Well, I'm getting along here. I'm walking about 1.20 miles a day and I guess I'm better than I was 2 weeks ago but sooooo frusterated still.
Has anyone had such muscle discomfort in their legs that it has made them want to go crazy? My doctor told me that I couldn't really do any stretching especially hamstrings and leg stretches cause they are connected to the back and that is not alound. Soooo, my legs are killing me. They are so tight and ache like crazy cause they need stretched out and I just don't know how much longer I can take it!!! Did anyone else experience problems with their leg muscles and discomfort?
I'm also wondering if you guys were doing certain positioning. Like if your putting your shoes on, are you all aloud to sit, bring your one leg up and rest your foot/ankle on the other leg to put shoes/socks on that way. And are you stooping, like to pick stuff up? I'm waiting to hear from the doctor but I'm curious if anyone else is making these kind of "movements". My muscles in my legs feel like they are like a foot to short they are so tight and my legs are so jello/weak like!!!!

One more thing, when I run my fingers up and down my incision and where the hardware is, it is still so tineder and sore to touch where they put the hardware in and all. Is this weird or what?

Thanks guys,
Christina

Have experienced similar pain post op - I used hot packs to ease the pain placing them on my legs. Massage also helped - good luck and hang in there

Losy

I put my foot up to my knee for shoes and socks right from week 3. This was part of my in home physical therapy.

So was squatting but I sure couldn't get to the floor to pick something up.

Your muscles could be aching because of how far you're walking already. 1.20 miles - wow thats great.

I'd try a nice hot bath (but not too hot).

Hi Christina, what you are discribing is all part of the normal recovery. I can say that because I bothered my Dr. so many times about the same things. I couldnt believe I was suppose to be so sore and some of the pains (miainly in the legs), started hurting around the 4 wk. point and hadn't hurt prior. I had the leg pains until 3 mo. and the pain at the incision area for closer to 4 mo. And if I over do it, the incision area becomes inflamed and hurts. Also, once I started P/T and they were touching my incision, I realized that there were areas that were numb on the incision. The P/T told me that was normal. Those areas are just now getting feeling. My Dr. said no P/T (stretching) until 3 mo. I have heard others say 4 mo. and others that said 8 wks. I absolutely do not stoop. It still hurts to do that. But my P/T showed me that if I need to pick something up...as I start bending at my waist, extend one of my legs straight back to balance out the weight. ( So, basiclly when your bent at the waist and your back is parrallel to the floor, your leg should be straigt back...1 long line from head to toe.) Thats the best description I can come up with. But it works.

I was able to bring my right leg up and lay it over my knee for putting on my shoes by 3 mo. but I have just recently been able to do my left foot. It just takes some time. I know, a long time...sory I dont have a brighter picture to share with you. Once you start P/T...things will really change. I am now able to do most anything, well...not running or anything...but you know, I feel like I have a life now. :bouncing:

Hugs and prayers,
Lorie :angel:

Thanks guys! I really thought this leg thing was, well I though I was alone.
I'm actually sore from driving yesterday. Maybe cause I haven't used those muscles to manuver the steering wheel but I have soreness at the incision from driving, I think.
Thanks for making me feel like I"m not alone!!

Lori, so are you starting to bend at the waist now, is it aloud already?

God Bless you all!!!
Christina


Hunni, I had the leg thing before I started walking so much. I can really tell it's just from not being able to stretch. And, how could I ever get into a bath. Were you able to get down into a bath so early. I haven't been able to even get to the floor for three years cause of my back so I don't think I'm ready for that! YOUCH!

Yes, I got into a bath that early. Not saying it was easy, but sure was nice once I got there. I didn't have help getting in and out, but probably could have used it. I don't recommend trying it alone, but at least try... how else will you know if you can or not. (Make sure your incision is completely healed over before doing this).

I remember being sore after driving too. I thought some of it was from driving tense... sitting in a forced upright position for too long, etc. Again, desire overcame that.

Just remember...this back surgery recovery is a long and slow process. I think we all expect to get back to things we haven't done in ages, or were doing and expect it to have improved since we had surgery. We didn't damage our backs overnight - and during all that time we compensated with other muscles. Now that we're fixed, we're using even different muscles, and well, our bodies are just a little bit confused. Gotta give it time to figure stuff out and (as I've said before) let our body do what it naturally wants to do.
(The hard part is the mind is wanting to do what the mind wants to do and that's get out there and GO!) :bouncing:

Hang in there...keep trying different things. If it doesn't work today, don't get discouraged. Try again in a week or two.

