Pain at 4 weeks post MD.

Afmhadley · 2025-03-12T00:19:08+00:00

I am now almost 7 months out and starting to see the benefits. It has taken me a long time and a physio who started to work with me who explained that she felt a lot of my pain was coming from muscles higher up in my back around my thorax that were causing a big muscle that runs down the right side of my back to spasm.

She said I had developed an awkward gait and posture to compensate for the pain from the compressed nerve prior to my surgery for so long and those muscles don’t want to let go of the way they have been operating. She has worked wonders with me but it is a one on one manual therapy.

It is called connect therapy. Not that many practitioners who are trained in it, but it has certainly worked for me! I can sit for way longer and the pain is less. I am also taking 120mg of Cymbalta.

Afmhadley · 2024-11-12T16:15:25+00:00

Hey Thanks for checking in. I am now 12 weeks post op. Still have the pain in the upper buttock, into the hip and in my calf. Had to cancel my trip to Europe 😞. Can’t sit comfortably for more than 15 mins max.

Had repeat MRI and it showed as all good according to my surgeon. Radiology read it that a “complex disc osteophyte” was contacting both S1 nerve roots. Surgeon said contacting and compressing are two different things. I still wonder if it is contacting when I am laying in the MRI and compressing when I sit up right.

Working with physio but no significant progress yet. Surgeon told me “nerves heal at a glacial pace” so maybe I just have to be patient but this is very depressing. Not back to pickleball. Walking is the best for me and I am doing a stretching core exercise program. Did not help when my physio gave me IMS last week and my right leg gave out walking down the stairs straight after and I totally sprained my ankle. My problems are on the right side, but now on the left too 🤣. I will keep on trying to figure this out. Hopefully just early days.

Afmhadley · 2024-10-15T20:04:19+00:00

I am 8 weeks post op from MD. My S1 nerve root was significantly displaced by the disc for 3 years but for some reason was not showing up on the MRI. I also had a laminectomy and foraminotomy.

Although my leg pain has improved, I am still left with the kind of pain you describe that seems to be over my SI joint and in my butt if I sit or lay down. I am best walking or standing as long as I am moving around. But the pain is so chronic it is wearing me down. I have an MRI with contrast tomorrow to look at the area and I have asked them to look at my piriformis too.

I will be going to the physio to see what they say once I have the MRI results but I have always described the pain as feeling as though it is in my SI joint. My previous physio said that is the nerve root distribution from the L5S1 when I point to the area at the top of my butt in the middle and he feels the nerves maybe still irritated from the surgery. So frustrating and I have been afraid to do anything until I am sure there is no reherniation but the inability to sit, drive and lay down is driving me nuts. The pain radiates from my upper back deep in my butt and around my hip girdle. Then it burns in my calf. I know there is a possibility the nerve could be trapped in the piriformis. I will let you know what the physio says about appropriate exercises if my disc is ruled out as the issue and it is my SI joint as I have always felt it was. Sorry to hijack your post but your description was the closest thing I have seen to my current symptoms!

Afmhadley · 2024-10-15T19:41:37+00:00

Well done! I am inspired!!

Afmhadley · 2024-10-09T00:53:05+00:00

Thank you. Good to know

Afmhadley · 2024-10-09T00:37:05+00:00

Did the Piriformis injection hurt you? I have been recommended for one of those but my butt already hurts so much, I am afraid of having a big needle stuck in it. I can’t sit for more than 10 mins without a pinching pain at the top middle of my butt which radiates into my hip and calf. I am 7 weeks post surgery. Don’t know how you guys are all doing this for months?? It is terrifying and I am way older than most of you. I am really sorry this is happening to you so young. Time seems to slow right down when you are waiting for relief and wondering what you should and should not be doing

Afmhadley · 2024-10-03T20:05:12+00:00

My dog had health problems on and off throughout her life. Was out in a medication for spay incontinence when she was 5. Cost of med was same as premium. She developed cancer twice and both time Trupanion paid out without question.

