Nerve Heat

[Rosy]

Lately, I experience a "weird" feeling of HEAT on my right calf. Upon touching, it's not hot but inside, it's like having a heater. It comes and goes. No specific times. Only 1 side.

Wonder if this is a sign of a nerve being compressed?? I know nerves can act funny sometimes.

Any input would be appreciated.

[treefrog]

I don't have a definitive answer for you. But, I too have had feelings of heat in my feet and lower legs. I assume that it is nerve related, but don't know for sure.

[Justin]

Hi Rosy,

I have spoken with many patients that have described a similar feeling, especially post-op. The 3-level patient that had surgery on the same day as me had really bad "burning, hot pain" in her feet for close to a year post-op. I'm pretty sure that Doreen on this forum had some similar issues post-op (if I remember correctly).

It does sound like nerve irritation since it is presents on one side and comes and goes.

[dshobbies]

I'm 3 1/2 yrs post op and my foot feels hot 24/7, even sometimes burning at the end of the day. It also feels very heavy. All nerve damage.

[Terry Allen Blackburn]

Rosy;

I had this consistently for a couple of years after the surgery. The first year was pretty intense which kept me on the Lyrica for that period of time. It has been 2 years 5 months since my surgery and it still flairs up intermittently. Sometimes it is still pretty intense and painful but passes. I think the feeling is pretty common with the nerves from the surgery continuing to misfire.

You're in good company.

Terry Newton

[Rosy]

Terry, I think you could be right! This has started since I have switched from Lyrica to Cymbalta. Lyrica may have a better control over the nerves. Who knows??

Thank you for your opinions.

[mary.mary]

Well, now and then my left leg gets a warming feeling in it. But see, I never even THOUGHT it was related to my low back.... I didn't know what to think...

Thanks Rosy for posting it!! I have learned yet more 'spinal' info!!

Mary

[Maria]

After my 2nd discectomy the soles of my feet used to heat up at night and actually feel like they were burning to the point of being itchy!! But they weren't hot to touch~ so I'd wake up and rub my feet together, scratch them and so forth and wonder when this feeling would go away so I could go back to sleep. Usually I'd fall asleep wondering about that.

This is way before pain meds but it would also happen if I drank a beer but just in the soles of my feet.

This sensation has long been gone but I think it lasted at least a year if not longer..

I have the occasional sensations that water is running down the outside of my right leg or that there are bugs crawling on my skin of my calves and there's never anything.

[Kathy]

I have had these sensations before; but Lyrica has taken it all away. Were any of you on Lyrica or similar drug when you had your sensations? It may help you, as I know the heat pain is really annoying (and can be really painful). Just a thought...

[Maria]

Kathy,
Back in '92 I was put on Elavil for neuropathies. It didn't really help to alleviate that sensation tho it helped somewhat with the burning. Actually the sensation just went away on it's own after a year or two.

I wasn't put on Neurontin until '98 and have been on it ever since (11 years).

I cannot recall having that sensation but a few times in the last 11 years and I'm not sure what might have brought it on but I think it was a case of serious "overdo".. tho it was nothing like in the past (probably wasn't feeling it with the Neurontin on board) and it lasted a very short time.

[robprodisc]

I noticed it mainly while driving my car during the winter. I have narrowed the feeling by a lot by shutting my seat heater off. It seems to send the hot feeling to my feet instead of my a.......back..lol

[Katie]

So this would be nerve damage caused by the surgery? None of you had it before that?

Scary to think that there could be more problems after surgery than before...I hope this is more of an annoyance than an intense sensation that is almost as bad as pain.

It seems like many or most have had it at one time or another, so my five level surgery is almost guaranteed to bring it on, I guess?

[B13s]

I started having it 3 weeks after the surgery - lasted 9 months - none of the countless doctors I saw could explain it, then went away. Unfortunatelly came back 6 months later after I managed to get another herniation - have it now already for 1.5 years - none of the medications tried so far seem to help - didn't try opioids yet and too scared to go for another surgery...

[treefrog]

I haven't had surgery (yet), and I have been having that heat feeling. So, no, it isn't just after surgery.

[dshobbies]

Hey B,

If you're not on it already and if it bothers you too much, you might try Neurontin or Lyrica. Can have mind altering affects but it's worth a try.

Good luck, Dale

[runner]

Rosy, Kathy, et al,

I ditto what everyone said. I had the "burning" in the feet before surgery, and currently. With the new onset of symptoms, it came on. It kind of goes with the pins and needles or numbness in my feet, usually one or the other.
I am laying on the couch and I have it right now, but it is not constant (24/7).
The Neurotin or Lyrica definitely have an effect on sciatica and the nerve symptoms, like numbness, burning and pins and needles.
The medication reduces the symptoms.

[Gil Denis]

Hi Runner

If it reduces the symptoms do you have any vicious side effects?

I was taking cymbalta 80 mg, it made me dry heave, head spins , not feeling well at all and the nerve issues were still their.

Be well

Gil

[KL Aguilar]

I have this feeling too and I am not taking any nerve-related or spinal-related medications. It sometimes feels like warm water is running over a certain area on my leg or foot.

I also have another area, about the size of a quarter, on my rear end that feels cold, as if I sat on something wet and my pants are damp. The first few times it happened, I actually checked but nothing was wet.

[Cindylou]

I had severe nerve burning in my feet after my 3 level, but it went away maybe after about 6-7 months. I have not had any recurrence of it since.

[Maria]

Pain lasted nearly 5 years post op my 2nd discectomy and while most of it resolved after this time, enough residual burning pain was left that I needed to taken Neurontin since '98 but actually the truly horrific burning pain had diminished (from '92 to 97). The heat sensation was the least of the problems and altho when it was combined with burning to the point of itching (feeling hot on the soles of my feet) that was greatly annoying and I felt like icing the bottoms of my feet tho what I did for relief esp. at night was to put lotion on the soles of my feet until I felt like I could ignore the sensation and sleep.

