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Did anyone lose feeling leg after laminectomy surgery?

Spine Health | Last Active: Aug 13 11:15am | Replies (20)

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@kburt911

I am interested in knowing if your leg pain went away with time without any intervention.I had a laminectomy and 2 additional surgeries over a year and a half ago and still have excruciating pain in my right thigh from pinched nerves in scar tissue. I have had an ablation with no results and just had a spinal stimulator implanted. It's been six weeks and no change yet.

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Replies to "I am interested in knowing if your leg pain went away with time without any intervention.I..."

@kburt911
What levels did you have laminectomy and what were your 2 other surgeries? Which nerves/levels are compressed with scar tissue? Did you do PT after your surgeries once you were able? Are you more prone for keloid scar tissue with cuts/incisions and did the surgeon mention what can be done with extra scar tissue causing the compression?

I am 6 days post op on my lumbar spine. I had decompression and fusion of L3-L5 levels. I tend to get keloid scar tissue with cuts/incisions so I will want to ask my surgeon what happens if there is a build up of scar tissue. My understanding is I may have PT after I heal and when I’m able to start exercising.

Prior to surgery, I had pain, numbness and weakness in lower back, hips, buttocks, legs and feet. I was told I had severe stenosis, disc bulges, and neurogenic claudication. I am now taking lots of pain medications and anti-inflammatory meds. The day of surgery and a few days afterwards, I was in significant pain and my right top of foot/big toe and 2 adjacent toes were numb. This has improved in 6 days. Pain is my main symptom now. Once my pain and inflammation subsides, I will be curious what symptoms have improved, what has stayed the same and if I have any new or worsening symptoms. Btw…I am a 55 year old female with a congenitally narrow spinal canal to begin with.

My understanding is surgery to decompress can reawaken and regenerate nerves which can cause some new symptoms for a period of time. New blood flow and brain/central nervous system reconnecting with the compressed nerves may be uncomfortable for a period until everything stabilizes to the new normal. It also takes a while for fusions to fully solidify. It is really important to not twist/bend/lift anything over 10 lbs to allow healing and fusion to occur. I was told my recovery will be 3 months but it can take a full 6 months to 12 months to heal. I am using a grabber, walker, cane, wiping tool when using the toilet so I don’t twist, a bed assist bar to log roll in bed so I don’t twist, etc.

Did you have an EMG and myelogram to help narrow down which nerves are being compressed and causing pain in your thigh? Can the scar tissue be removed to help alleviate pressure on your nerves causing you pain?