1. < Neuropathy

Radiculopathy vs Peripheral Neuropathy - weakness in calves

Posted by domiha @domiha, May 15 8:17am

Has anyone noticed a weakness in calves/lower legs when walking? I have numbness in the bottoms of my feet, and sometimes tingling and burning. It has affected my balance a bit, but I find that wearing "nearly barefoot" shoes helps a lot, as I can feel the ground or floor better. But I still seem to have this weakness in my calves. I had lumbar laminectomy in Nov. 2022. For a year before that I could hardly walk because of pain in legs and hips. After the surgery, the terrible hip/leg pain was gone, but I then noticed numbness/tingling in my feet. After waiting 8 months to get in to see a neurologist, he reviewed my EMG and skin biopsy results and he said that rather than peripheral neuropathy he thinks I have radiculopathy, which is coming from remaining compression on some nerves in my lower back that reach down to my feet. Either way, I deal with similar issues. The neuro could not guarantee that a lumbar fusion would help with the radiculopathy. Anyone had lumbar fusion and improved?? Best wishes! Mike

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gregd1956 | @gregd1956 | May 19 1:02pm
In reply to @cb3 "Wow, centre, I so agree with everything you are saying. My past chiropractor told me, "Muscles..." + (show)
@cb3

Wow, centre, I so agree with everything you are saying. My past chiropractor told me, "Muscles have a memory." His comment kind of tickled me at first. Then my common sense kicked in and after a few bouts with self talk, I told myself, "If you don't use it, you will lose it." That's been a big ouch in my life because I don't like to exercise alone. I prefer groups with feedback and happy faces. But now that I'm in PT, I feel hope once again, and I will walk that mile once my muscles figure out their purpose in my life. CB

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I’ve been to a chiropractor for many years ago until my pain hit me when I fell down on my rear-ends. That moved the pain thru the back of my legs and lost some feeling of the right foot. The pain is gone when another doctor fixed within the bottom of my back until the last 4 weeks.

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1 reply
larry68 | @larry68 | May 19 2:51pm
In reply to @gregd1956 "I’ve been to a chiropractor for many years ago until my pain hit me when I..." + (show)
@gregd1956

I’ve been to a chiropractor for many years ago until my pain hit me when I fell down on my rear-ends. That moved the pain thru the back of my legs and lost some feeling of the right foot. The pain is gone when another doctor fixed within the bottom of my back until the last 4 weeks.

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Check the drugs yourself that you are taking.I could not walk,spent days in different hospitals,seen 3 different neurologist,did all their testing and one day i was reading up on all my scripts and seen side effects of amidarone was exactly what i was going through.Quit them and 3 days later i could walk,talk and control my arms.....js

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domiha | @domiha | May 19 2:53pm
In reply to @heisenberg34 "I used to cycle 30 to 40 miles a week. I tried doing exercises, but it..." + (show)
@heisenberg34

I used to cycle 30 to 40 miles a week. I tried doing exercises, but it only ramped up my pain. I don't know if it's safe to continue exercising if it only gives you more pain. If I work through the pain, will it begin to diminish, or, will I do more damage to my body. It's a conundrum.

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@heisenberg34 I agree... it IS a conundrum. In my case, I woke one morning with pain in my hips/legs and could hardly walk. MRI showed lumbar stenosis and I was referred to a spine surgeon. Tried meds and PT for awhile, but that wasn't helping, so I had a laminectomy (L2 -S1) in 2022. Got rid of the pain in hips and legs, but that was when I noticed the numbness, tingling, burning in feet and weakness in calves. I try to keep moving everyday. I'm afraid that if I stop walking for exercise I may lose what I have now. Best wishes! Mike

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2 replies
heisenberg34 | @heisenberg34 | May 19 6:55pm
In reply to @cb3 "Ask. You can request a copy of your MRI results." + (show)
@cb3

Ask. You can request a copy of your MRI results.

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Unfortunately, my MRI is over three years old. A lot has happened since then.
The return of my pain coincided with a short session of skiing. A coincidence? I think not.

