3 months out from Laminectomy, symptoms are all back, and they brought friends...yech.

[davemmevad]

Hi All,
Sorry, but this is a bummer of a post. Had my Lamy at the beginning of March, for really bad right leg sciatica. Felt good after surgery, until it got infected, and felt pretty good after that got cleared up. However, over time (since about 4 weeks post surg.) I've been getting all my old symptoms back, and they have brought along new symptoms with them. Steroid treatment failed, PT made it worse. MRI shows disc material in the lateral space next to the nerve. As of today, I'm worse off than I was before surgery. Pain meds don't work, and about the only thing that makes me able to function is if I NEVER SIT DOWN. Never. I can use a recliner, but if I get more than a 45 degreen angle between my leg and torso, forget it. If I walk up a mild grade, forget it(unless I use a cane to push myself up). Grrrrrrrrrr. I'm not a happy camper. Here is the dirty laundry list:

Old pain:
Right leg sciatica has returned

New pain:
Left leg sciatica is starting (usually just in my butt, but gets down to the calf sometimes and the foot)
Localized pain in lower back (I'm guessing I've lost too much height and the facets are touching)
Tailbone always sore
Lower right abdominal pain (deep, feels like it goes straight through, just above pelvic crest)

I've got an appt on the schedule, but it is still another week and a half out, hoping for a cancelation to move it up. Not sure where I am on the spectrum of expectations at this point, but I'd assume we will talk about fusion to get the disc height back and get the @#$@#!! disc out of there so it can't cause anymore issues.

Hope you all are having better times

Cheers,
Dave

[Frances144]

Total sympathies. Grotty, grotty, grotty. Poor you.

[JRS11]

Dave, really sorry about your condition, I am about to have surgery and reading this makes me want to do the least invasive as possible. I have read that it can take quite a bit of time to really feel good, so maybe and hopefully this is just the healing, adjusting process.

Best of luck

JRS

[davemmevad]

Thanks - and don't let all this discourage you. I've had a number of different operations (all orthopedic and connective tissue based) and all the others went wonderfully.

Honestly, when I first met the MD I assumed they'd fuse me, and was thrilled to hear that he thought the simpler operation would do the trick, and if it had I'd have been delighted, so I went along with it. Turns out it didin't. My biggest gripe now, is the amount of my time, and my life, I'm having to spend jumping through all the hoops again to see what can be done. I know, gotta do the hoops, but... well, you can fill in that blank .

Cheers
Dave

[Frances144]

I had my laminectomy and thought everything was going fine until it wasn't (my horse tripped, and I went over his head).

When I went back to my surgeon, he said he wasn't surprised to see me again - it was perhaps a bit sooner than he would've liked but he thought I would be back as my spine was probably going to keep deteriorating anyway.

He also said that he could keep doing yearly laminectomies or one fusion and sort it out hopefully for good. I voted for the fusion.

I suppose you have to travel the journey to get to the other end (deep and meaningful today!)

[JRS11]

Thanks - and don't let all this discourage you. I've had a number of different operations (all orthopedic and connective tissue based) and all the others went wonderfully.

Honestly, when I first met the MD I assumed they'd fuse me, and was thrilled to hear that he thought the simpler operation would do the trick, and if it had I'd have been delighted, so I went along with it. Turns out it didin't. My biggest gripe now, is the amount of my time, and my life, I'm having to spend jumping through all the hoops again to see what can be done. I know, gotta do the hoops, but... well, you can fill in that blank .

Cheers
Dave

Now you have me thinking about why I should or should not have a fusion.

[davemmevad]

I suppose you have to travel the journey to get to the other end

!!!!

[RetroVirus]

This sucks to hear! I consider myself so lucky my surgery went so well. Hang in there, we're all here for you.

[Justin]

Hey Dave, sorry to hear that you are doing worse than before surgery. Good luck at your next appointment. Please keep us posted.

[Gilbert P]

Hi Dave

Sorry to hear you are still in pain That sucks, There is light at the end of this it may be something simple?

I had a lam 17 years ago and did great for about 14 years now it s all bad and there is still hope.

All The Best

Gil