discectomy at l4/l5 level, stenosis at l3/l4

[jmlipp]

Hi, Thanks for developing this site. I have been looking for such a place and I'm glad I found this.
I have had very little back pain my whole life until about 2 months ago when I bent over to tie a student's shoe. My back tightened up and I couldn't bend my back at all. I treated it at home with ice/heat, massage, etc and it seemed to be getting better. A little over 2 weeks later, I did something (I have no idea what) getting into bed and I had the worse pain in my lower back I have ever had. I could only lay on the floor and hobble to the bathroom. A MRI showed spinal stenosis at the l3/l4 level and the first orthopedic doctor I went to said I needed surgery to release the pressure there. I wanted a second opinion and went to a neuro surgeon. He read the MRI and said that although there was a significant narrowing at l3/l4, the problem causing me the pain, weakness and numbness was a herniated disc at l4/l5. He got me to surgery in 2 days because I had fallen and had no knee reflex.
So, here I am at home, almost three weeks past the surgery. The horrible pain is gone but the feeling that my knee is going to give out and the numbness remains. My left leg is very weak. I know that is common but especially the weakness is scary. I am walking everyday, up to 2 miles. I don't see my doctor for another 2 weeks.
What I'm wondering about is the tenderness I have down by my ankle on the affected leg. It is still numb in the shin but down by the inside ankle bone it is very tender to the touch. It isn't warm and not swollen. Do you have any insight? Could any of this be from the stenosis which i didn't even know I had before this?
Thanks for listening and sorry for giving so many details. If I could just know that I'm not going to fall it would be a great relief. I know you can't give me that assurance.
Thanks again

[Jim M2]

Hi jmlipp,
I hope the feeling and strength in your legs returns. It's my understanding that it usually does if the nerve hasn't had pressure that was too severe for too long. I had puffiness in my left foot off and on for almost 6 months after a disc implant. I had a laminectomy/discectomy but I don't recall very much about the recovery because it was almost 35 years ago.

The the surgeon give you a laminectomy at L3-4 to relieve pressure from stenosis? Did he do a discectomy at L4-5? If you find out let us know. There are some very knowledgeable folks here who may be able to shed more light on your situation.

[jmlipp]

thanks for your reply, Jim. The surgeon did a discectomy at l4/l5. He said I may eventually need to do something about the stenosis but that wasn't my current problem causing the pain. I've been reading about the femoral nerve and that seems to be the one that causes the problems I'm having. My knee feels so weak. I'm afraid of falling like I did before the surgery.
Thanks again!

[Maria]

I had a big open discectomy at L5S1 back in '89 and my recovery by about the 3rd week was steadily getting better but I wouldn't say I was walking 2 miles/day although I was increasing my upright time and walking progressively yet at a steady pace with my healing.

Had a percutaneous discectomy at L4 back in '92 and had more probs with that recovery and I do remember weakness and unsteadiness of both legs, feeling weak in knees and (not sure which as had 2 surgeries on rt knee in between back surgeries) and some foot issues like burning in the soles.. all of which were there pretty far into my recovery and then worse symptoms starting around the 2nd week (a whole host of stuff not worth mentioning but that lingered for a number of years hence considered a failed surgery).

I'm thinking you're still pretty fresh into recovery at 3 weeks and walking 2 miles a day might be a bit much for you at this point. Are you walking this all at one time or breaking it up into 2 to 4 walks a day? You might consider reducing the walks a bit and building up your endurance a bit and also using a cane or walking stick if you're not already doing so for support at least until you see your surgeon.

You may still have some inflammation around the nerve that is causing you to feel weak in that knee and perhaps feel the tenderness at your ankle (or you could have other things causing those symptoms like an actual knee or tendon prob of the involved ankle. If it's inflammation as a response to recent surgery symptoms should eventually go away although you may want to just reduce your walking a bit and build up your exercise tolerance a bit slower while you heal at the surgical area. Could be also you'll be better able to differentiate what symptoms the stenosis might be causing in the future (if any) post the discectomy healing.

Good luck and let us know how you progress and what your surgeon has to say about things if symptoms persist.

Maria

[rbrown]

I had a discectomy in 07/2006 at L3-4. Ive had a numb area in my left thigh and my left foot gets hot ever since. Its my understanding the the sympathetic nerve system can lead to some unexplained sensations. If the bad pain is gone be really glad about that and learn to deal with the rest. The only thing that is absolute about back pain and surgery is that its predictably unpredictable.

[jmlipp]

Thanks for your replies. I see the doctor for the first time since the surgery in 12 days and he wants me walking three miles by then. I'll slow it down for a few days and see what happens. It seems I have no strength in my left quad to bend it while bearing weight. It'll work eventually. I'm interested to see what the doc says.

[Maria]

Who has had back surgery will tell you that the recovery is pretty much at your own pace no matter what the doctor expects you to do by a certain point.

The only thing that is absolute about back pain and surgery is that its predictably unpredictable. Truer words were never spoken

[jmlipp]

I think you are right! I am thankful that today I am headed to watch my son compete in a Crossfit Regional in Salt Lake City. When I hurt my back, I had all but given up being able to go but we are making it a 2 day trip instead of a 1 day and taking lots of breaks. Lots to be grateful for!!!