Hello all,

I just wanted to see if anyone else has had this problem. I am 2 weeks post op and since getting home I've had some numbness and tingling sensations in my left foot. Sometimes it gets pretty bad but so far under control. Now keep in mind my fusion was for everything on the right side. No other problems but this, Fusion seems to have gone ok. I went to my ortho yesterday & he took some xrays. Fusion looks good but he can't seem to explain foot problems. The only thing I know that could have caused it is that sometimes when sleeping I have a tendancy to cross my feet. My ortho said may be a nerve issue where maybe one of the screws is impinging a nerve but he had done nerve test after fusion and nothing negative came back. I'm going to wait another week or so for post op appt to see where I'm at by then. Anyone else have similair problems?

YES!!! My sciatica mainly affected my right side. Post fusion at L4/L5.. my left side was numb upon waking from the surgery. Doc said he did not even think he came close to my nerve much less alone touch it.

He did admit he worked mostly from that side through the surgery, so it was more than likely from that.

I am 14 weeks post surgery. Still have issues with leg/ankle/foot. It is weaker than my right side. Therapy has been very helpful, but the nerve pain comes and goes. My left foot under my toes at pad is still numb along with first two toes.
Numbness I can deal with.. nerve pain.. I hope it goes soon. I cant take nerve pain meds.. severe reactions to them.

Your pain sounds quite normal and should improve with time. The nerves do funny things. I even get this little buzz on my scalp and tips of my fingers occasionally since the surgery. What I refer to as phantom pains. They come and go.

Hang in there. It truly does improve. Take care. Tammy:wave:

Hello all,

I just wanted to see if anyone else has had this problem. I am 2 weeks post op and since getting home I've had some numbness and tingling sensations in my left foot.

My son had this same exact problem. The doctor felt that it was a screw touching a nerve. Eleven days after the first surgery, they did another one and changed the screw. It took about 2 weeks or so for the injured nerve to calm down but it did get better. My son sometimes wonders if he didnt have the second surgery if it would have gotten better on it's own. His surgeon recommended the surgery early on because he said scar tissue wouldn't have formed yet.

I'm not saying this is your problem. It's so hard to know.

Hi Vampgirl -
Yes to foot leg nerve/numbness post fusion. I am 5 weeks post-op today. My left big toe is still completely numb. Most of my left calf is numb to the touch and other patches of dulled sensations are all over my left leg. I am taking Neurontin (600 mg/day) because the numbness is only part of the story. Without the meds, I have real 'phantom' pain. Feelings of being burned or toe being crushed - nice things like that. I'm hopeful this will all heal in time. I hope the same for you.
Just have to be the educator on one point in your post. Any fusion patient may be doing well at 2 weeks post-op but no one would actually be fused in that time. The cellular process of bone growth doesn't even begin until about 6 weeks post-op and can't be reliably imaged until 12 weeks. After that, the degree or completeness of the fusion bone various but is expected to take up to a whole year. I know all this because I am on attempt No 2 to fuse L4-5 and I get calls all the time from friend's and family who think (reasonably enough) that I had surgery and am thus and therefore 'fixed'. I have to explain to them that the surgery was a technical success but that the growth of the fusion is a process and so the 'fix' is no where near complete - yet. Hate to sound like a professor but I thought you'd want to know.
Best of luck to you- Suzy-Q

Hi to all , Yes I think everyone has experienced the numbness after surgery, just pray that it doesn't turn into pain. After my second surgery it was numb then it turned into terrible pain like when you put your hand into a cooler of ice looking for that last cold Bud . It still hurts.

I dealt with nerve pain after my laminectomy and hoped after my fusion 4 weeks ago that it would begin to go away. Not so yet. I'm going on topamax for the nerve pain. I took it after the lami and it helped. Im told my nerve damage may be permanent but too soon to tell. My is in my left foot, toes, pad of foot and lower calf,although Ive lost no strength.

