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  • zingers

    I am almost 4 months out from my revision surgery and lately have been noticing what I call "zingers" or "shooters"! I am assuming it is nerve regeneration but boy is it painful! I feel these zingers in my hips or my thighs, along what feels like a nerve pathway. It feels like fire for about 30 seconds to a minute and it is enough to make me sit up and take notice. I also have been having pretty significant sciatica in my right leg from my butt cheek to my toes. I am hoping time will heal.
    May 2008 Fusion T4 - S1, Pre-op Curves T45, L70 (age 48). Unsuccessful surgery.

    March 18, 2010 (age 50). Revision with L3 Osteotomy, Replacement of hardware T11 - S1 , addition of bilateral pelvic fixation. Correction of sagittal imbalance and kyphosis.

    January 24, 2012 (age 52) Revision to repair pseudoarthrosis and 2 broken rods at L3/L4.

  • #2
    Ouch! Sorry to hear this. From what I read here, the zingers are par for the course - maybe even good signs. The sciatica seems common but don't know much about resolution. Is this a new thing - new, meaning in your recovery period and/or from before surgery? Did you have sciatica in the past?

    I feel the pain behind that "significant". Here's hoping it becomes insignificant soon and that you hear from those who know more, that it happens that way!
    Not all diagnosed (still having tests and consults) but so far:
    Ehler-Danlos (hyper-mobility) syndrome, 69 - somehow,
    main curve L Cobb 60, compensating T curve ~ 30
    Flat back, marked lumbar kyphosis (grade?) Spondilolisthesis - everyone gives this a different grade too. Cervical stenosis op'd 3-07, minimally invasive

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    • #3
      Yes, I had zingers all the way up my 20-inch side incision -- they made me shout and almost leap out of bed. After about 5 or 6 months, they went away.
      Chris
      A/P fusion on June 19, 2007 at age 52; T10-L5
      Pre-op thoracolumbar curve: 70 degrees
      Post-op curve: 12 degrees
      Dr. Boachie-adjei, HSS, New York

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      • #4
        I remember those zingers well. I only had them in the upper butt area and luckily they only went on for a couple of weeks. If I remember correctly, i think it is due to the nerves 'waking up'. Hope they ease real soon for you.
        Best wishes.
        Vali
        44 years young! now 45
        Surgery - June 1st, 2009
        Dr David Hall - Adelaide Spine Clinic
        St. Andrews Hospital, Adelaide, South Australia
        Pre-op curve - 58 degree lumbar
        Post -op - 5 degrees
        T11 - S1 Posterior
        L4/5 - L5/S1 Anterior Fusion

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        • #5
          Originally posted by Back-out View Post
          Ouch! Sorry to hear this. From what I read here, the zingers are par for the course - maybe even good signs. The sciatica seems common but don't know much about resolution. Is this a new thing - new, meaning in your recovery period and/or from before surgery? Did you have sciatica in the past?

          I feel the pain behind that "significant". Here's hoping it becomes insignificant soon and that you hear from those who know more, that it happens that way!

          Amanda,
          I've had sciatica, very severe, before my initial surgery only it was in my left leg. That's what really started my whole "back" journey! That leg is fine now, so I am very familiar with what sciatica can become. I've started to wonder if maybe one of my screws could be poking on my sciatic nerve. I have a follow up appt on 7/21 so I'll ask then.

          Lol, yes those "zingers" do make me shout too! It feels like someone just poked me with a hot iron!!!
          May 2008 Fusion T4 - S1, Pre-op Curves T45, L70 (age 48). Unsuccessful surgery.

          March 18, 2010 (age 50). Revision with L3 Osteotomy, Replacement of hardware T11 - S1 , addition of bilateral pelvic fixation. Correction of sagittal imbalance and kyphosis.

          January 24, 2012 (age 52) Revision to repair pseudoarthrosis and 2 broken rods at L3/L4.

          Comment


          • #6
            Hi Kristy, I've had those what you describe as zingers also for a very short time, I called my surgeon and was told to take that medication for nerve pain, I can't remember the name though. I did'nt take it because I'm not big on taking medications, it does pass eventually. I wore very light, loose fitting shirts which seemed to help.

            I was curious about your mention of sciatica going down your right leg. I also had the sciatica down the left leg prior to surgery, it was probably what kicked in my decision to have surgery also. Just recently, this past week-end, experience what I think was sciatica going down the right leg now. I really was very painful and the same exact pain in the same areas of this leg as I had in my left leg! I thought I read somewhere that once your fused, you would not get these kind of impingements anymore.

            Any way I hope your feeling better.
            Dolores A
            June 4, 2009 Anterior L3 - S1
            June 8, 2009 Posterior T4 - Pelvis
            Mark Agulnick, MD FAAOS
            NY Spine & Scoliosis Center

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