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Did anyone lose feeling leg after laminectomy surgery?
Spine Health | Last Active: Aug 13 11:15am | Replies (20)Comment receiving replies
@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?
Replies to "@kburt911 What levels did you have laminectomy and what were your 2 other surgeries? Which nerves/levels..."
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I had L1, L2 and .L3 done along with opening the hole where the stenosis was and the shaved down my tailbone. I did do PT after surgery. I did great for about 4 months until I put weight on my right leg it would shoot a pain up through my thigh. As time went I had thigh pain constantly. Like a burning hot knife being jammed into my leg. The surgeon did another MRI and saw my L4 and L5 became compressed. So we did surgery again. It did not help but was told that it takes time for nerves to calm down. Started PT but it hurt so bad that the therapist didn't want to keep doing it. My pain still continued and the surgeon went in again even though he said I shouldn't be having this severe pain. He then consulted with a pain specialist and determined I have degenerative arthritis which would explain the lower back pain. Both doctors determined that the pain has to be coming from a build up of scar tissue and as time goes by scar turns hard like bone and must pinched a nerve or two. The only way to correct it would be another surgery to repair.at the time I couldn't imagine doing another surgery so I opted for pain management to try and get relief. I had nerve blocks, ablation, epidurals and lastly a spinal stimulator implanted a few weeks ago. I haven't had any relief. I am 69 and not ready for a wheelchair which is what I have been in for the past several months. I live just outside the city of Chicago and have an appointment at Northwestern Hospital to see if anything can be done. Next month I am going to have an updated MRI and then see a neurosurgeon. I am tired of living on pain pills and nerve pills.