Hi Christina and All!
Gosh, my legs hurt so bad too! I am actually pretty down today cause of my legs. My left leg feels like I have a rubberband around my knee and my legs are tender to touch. My butt muscles feel like all the nerves are being ripped out. Yesterday, while I was at a store I had to hold one cheek up while wallking. I want to take a hot bath too, but I can't figure out how to get down since I can't bend or stoop yet. Christina, you are doing so good on the distance of your walks, yeah for you! I am hope I get up enough energy to make it to one store today! My mind wants to do it all, and my body is saying, "I don't think so", so the body wins, today anyway! Tomorrow is another day! Take Care You Wonderful People!
Jean

Christina, I can only bend if I stretch my leg out behind me. And then I am only bending half way down. The Dr. said that the bending will not hurt the fusion at this point, but I will hurt if I bend too much. I noticed when I started working I was in a lot more pain than the wks. prior and I realized it was because I was bending when I did the filing. However, since then I have started P/T and I am getting a lot stronger in the mid section. I am able to do crunches which use the bending and today I started doing some excersises that have me bending slightly backwords. Give it time. I am 4 mo. post op.

For everyone who is starting to drive...I couldn't figure out why I was in so much more pain after drive and I tried the different cushions and lumbar pillows..Tody I asked my P/T and she said it is just the way car seats are made. They are really tough on your back. She said it had nothing to do with the lumbar support, or lack of it, and it is just going to take time to strengthen my back and try to drive short distances now.

As for the bath--TXhunni, wow, you are doing great. I seem to be healing slower than many. But that's ok...I'm still progressing, yeah for all of us! :bouncing: As for the baths, I was able to get into the tub at 6 wks. but I couldn't get out. (same with sitting on the ground.) I wasn't able to get out of the tub until about 3 months.

Continued healing for all of us,

Lorie :angel:

I haven't been on the ground or in a tub in 3 years. I don't think I want to try that until I am fused more and start PT. I just wouldn't even know how to do it. My muscles are probably more shot than anyone else's cause before my surgery I didn't use them for soooo long. I'll just wait for that. I did tell my fiance I wanted a hot tub!!lol
I figured I was sore from driving from all the manuvering and opening and closing the door. Who knows.
Sounds like everyone is doing well though. That's good!
Talk to everyone later!!!
Christina

i just had lumber fusion on l4/5 on 25 november,it was going well till i walked 8 km on saturday blew me away for 3 days with the stiffness etc just getting energy back today on tuesday,i was excited because i had no sciatica,very silly thing to do i hope i havent done any damage. seems to be right again, i know what u mean about going nuts.this problem has been with me for 21 years and i hope its going to be fine now,all u can do is hang on in there.thanks stu.

Good luck to you stu....and welcome!! I doubt you did anything to damage your fusion. That is not saying you didn't over do it but doubtful you messed anything up. My doctor said that there is no limit to walking but ease into it. I hope that your recovery goes well!!!!
I've had the flu so I haven't walked in 3 days, can't take it anymore I really need the excersise.
Christina

hi christina that makes me feel great,im still very tired with no energy, 2 or 3 hours is my limit for the day this happened in 1984 3 weeks out of school i had a laminectomy 6 weeks later,this was 2 months after my 17th birthday,sciatica was so bad i had my ankle x rayed nothing there at the end of week we found it was my back,2 years later had another laminectamy still nothing,after 5 years i had sciatic nerves wrapped in fat in the front of waist in 1989,that did nothing as well,come 1990 im going crazy, then read of an advert in paper ended up being in the second group of 6 people to stay at a live in back clinic for chronic sufferers, the 2nd in the world at that stage this was run by robin mckenzie the world famous physiotherapist hes from new zealand as well, he had just had a machine made at that stage for flexion movement,that took my buttock sciatica away for that im gratefull,but thats all that worked, leg sciatica and back pain was still there,as a result of this my life has being worse than your average nightmare,along the way i have had to put up with people not believing me etc that hurts,i started work at 31 years old thats not normal, im now 37 and 8 months old,a few months ago my pain went up a level,i was going in to spasms like u would not believe physio could not stabalise me after we got the disc back in each 6 weeks time scale after this im freaking out withthe serverity of the pain, first specialist i went to said nothing i can do as usual,went to another and had a MRI, big blob of disc in my spine same disc as in the 80s,funny that,walked in to specialist office he said u are having operation in 6 weeks,praise the lord,so here i am hoping like hell this works,so if leg pain doesnt go away by end of january i am having an enjection for leg pain as that is thing i cant live with let alone 21 years cheers and have a great day,PS any one want any help, im more than willing to try and help. Thanks stu