Hi, I had a 90% slippage spondylolisthesis, the nerves were being pinched all the time, so i had this numbness in both legs and feet all the time. Im 4 weeks post op and i still have the same pain

I had my laminectomy in August 2001 and my fusion in April 2002. I came home with numbness with both surgeries. The difference was that with the lami, the numbness went away. With the fusion 4 years ago, the numbness is still there. Sometimes I get a pins and needles feeling or feel like I have sand in my shoe, but for the most part, I can barely feel my foot at all. I actually had to go to therapy to learn to walk on my own. I still drag my left foot instead of picking it up when I walk. I have severe nerve damage and the doctors say I am as well as I am going to get. I could have chosen to have more surgery, but 2 surgery's in 6 months was enough for me. I take lyrica for nerve pain, oxycontin and lortab for pain, and elavil for sleeping. Occassionally I have my doctor send me in for a 6 week aqua therapy session that seems to help some with the pain. I also go in every six months for nerve and pain blocks. I use a cane when the numbness prevents me from feeling safe walking on my own. I hope your numbness goes away and you do not have to go thru all that I go thru with mine. Good Luck!!! Keep Smiling!!!

Tammy

I had fusion on July 5th and my right foot has been numb ever since. I am taking Lyrica. It is suppose to help calm the nerves down. It seems to help a little. My doctor said this is normal and should subside, but it hasn't. I have found that I have good days and bad. The numbness seems to increase whenever I lay down to sleep. I average 1-2 hrs of sleep at a time, even with sleeping pills. I wake up in pain and have to change my position or get up for a while to get back to sleep. My numbness is on top of my right foot and it feels like I have a string tied around my big toe and ankle feels like I have pressure around it. When I lay down my calf gets stiff and sore.

Hi Denny , welcome to the boards.
It seems a little early to be worried about numbness , my doctor told me it was because he was in there moving nerves and muscle around so it will feel like that for a short while ,but would go away with time .

You'll be fine ,just keep your Dr. updated on how you feel and they will taks care of you , I take Lyrica to , 100mg 3 times a day.

Dan

Hi All,:wave:
Looks like were all in the same boat, unfortunately. I had my last check up on july 26th, my doc really focused on the nerve damage, it's in my left foot & leg. He looked very discouraged this time, surgery was in Nov. of last year. I guess it's getting closer to the cut off time, it did get a lil better since then, no hypersensitivity. I couldn't have anything touch my foot at first not even the blanket at night. Mostly I have numbness & some pain when active like when I do any walking or lots of moving around, I do feel like it weighs a ton and I can feel my foot kinda pointing towards the ground more when I walk a while. I really do believe that I'm as good as it's gonna get.

Doc did order a CT since I'm still in pain in my back and foot & leg, still waiting for results. There is some doubt that this, my 4th try at a fusion, is fusing. Not alot of white on the xray's. Doc says it should be solid white by now, but he's not giving up hope yet.

I have been getting dizzy spells at least once a day, nothing seems to trigger them they come out of the blue. Spine Dr. can't see where my back problem is the culprit.

I just really can't do another surgery, 4 in 3 1/2 yrs is just enough:dizzy: . Any helpful hints on relieving some of the issues I have?

Goe Bless

Carol

Hello All, Hello Carol-
By gum, I wish I did have a suggestion but I'm clean out. You've had a long, hard time off it and no mistake. I know you have faith in your doc so I'll just say that I think of you every single day and I know you are loved and loved well. Be gentle with yourself and stay connected to us to all of those that are a help to you. You are a brave swimmer in a very rough stretch of the river. My hat's off to you - Suzy-Q

Hello all,

Well went for my post op yesterday. Everything ok 4 wks after surgery. My foot pain is almost gone but still have numbness on side of foot & on top. Doctor is ordering an EMG & CT to check everything just to cover all bases. I'm kinda scared of the EMG but like the Dr said compared to the pain of everything I have gone thru so far it's nothing. I hope so. I just want to see what could be causing the pain since it's on the opposite side of the surgery. Been taking things day by day as far as healing. Catching up on some movies and dvd sets. I go to the stores when I am able with my Mother but don't last very long there. But nice to get out when you can. Hope everyone else who recently has surgery are doing ok. Just take it day by day.