I am almost 12 weeks post op for my original surgery and just a week shy of my second surgery – to remove the screw that was pressing up against my spinal column.
At week 5 I felt like I took a major turn for the better, this lasted less than a week. At my 6 week ck up I was in tears from the pain that I was experiencing that had just come on that very week.
I have severe pain in my left buttock, thigh and shin. The surgeon sent me for steroid injections in two different locations to try to alleviate the pain. Neither injection made any dent in the pain. After a CT scan showed a screw pressing up against my spinal cord at T12 we agreed to go through another surgery to remove the screw and part of the rod. Luckily this would not affect my correction.
Now I am still experiencing this same pain and just today noticed that the top of my left foot hurts as well. I am stuck in bed 24/7. I get up to go to the bathroom, shower (wow that hurts) and get myself a coke. Side note: I have a 19 yr old daughter who is in college, working a part time job to pay for college and living at home. She has been an incredible help through all of this.
The surgeon said that I might still experience “some” pain even after this second surgery for “awhile”.
I don’t know what any of this means, and yes, I plan on asking him. But I think it all goes back to that he just doesn’t know. He doesn’t know if the screw was the true source of my pain and he doesn’t know how long it will take me to heal after the screw has been removed. OK. I understand that intellectually, but emotionally I’m falling apart.
SO – to get to my question for the forum – has anyone found that there are other causes of this pain besides sciatica or stenosis? I mean, it’s a pinched nerve and I understand that, but I am scared to death that the longer this drags out, the higher the chance that I will end up with permanent damage to this nerve. So I'm trying to find out if anyone has had experiences like mine, especially concerning long-term nerve pain.
Lori
At week 5 I felt like I took a major turn for the better, this lasted less than a week. At my 6 week ck up I was in tears from the pain that I was experiencing that had just come on that very week.
I have severe pain in my left buttock, thigh and shin. The surgeon sent me for steroid injections in two different locations to try to alleviate the pain. Neither injection made any dent in the pain. After a CT scan showed a screw pressing up against my spinal cord at T12 we agreed to go through another surgery to remove the screw and part of the rod. Luckily this would not affect my correction.
Now I am still experiencing this same pain and just today noticed that the top of my left foot hurts as well. I am stuck in bed 24/7. I get up to go to the bathroom, shower (wow that hurts) and get myself a coke. Side note: I have a 19 yr old daughter who is in college, working a part time job to pay for college and living at home. She has been an incredible help through all of this.
The surgeon said that I might still experience “some” pain even after this second surgery for “awhile”.
I don’t know what any of this means, and yes, I plan on asking him. But I think it all goes back to that he just doesn’t know. He doesn’t know if the screw was the true source of my pain and he doesn’t know how long it will take me to heal after the screw has been removed. OK. I understand that intellectually, but emotionally I’m falling apart.
SO – to get to my question for the forum – has anyone found that there are other causes of this pain besides sciatica or stenosis? I mean, it’s a pinched nerve and I understand that, but I am scared to death that the longer this drags out, the higher the chance that I will end up with permanent damage to this nerve. So I'm trying to find out if anyone has had experiences like mine, especially concerning long-term nerve pain.
Lori
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