3 and a half months after l4-l5 s1-l5 prodisc

[robprodisc]

I have sore calfs after running or some other exercises. I didnt have the sore calfs before. I am assumeing that because I am one inch taller and some nerve ending have been stretch a bit they are sending some new signals..anyway
I use Tylenol 3, for some reason the codine or oxy is the only thing that calms it enough to sleep normal asprine, or Tylenol doesnt help. Is there something else I can take. I really dont think muscle relaxent will help, I hate to be tired all day.
I dont take t 3 all the time, there is no need.

Anyone..Buhler..Buhler...

[b]6 months later..[/B]continue to have sore calves, the amount is directly related to the amount of miles on my feet that day. I have started 10mg of Nortrip (20mg knocks me out).. after a couple of weeks last night was the first night in a long time I slept without one Oxy.
I would have to agree with the article on "The Potential Biomechanical Etiology for lumbar Disc Replacement" That some patients have problems with the nerve ending. I am one for sure.

I see the surgeon next week for a check up. He is a bit of a hard a**. And when I told him mouths ago I couldnt sleep because of the nerve ending humming at night all he could say was "get off of the Oxy" but gave me no solutions to the problem. Before I became insane I went to my family doctor and at least she had a plan of attack.
I am sore everyday in the hip and calves..how much should I put up with? Its enough that the minute you stop typing or talking you notice..should a person be complete pain free or is that a dream. Or is the pain level 2 exceptable?
However the back is fine!

[martyusa]

I guess it would depend on what was making them sore. The calf is usually the first group to start cramping up when running or over working them. Taurine is great for cramping calf muscles. If it's muscle pain, then rest and recovery is what they need. Try stretching them with a little warm up before you use them in a vigorous manor. Some extra Aminos, such as Glutamine would help with the recovery of said muscle group. Or any muscle group really. Make sure your getting plenty of water and good luck.

But as always, please seek doctors advice first.

Hope it helps.

[mmglobal]

Many spine patients (including me) report more than normal cramping of muscles. I honestly don't remember if the excess cramping started after my spine went south and before my surgeries... or after I started having surgeries. I've discussed it with many surgeons and neurologists. Most surgeons agree that we see it, but don't offer up explanations or solutions. One neurologist told me that cramping is a type of spasticity that can be re result of irritation to the nerve.

I don't know about the sore calves except that it may be general getting back into shape aches and pains associated with reduced activities during your spine ordeal. If you have to have problems post-spine surgery... sorness after running is a good problem to have.

Mark

[B13s]

Few month after my operation I also started having calf cramps - so bad that I would wake up in the night almost screaming. I was taking so many medications that not sure what helped in the end (Neurontin maybe?) - but eventually it got better. Now my back is playing tricks on me again and together with burning pain I have slight cramping again.
If you have sore calfs only after exercises - why don't you change them, don't do so much. I also believe that stretching would help. And probably you heard it already many times - but 3,5 months is really nothing after ADR...

[robprodisc]

A cramp maybe is a bad way to decribe it. A knot that hurts like heck. For days, it not being out of shape....even before my surgery I went to the gym twice a day. cardio, wieght...
The last post by b13s? said it right. I wake up at o dark stupid with the nerve humming, take an Oxyc and wait 30 minutes..in the end I loose about an hour of sleep...Its strange..I explain nerve pain to a friend of mine like this...its not pain as in a busted arm or child birth. Its in the same category as being tickled all the time, it doesnt hurt like how I mentioned, but dam it has to stop(ever tickle someone for more than a few seconds and they get very mad.)...that sound sort of right.
Lately the nerve pain has been turn on high..a few days ago I ran..my bad..that will be on my things not to do list for a while. I also have a strange feeling in my lower buttock and legs that also comes and goes..like its cold and numb.
Anyway seems to be more people report this calf thing.

[Maria]

edited as necessary

[dshobbies]

After my ADR surgery I noticed severe cramping in my shins, especially my left one, which is where I have all the nerve damage. It's slightly better now but definitely a weak point. I occasionally cramp in my calves... but prior to my ADRs, I had no problem with either area. I used to take muscle relaxers twice daily but now only when needed.

This is something much easier to live with. Right now, don't know what I did but I can't move without my back seizing. Might have been a sneeze????

Happy holidays to all.

[slsunflower]

Originally Posted by Maria

I've not had ADR surgery or fusion, just 2 disectomies and while I'm on Methadone 10mg and Neurontin 1800 mg I notice that after I run several blocks with the dogs, later in the day I will often end up with a knot in one of my calves giving me a little short lived attack tho seemingly staying like a knot for several days (the calf muscle will hurt or feel bruised if I even walk too fast for a few days).

Nerve pain has long been muted for me but there was a time for 5 years after my 2nd spine surgery bilat buttock/lower extremity nerve pain was just horrible and standing, walking, anything upright seemed to exacerbate it. This wore off thankfully (knock on wood) tho am sure that the use of Neurontin since '98 has been instrumental in relief. Who cares, relief is relief from this gnawing draining type of pain!

If I don't run I don't usually have calve attack/charlie horse, or if I don't speed walk for a distance like a mile or so. I can walk fo hours at a really normal pace and not have this happen. It's odd as I probably shouldn't be running anyway and slamming the old spine around tho sometimes I just feel like having some "wings"~ and the dogs love it! Really can't run too much tho sure is fun. I have wondered why my calves bother me at all since I don't think I have anything pathologic going on unless it's related to my lumbar or cervical spine (in general that is).

I was thinking this is an *50 plus over thing*

Hi Maria!

You can run!!! Without the Methadone/Neurontin, do you think you would be able to run?? Walk even? Does it both allow you to run and cover up the pain the running causes? Or does running not cause more pain??

Thanks! Good luck.

[Maria]

I don't think I could even be out of bed w/o Methadone let alone walk or run!!! I've tried taking it down several times before and the pain was so bad that I could hardly walk down the stairs and around the block to walk my dog.

So I'm not sure what that's telling me. Lately my back has been going out alot tho for short periods like a few days still overall it's very annoying and of course painful. It feels more like the muscles are just getting beat to death with a bat and then of course w/the disc pain it becomes imperative to LIE DOWN NOW~

Then again, I'm up the next day popping my 10mg of Methadone and moving on... if I take 2.5mg more I move a little more~

Pretty good pain control if I don't do toooo much and I still wonder what it would like to be on the other side of more surgery~

Again, main message... doubt I'd be upright long w/o use of Methadone~

[robprodisc]

I spent the last months going from 10 mg to 20 to 10 mg of amitriptyline just to get a nights sleep. It works but 20mg knocked me out, 10 worked but my wife couldnt put up with the mood swings, (extreme) So I stop taking it....

And that night I slept, the next and the next with only a t3. Its been three weeks with a good sleep( I might add, I work out twice a day, cross country ski at night, work out in the moring.)

I tryed last night to take nothing but at 430hrs, my hips where on fire(not nerve ending pain), so I just fired a t4 down range. (t4 no caffeine.) And went back to sleep.

Next step is to hit the Facet joints with some needles. If that works...I will be one happy camper.

(note Cross country skiing helped alot with my stride length for walking)

Message ends...

[mmglobal]

Rob... sorry that things have not turned around. You must be doing relatively well to sustain the activity levels you are. That nerve pain can be so tough to deal with. Are you taking any of the meds that target the nerve pain? (Neurontin, Lyrica?)