It's been a long time...but I need some help

shoeshoppingal · 01-09-2007, 12:26 AM

Hello All-
I don't know how many of you were here when I was a VERY regular visitor to the board, both before and after the L5/S1 fusion I had in October of 2005, but if you were here Hello Again and a Great Big Hello to all the new people that I have not met because i have been out making up for the 3 years of my life that I missed!!!!!!!

However, it is not all sunshine right now. I need some help--I hope that someone else has had this happen and can give me a bit of insight. My back has been feeling wonderful--no pain and I have been out living my life again (not to strenuously, but you know!). I have been doing yoga twice a week and even wrote a novel during National Novel Writing Month (talk about theraputic!). The week after Christmas I was at work (I have a desk job) and I was walking down the hall (wearing flats) and had a horrid, shooting pain that started at my fusion site and shot down the back of my right leg. I thought it might have been a nerve so I got out my yoga mat and did the stretches that we have all been taught. It didn't help, so I finished my day, went home and laid on my heating pad for the rest of the night. The pain was still there the next day but went away after another night on the heating pad. I passed it off as a reaction to the cold weather NM has been having and didn't think about it. Until it happened again two days later. This time I was at home and it happened when I got up from my couch. I was at home (work was snowed out!) so I plugged in the ol' heating pad and popped some Tylenol. That didn't help so four hours later I popped some leftover Vicodin. The pain lasted another day and then receeded. So I chalked it up to cold weather and went on with my life.

So now a couple weeks have gone by. Friday night I was almost asleep when out of NOWHERE I had a horrific back spasam, ala the week after surgery when I took a bit of a spill off the couch. It was the first one I have had in almost a year so it set off a red flag. Then today at work, the pain came back tenfold what it was the last time it showed up. It honestly feels like it did before I had my surgery. I immediatly called my doc who told me I was to have an "emergency MRI" tomorrow and to come in and see him on Wednesday.

This is worrisome to me, since I have been doing and feeling so well--this has come out of left field and has jarred me quite a bit. I have many plans for the future in the works and do not have the time nor the energy to have any more back "issues". Has this happened to anyone else? Please, please, please let me know if you have--I am trying to keep a positive outlook, but it is my worst fear that something is going to go wrong with my back.

--ShoeGal aka Charity

Rampage · 01-09-2007, 12:52 AM

even though i haven't had fusion yet (would have 4-level!), i have sciatica from my piriformis (muscle below the glutes) and some hamstring problems from my stenosis. it's great you're doing yoga for the stretching, but have you thought of using tennis balls?

i lie on my back and place a tennis ball under the problem area (usually piriformis or scapula). it's a little harder for the leg, but sitting up if you can helps.

just a thought...hope it helps you!

tammys · 01-09-2007, 01:03 AM

Hi Shoeshoppingal...I feel your pain. I had my first back surgery (lamenectomy) in 2001 and did wonderful after that. I was great for several months, then all of a sudden I was in horrible pain from the nerve....That is when I had my fusion....I still have horrible nerve pain 5 years later... Have your doctor do the mri with contrast....That is when they realized that I had permanent nerve damage and certain ways I move irritates it more than others. I do hope for your sake that the pain is not permanent nerve pain. I do pain blocks every 3 months, I am on lortab, lyrica, zanaflex and pain patches just to be able to get around. I hope that you do well and that this is just a small obstacle for you to get over. Keep us all informed as to what the doctor finds. Good Luck!!! Keep Smiling!!!

Tammy

Justoneofus · 01-09-2007, 01:10 AM

Im sorry to hear you are having pains again. This is everyone's fear that have success in healing be it surgery, etc.

I had a fusion at l4/l5 back in april and am solidly fused, but I am not pain free, but still tons better than before. I am still healing, so true outcome is yet to know.

Umm, I think it's great you are getting in so fast and your doctor is on the ball! Signs of a good and caring doc. Good for you! It sounds like maybe you have some new issues, maybe l4/l5 isn't playing nice, or maybe some scar tissue issues perhaps. Hard to say unfortunately.

Just here to offer you support and please let us know what you find out, and hopefully you will get some pain meds to help you through this. Take it a day at a time. No need to begin worrying on what ifs at the moment. Try and concentrate on the now and discovery and go from there.

Look forward to hearing back from you. Take care. Tammy

BlueAtlas · 01-09-2007, 09:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by shoeshoppingal

I have many plans for the future in the works and do not have the time nor the energy to have any more back "issues".

Hi Charity,
I'm so sorry for the reason you've come back to the board. I think we can all relate to your frustration of this possibly huge interruption in your life. The back issues themselves are so painful and energy sapping; then add to that the constant frustration of not being able to do the things you need to do, much less the things you'd like to do.

Maybe it's nothing serious, and, of course, we'll all be hoping you'll come back and tell us that. But if it is another major back issue for you, you've been there before and you'll get through it. Yes, it's an interruption, an annoyance, maybe even a hardship. But you'll handle it and eventually be stronger for it, physically, emotionally, and mentally. In a way, it's easier the second time around because you know exactly what to expect and will get all your ducks in a row ahead of time. There are people here on the board who have had to go through a second (and third and fourth) surgery. They'll be here if you need them. You sound like an independent, strong person. If you do get bad news (and I hope you don't), you'll grieve over it for a while, then pick yourself up and grasp it with both hands and wrap yourself around it and reconcile yourself with it. Don't lose heart. Take this a step at a time, dealing with the emotional part as best you can as you go. You may have a temporary set-back in your life, but you got through this before and were able to "have a life" again. You'll be okay!

Please come back and post and let us know what's going on. We'll be here for you!

Breathe!
Take care,
Emily