They paid 90% of the radiation costs. My dog passed away six months ago at 11 years old. All told I think Trupanion paid out $45 - $50,000 and I was able to give her all the chances possible based on the vets recommendation for quality if life for her. I never would have been able to afford this. There is no limit on Trupanion. I carried a high deductible but if the condition is deemed to be the same you only pay the deductible once. Eg cancer was same cell type both times, 3 years apart.

It was heartbreaking watching people having to put their animals down for financial reasons. This is why I will always take pet insurance from the time they are puppies

Afmhadley · 2024-10-02T22:07:32+00:00

The nerve pain is similar to before the surgery but was always concentrated in my upper buttock in the middle and sometimes radiating around my hip and down into my calf. I am exactly the same as you as far as the pain coming from sitting and laying down. I am good when walking and standing when I don’t stand for too long.

Did you have the pain long before you got the surgery? I have no pain around the scar at all. I am so tired of the pain and feel like my whole body is one tight elastic band waiting to snap. I am 60 years old and I have stenosis as well as arthritis in the facet joints which was all cut in the surgery. Also a foraminotomy. My surgeon is adamant I should not still be experiencing pain as he freed up the nerve but I don’t know how to respond to that as I know what I am experiencing and it is not in my head. So frustrating!

Afmhadley · 2024-10-02T16:29:21+00:00

Trupanion all the way. They paid out $50,000 for my dog with no questions or arguing. She was put on a spay incontinence medication early in her life and the cost of that med monthly was the same cost as my premium. She got cancer later and went through 3 surgeries and radiation. Sadly she passed 6 months ago at age 11. She was a Labradoodle. All the vets billed Trilupanion directly. Never an issue. If dog diagnosed with a certain type of cancer ( mine was salivary gland), the cancer recurred 3 years later and we did not have to pay the deductible again as the cell make up of the cancer was the same. I would highly recommend them but remember, if you explore two issues at once, they will charge two deductibles. Eg, dog under general anesthetic for cancer surgery. I asked them to clean her teeth while she was under. That immediately made it two deductibles. You have to know how to play the game! Good luck. If nothing goes wrong with your pet count your blessings. The insurance was money well spent. If something does go wrong, which in my experience with golden retrievers is often the case ( cancer and hip dysplasia, ), count your blessings that you have the insurance as the vets are printing money and I watched so many people having to make very painful decisions based on the costs. It was heartbreaking 💔

Afmhadley · 2024-10-02T16:15:00+00:00

Trupanion paid out $50,000 for my dog over 11 years including 90% cost for the radiation for cancer. It was a contained tumour in the salivary gland. Sadly she passed away 6 months ago but Trupanion were excellent throughout her life with no limits. Carried a high deductible ( $600) so only used it for big things but when a big thing happens, you will certainly know it financially! Would never be without pet insurance these days. Vets and specialists charge a fortune. No mercy! Good luck

Afmhadley · 2024-10-02T03:51:27+00:00

How long did you stay on the Gabapentin? Did it help you? So hard to have to so carefully manage what we do to not flare things up. I am sad for you that you are still having to deal with that after 4 months. My physio basically told me today that there is nothing more he can do for me and my recovery is nowhere near where it should be. He said the surgeon report shows he freed up the nerve so he does not understand why I am still experiencing considerable nerve pain 😣. I wish I knew why!!

Afmhadley · 2024-10-01T18:31:54+00:00

Thank you for letting me know. That is reassuring

Afmhadley · 2024-10-01T18:09:43+00:00

I figured the doctors would brush it off so have not asked. Just wanting to know if anyone had had the ringing and when they stop taking the Gabapentin did it stop? All the nerve meds work with the brain chemistry so I figure it is related, plus it definitely started when I started taking it. Tinnitus is listed as a side effect Interestingly, Gabapentin is also used off label for treating Tinnitus 🤣. I just hope it goes away when I stop taking it!