[Kathy]

My heat/nerve pain had nothing to do with my spine. It actually happened in my right arm and thumb after giving birth. My family doctor had me checked for every problem under the sun and nothing showed up (I have had several MRI's of the neck, neurological testing, etc.) I originally started taking Lyrica for my arm and then continued taking because my pm dr. thought it might help my back (not sure it helps my back though; but I keep taking it anyway).

So, all of you that have post-op nerve pain, had the nerve pain before surgery? Is it Dale (dshobbies) that got it after surgery? Or do I have the wrong person? If so, did the dr. explain why this happened? Or was this another surgery gone bad? (Did you use Stenum? I don't know which dr's belong where, so not sure who Dr. B is, other than Germany)

Kathy

[runner]

Gil,

The Neurotin side effects I have experienced are weight gain, swelling, drowsiness and some mental defects???
I think it might effect your memory. Oh, and it can increase appetite.
Anyway, I could not function without the Neurotin (gabapentin, generic) and I can feel when a dose wears off.
I thought i had fairly bad sciatica before surgery, but developed much worse sciatica in September. By sciatica, I mean knife-like pain in my hamstrings, glutes and sometimes feet. Also have numbness in the same areas.
Currently, after disco this week, have bad pain in my right thigh with increase of leg/back symptoms.
I am on increased pain meds so excuse any spelling mistakes or brain f***s.
Side effects depend on the person.

Runner

[Maria]

I actually had the burning pain every time my back went out in the early 80's before my first spine surgery but after the first discectomy on L5S1 it was OK and then reappeared when L4 went out but after L4 discectomy the burning pain became diffuse in lower half of body and very severe.

Neurontin has definately helped and weight gain did not happen for me because of the decreased pain with this and Methadone (12.5mg/day) I was able to become more mobile. Of course epidural steroid injections have helped with my pain as well but they are few and far between.

RE the burning pain I've not had it for some time.. knock on wood or particle board but then again one might not want to take the medications I do because their symptoms weren't quite as aggravating and the brain fog does happen~ there is also Lyrica specifically for neuropathies and there is Topamax that is supposed to be helpful like Neurontin.

[dshobbies]

Most of my pre-op pain was in my back. During my 3 level ADR surgery with Dr. Bertagnoli (B), who has the most multi-level experience, the 'nerve root to my left leg was irritated'. Long story short, I now have and will always have residual problems with my leg which includes a burning foot and ankle, 24/7, usually worse at night or with shoes. N/L drugs were 100% helpful but it will have to get much worse before I take them again. Side effects of brain fog and blurry eyesight to high a price to pay.

BTW, it's payback time for all you northerners and east coasters. It was
100* (or close) for the last 3 days and will go down to the high 60's by this weekend. The heat is unbearable and the varied temps cause everyone to get sick. As much as I love LAs weather in the winter, I hate it in the summer. Thank-you 100 times and more to whoever invented air conditioning and damn the electric companies for charging to use it

My best to all, Dale

[Kathy]

Originally Posted by dshobbies

Most of my pre-op pain was in my back. During my 3 level ADR surgery with Dr. Bertagnoli (B), who has the most multi-level experience, the 'nerve root to my left leg was irritated'. Long story short, I now have and will always have residual problems with my leg which includes a burning foot and ankle, 24/7, usually worse at night or with shoes. N/L drugs were 100% helpful but it will have to get much worse before I take them again. Side effects of brain fog and blurry eyesight to high a price to pay.

BTW, it's payback time for all you northerners and east coasters. It was
100* (or close) for the last 3 days and will go down to the high 60's by this weekend. The heat is unbearable and the varied temps cause everyone to get sick. As much as I love LAs weather in the winter, I hate it in the summer. Thank-you 100 times and more to whoever invented air conditioning and damn the electric companies for charging to use it

My best to all, Dale

Dale, Is this a common thing that can happen during ADR surgery? Or is it just a 'freak accident'? I know the 'consent' form that I signed prior to surgery listed everything under the sun as something that could happen, from small stuff to death. I really didn't read it, as I figured I did my research and if I read it and think about it, I would have chickened out. One of those things, just make the plunge and don't think about it!

[dshobbies]

Kathy,

I only know of one other person who had the same severe damage I experienced. I'm sure others suffer some nerve damage or distraction that may or may not be temporary but even in my case, it's better than it was. I have a life.

I should also say that I found accupuncture to be quite beneficial. Didn't believe in it, almost didn't go for it when my pm suggested it, but 3 months later, it made a huge difference.

Dale

[Rosy]

Thank you for all your answers on that. From lyrica I had switched to Cymbalta 5 weeks, in the hope to loose weight (28 lbs). 1st discovery, my shoulders pain was GONE!!!
Then slowly started sinking into pain (back/abdomen/legs) again until yesterday started taking lyrica along with cymbalta, pain has been reduced and the heat from the nerve is gone within 2 hrs of taking lyrica!!!!!
BUT shoulders pain came back....

[Rosy]

Anyone out there had complaints about their shoulders while taking Lyrica???

[dshobbies]

Rosy,

No shoulder pain from Lyrica.

Dale

[Katie]

Hi Rosy,

I thought I had read somewhere here about someone else having problems. Hopefully they will read this and chime in.

[str8shooter5]

i had a burning feeling just to the left of my spine about waiste band height and i was told it was the nerves and now i am 26 days post op (front and rear L5/S1 fusion) i still have the same burning feeling feels like i could light a cigarette off it!!!!! if i only still smoked lol havent had a smoke since the surgery on april 2nd