ladybird988

At 7 mons post op from a micro d on L4/L5 for a herniated disc (massive tear) pressing on a nerve and resultant drop foot, this recovery is slow!

I still have back pain and foot pain, though the leg pain is gone finally - most of the way - as of mid dec- and most of the butt and hip pain too (pool helped that). I don't have spine pain anymore, but do have pain to the right of where the disk is torn. I don't know if this is radiating nerve pain, from the disk, or muscle.

The foot has been numb for 9 mons so i don't know how long it will take to come back. the doctor said 3 years probably, but should see t he most improvement in a year. My foot is so sensitive that any pressure on it sends shooting pain like a knife (even brushing a hand against it) so walking is difficult, though i have to walk as you know to recover. I'm tired of limping. My back aches all night and the vicoden does nada for the pain, especially the stabbing nerve pain, which luckily, comes and goes and lasts only a few mins at a time.

But nothing is as bad as this difficulty in walking is. I look and basically am, disabled. I'm at home all day, alone, doing what I can, which is limited.

I have made headway so can't complain too much, but finding it hard to wait this out. I am so depressed from pain some days i don't think i can go on. Has anyone recovered totally from the pain? When?

I think I would be doing a whole lot better on exercise and all if my foot weren't weak and painful still, making it hard to walk. Has anyone had their foot take this long to come back? The toes are so sensitive and seem to almost cramp up from weakness and pain. I know this is nerve related and takes time, but after a year of this, I don't know how much more i can take. i thought I'd get better, but now i'm having serious doubts. That leg is stronger now and i can stand on it alone and hold my weight but the ankle is weak and the PT exercises i can't do because they bring on nerve pain. some days my foot just flops on the end of my leg.

I yell at my foot, tell it what to do, scream, cry, try to make it function, but it won't. The doctor says the nerve connection is cut and it has to grow back and it takes a long time for the nerve to regenerate all the way down the leg. I don't fully understand this. Something about the nerve sheath being penetrated and having to grow back at an inch a month.

I am so frustrated! I have to keep believing I will walk again normally and feel my foot. but i'm losing hope. Anyone else going through this???????