My leg pain starts at the hip and goes to my knee but only on the outside of my thigh. The pain started about 5 days out of surgery as that asleep feeling you get when you sit on your leg funny - plus the outside of my thighs feel like lead weights and at night I was getting the firery explosion running down my legs when I tried to sleep.
First my Dr. told me he was surprised I got this because he said people normally get it they next day after surgery and then he explained to me that it has to do with the nerves needing to catch up on where they put space back in my spine. The L5 was almost completely empty of disc material just a little bulging out on my spine and almost nothing inbewteen. So I now have a big space back where it belongs and it will take a little while for it to go away.
I am resting and am amazed how fast I get wore out.
It takes a lot out of you. You need to rest frequently and not do too many things each day. I still get tired very easily and my surgery was the end of March last year, but it was a fusion of L3 through S1 and done from front and back. Still have nerve pain from back down through hip, butt, and leg. Am on more pain meds than before the surgery but remain hopeful that it will still improve. Just had a MRI which shows some degeneration now at L2 where that level was ok before. L2 also has a hemangioma, my understanding is this is a type of benign tumor made up of blood vessels.
Walking is the best thing but sometimes hard to do when you get fatigued so easily. Best wishes to all and hope recoveries keep progressing. Stay positive and look for long term progress, it does take time.
It takes a lot out of you. You need to rest frequently and not do too many things each day. I still get tired very easily and my surgery was the end of March last year, but it was a fusion of L3 through S1 and done from front and back. Still have nerve pain from back down through hip, butt, and leg. Am on more pain meds than before the surgery but remain hopeful that it will still improve. Just had a MRI which shows some degeneration now at L2 where that level was ok before. L2 also has a hemangioma, my understanding is this is a type of benign tumor made up of blood vessels.
Walking is the best thing but sometimes hard to do when you get fatigued so easily. Best wishes to all and hope recoveries keep progressing. Stay positive and look for long term progress, it does take time.
Wow! you really have a lot to recover from!! I was thankful I only had one level to fuse. I feel for you in your recovery and hope you can get to a better place where you are not in pain. You are so positive in light of everything you have faced and I thank you for your wonderful wishes!!
I agree with the part about not doing to much each day. You really get worn out quickly during recovery. This has been the hard part for me because I am always doing something! Go Go Go was my life prior to 1/22/13!! Now its rest rest rest!!!
The following user gives a hug of support to Cinchgirl: workinmom572 (03-20-2013)
Thank you for the kind wishes! You also sound like a very positive person and that really helps during this very long recovery. Don't worry if somedays you feel a bit down, that is normal. I also used to be a very active person, always on the go and that is hard to let go of, but you have to, at least until you heal!
My leg also feels like a weight is on it, feels like it is heavy and slow to respond. The neurontin does help with some of the nerve pain, can't imagine what it would be like without! Hang in there, make sure you rest, and listen to your body, we are all unique and heal differently.
Cthom2 - wish you well for your surgery tomorrow! I will admit I was not quite prepared for the mental aspect of the return home but I have gotten past that point!
I had my follow up today and I'm progressing very well and will return to work a few hours a day in two weeks. I am a little sore in my back and hips and still have numbness in my thighs also but my doc said that is to be expected and will heal with time. My thighs have improved and I'm only taking one Gabapentine at night now.
I know you might not see this before your surgery but I've got you in my thoughts and prayers!!!
Update when you can!!!!
I had forgotten Patsy that a sneeze could ruin my day. Everything could be going smoothly, tolerating the ambient pain and one sneeze and the pain was awful. But back then for some reason, I was sneezing eight or nine times a day - total punishment. Good luck to you. I had a 3 level PLIF last February and was doing great until July when the pain came back and got worse. Facing another 2 level fusion with adjacent segment disease L-1 & L-2, trying to hold out as long as I can, as 5 levels with the restricting.
The following user gives a hug of support to egp292: Cinchgirl (03-08-2013)
Surgery was a success. I am home now after my 5 day stay in the hospital. I was up and walking the next day, I continue to walk more each day. I can last for about 45 minutes if moving around the house but then I have to lay down. I am still on my meds as prescribed but I still am not sure of exactly what not to do, I feel good and then I start doing things like getting up and down to much and other normal activities and I feel mild pain, I want to be sure I'm not doing anything to hurt myself... Help! What NOT to do during the first 6 weeks???
The following user gives a hug of support to Cthom2: workinmom572 (03-20-2013)
I think really only you can say what you can and cannot do. The board members care as we have all gone through it, but we don't know your limitations such as strength, your body type, or your age. After my surgery, I knew right away, when I was taking risks, knowing if I slipped or did too much, I could regret it later. I remember not to bend over forward as that put too much pressure on the next discs up in line.
