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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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domiha | @domiha | May 20 3:26am
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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@heisenberg34 What "additional surgery" has been proposed? A re-do of the fusion? More fusion? After my laminectomy, when I began noticing the numbness in my feet, the spine surgeon said, "If I had gone ahead and done the fusion of L4/L5/S1 at the time of the laminectomy, that would probably have prevented the issues with your feet. That was over a year ago and he hasn't mentioned surgery since. They I read that you HAD a fusion and it still did NOT resolve your issues. So it does give me pause. If I felt the fusion had a "good chance" of improving my radiculopathy, I'd jump on the OR table right away. But, of course, there are no certainties or guarantees with surgery. The way he explained it makes perfect sense. "If we fuse, we remove the disc tissue between the vertebrae and place a spacer, which will increase the space back to its original height between the vertebrae. Since I have NO disc left at L5/S1, this would add half an inch just in that one space. Returning the height between vertebrae would open the foramen on each side and allow more space for the nerves to exit the spine without being compromised." So.... mechanically.... it sounds like the perfect solution. But no guarantee. 🙁 Obviously, the skiing may have aggravated or worsened something. Seems it would at least be time to ask for another MRI to take a closer look!!

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2 replies
heisenberg34 | @heisenberg34 | May 20 6:30am
In reply to @domiha "@heisenberg34 What "additional surgery" has been proposed? A re-do of the fusion? More fusion? After my..." + (show)
@domiha

@heisenberg34 What "additional surgery" has been proposed? A re-do of the fusion? More fusion? After my laminectomy, when I began noticing the numbness in my feet, the spine surgeon said, "If I had gone ahead and done the fusion of L4/L5/S1 at the time of the laminectomy, that would probably have prevented the issues with your feet. That was over a year ago and he hasn't mentioned surgery since. They I read that you HAD a fusion and it still did NOT resolve your issues. So it does give me pause. If I felt the fusion had a "good chance" of improving my radiculopathy, I'd jump on the OR table right away. But, of course, there are no certainties or guarantees with surgery. The way he explained it makes perfect sense. "If we fuse, we remove the disc tissue between the vertebrae and place a spacer, which will increase the space back to its original height between the vertebrae. Since I have NO disc left at L5/S1, this would add half an inch just in that one space. Returning the height between vertebrae would open the foramen on each side and allow more space for the nerves to exit the spine without being compromised." So.... mechanically.... it sounds like the perfect solution. But no guarantee. 🙁 Obviously, the skiing may have aggravated or worsened something. Seems it would at least be time to ask for another MRI to take a closer look!!

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Indeed. My fusion may have helped stabilize the vertebrae at L5-S1, but it did nothing to help with the pain. I am getting ready to go to the surgery center and get my old spinal cord stimulator removed. Once healed, will get another MRI to hopefully see what's going on with the back.

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1 reply
domiha | @domiha | May 20 11:04am
In reply to @heisenberg34 "Indeed. My fusion may have helped stabilize the vertebrae at L5-S1, but it did nothing to..." + (show)
@heisenberg34

Indeed. My fusion may have helped stabilize the vertebrae at L5-S1, but it did nothing to help with the pain. I am getting ready to go to the surgery center and get my old spinal cord stimulator removed. Once healed, will get another MRI to hopefully see what's going on with the back.

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Did you find that the spinal cord stimulator helped at all with the pain? How long have you had it? Do they have to be replaced every so many years? Thanks!

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1 reply
josiegirl2 | @josiegirl2 | May 20 2:32pm

Leave it alone and you have it and stop searching. Doctors will take you on roads with no results. We have one trip on roller coaster of life and no time to figure out what is wrong. Enjoy what your life gives you.......................

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cb3 | @cb3 | May 20 8:46pm
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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heisenberg34 Does your healthcare provider believe you should have another MRI to bring your results more current? Hope you feel better soon. Best, CB

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1 reply
heisenberg34 | @heisenberg34 | May 21 9:35am
In reply to @cb3 "heisenberg34 Does your healthcare provider believe you should have another MRI to bring your results more..." + (show)
@cb3

heisenberg34 Does your healthcare provider believe you should have another MRI to bring your results more current? Hope you feel better soon. Best, CB

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Thank you. My experience in our new city is that, for the most part, I have to suggest to my doctors what I think should be done in the way of testing. Not my experience in our previous town. Somewhat disappointing. Will request the MRI in about 5-6 weeks after my back surery yesterday heals up. As many have noted, "as patients, we have to become our own best advocate".

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1 reply
heisenberg34 | @heisenberg34 | May 21 9:39am
In reply to @domiha "Did you find that the spinal cord stimulator helped at all with the pain? How long..." + (show)
@domiha

Did you find that the spinal cord stimulator helped at all with the pain? How long have you had it? Do they have to be replaced every so many years? Thanks!

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Mine provided decent pain relief for about three and a half years. Then it just seemed to stop. The literature says that it should last about seven years. Usually just the battery, implanted in your buttock, needs to be replaced.

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1 reply
domiha | @domiha | May 21 11:13am
In reply to @heisenberg34 "Thank you. My experience in our new city is that, for the most part, I have..." + (show)
@heisenberg34

Thank you. My experience in our new city is that, for the most part, I have to suggest to my doctors what I think should be done in the way of testing. Not my experience in our previous town. Somewhat disappointing. Will request the MRI in about 5-6 weeks after my back surery yesterday heals up. As many have noted, "as patients, we have to become our own best advocate".

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Amen! I learned long ago that I had to advocate for myself. Some doctors are doing things the way they ALWAYS did and are NOT interested in learning new techniques. We have to seek out and find the best ones and share our own research with them!! Sometimes that may mean traveling to a nearby but larger city where younger doctors may be more up to speed on new things!! I wish you well! Mike

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domiha | @domiha | May 21 11:15am
In reply to @heisenberg34 "Mine provided decent pain relief for about three and a half years. Then it just seemed..." + (show)
@heisenberg34

Mine provided decent pain relief for about three and a half years. Then it just seemed to stop. The literature says that it should last about seven years. Usually just the battery, implanted in your buttock, needs to be replaced.

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My pain management doctor who has done some spinal injections for me... which helped for awhile.... suggested I consider the spinal cord stimulator. But my main issue at this point is the numbness/tingling/sometimes burning in my feet.... and weakness in my calves. There is not a lot of realy PAIN.... so I don't think the SCS would really help me. Sorry your petered out before it was time.

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