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2 replies
heisenberg34 | @heisenberg34 | May 19 7:05pm
In reply to @domiha "@heisenberg34 I agree... it IS a conundrum. In my case, I woke one morning with pain..." + (show)
@domiha

@heisenberg34 I agree... it IS a conundrum. In my case, I woke one morning with pain in my hips/legs and could hardly walk. MRI showed lumbar stenosis and I was referred to a spine surgeon. Tried meds and PT for awhile, but that wasn't helping, so I had a laminectomy (L2 -S1) in 2022. Got rid of the pain in hips and legs, but that was when I noticed the numbness, tingling, burning in feet and weakness in calves. I try to keep moving everyday. I'm afraid that if I stop walking for exercise I may lose what I have now. Best wishes! Mike

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Same to you. I had spinal fusion in L5-S2 to correct supposed spondilithesis. Was going to fix my back pain. Surprise! It did not. The prospect of additional surgery gives me the willies. At this point I don’t know if I have any other options.

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2 replies
josiegirl2 | @josiegirl2 | May 19 7:21pm
In reply to @domiha "Hi, @newyorknill , I am 73, and I've tried the Gabapentin AND Lyrica. Neither one did..." + (show)
@domiha

Hi, @newyorknill , I am 73, and I've tried the Gabapentin AND Lyrica. Neither one did much for my feet. The ONE positive the neurologist said he could say was that peripheral neuropathy tends to worsen over time more quickly than radiculopathy. Obviously, each case is different and people react in different ways over time. The orthopedic spine surgeon who did my laminectomy said it might help if he fused L4, L5, S1. But no guarantee, of course. The neurologist I finally saw said he could not say that surgery would make a huge difference, but he's not a neurosurgeon. Have you tried compression socks? I wear those some during the daytime and they do seem to help. Best wishes! Mike

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I did the sock thing and doctor says shots and drugs. I don't believe in drugs after so many. I am my own doctor. I have not found a person who did back surgery where it helped. L4, L5 S1 is my problem but along with arthritis, scoliosis, bulging, herniated, and whatever. Sorry others go thru this but glad I know I'm not alone. Stay Well!

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josiegirl2 | @josiegirl2 | May 19 7:22pm
In reply to @heisenberg34 "Same to you. I had spinal fusion in L5-S2 to correct supposed spondilithesis. Was going to..." + (show)
@heisenberg34

Same to you. I had spinal fusion in L5-S2 to correct supposed spondilithesis. Was going to fix my back pain. Surprise! It did not. The prospect of additional surgery gives me the willies. At this point I don’t know if I have any other options.

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Learn to deal with it. No cures and be your own doctor. Luck

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josiegirl2 | @josiegirl2 | May 19 7:23pm
In reply to @heisenberg34 "Unfortunately, my MRI is over three years old. A lot has happened since then. The return..." + (show)
@heisenberg34

Unfortunately, my MRI is over three years old. A lot has happened since then.
The return of my pain coincided with a short session of skiing. A coincidence? I think not.

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Be happy you ski..........

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josiegirl2 | @josiegirl2 | May 19 7:30pm
In reply to @domiha "@heisenberg34 I agree... it IS a conundrum. In my case, I woke one morning with pain..." + (show)
@domiha

@heisenberg34 I agree... it IS a conundrum. In my case, I woke one morning with pain in my hips/legs and could hardly walk. MRI showed lumbar stenosis and I was referred to a spine surgeon. Tried meds and PT for awhile, but that wasn't helping, so I had a laminectomy (L2 -S1) in 2022. Got rid of the pain in hips and legs, but that was when I noticed the numbness, tingling, burning in feet and weakness in calves. I try to keep moving everyday. I'm afraid that if I stop walking for exercise I may lose what I have now. Best wishes! Mike

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Never had back surgery since no one gave confidence. My favorite is when my legs and feet make me scream. Good it helped with your hip/leg. I think nerves find another place in body to annoy. Feet. calves, hands. Tired of trying to fix it. It be what it is.................

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Mentor
Jennifer, Volunteer Mentor | @jenniferhunter | May 19 10:14pm
In reply to @marilynstubbs "Check out arachnoiditis. Little heard of chronic disease that is most often caused by surgeries on..." + (show)
@marilynstubbs

Check out arachnoiditis. Little heard of chronic disease that is most often caused by surgeries on the spine and epidurals.

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@marilynstubbs Hello Marilyn, I just wanted to welcome you to Connect. I am a cervical spine surgery patient. Do you have experience as a spine patient that you wish to share?

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