Hi all, I have read many posts about this subject but not quite what I have, so hoping someone will relate to my issues. I had a microdiscectomy L4, L5 bulging discs and sciatic pain and weakness right leg, 1 week ago, woke up no sciatic pain and numbness but relieved the pain had gone, was making a great recovery as the surgery site healed. All went well until day 5, intense sciatic pain started in right leg again, couldnt walk, had to get an ambulance to take me downstairs to the hospital. Hospital prescribed a list of pain meds, far more than I had pre surgery and said to rest until the pain relieved. My MRI also found a syrinx at T4 and it was decided to try the disc surgery and wait and see what the syrinx was responsible for. Hospital yesterday followed up with NS who said that perhaps the sciatic pain was related to the syrinx and not the disc repair. Im very disheartened, Im in worse pain now than before the surgery, I only have 2 weeks sick leave left, what will I do then? Pain meds leave me in a fog and Ive started to write everything down to keep track, but at least they are working and I can get to the toilet now and have a shower but not much else. Anyone experienced this sort of thing and what was the outcome? Hoping for an improvement, cannot afford to be off work, any advice greatly appreciated, I have never posted to a board anywhere before. Thanks
The Following User Says Thank You to Bikkiebak For This Useful Post: omc1234 (12-10-2012)
Re: Intense sciatic pain 7 days post op, is this ok?
Welcome to the board.
I wish I had something concrete to tell you, but the results of a specific surgery vary so much. I would imagine you have some inflammation going on that is keeping pressure on the nerve. I can't imagine that the syrinx at T4 is causing your sciatic pain.
It is a little unusual to be free of the pain right after surgery only to have it come back several days later. If it returned 3 weeks later you might suspect the growth of scar tissue, but it is too early for that. Sometimes a surgeon will prescribe a course of prednisone post surgery when inflammation is severe, and if this continues to put pressure on the nerve, they will also try a steroid injection like you may have tried prior to surgery.
I'm sorry you are on such a tight schedule regarding returning to work. It can be very difficult to resolve sciatic pain. I guess you need to keep in contact with your surgeon and keep reminding him your issues are not resolving.
Sorry I don't have something specific to suggest. Try to get up and take short walks, even if it is just back and forth in a hall or across the house. It is important to keep moving and not just take to your bed as you need to keep the spinal nerves stretched out. This helps to prevent scar tissue from attaching to the nerve as it is forming and filling in. Short frequent walks are better than one longer walk in this regard.
The Following User Says Thank You to teteri66 For This Useful Post: Bikkiebak (12-10-2012)
Re: Intense sciatic pain 7 days post op, is this ok?
Thanks for the support, pain has subsided a little today but Im on so many pain meds not sure what would happen if I stopped taking those. I will try and walk a little have been too scared to because of the pain. Seeing my GP in couple of days, I live rural remote from the NS so wont see the team again until end of January but they can be contacted by phone which I know my GP will do if needed. Just have to keep smiling
