L5-S1 lumbar Fusion Post-Op calf and foot pain

L5S1

New Member

Joined : Jun 2013

Posts : 1

Posted 6/15/2013 5:48 PM (GMT 0)

Hello everyone,

I am new to this community. I just went through to surgeries to fix an 8 mm disc herniation at L5-S1.

The first surgery was a discectomy. I was fine after the surery but a week after, I had a Vasovagal episode and reherniated the disc ths time the only way to put me back together was by doing an Anterior Lumbar Fusion. The first week everything was fine. I was pain free except for the incision on my lower abdomen. Then, I started feeling pain on boh calves and toes, but with more concentration on the left leg, which was the leg affected initially by the first and second herniation.

My surgeon won't talk to me. In fact, his staff won't talk o me either about what is causing the pain. The last thing he did was to send me for comparAtive x rays and put me on a medrol dose pack. However the tingling on my left foot and the calf pain I still present. I am starting my 3rd week post op, and I am miserable because I don't know what is causing theming and wondering if this will my life style from now on.

Has anyone had this xperience before? Does it go away with time? How. LNG before having a normal life? Is there any solution to this?

Please help me.

Thank you

straydog

Forum Moderator

Joined : Feb 2003

Posts : 19850

Posted 6/15/2013 9:20 PM (GMT 0)

Hello L5S1 and welcome to the chronic pain forum. From the sound of things it appears you are really having a difficult time. I know this is not what you really want to hear but you are so fresh from this 2nd surgery its just too soon to try to predict anything. All of this leg pain sounds like symptoms from a pinched nerve and if this is the case the nerve will have to heal on its own. They do not do surgery on the nerve itself, they try to relieve the pressure off of it so it will heal. Although things on the outside look like its may be healed, inside you are not. It usually takes a good year sometime as long as 18 months to heal from a fusion. Normally as more time goes by the better the person starts to feel. With you it is just too soon to be expecting much. It is way too soon for any type of exercising except walking. Walking will help you regain strength & stamina. Start out slow & build as you progress.

Most people get in a hurry and want everything to be healed right away and overdo which only makes things worse. Try to be as patient as you can and take this time to baby your body and yourself. Your body has been through a lot of trauma. Two surgeries is a lot.

You may want to talk to your dr about being put on one of the meds for nerve pain, like Neurotin, Lyrica, or Cymbalta to name a couple. Narcotics have little effect on nerve pain.

Hang in there and be patient. Take care..Susie

caligirl55

Regular Member

Joined : Mar 2013

Posts : 37

Posted 6/16/2013 4:35 PM (GMT 0)

Hey L5S1 - I had anterior/posterior fusion at L4-L5. The nerve pain in my legs after surgery lasted many many

month's. I could not sit upright for 3 month's so I had to lay in bed or stand. I had to walk a number of times a

day and was exhausted after just putting the brace on. I have to say the nerve pain was so severe that I can still

remember it from 10 years ago. Hang in there because it takes a good year or two to recover from the surgery.

The pain should start to lessen as healing continues. Hang in there and take care.

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