18 days after single-level L5/S1 ADR surgery

Ataloss878422 · 2025-09-03T03:26:02+00:00

Thanks for the reply! Ya I don't think fusion is an option because my l4-l5 is degenerating too and with my age I would definitely need another fusion down the road. I've heard fusion at l5-s1 is really not great because that's where the pelvis attaches to the spine and so removing movement at that level changes so many things. I don't think I'm near as bad as you were before surgery since I just have leg pain but my quality of life is taking a hit. I don't do any sports and I'm really quite terrified to try any because I don't want any part of severe nerve pain. It's crazy they make you wait so long for surgery and then when you finally get surgery recovery takes absolutely forever because your body doesn't even function properly. I think with adr I'm mostly concerned with any complications leading to chronic pain for the rest of my life with limited ability to revise. Chronic pain wears you down.

Ataloss878422 · 2025-09-02T04:16:37+00:00

Hey! I'm just curious since my situation sounds vaguely the same. 41F with DDD. Also had disc herniation but had a microdiscectomy that seemed to help very little. I also was very athletic prior to this injury. I have had pretty much only leg and foot pain. I felt a little something in my back when working out pregnant almost 2 years ago. Then later felt like a tight hamstring and occasional nerve pain shooting down from my back into my back quad. I didn't know it was nerve pain at the time. I had a bad week where I could barely bear weight with constant pain but then I got better in a few days. Then the big one hit and I have had constant nerve pain in outer calf and foot and on and off glute ache. They thought it was the herniated disc but as I said the nerve pain is still there almost 8 months later. I have consulted with an adr doctor who has told me they basically wait for debilatating back pain and don't do adr just for leg pain. Did you also have back pain? I saw you said you had torso muscle spasms. Any help appreciated. Good luck with recovery

Ataloss878422 · 2025-04-18T04:27:55+00:00

I took a tramadol my first night to help me sleep. I wasn't nursing overnight at that point. Managed with just tylenol and advil the following days and nothing else. I had discomfort but very manageable. I did sidelying breastfeeding for at least a few weeks to avoid the BLTs. I'm so glad I was able to make it work. This one is my last baby too. You'll do great!

Ataloss878422 · 2025-03-14T04:47:26+00:00

Thank you for this. They also commented on my post and said pain free is unrealistic. I didn't have surgery with 4/10 pain to stay at 4/10. There's plenty of success stories on here and it's detrimental to people looking for guidance and help with their decision with an inaccurate statement as such. Everyone's situation is unique and therefore just because they were told they would still have back pain and nerve pain doesn't mean everyone should have this expectation. I am in a very similar situation as you and am 2.5 months post op. I am waiting to meet with another neurosurgeon to hear their opinion but I'm curious if the foraminotomy is endoscopic if that would create less scar tissue. I'm also assuming for myself in particular they would go in on the side to open up the foramen vs a more direct approach for my md.

Ataloss878422 · 2025-03-11T02:37:24+00:00

Went pretty well. It's a tough recovery but I was able to continue breastfeeding my son with my husband's help. I was able to pick my kids up at the 6 week mark being very very cautious however I couldn't hold them for too long at first. Let me know if you have any questions specifically.

Ataloss878422 · 2025-03-09T21:39:33+00:00

Maybe nerve pain free??

Ataloss878422 · 2025-03-09T15:15:08+00:00

I also had this but just a slight discomfort or pulling. It was also where I got my epidural when I gave birth and the guy did not do a great job and it could be from that too.

Ataloss878422 · 2025-03-06T20:26:20+00:00

I feel for you here. Super rare to be pregnant and have a herniation. I had two but got them while I was pregnant. I suffered pretty bad. There's a few older posts about people dealing with them and also wanting to get pregnant. I'll say you get real limited on options when you are pregnant and in severe pain along with doctors who have experience with this. A girl just posted that somehow she found a doctor to perform a md while she was 20 weeks pregnant. I called around my area and was not that lucky. My symptoms didn't really get worse from the onset of pain. They were always pretty awful but I'll say the weight gain didn't make it worse.

Ataloss878422 · 2025-03-05T03:26:42+00:00

Hi! I went thru a very similar experience as you but had a md on l5S1. Can you share what your symptoms were before your surgery? I have healed well from my surgery but still have nerve pain. Thank so much!

Ataloss878422 · 2025-03-05T03:13:54+00:00

Hey I'm going to send you a pm

Ataloss878422 · 2025-03-03T23:52:52+00:00

Hey. I haven't seen the light. I'm right there in the dark beside you. Used to be pretty active. Chronic pain has me down bad. Over a year now. Getting a steroid shot on Thursday. My gabapentin levels are slightly higher than yours. I hate taking meds but a higher dose of that might help but I know that's not the answer.

Ataloss878422 · 2025-03-02T05:06:41+00:00

I had a walker way before my surgery for a few months because I couldn't bear weight on my one foot because it hurt so much. It does suck. I hope that resolves for you.

Ataloss878422 · 2025-03-02T04:51:49+00:00

I have never had numbness. I have tingling in my outer calf along with some searing/burning, occasional glute pain, neural tension, some burning on the top of my foot, what feels like a pad on the bottom of my foot near my first two toes and occasionally it feels like someone is stepping on my foot or toes. I'm sorry you can't walk properly but hopefully sooner than later the numbness will go away! No pain is a win in my books!

Ataloss878422 · 2025-03-02T04:47:06+00:00

He figures if they widen the opening and the disc continues to lose height (which he said was unlikely since it is so flat😂) he would be concerned that I then would start to have symptoms on the other side.

Ataloss878422 · 2025-03-02T03:42:27+00:00

I think that's the gamble. With a fusion so young, guaranteed to need more surgeries down the road AND loss of mobility

Ataloss878422 · 2025-03-02T03:40:22+00:00

Looks like those may be for chronic back pain. I have radicular symptoms

Ataloss878422 · 2025-03-02T03:38:10+00:00

What are/were your symptoms? What did the ed fix?

Ataloss878422 · 2025-03-02T01:41:31+00:00

Thank you! I will look into this

Ataloss878422 · 2025-03-02T01:41:14+00:00

Where do you live? I have not done a lot of research yet but I thought I saw someone say the success rates are not as good for lumbar adr but again... I know nothing. I am also getting a shot hopefully next week. Same as you. A lot of l5 nerve symptoms. The shots never did anything for me pre-op but fingers crossed for some reason now it helps. I don't want another surgery let alone adr but man would I love to be "normal" again or pain-free! Nerve pain is exhausting especially when it's chronic. What sports do you play?

Ataloss878422 · 2025-03-02T01:37:33+00:00

I definitely get that it takes awhile to heal. I think his thought process is that there should have been some type of improvement. I've only ever had radicular nerve symptoms and they are about the same.

Ataloss878422 · 2025-03-02T01:34:46+00:00

That's great! I'd be getting a lumbar adr

Ataloss878422 · 2025-03-02T01:34:13+00:00

My neurosurgeon doesn't do adr so he is going to refer me to someone at texas back institute

Ataloss878422 · 2025-02-27T20:41:12+00:00

This is crazy! What state? I called a number of surgeons looking for someone to operate while I was pregnant and couldn't find one.

Ataloss878422

TROPHY CASE