**NEW** w/ a question....

[Softball.Princess]

Hi there,

I am new to this site. I stumbled on this site while I was searching out answers to a symptom I had recently. I am hoping there might be someone here who can answer my question.

I had an L5 Laminectomy w/ bilateral foraminotomies at L4/5, L5/S1 in 2004. Since then I can't complain, I have had the odd pain here and there but NOTHING compared to what it was prior to surgery.

Almost 2 weeks ago I was walking out of my garage and where the driveway meets the garage floor there was a patch of ice and I wiped out, falling on to my butt. Instantly I had pain in my low back, but I was not too concerned right away cuz I figured that i would be sore cuz I just fell. The couple days after it settled down a little bit, when all of a sudden the pain came back with a vengence. I have had pain in my low back going down my right leg, the pain and pressure in my low back in UNREAL!! I decided to go to a Walk In clinic, they gave me pain meds and told me to get an xray done, which I did. I have heard nothing back for 4 days so I am going to assume the xray was ok....The pain meds and anti-inflammatory meds seem to be helping with the pain, at least making it bearable.

The symptom that happened and concerned me is-

The other night I was sitting reading a book when all of a sudden I felt a 'strange' feeling in my left foot, (it is hard to explain exactly what the feeling was, almost felt like it was swelling but it wasn't) then all of a sudden I couldn't feel my foot and was unable to wiggle my toes or even pull my foot up. I did change my position and get up and started walking it off and it went back to normal, I haven't had it again since then.......just pain down the leg and some cramping....

Would anybody be able to offer me some insight on what is happening or if I should be concerned etc??

THANK YOU!!
Softball.Princess (S.P

[Gil Denis]

Hi And Welcome

You may have a pinched nerve, herniated a disc,or other issues.
Maybe you need other test, MRI, Cat scan etc.

Find a Good spine Doctor.

I am Sure other people will chime in on this subject.

Keep in Contact we are all here to help each other.

All the Best

Gil

[Softball.Princess]

Hi Gil,

Thank you for your welcome. I sure do appreciate that I found this forum, just reading through the different posts it is amazing how much everyone is here for eachother, complete strangers at that.

All the best,
Softball.Princess (S.P)

[dshobbies]

Hi Princess,

Welcome to the forum and yes, it takes one to know one and because we have all suffered, we know what you're going through.

I agree with Gil that an MRI is warranted. Spinal cord compression could be causing your symptoms and you want to find out. Falling as you did could have caused another heriation. Until you have the results of that test, you can only guess.

For quick relief of severe symptoms, try an inversion table if you can or lay on your back, slowly bringing your knees up to your chest one at a time, several times and then both. Either of these should distract the disc space and offer a slight window of catching your breath.

Please keep us posted as to the results and what your doctor is recommending. And no spinal patient is a stranger here so feel free to ask your questions and concerns.

Good luck to you, Dale

[mmglobal]

Read about my wife's ordeal (Diane on the GPN story pages, website linked below in my sig file.) I was furious that her leg was numb and they weren't doing an MRI. (I was out of the country at the time.)

You have obvious neuro involvement and an xray will not tell the story. Make them do an MRI.

Good luck,

Mark

[Softball.Princess]

Hey everyone,

OK!! Well I went to see my doctor today and tried to explain to him what happened and he told me that if it was drop foot I would have it all the time, that it wouldn't just happened one time and go away. When I inquired about an MRI he said that he wants to wait a couple weeks......I told him that I wasn't comfortable waiting and he told me not to worry.

WELL, I don't know what to do now....at this moment, it feels like my knee is swollen and my foot is swollen, I am able to move my toes, but it just feels WEIRD!! I HATE trying to explain it to my doctor cuz he looks at me like I have 2 heads, and I guess until you have actually experienced it you don't really understand.

Ugh, this is seriously starting to freak me out. When I first hurt my back and before I had my surgery, I NEVER had or felt anything like this, it was more of an electrical shock down my legs and pins and needles......

Anyways, I just wanted to give you all an update and to let you know what my dr said. I have to go back and see him on the 24th of Feb, and he said at that point if nothing has changed he will order an MRI......This is all TOO CRAZY for me!!

Does anyone have any idea how I could maybe stop this from happening?

Thanks everyone for your help with my situation. I am SO THANKFUL that I found this site!!

All the BEST!!
Princess

[Jim M2]

I don't like your doctor. He has bad information. He doesn't give much weight to what you tell him. He doesn't seem very interested in your condition. I see red flags all over the place. Does he think you're just a whiny female? Feb 24?! That's a long way off.

[Softball.Princess]

Hi Jim,

I don't understand WHAT his problem is. He should know me by now that I DO NOT come to him for stupid reasons, in fact I make sure that I am not wasting his time when I see him. When I first hurt my back it took him FOREVER to do any tests. Then when i went into his clinic in tears cuz the pain was CRAZY he decided to order a CT scan, when that came back he was so concerned with the results that he immediately ordered an MRI. Next thing you know I was having surgery.