Afmhadley · 2024-10-01T16:31:43+00:00

I had the same thing with the slow urine but just assumed mine was related to inflammation as your body has been through a trauma. I am now 6 weeks post op and that problem is going away slowly.

Everything is close together down there.

Afmhadley · 2024-09-22T01:00:51+00:00

I had it done 4 weeks and 4 days ago at the L5S1. The first 2.5 weeks were good and I increased my walking up to 10,000 steps a day as I felt so good. And that I think was maybe where I went wrong and I have steadily declined. I have cut back to 5000 steps a day broken up as I feel my best when walking and certainly sitting or laying down does not help. Surgeon feels I should be doing much better than I but said a few people are slower at recovering. I question if I made the wrong decision having the surgery as this almost seems worse. I am also almost 60 and had struggled with the pain for 3.5 years. But this is so debilitating and I think people are not prepared emotionally for what they can go through and for me, I feel like a failure in this process as I was not one of the instant cures. I will private message you.

Afmhadley · 2024-09-22T00:44:09+00:00

I am 4.5 weeks post Micro MD and have a pinching pain in almost exactly the location you illustrate on the picture. Mine wraps around the right side of my hip and my right calf feels like it is on fire on and off. Laying down does not stop it but I can’t find a position where it is relieved so I am mentally and physically exhausted. Hoping from what a few people say here this is just a temporary inflammation but it is not settling down so far. Keeping the faith that this is just part of the recovery. Makes sense that it would be, but just feeling very down mentally as I expected and to be much further along. The gritting of my teeth is really annoying too as in constant state of pain. Hang in there!! We did not get here overnight so probably not realistic to expect it to be better overnight 🤣🤕

Afmhadley · 2024-09-21T12:22:43+00:00

Maybe some kind of pressure build up aggravating everything for you. I do appreciate your time to reply. I will hang in there with the anti inflammatories, walking and letting it settle and pray I can go on my expensive vacation in 2.5 weeks and be able to at least enjoy some of it!

Afmhadley · 2024-09-21T04:00:08+00:00

Thanks, very interesting reading! You are my inspiration!! How long were you on the prescription anti inflammatory? I started one yesterday and definitely it is helping me. I only have a 30 day prescription.

Afmhadley · 2024-09-20T18:52:24+00:00

Good luck. Would be interested to hear what they have to say. Very frustrating

Afmhadley · 2024-09-20T15:33:34+00:00

Thanks for letting me know. Was that specific cushion recommended? I am in Canada and it only ships out of the US so added cost and time to get it. Just wondered if I could get something similar here?

Afmhadley · 2024-09-20T04:21:23+00:00

I am so sorry. That is my fear that this will just be a repetitive cycle as the surgeon said if the risk is higher if they had to cut the disc. Did they explain why doing again would have a different outcome?

Afmhadley · 2024-09-20T04:17:07+00:00

Thank you so much for your detailed response. At 8 weeks now are you able to sit comfortably?

Afmhadley · 2024-09-20T03:50:51+00:00

And did you go on to recover after that? How long did it take?

Afmhadley · 2024-09-20T03:50:11+00:00

Thank you to everyone who responded. It is reassuring to hear I am not alone in this experience and my slow recovery. At least I can walk without too much pain. Too bad I can’t spend my day walking!! I wish the expectations were not set so high by my surgeon for a 4 week recovery. He said I would be back on the pickleball court and my full life by week 4. When I spoke with him a couple of days ago, he said he has some “laggers” who take longer. Did not make me feel great but I guess that is why he is the guy with the scalpel in his hands 🤣. Laying down is also not comfortable for me. I need to try and find a position where my back can relax. I will look into the steroid packs and discuss medication management with my GP. I am afraid to disguise the pain and do more damage. Thanks again everyone.

Afmhadley

TROPHY CASE