesis in Oct 2010.  After Jan 2011 - I have been virtually pain free with sporatic bouts of left leg pain after hard physical activity.  About a month ago - my leg gave out from under me and since that time - I've been having the same leg pain I had since before my surgery.  And the nail on the toe next to my big toe has fallen off.  I was up to standing for 25 minutes before needing to sit down...not any more....5 minutes MAX.  Such a disappointment.  I feel your pain.  Back to the doctor.....thought that part of my life was over.  Guess not.  

[ladyarrasmith]

I had spinal fusion a year ago on the L4, L5, and S1 for spinal spondylolithesis over 50%. My major complaints were back pain and sciatica in my left leg. since surgery I still have lower back pain and now tightness in my calve muscles it feels like I cannot stretch them enough and sciatica in my right leg, pins and needle feelings in both feet. I am taking 1800mg gaipentin, 60mg cymbalta, and 2 muscle relaxers a day. The meds make me feel so tired and confused not to mention the weight gain.  I have a physical job and worry how long I will be able to continue doing it. I feel useless and lazy.

[Sue62007]

On June 25th 2007 I had PLIF with Laminectomy  at levels L4 L5 L5LS1 .My surgeon told me that there was a 50/50 chance of it helping my discs were ruptured and herniated before i even thought of having surgery done I did physical therapy ,steroid injections and pain meds.Well almost 6 years later im still in severe pain my lower back feels like its a huge bruise very tender to the touch it burns and is always tight.I have stabbing pains going into my bottom suffer from severe spasms of the hip and all the way down my legs to my toes along with sharp stabbing burning pain and pin n needle feeling especially when im standing or sitting it does not matter.At night the spasms and creepy crawlies (all i can do to describe this is as if i have lil bugs crawling around in my legs. So i have had numerous test done had NCST done showed nerve damage in both my legs.I have been on so many different meds I cant take methadone gets me really sick been on the Fentanyl Patch lyrica Cymbalta now im currently on MS-Contin  200 mg in morning 200 at night I also take Neurontin Baclofen n and a whopping .5 mg of Klonopin at night for my spasms . I tried after the surgery about 3 years to do more steroid shots and epidural done and in return i end up in the hospital for 5 days due to they did the injection in the scar tissue and the hole never closed and i got air in the base of my brain talk about more added pain and i tried 2 blood patches before i was even admitted to the hospital which they didn't help at all.So long story short after taking all this medicine every day IM STILL IN PAIN my back  & legs. Im seeing a new doctor in a week due to me moving 2 miles down the road which put me in another state LOL.The only thing with that is that they have to send me out to a specialist before they can play the medicine game again with me.My current doctor told me if i split your meds your on up between the people in the office here they all would be sleeping well im up and functioning as well as i can it does not make me tired and after taking 200 mg of morphine in the morning 3 hours later im in severe pain again. I just want to find some meds that will help a lot with the pain i know nothing will take it away but i waited 10 years before i had the surgery done and im still suffering im tired of complaining to my husband about how bad my back and legs hurt sleeping maybe 2 hours a night because of the pain and spasms and thank goodness i have a 18 year old and another almost 21 and they understand what im going through but NOBODY has a solution on what to do for me but test after test and increasing my meds that dont really work. I have not yet tried OxyContin i have tried soma which worked wonders on my spasms but no luck for anything for the nerve pain or the back pain or lack of sleep.I have trouble driving cant lift anything bending over or going side to side is almost impossible walking is supposed to be good for you not in my case if i step on uneven ground i get this sharp electric feeling in my leg and back .All i want is to be somewhat normal and be out of at least 75 % of my pain ! Anybody have any ideas or suggestions.Since i have bars screws and rods in my lower back of course i cant bend like a "normal" person.I also have spinal stenosis and degenerative disc disease among a few other things.The doc told me in 10 years after i had my surgery i would probably be all metal in my back lot of confidence he had but as he explained when you have the surgery done and the hardware as low as it can go in your back all the stress from it will start rupturing above everything which i do have another ruptured disc at L2 & L3 now.I would really think long and hard BEFORE you have anything done to your back if a doc tells you its 90 % effective go to a different surgeon because as with any surgery its a 50/50 that it will help make you worse or you will feel the same except you will be full of metal sitting in you stopping you from doing normal daily actives. So if anybody has suggestions on any meds that have helped you with similar surgery and nerve damage in the leg s and lack of sleep from the pain and spasms help me out and on top of it i will be 40 in 2 weeks so i have been dealing with this for a long while and they had no response when i asked them how this happened since i never had major injuries to the back in my life there answer wear and tear like im a car tire or something !!

[chuck493]

had l4 l5 s1 fusion on jan 16, left leg burning feeling after surgery back feeling very little pain went too therapy  in february after three weeks burning went away in my left leg.very little pain in my back seen the doctor in march he let me come out of the brace feel funny and presssor on my lower back but i am moving around doing good next day went too therapy got out of my truck took couple of steps my left leg gave out on me end of march i go see the  doctor again we are going turning me lose too work i work for steel mill 12 hours shifts i don`t  know i can handle it short term disability well stop and if i mist work i don`t get paid and i don`t have no choice but too work i got a family

[Amac2829]

My L5 had ruptured and I got the operation.. Everything was going well, the shooting pain down my right leg had just about stopped and I was able to sit comfortably.. I had a nap one afternoon and woke up and I could hardly walk.. Apparently another piece of the disc had come loose.. It's been 2 weeks after my second operation and I've sneezed.. Now I can hardly bend my back.. I don't know what to do.. I'm only 24.. What happens if the disc keeps rupturing??

[stella1982]

I did a disectomy fusion of L4 and L5 on the 2 Nov 2011 it lasted for approx. 7 hrs it took 4 screws 2 rods to do the surgery it was very painful in the first few days after the surgery most things went well for the surgery but have been having some form of discomfort in my left foot especially ma left big toe which burns me real bad after standing I wonder if I am moving too early and am doing therapy like 5 times per week the therapy helps me a lot even though I get burning in my toe

[stella1982]

I did a disectomy fusion of L4 and L5 on the 2 Nov 2011 it lasted for approx. 7 hrs it took 4 screws 2 rods to do the surgery it was very painful in the first few days after the surgery most things went well for the surgery but have been having some form of discomfort in my left foot especially ma left big toe which burns me real bad after standing I wonder if I am moving too early and am doing therapy like 5 times per week the therapy helps me a lot even though I get burning in my toe