So, I REALLY don't what his intentions are with all of this, but I am scared that it is going to happen again, like I said before, I still have that swollen feeling from my knee down now which I noticed yesterday while I was out when walking I have started to have a 'limp'.

What I want to know is, I have NOT had the EXACT symptom of losing the ability to move my toes or foot since that one time, the swollen feeling is like I said now from the knee down, where before when it happened I was sitting and I felt the 'swollwn' feeling start in my foot then I couldn't move it etc... SO, could it have been just a one time thing?

I AM SO CONFUSED AND DON'T KNOW WHAT TO THINK OR DO ANYMORE. How do I get someone to listen or at least understand and take what I say seriously. I mean this IS something that I should be concerned with no? OR am I over-reacting and need to just relax and take it one day at a time?

I am SORRY if I keep repeating the same thing over and over and if I am bothering everyone with the all the questions I have. I just REALLY don't know what I should do.

Thanks again for listening and helping me. I REALLY APPRECIATE IT!!

All the best,
Princess

[Gil Denis]

Hi Princess

Is there other Doctors in your area? You need to find a Second or Third opinions.
Tell us were you live and I am sure someone lives close by and could help you find a better Dr.

Keep pushing on

Gil

[mmglobal]

Do you have any bowel or bladder issues?

Are you improving? If you are getting better, he may be doing you a favor by getting you to wait. If your symptoms are severe I'd get an MRI so you can make an informed choice about waiting.

If he has the data and knows you don't have a serious issue, waiting is probably a good thing. (I don't understand how that make the decision without the data.

Mark

[dshobbies]

Your doctor seems to not care about your situation or you. You do need to find another doctor. If your HMO makes this makes process difficult, complain to the company and don't let them put you off. Insist that your situation needs to be diagnosed immediately and an MRI is warranted now. Do not take no for an answer. You are your own best advocate.

We all want to believe what doctors tell us but the truth is, they're not always truthful and have their own agendas. Why? Only they know but my GP left Greater Valley HMO because he said that wasn't how he treated patients. He didn't elaborate but tells you that not all is created equal.

Good luck, Dale

[Softball.Princess]

Bladder or Bowel?? Uhm, I am not to sure what is meant by that, sorry. I did see a Chiropractor today who told me that he thinks that I need an MRI ASAP to rule out any serious nerve damage and that if my doc won't order an MRI then I need to look at different options. He told me that if it happens again to get my butt to the ER and they should order an MRI there considering the degree of neurological involvement....

Ugh!! Why do things have to be so CONFUSING?? I just don't understand what the big deal is to ordering an MRI!!

Anyways, I REALLY feel like I am complaining WAY too much and I am sorry for that!!

Thank you to ALL of you who take the time out of your busy schedules to help me out...

All the best,
Princess

[mmglobal]

Does your urine stream start normally or does it take forever? Can you empty your bladder or do you feel like you have to go, just after you've gone? Do you have any problem making it to the bathroom or do you have to leave a clear path because if something delays you, you'll wet yourself on the way?

Check your private messages.

Mark

[Softball.Princess]

Hey all,

Ok, well it has been almost 3 weeks since I last posted. I thought I would give an update.

Well, I haven't been able to get back in to see my doctor. The next available appt that I have booked is Feb 24.

I am still having those 'strange' feelings in my left leg, it is pretty constant now the feeling that I have from the knee down, if I sit for too long I have the problem with my toes and foot like before.

ANYWAYS, don't really want to bore you with the same ol'. Nothing has changed for the better and I am beginning to become EXTREMELY frustrated with the idea of nothing being done.

Hope you all are having a pain-free day!!

All the best,
Raneah

[phylly]

Hi Raneah,
I hope you can find another Dr. and get a second opinion. I would not wait until Feb. 24th if you are having all these problems. It sounds like your concerns are very valid and you should be worried. Maybe you can call to see if there are any cancellations earlier than your date. Tell them it's an emergency and you are losing some feeling in your leg!
Phylly

[Maria]

Softball Princess,
You may have an aggravation of the same disc area if you've disc material left in there which I'd be willing to bet that you have. It may have rebulged at the same level or perhaps even the level above.

It's not that I can give a qualified answer I'm just throwing out basically what happened to me with rebulging and/or the disc above bulging as having a discectomy at one level usually makes that level weaker and more prone to further problems. Maybe not right away tho generally I believe eventually.

The symptoms might go away with time. It took nearly 9 months for the symptoms of an L4 bulge to quiet down for me but I already had surgery scheduled (another discectomy at L4 after one done at L5S1). That didn't end up well and actually just set my spine up for ongoing probs. No big surprise I guess.

Anyway, you deserve at least the benefit of being properly diagnosed and I suggest seeing someone and asking for an MRI since your symptoms are still there nearly a month now from the fall.

