Post Microdisectomy L5/S1 new problem?

[nh_user_1153559]

Hi Everyone, I am a 31 year old male, 6ft 180 pounds.

Last year i hurt my back rowing, i continued to lift on it for months and ended up with a horrible extruded disk in L5/S1 that was causing pain in the back of my left leg.  I had my first microdisectomy there in April 17 and it felt amazing the first few days, until i had a coughing fit and had a shooting pain down my leg that stayed when i walked but was manageable.  I would say my pain was 75% better but not good enough to have an active lifestyle after the coughing fit.

Because I had so much success after the first surgery (for the first few days) they thought a 2nd would produce the same results. , 2 weeks ago I had a 2nd/revision surgery in the same area.  This time the pain did not go away immediately (back of hamstring mostly felt when extending the leg while walking) but it did go down.

From days 10-13 after surgery (went back to work sitting and standing at a desk and was actively walking a few miles each day) it got so bad i couldnt lay down in any position at all.  Here is the weird thing-  I am now still getting some left leg pain but i am also now getting pain on my shin (front) of my left leg as well as bad pain in my RIGHT leg too, in the back and front along wtih spasms. Prior to the surgery I had minor pain in the right side occasionally but after looking at an MRI and CT scan they said all my disks were very healthy and the herniation was only pressing on the nerve of the left side.   I thought maybe I re-herniated the disk but when i spoke to my surgeon he said that was unlikely as where i am getting pain is not where the S1 nerve would go and there wasnt much disk material left to come out.  

Also just to note he did say during the last surgery they removed a lot of scar tissue that can cause more inflammation than just a disk herniation he said post surgery. 

I am on day 3 of a medrol pack (def somewhat better on both sides) but still getting new sympoms in my right like and tingling.  

My questions are as follows:

1) why did it start to get worse after 8 days- could it be due to activity such as walking a lot and lying in different positions really aggravated it?

2) Why am i getting pain in the opposite leg in different areas? 

3) why am i getting tingling in the front of my original bad leg? 

thanks for all your help! 

[nh_user_924731]

Hi Peter,

I am SO sorry to hear of your troubles. You are so young and healthy I can see why you chose surgery. I was involved in a horrible accident in 1995 when I was 26. The first thing they told me was that I would need 3 of my discs fused together. I refused the surgery and tried to do other things to help my condition such as losing weight, therapy (For 1 1/2 years), etc. I was fine for a few years, but the accident caused a constant degeneration which has resulted in 4 discs being completely gone and my spine being bone on bone as well as 1 disc in my neck on its way out.

My doctor has ALWAYS said that there is no spine surgery that can't make things worse, which is why I've opted to not proceed. In my case, it would be 2 or 3 surgeries doing disc replacement with them having to go in my back and my stomach and the neck disc having a pronounced scar on my neck as though someone slit my throat. You can see why I chose not to do surgery?

In your case, the injury is probably moving around and trying to settle itself. This is why your right leg may be experiencing some pain. This usually sorts itself out in 3 to 6 months, but it could take a year.

Did you do any physical therapy? Does the surgeon have a pain management specialist that might have alternative therapies in their arsenal? You are so young, I would hate to see you dependent on prescription medications, but everyone has their limits. My spine has degenerated to the point that I wear two 100mcg. Fentanyl patches. I have opted to put surgery off until technology catches up.

I used to date a surgeon who told me that they aren't considered "practiced" until they do 1000 surgeries of the same technique. So if they've done less than 1000 disc replacements, they are not considered "practiced". This is a VERY important question to ask your surgeon--- how many microdiscectomies have you done? What is your success rate? What are the long term rates of success 10+ years after surgery?

You are young and healthy, but until the injury settles down, your in for some discomfort. I wish I had better news, but please think about alternative therapies that can bring you some relief. My doctor always says "there's no condition that surgery can't make worse'. I hope and pray that this is not the case for you.