Nerve damage...and dealing with it - Neuropathy Message Board

mmmartino · 01-06-2006, 02:51 PM

I'm looking for someone to talk to who is in the same (or similar) situation as me. I'm at kind of a low point and it would help to know someone else is out there. I had a microdiscectomy six months ago at L5/S1 and my leg has been numb and weak ever since. Now doctors think a nerve was severed and there is no hope for regeneration. I can't walk more than 10 minutes, can't balance, can't work (I'm a documentary producer for Discovery Channel) and have generally slipped into a bit of a funk.

My back feels pretty strong. That's good. I don't have leg pain, just numbness -- so I do feel for all of you that have the severe pain. But it's been a tough thing to accept and to be told there really isn't a reason to hope has been the toughest.

Anyway, would love to hear if anyone else has ended up like me. Doctors say I am one of the 10% who will end up with nerve damage.

Taimse · 01-06-2006, 03:32 PM

mmmartino. I can certainly understand your funk. I am in one too, as I am looking at having to do something different. I found out last week, that the surgeon who did my carpal tunnel surgery in Feb, nicked a nerve. It maybe permanent too, but I won't know until about a year. Doc that redid surgery Dec. 19, said the nerves at least have a chance to regenerate now, but it may take a year. This past year has been a struggle and I don't really want to repeat it.

I dont' know anything about nerve grafting, but have read a few articles where it has been mentioned. Doc at Mayo who I saw in sept for another opinion mentioned something about nerve grafting, but he told be to go home and live with what I have.

simby · 02-01-2006, 03:05 AM

hi martino,
i had a micro-d on l4/5 in may, 2004. I was one of the unlucky few (5%) that then developed spondy (slippage that ended up bone crunching bone with the nerve being flattened in between).
The pain was worse than ever.

In July, 2005, i had a fusion at that same level. I am now 6 months post-op. While i still have pain issues and neuropathy, i am a lot better off than i was pre-op.
The nerve damage that caused the foot drop was believed to be permanent. Surprisingly, i could walk on my heels and get that left foot's toes and ball of foot to come off the floor. So it seems that the damage is lessening.

it can take up to a year and a half for the nerves to regerate. Even when the nerves are severed on purpose to relieve pain, they will usually regenerate with time.

sending hugs and good, healing thoughts.
sims

angelwings171 · 02-15-2006, 07:22 AM

I am dealing with a L5/S1 problem at the moment. No slippage or disc problems yet.

Are you attending PT? If so, have them check your pelvis to make sure it is in place. My hips are continuosly shifting. The left side will be higher than the right by as much as 3 inches with one side shifted backwards. Once they are able to "put everything back in place" the pain subsides immediately making sitting, standing, and walking possible.

Also an e-stem has been a savior when nothing else works.

I am just beggining this journey am also looking for alot of information to help with this situation.

Angela

mmmartino · 02-15-2006, 04:39 PM

Thank you so much to all of you who responded to my message.

Ladybird, thank you especially for sharing your story. I have been waiting and waiting for someone to tell what it feels like when (if) feeling comes back and I so appreciate your description of what has been going on with you. It's like, no-one can give me any answers and I feel like I'm floundering in a vacuum! I guess it is just so different for everyone there is no one way to say what are good signs and what are bad (especially when signs that I might be getting feeling back, like tingling or pain, could also be bad signs). It really is so confusing and oftentimes depressing.

To answer your question, yes, I can lift my leg and my toes. I can't stand on tiptoe or flex most of the muscles in that leg. My calf and glutes have completely atrophied.

Ladybird, I was also glad (well, you know what I mean) to hear that you also feel that the leg strength fluctuates throughout the day. I truly thought I was going crazy and did not understand how that could happen. One day it feels like what my new version of "normal" is, the next day I can barely lift that leg to walk up stairs.

I hate to say it but to answer your other question, no, I do not feel that the numbness has let up at all. It has been six months since the surgery and everything feels exactly the same. I had been hoping that the changes are just so incremental that I don't notice them (one millimeter at a time), instead of thinking of this as the worst possible sign.

As far as exercise goes, yes, I am giving it all I've got. I try to swim and bike at the gym. I HATE walking, as I"m sure you understand. I still can't go more than 20 minutes at a time and my limp gets worse and worse.

Anyway, I really, truly appreciate everything that you have written. Please know that yes, you have helped one person feel better and more optimistic. Thank you for that.