L4-l5 prodisc l surgery

dreamcatcherchris · #1 (**permalink**) 03-20-2011, 09:43 PM

I had a laminectomy in 01 and it worked great, didn't need any pain meds but maybe ibuprofen every now and then. On August 28th 2010 I was sitting on the floor and couldn't get up. I was basically in bed for three weeks, two hospital visits.I went to Voc rehab they paid for MRI and Dr. Wingo said ruptured disc and compressed nerve. I had the worst pain down right leg and sensation gone in leg.I finally had surgerymarch third and pains gone in right leg but now left side hurts. I can't stand in kitchen to cook or anything I know it's just been a little over two weeks but don't understand why I have pain on ledft side now. I have appt with Dr the 4th of April. I have called nurse she says it's normal. How is it normal to be hitting same way after surgery just different side.

mmglobal · #2 (**permalink**) 03-23-2011, 01:17 AM

Chris, I moved your post to it's own thread... hope you don't mind.

Oh yeah.... WELCOME TO THE FORUM!!!

The patient community (and many spine surgeons) calls the new leg pain after surgery, "distraction pain". I call it surgery-induced leg pain. Your spine and the surrounding structures get reconfigured when the collapsed level is 'distracted' and an ADR (or fusion device) is implanted. There can be some stretching of the nerves or movement of or swelling of the surrounding tissues. A few weeks post-op is very early to be worried. I know it's impossible to relax and wait it out, but for most people, it fades relatively quickly. Sometimes days... often weeks or a few months... much less often many months. A few unlucky ones will take over a year and very rarely it's permanent.

If it's not getting better by the the 4th, you might ask your doctor if some anti-inflammatories could help. (Sometimes they'll get out the bigger guns and go to a prednisone 'dose pack' instead of the celebrex/mobic/voltaren/etc... )

Good luck... please keep us posted.

Mark

dshobbies · #3 (**permalink**) 03-23-2011, 09:48 PM

Not to worry at least yet.

Welcome to the forum DCC. I had a 3 level lumbar ADR in Oct, 2005. It took 6 months for the worst of the pain in my legs to subside enough to get off of the heavy drugs. I think most doctors prefer not to tell you about the possibility of this pain but most of us experienced 'something'.

Good luck in your recovery and take it slow. Keep us posted.

Dale