Maybe even just an epidural steroid injection is something that would help settle down some aggravation back there but only a qualified doctor who is willing to listen to you and check it out will be able to tell you.

Should you have these symptoms seek attention immediately: loss of bowel or bladder tone (urinating without control and bowel movement w/o feeling it or control), loss of function of an extremity, loss of feeling of an extremity (complete numbness), loss of tone and function, severe excrutiating pain that is unrelieved by rest or medications and/or any general medical symptoms that would warrent immediate attention (any other symtoms you would go to the doctor or ER for such as a temperature of 101 degrees F or above that is unrelieved with usual medications/time and so on etc.

If you've got partial or complete dropfoot don't wait till 2/24.

[SandyW]

Raneah

Please take the recommendation of the people here. There are some that are very knowledgeable and well acquainted with the medical world. All have had experiences with the spine. Do not wait, there is no great fix for your spine.

Do you need a referral from your doctor to see an orthopedic spine specialist or neurologist. If not, call one immediately and explain your problem.

It's probably not illegal, maybe immoral, but give them an extreme symptom which would get you in sooner??

Can't your chiropractor order a MRI. If not he should have a doctor friend.
Or friends doctors, a friend of a friend, try anything.

It is ridiculous that you can't get into your doctor before Feb 24. Find a new doctor and report the old one.

Good luck and best wishes, Sandy

[Kathy]

I agree with the other posters, you need to get a new dr. asap. If this is how he is being about getting an MRI, what happens when the MRI shows something? I have put up with a dr. dragging their feet and hoping they knew something I didn't; well they didn't and I wasted months of my life in pain. It could take years to go from MRI to solution, don't waste valuable time. Please find another dr, you will be so glad you did. Sometimes we don't realize how bad something is, until we have better, then we wonder why we didn't leave long ago.
Best Wishes,
Kathy aka KBear

[Justin]

Princess,

I'm sorry your not feeling well after your fall.

I'll offer a different opinion (this is not medical advice). You *may* not have a "bad" doctor, as people are implying. If you don't have "emergent" neuro deficit (*loss of bowel and bladder), in most cases an emergent MRI is not indicated, even with the "weird" feeling in your legs.

It sounds like you had trouble moving your toes and legs one time--it could have even been something as simple as your leg falling asleep.

At minimum with your ongoing symptoms, it sounds like you might have exacerbated a herniation. Most herniations spontaneously resolve and the pain subsides in ~6 months after the majority of "relatively minor trauma."

If you are concerned with your symptoms, I would see if you can be put on the cancellation list at with your doctor if that works with your schedule (they will call you if they have a cancellation). A word of caution: if you do pursue finding a new doctor, it took take just as long to get an initial appointment. They may recommended an MRI, but...

At the end of the day if there is a new herniation / exacerbation of an old herniation, 99% of surgeons are not going to immediately go to surgery. They will likely recommend a course of physical therapy or to go see a physiatrist (a physical medicine and rehabilitation physician).

I'm not trying to minimize your situation or what you are going through. I'm just throwing my $.02 in...

Good luck and keep us posted!

[Terry Allen Blackburn]

I agree with Justin. Some physicians may seem to lack good bed-side manners but, given their diagnostic skills, if it is not an emergency in their eyes, they are not going to treat it as such. The body is an amazing healing machine anyway, and some things take longer to settle down than others. Surgery is never as good as what God gave us to begin with, so it is a last resort method. I've said before that, when the pain becomes actual suffering, then it is time to take another course of action. I hope that things settle down for your spine and that surgery is not necessary. You can always rely on us for a sympathetic ear and support in the process. Hang in there.

Terry Newton

[Softball.Princess]

THANKS!! For all the support and answers.

I had something happen today and not sure if it is related.

I was walking down my stairs when all of a sudden my left leg went out from underneath me, thank goodness for railings or for sure I would have went down them all, nevermind the 3 I did. When I got up I couldnt move my foot/toes again and when I stood on it my leg was numb.....

Just another quick update........

Raneah

[Softball.Princess]

Hi guys,

I just got back from my Chiro appt and he is concerned with the symptoms that keep popping up in my left leg as well as the ones that don't seem to be getting better. He said I have no ankle reflex in my left foot( I think that's what he said) I don't really understand all this back stuff and what it means, so if I should happen to relay something that doesn't make sense it is more than likely because I got it wrong.....SORRY!!

Anyways, he has a collegue who is going to order the MRI for him so that HE can see what is going on, then I guess we can go from there. FINGERS CROSSED that it is just some swelling that hasn't resolved yet!!

Thought I would give you all the update and again to say THANKS FOR BEING THERE and answering all my questions, I APPRECIATE IT TREMENDOUSLY!!

Hope you are all having a pain free day!!

Raneah

[Gil Denis]

Hi Raneah

Congratulation on scheduling your MRI, Now you will know whats really going on.
The MRI is a painless test,

Good luck

Gil

[Softball.Princess]

Thanks Gil for the thumbs up!!