Post back surgery ?

[huckster]

ok i had back surgery almost 5 years ago . they took out L3 and L4 . left the space no fusion This was after many years of suffering muscle loss in leg , after recovery i have benn great , excpet when i over do it ,.for the past 2 weeks its back pain in legs , numbness cant sleep from pain , my back is not in alot of pain just legs as before, Ok enough rambling , my question is if you had back surgery , and it worked did it come back after a few years , i am going to my primary care Dr. today , but boy i thought those days were over.
i was hoping it would go away but it just getting worse . thanks for any input you may have

 

[Tigger_Magic]

I had the exact same surgery many years ago. For several years I had no problems at all. Today I have some permanent loss of feeling (not exactly numbness, just a lack of sensation) on the outside of my left leg. I have pain in my lower back and both hips when I sleep. There's been some deterioration in my spine where the surgery occurred. Now the doctors say they shouldn't have taken out the discs. Well, duh -- thanks for telling me a couple decades too late.

 

[LindaR]

You didn't give alot of info about your actual diagnosis. You may have herniated another disc.

I had L5 and L4 removed, spine fused, screws inserted a few years ago. Now L3 is herniated. I have degenerative disc disease (which actually means that I can herniate all the way up my spine).

Good luck at your doctor's visit!

 

[luvmy2sams]

Just wanted to give you a and some for good news from the doctor.

My back surgery was last July, so I'm not far enough out to give you an answer from personal experience. However, a friend of mine had back surgery at L4-L5 approximately 10 years ago, and she's recently had to go back under the knife for the same problems. Sciatica, which is what your's sounds like, flared up, and she couldn't get it back under control via other options.

Good luck to you!

 

[Dan Murphy]

No surgery here, huckster, but just wishing you well, hoping you get some relief.

 

[tnhillbilly]

They did not remove my disc in Sep 2004, just cut the bulge off. I was on . Started PT. was into that for about 3 weeks and woke up with my leg numb again. Was put off PT and had another scan and the bulge was back again. Pain Managment doctors says the only hope I have is as I age the disc will get harder and quit rubbing the nerve. Good luck. My I add there is nothing like nerve pain.

 

[Denine]

Hope your situation improves! I had back surgery back in '85. I had L4 to S1 fused and had a laminectomy. This was not disc related. I still, if I overdo it, can get pain down my leg and my low back aches. The only thing that will get rid of the pain, if it is really bad, is Vioxx. I still have a bottle in my pantry.
THe last 2-3 months or so, my fused area has been moving around when I am in certain postions. It doesn't hurt, but it feels weird. I am not going back to the doctor unless it causes pain.
My worst fear is to have more back surgery.