bwitht

Hello to all. Sorry, this is going to be pretty long, but I want to cover all the facts.

June 2006, I suffered a lifting injury at work. Had substancial low back pain with buttock & some leg pain. All pain went away quickly (within 2 weeks) except burning sensation in left buttock. I lost control of my left leg going down stairs, the knee just gave out. Went to neurologist, had MRI which showed DDD, stenosis, 3 herniated discs etc. Had EMG & nerve conduction study, Dr. said left leg nerves were slow and angry but would heal. Did all the non-invasive treatment but continued to fall. I still only had the burning sensation in buttock. Finally 2nd MRI (showed same as first) was referred to neurosurgeon. Surgeon took one look at MRI and did emergency fusion L3 to S1 with laminectomy and instrumentation. She said that the only reason for the surgery was so I did not end up parallized in my left leg.

April 30, 2007, I wake up from anesthesia with excruciating hypersensativity in my left leg from mid-thigh to arch of foot, also across right buttock to hip. In the time sence surgery, both have gotten a little better. Now the sensation I have in the left leg (anterior and interior only, posterior and exterior is normal) is: feels like skin is really tight on knee, like if I bend it, it will split; feels like there is a tight band around my foot at the arch; between those areas has almost no sensation except a few areas that are painful to touch/pressure. The right buttock also has very little sensation except a really deep itch. I have ended up with small scabs from trying to scratch but can not tell I am scratching that hard.

When I went to see the neurosurgeon last week, she was not at all concerned with this. I have been going to pt for 2 months to regain the strength in my left leg. I have regain most of the muscle I had lost in the past year but my knee continues to give out on me. The therapist thinks the knee is from damaged nerve but the surgeon said that I could not have gained the strength if the nerve was damaged.

I have done some self research and have noticed that femoral nerve disfunction (which can be caused from nerve root compression at L3-L4 where my worst herniation was) fits the symptoms very well. What do you think? Is this neuropothy? Will it correct itself in time? Any suggestions would be appreciated.

P.S. I am taking Cymbalta for post-surgical depression and it is what has done the most for the hypersensitivity.