Hello Everyone - I saw my nurosurgeron today and he had good news and bad news for me. For those of you who are not familiar with my situation I had an ALIF on June 22nd removing L4 L5. L5 S1 and replacing with titanium discs with a fusion. I was in the hospital for 11 days and then a rehab facility for 27 days.

So now I have severe pain in the left buttock goes down my leg and into my foot. Had a catscan done on Monday Dr says looks goods I'm starting to fuse already but he has not idea why I still have pain. He said I should be healing and not have pain. So he wants me to have an MRI with and without contrast (this will take forever to get approved this is a WC case) So I am still going to aquadic therapy which is not helping with the pain at all, taking my meds, vicoden, vallium and oxycotton. I guess I will have to wait to get the MRI to find out whats wrong. PS I hate MRI's especially when you have to get the IV for the contrast.

mew

Mew,

When you get that contrast MRI and he finds the problem give me a shout and let me know what the heck is wrong with you...because I had the same surgery and have the same thing wrong with me...and no known reason!

I also heard this so many times from my Dr "you shouldn't have pain" while i can't leave without pain medication.
I had many MRI's done also on every level of my spine and finaly they find out the problem: L-3 L-2 levels above previous 2 level fusion. Plus something mechanical which can't be confirmed by MRI for me.

Sorry to hijack this thread quick but I have to ask a question...

Moldova,

Just out of curiosity, what are they saying is the problem with your L2/3? I think I remember us having similar symptoms...to refresh your memory left side upper butt all the way across to the hip and upper thigh...I've been thinking possible SIJD but my husband who is a PT has said a few times that alot of those symptoms come from the L2/3 level.

Gracefulone - I am so glad I found someone with the same problem as I have. When did you have your surgery? Your doctor has also told you he doesn't know where the pain is coming from, has he ordered any extra tests for you? I was beginning to think I was losing it and the doctor thinking I'm making this up, but believe me this pain is REAL and unbearable at times. I had the surgery because I thought I would be pain free boy was I wrong I am so much more pain now than ever and its on the left side, before surgery my pain was on the right???

Also when I looked at the films of my catscan it looked like one of my implants was crooked, when I questioned the doctor about this he said nothing to worry about its the angle the picture was taken. I was wondering if that was causing all my pain and maybe he is trying to cover his butt.

Keep in touch....mew