I am 11 months post-op from my spinal fusion last summer (L5-T5) and had a terrible sciatica attack last weekend which took me to the hospital ER for the extreme pain. The only thing I did that I know of to bring it on was walk my dogs for 2 blocks, although I had been doing that about every couple days for several months!
There was extreme pain across the right side of my lower back. Those joints leading to the hip were extremely inflamed. It felt like a knife was stuck into me there and my hip/leg felt like someone had tied a rope around it and was hanging me by it. This was even worse than the post-surgical fusion pain or childbirth!!!
I used ice but they had to give me a shot of dilaudin and some valium and vicodin to keep from crying and going nuts. Now, a week later, it has calmed down but is still there to flare up if I stay on my feet more than a few minutes. My right leg stills aches, feels pinched. I called my ortho surgeon to follow up with, but can't get in until July 3.
So far in the past when this has bothered me w ith milder episodes, he has just sent me to physical therapy. Of course, in 4-6 weeks I feel better, but I suspect I would anyways just because it has healed. Then, a couple of months later, it reoccurs. I do stretches and exercises at home that they have given me.
Has anyone else post-op had problems with sciatica and /or sacro-iliac joint pain? Any suggestions?
Deb
age 48
posterior surgery 7/24/06
for T72, L77 curves
There was extreme pain across the right side of my lower back. Those joints leading to the hip were extremely inflamed. It felt like a knife was stuck into me there and my hip/leg felt like someone had tied a rope around it and was hanging me by it. This was even worse than the post-surgical fusion pain or childbirth!!!
I used ice but they had to give me a shot of dilaudin and some valium and vicodin to keep from crying and going nuts. Now, a week later, it has calmed down but is still there to flare up if I stay on my feet more than a few minutes. My right leg stills aches, feels pinched. I called my ortho surgeon to follow up with, but can't get in until July 3.
So far in the past when this has bothered me w ith milder episodes, he has just sent me to physical therapy. Of course, in 4-6 weeks I feel better, but I suspect I would anyways just because it has healed. Then, a couple of months later, it reoccurs. I do stretches and exercises at home that they have given me.
Has anyone else post-op had problems with sciatica and /or sacro-iliac joint pain? Any suggestions?
Deb
age 48
posterior surgery 7/24/06
for T72, L77 curves
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