Has anyone had or having pain post nerve decompression surgery? I am starting my eighth week post an L4-L5 herniated disc operation and the deep dull Ache has gone in my back with my back feeling great, unfortunately my left front leg is still feeling the same as before the surgery. Perhaps, some readers can relate to the following symptoms; permanent numbness of my tibia, pain in my tibia when I going to the toilet (using toilet roll), pain sometimes in my tibia when walking especially in bare feet, my left knee occassionally gives way, my thigh muscle has shrunk compared to my right leg, I have cramps on the front of my thigh muscle which increases in pain sometimes. I have started physio three times a week and also going to the swimming pool for walking and bike riding, my leg symptoms seem to be reducing and I know it takes time for nerve damage to recover but if the cause has gone (hopefully) then I should recover, but is this normal because after six months of no exercise and constant numbness then I am starting to have doubts! Also anyone used Lycria? Has I have been prescribed this to reduce the nerve sensitivity (100mg twice a day) but it does nothing other than give me double vision sometimes.
Hi, I know what it is like to have nerve damage after spinal surgery, I still do after almost 4 yrs, and as for the Lyrica it has been perscribed to me going on one month it seems to be helping, but if you are haveing blured vision then you need to stop taking it right away and tell your doc. i am wondering do you have insurance cause that stuff is so expensive, I have a site on the inernet that i can go thru to get it for 35.00 a month and i take 225 mg aday. any way let me know how you are doing maybe we can help each other out if nothing elese i will have someone to write to onn here, good luck to you, as ever georgie 782
The Following User Says Thank You to georgie782 For This Useful Post: pasko52 (01-21-2013)
sorry to hear about your nerve pain..i can relate though.i am 1 year post op from a l3-l4 fusion and i feel my nerve pain is worse then before surgury..i am also prescribed lyrica for the nerve pain..seems to help because if i dont take it after a certain amount of time i willl start getting electric shock sensation's in both legs..im seeing a pain managment dr now and now it looks like im gonna have to have a stimulater put into my back because it gets bad at times..all cases are not the same so your's might still be just healing we hope anyway..i wish you all the luck..
Hi pasko, Welcome, You dont mention the name of your surgery, I had lumbar lamimectomies on L4-5 L5-S1 & i remember the nerve pain was even worse than before surgery. I had nerve compression for four months before surgery & it took a good six momths before it all resolved. I take lyrica 300mg a day & it helps the nerve pain but not so much the numbness but i have a condition that still causes nerve compression sort of? I had vision problems on cymbalta & eye dr said causing intraocular pressure like glaucoma, allergic to neurontin, have mild, intermittent difficuties with vision on lyrica but eye dr said everything is fine. Im sorry i didnt understand the tibia pain story, is it your ankle hurting you? I truly hope that you get better, i think it takes patience to get thru to recovery after back surgery! However, i would be sure to tell your
surgeon, he may know how to help. I think after 6 mths immobile the exercise could be affecting your muscles, some nerve damage is permanent depending on how long & how severely the nerve was compressed but my dr said that he nor i would know for sure until after one year & that the key is that it should continue to get better & better everyday or there may be a problem such as a new nerve compression. I truly hope that it starts getting better soon!Good luck,good health to you!
Last edited by gmak; 01-20-2013 at 08:43 PM.
Reason: info
Hi pasko, Welcome, You dont mention the name of your surgery, I had lumbar lamimectomies on L4-5 L5-S1 & i remember the nerve pain was even worse than before surgery. I had nerve compression for four months before surgery & it took a good six momths before it all resolved. I take lyrica 300mg a day & it helps the nerve pain but not so much the numbness but i have a condition that still causes nerve compression sort of? I had vision problems on cymbalta & eye dr said causing intraocular pressure like glaucoma, allergic to neurontin, have mild, intermittent difficuties with vision on lyrica but eye dr said everything is fine. Im sorry i didnt understand the tibia pain story, is it your ankle hurting you? I truly hope that you get better, i think it takes patience to get thru to recovery after back surgery! However, i would be sure to tell your
surgeon, he may know how to help. I think after 6 mths immobile the exercise could be affecting your muscles, some nerve damage is permanent depending on how long & how severely the nerve was compressed but my dr said that he nor i would know for sure until after one year & that the key is that it should continue to get better & better everyday or there may be a problem such as a new nerve compression. I truly hope that it starts getting better soon!Good luck,good health to you!
Last edited by gmak; 01-20-2013 at 08:46 PM.
Reason: posted in italics?
Hi, I know what it is like to have nerve damage after spinal surgery, I still do after almost 4 yrs, and as for the Lyrica it has been perscribed to me going on one month it seems to be helping, but if you are haveing blured vision then you need to stop taking it right away and tell your doc. i am wondering do you have insurance cause that stuff is so expensive, I have a site on the inernet that i can go thru to get it for 35.00 a month and i take 225 mg aday. any way let me know how you are doing maybe we can help each other out if nothing elese i will have someone to write to onn here, good luck to you, as ever georgie 782
Many thanks for taking the time to read and respond. I am surprised to hear that you are still suffering after four years post surgery, I hope that you have had another MRI to check if all is okay. I had a microdisectomy and I have work insurance so this paid all my bills as well as for the Lycria, seems to be very hard in the USA for medical needs. I am hopeful that my nerve damage is not permanent but only time will tell. Bye for now georgie 782
Hi gmak
I had microdisectomy or the neurosurgeon cut an entry into my back and removed the compression on my nerve root at L4-L5. I had the herniated disc for 3 months before diagnosed and then 1 month before the operation, the pain was and still is the same as before although overtime I am sure we forget the pain and discomfort. It is comforting to know that your pain was resolved after 6 months post surgery. As for the tibia or shin then this bone beneath the knee is always having numbness and frequent burning pain with pains and needles and as I stated is affected when I go to the toilet. Only time will tell so I hope that before too long I will have some good news. Many thanks.
Many thanks for your reply and sorry to hear that your pain is worse even after one year. Even with Lycria I get what we call in England call 'pins & needles' or in France 'ants in my legs', that said it is not that often a sensation but I would have hoped that the tablets would have stopped. Never heard of a stimulator put in your back it sounds a last resort solution so best of luck.
Pasko, Sometimes when surgery done on one area there is another level causing the neuropathy & another MRI is needed. When the dr assesses he decides that it is one level but another is affecting the nerve. Have you ever looked up a dermatome map? I find it very helpful & interesting because you can actually follow the nerve root & compare to symptoms.
Pasko, Sometimes when surgery done on one area there is another level causing the neuropathy & another MRI is needed. When the dr assesses he decides that it is one level but another is affecting the nerve. Have you ever looked up a dermatome map? I find it very helpful & interesting because you can actually follow the nerve root & compare to symptoms.
Hi gmak, yep looked into dermatone map and many thanks for awareness of this, but this confirmed that the L4-L5 impacted dermatone areas were consistent with my effects in lower leg, ankle, knee, rectum and front thigh.
Dear pasko, You are welcome! And welcome to the backboard! Please let us know how you are doing & what dr says about you! I understand how you feel & we are here for you! Thanks, gmak
Nerve recovery time post back surgery? 
Re: Nerve recovery time post back surgery? 