I bought a 3 foot grabber tool which really helped when I wanted to get that last sock out of the dryer and could not reach in there. Of course sneezing was a no no as that hurt like crazy and could ruin a good day. Everything in moderation! Purchase a knee pillow which is like a small foam block, contoured to stay put between two legs - this really helped facilitate getting to sleep. Make sure you have a comfortable recliner for those nights when you just cannot sleep, you can go out in the living room and throw a blanket over yourself and get back to sleep.
I'm surprised your dr didn't go over all of the "donts" before you were discharged. Generally, your discharge papers will have what your dr would like you to stay away from, the discharge nurse usually goes over it too....so you can always call your drs office to be sure with them what is appropriate and what isn't . It's important for you to get up and walk around. You don't want to do it to the point where you are creating more pain or that you get overly exhausted. You will get super tired super quick, and that's ok. Rest at this point is extremely important, your body has a lot of healing to do and that means rest for you. I would avoid any bending , lifting, twisting...you don't want to over use your back. It's just basics...this is a time for you to really take care of yourself, let someone else do the dishes, laundry, vacuuming ( basically NO housework! Lol!) I know for me, lifting a gallon of milk in the beginning would have been too much for me. Whatever you do, take it easy. You MIT be feeling good, so you do more than you should , then you end up paying the price because you're hurting. Glad your feeling so well so so soon after. Just keep taking it easy and you will do just fine!
Thanks all for the good advice. I am 52 but very strong do I have definitely been overdoing it. Laying around and taking it easy is not something I do very well. Going to do my best to lay still and not get up so much, I know I will be better off in the long run
Hello and Congrads on making it home. I had a double lumbar fusion in July. I was in hosp for ten days and once home lived in a bed for a few months. I did PT leg slides while laying down and arm band exercises twice daily as I had no strength to move my own body. Whenever I got.up to bathroom with walker I did laps for 5-10 minutes, then laid back down.
I'm Now 7 months post op. I finally sleep without pain except for occasional time I move just wrong. I was told in beginning no stairs no bending, lifting or twisting. I had to use raised toilet seat and shower chair. I eventually moved off walker to cane. Next was walks outside of Apx 3 houses down and back. I drive now as I have a great round seat that rotates 360. I can sit in church, theatres, etc. I can finally push a grocery cart but If I shop others unload.Therapist had my husband raise Our clothes dryer for good, Apx 12 inches up. I still sit on a chair to be safe If putting something like a casserole in or.out of.the oven. My Dr told me.pre.op my life would be much better but Def different and he was right. I still move slow and am tired also. I lay down once a day when possible but only on bed as PT made me realize my furniture is way too soft/ old so I had to buy rocker/.glides like you use in a nursery or Is have nothing to sit on. He also.told me.prop.that ten lbs post op would be my limit for lifting. I can dust with a four foot long duster handle, do.dishes, Di laundry, wipe counters. My sons do mopping and vacuum cleaning and shower and toilet cleaning still. I see Dr next month. I am very happy at progress but bummed at still twinges of bad pain but only last few seconds. I know my body heals super slow from anything and I hope you take things slow as why ruin this surgery, at least that is how I thought and still do to get through this.
Thanks for the replies it helps me. My doctor mostly said to take it easy and I would know when I over-do things, said just walk and lift no more than 5 lbs for 6 weeks. I have been home one week now, I think I have just been getting up and down to much, staying up to long and pushing it to much. Since I lived with so much pain I'm just used to hurting no matter what I do so its difficult to tell if I'm doing to much. I have been walking up to the mailbox daily which is about 5 houses away, walking around the house doing little things with my grabber and sitting up visiting when people come over. I will try harder to lay down more but wont be easy, I will keep in mind I don't want to mess up my healing process. People keep asking me if I feel better than before the surgery, not sure how to reply since I'm not sure if what I feel now is surgery pain and will improve as time goes by. I found a video of PLIF surgery on You Tube and it looked so painful! I try to keep in mind that what I saw would take anyone weeks to recover from.
Weeks that turn into months. For me 6 months was a big turning point for me so just Please be careful and patient! I hate to.do nothing also and had to lower my standards for a clean house, etc but trust me, come summer you will feel tons better than you do Now. find joy in little accomplishments like learning to.shave your own legs, LOL. No one can understand this but US who.have also been.through it.
OMG..... You said it perfect with the shaving comment. I just needed to hear a few positive words from another person who truly relates to what I'm going through,,
The following user gives a hug of support to Cthom2: workinmom572 (03-20-2013)
Cthom2 Thanks for all your posts and everyone else who is supplying info.
I am in the process of researching L4/L5 Fusion which will most likely happen for me in July. (the insurance negotiations might decide differently). I've been fighting L4 spondy for 3+ years and the PT and injections are no longer effective. Thankfully my condition is very localized and L3 up looks good. It's so helpful to know what to do pre-surg and post-surg. I apprecate hearing everyones journey.
Re: Lumbar fusion - post surgery questions 
