Guest guest Posted June 8, 2008 Report Share Posted June 8, 2008 Being new to this group and reading over some of the archives I am hoping that I can get some insight into the issues I am having or possibly find someone who has been through a similar situation. Without getting into a long winded story about my injury I will keep it as short as possible. In February 2006 I had a traumatic fall while at work which injured my spine (specifically L4/L5). I was sent for lumbar injections to see if the pain in my legs and numbness in my right foot would subside. For nearly 6 months workers comp denied the requests for injections and they ultimately sent me in for a second opinion evaluation by one of their " hand picked " doctors. Ultimately OWCP (Workers Compensation Federal Gov't) overturned my doctor's restrictions of no lifting, bending, etc. Two weeks after I was put back to full duty I was carrying 40 pounds of gear down a steep spiral stairwell when my right leg went paralyzed. I ended up falling 27 feet. After a trip to the trauma center I was referred back to the same doctor that was seeing me for my previous injury. Symptoms: shooting pain down both legs (more on the right side), numbness/tingling in both feet (more on right foot), severe lower back pain. MRI's revealed a bulging L4/L5 and some other issues that I do not recall. This time I was approved for lumbar injections which did not work for more that a day for each of the 4 sessions. A discogram was performed which ruptured the disk at 10 PSI. I was told that ADR was my only option and it needed to be performed STAT. Second opinion agreed with the doctors findings. Last month I had ADR on L4/L5 (Prodisk). For 5 days after the surgery I had no shooting pain in my legs but still had numbness in my feet. I was starting to think the surgery was a success until I got up one morning. I stood up from the bed and put my hands up in the air to stretch. I immediately felt a huge pinch in my lower back and the pain brought me to my knees. Since then I have constant pain down both legs (more on the left side now), numbness in both feet, my legs feel so heavy and tired all the time, my ankles swell several times a day, and this may sound funny but my testicles are aching all the time. My surgeon is out of town until Friday when I have an appointment scheduled but I am going in to see my pain management doctor tomorrow afternoon. Has anyone experienced anything similar to the symptoms that I am experiencing post surgery? Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Thanks, Greg Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted June 8, 2008 Report Share Posted June 8, 2008 I, of course, have no testicles but if you look up what nerves are affected when you have L4-L5 damage I think you will find your answers bengals@... wrote: Being new to this group and reading over some of the archives I am hoping that I can get some insight into the issues I am having or possibly find someone who has been through a similar situation. Without getting into a long winded story about my injury I will keep it as short as possible. In February 2006 I had a traumatic fall while at work which injured my spine (specifically L4/L5). I was sent for lumbar injections to see if the pain in my legs and numbness in my right foot would subside. For nearly 6 months workers comp denied the requests for injections and they ultimately sent me in for a second opinion evaluation by one of their " hand picked " doctors. Ultimately OWCP (Workers Compensation Federal Gov't) overturned my doctor's restrictions of no lifting, bending, etc. Two weeks after I was put back to full duty I was carrying 40 pounds of gear down a steep spiral stairwell when my right leg went paralyzed. I ended up falling 27 feet. After a trip to the trauma center I was referred back to the same doctor that was seeing me for my previous injury. Symptoms: shooting pain down both legs (more on the right side), numbness/tingling in both feet (more on right foot), severe lower back pain. MRI's revealed a bulging L4/L5 and some other issues that I do not recall. This time I was approved for lumbar injections which did not work for more that a day for each of the 4 sessions. A discogram was performed which ruptured the disk at 10 PSI. I was told that ADR was my only option and it needed to be performed STAT. Second opinion agreed with the doctors findings. Last month I had ADR on L4/L5 (Prodisk). For 5 days after the surgery I had no shooting pain in my legs but still had numbness in my feet. I was starting to think the surgery was a success until I got up one morning. I stood up from the bed and put my hands up in the air to stretch. I immediately felt a huge pinch in my lower back and the pain brought me to my knees. Since then I have constant pain down both legs (more on the left side now), numbness in both feet, my legs feel so heavy and tired all the time, my ankles swell several times a day, and this may sound funny but my testicles are aching all the time. My surgeon is out of town until Friday when I have an appointment scheduled but I am going in to see my pain management doctor tomorrow afternoon. Has anyone experienced anything similar to the symptoms that I am experiencing post surgery? Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Thanks, Greg Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted June 9, 2008 Report Share Posted June 9, 2008 I had something similar happen to me after my first surgery. I reherniated the disk. I got Cauda Equina from the reherniation which my surgeon and the work comp hand picked doctor both said was the worst either of them had ever seen. I did not feel my legs at all. I could not tell when I needed to potty or anything else! I had the second surgery and still have the horrible pain in my back. I still have the pain down my legs. It was a little better than before, but as I've aged, the pain has increased twofold! I would tell the doctor to PLEASE check you thoroughly! > > Being new to this group and reading over some of the archives I am hoping > that I can get some insight into the issues I am having or possibly find > someone who has been through a similar situation. Without getting into a > long winded story about my injury I will keep it as short as possible. In > February 2006 I had a traumatic fall while at work which injured my spine > (specifically L4/L5). I was sent for lumbar injections to see if the pain > in my legs and numbness in my right foot would subside. For nearly 6 months > workers comp denied the requests for injections and they ultimately sent me > in for a second opinion evaluation by one of their " hand picked " doctors. > Ultimately OWCP (Workers Compensation Federal Gov't) overturned my doctor's > restrictions of no lifting, bending, etc. Two weeks after I was put back to > full duty I was carrying 40 pounds of gear down a steep spiral stairwell > when my right leg went paralyzed. I ended up falling 27 feet. After a trip > to the trauma center I was referred back to the same doctor that was seeing > me for my previous injury. Symptoms: shooting pain down both legs (more on > the right side), numbness/tingling in both feet (more on right foot), severe > lower back pain. MRI's revealed a bulging L4/L5 and some other issues that > I do not recall. This time I was approved for lumbar injections which did > not work for more that a day for each of the 4 sessions. A discogram was > performed which ruptured the disk at 10 PSI. I was told that ADR was my > only option and it needed to be performed STAT. Second opinion agreed with > the doctors findings. Last month I had ADR on L4/L5 (Prodisk). For 5 days > after the surgery I had no shooting pain in my legs but still had numbness > in my feet. I was starting to think the surgery was a success until I got > up one morning. I stood up from the bed and put my hands up in the air to > stretch. I immediately felt a huge pinch in my lower back and the pain > brought me to my knees. Since then I have constant pain down both legs > (more on the left side now), numbness in both feet, my legs feel so heavy > and tired all the time, my ankles swell several times a day, and this may > sound funny but my testicles are aching all the time. My surgeon is out of > town until Friday when I have an appointment scheduled but I am going in to > see my pain management doctor tomorrow afternoon. Has anyone experienced > anything similar to the symptoms that I am experiencing post surgery? Any > advice would be greatly appreciated. > > > > Thanks, > > Greg > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted June 11, 2008 Report Share Posted June 11, 2008 greg, i don't know if this is similar but i had a synovial cyst removed at L4-L5, the last week in march and they did two laminectomies. i was recovering really well and then suddenly at the end of April, i went to get into a cab. i put one foot in and went to lift myself to totally get in and instead of going up and in, i collapsed. i had lost all strength in my legs. they had suddently become extremely weak. also the bottom of my feat feel like they are immensely swollen and i am walking on crushed pebbles. if i touch my feet, they feel normal to my hands and i feel the touching. Has this happened to anyone out there? my orthopedic surgeon says that the cause of this is not orthopedic or from the surgery. the neurosurgeon says he can not find anything wrong neurologically. and meanwhile i remain super weak and cannot climb stairs and getting off the toilet is ridiculous. i use to work out all the time. i am going to another neurologist tomorrow night and i am just going to keep on pushing until i find out what is wrong with me. has this happened to anyone else? i am very, very frightened. thanks, marsha oh yea, i had fusion at L3-L4 two years ago. **************Vote for your city's best dining and nightlife. City's Best 2008. (http://citysbest.aol.com?ncid=aolacg00050000000102) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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