@dakota24
I had full decompression and fusion of L3-L5 in August of 2024 due to degenerative disc disease, spinal stenosis and neurogenic claudication pain/weakness/numbness from lower back/hips and buttocks down to legs and feet bilaterally. Lamina and foramina bone was cut away and vertebrae fused with hardware. It was an extremely painful procedure.

The day after surgery I had numbness in my right foot/toes that seemed tied to the surgery. I’m not sure if the symptoms were due to nerve injury or being irritated from movement and being freed from compression for over 12 years.

My symptoms improved over time and read that nerves can take a long time to heal. I had some new nerve pain show up in my hips/hip flexors 3 months after surgery which was excruciating but this has gotten better in month 5 and 6 post op. I am now in month 7.

Have you had any updated imaging post op? You may want to get an updated lumbar MRI by your orthopedic spine specialist/neurosurgeon and EMG/nerve conduction study from a neurologist. Spinal injections can help relieve any inflammation if your surgeon okays your seeing a pain management specialist. Please don’t suffer in silence and talk to your surgeon asap.