Harrington Rod and lower back pain

Hi all,

I am also modified at my spine. 26 years old and 11 years post operative. My rods had never given me any issues, that is until I was pregnant with my only son. Shortly after I gave birth to him in January 16 I lost my exes baby weight and with it my lower back pain dissolved. Since then I have gone into business for myself (Again) this time as a landscaper. My body is in the best shape it's ever been, except my crippling lower back pain that I remember from pregnancy is back. The last week I haven't been able to move out of bed without excruciating pain. Throughout the day I don't feel it but something about sleeping causes it to get stiff and I wake up feeling paralyzed (in my lower back). After reading this I feel that it is time to go to the doctor and maybe get x-rays to make sure that I'm not having major complications due to the rods. Any suggestions before I expose myself to further radiation and get X-rays.

Hi Sutherlin. I just read your original post. I, too had a harrington rod placed in my spine in 1969.(lowT - L3). I led a very active lifestyle afterwards...golf, tennis, snow and waterskiing. And the birth of two children. In Dec.1991 I started having sharp pain in my lower back that extended down my leg. Because this was workers comp. It took forever to get to see doctors and specialists. I had a few injections that didn't work. The pain increased to weakness, as well. After 6 months, I finally saw an Orthopedist who specialized in rods. He thought that might be the problem. He did exploratory surgery and found out that the bottom bracket of the rod had come loose. Unfortunately, it had been rubbing on my nerve for six months and left permanent weakness in my right leg.
Unfortunately, this doctor also did a laminectomy at the L-4 level which eventually led to spondilolithesis. In 2006 and 2007 (first one failed), I had major anterior and posterior fusions L-4, L-5, S-1. After this surgery, I developed CRPS. I have constant pain and weakness in my right leg and I've been walking with a cane since. I tripped on a rug in 2011 and caused a double fracture of my pelvis. Then in 2014, I fell and broke my right humerus. Finally, last year, I developed an atypical femoral fracture in my left leg (my good leg) caused by Prolia which I had been taking for osteoporosis. I had a rod placed in the femur and secured with three screws this past January. That seems to have healed. But my CRPS pain is worse. And numbness appears to be starting in my left leg. I take a mixture of meds including cymbalta, lyrica and oxycontin. I cut my oxycontin from 90mg. daily to 15 daily. (It took about a year to do this) I just recently started taking MM drops under my tongue and cream for my foot. It seems to take the edge off. It would be great if this combination really helps.
Probably any more than you or anyone else wants to read. I find this to be a great sight and I am open to any other suggestions to help with the pain and weakness.
Kathy

Several months ago I. Had. Pain. In. My right leg and. Couldn't walk. Anywhere. All. These. Years after my operation with Harrington rod in (77?). I. Didn't go c a doctor about it . four months ago I fell and now beside the pain in my leg when I walk I feel. My. Back feel very. Heavy and stiff also l am slightly bended forward. When I do things like sweeping. Pouring soda from a two. Outer bottle. In a cup or anything while standing. Back gets stuff and heavy leg cramps and sharp pain shooting down my leg . xray says moteratly severe rotatory levoconvex scoliosis of the lumbar spine 6mm anterior listhesis of L4onL5 Harrington rod with laminar hooks seen at L5 level and T9-10 level.Harrington rod is broken in midportion at the junction between proxumal2/5 and lower 3/5 heterotopuc bone seen around the Harrington rid with fixtation of the posterior elements from about T12-L4. Broken rod with anklylisus slight spindly plus thesis at L4-5. Help don't know what it means.

Hello, @chantalmatsushigeregis. So sorry to hear about your pain, cramping and stiffness. Did your doctor by chance give you some interpretation of what the results of the X-ray showed?

Moderately severe rotatory levoconvex scoliosis lumbar spine 6 mm anterior listhesis ofL4-5 Harrington rod w/ luminaries hooks seen at l4-5 level & T9-10level rod is broken mid portion at the junction between the proximal 2/5 and lower3/5 heterotopic bone seen around rod w/ fixtstion of the posterior elements from T12-L4 broken rod w/ ankylosis slight spindylolisthesis at L4-5

Hi, @chantalmatsushigeregis. Hmm ... since that is not in lay language, let's see if some of our other Connect members who've discussed spinal issues may have some insight for you to shed some more light on the doctor's explanation. Please meet @johnbishop, @muffincat, @lilgrizz, @parus, @magspierce and @gailfaith. Hopefully you can all meet up here on this thread.

Have you found anything that helps at all with the pain, stiffness or leg cramps?

Here is a site that might explain most of that 'gobblygook' which basically is one twisted spine and slipping over in different places
https://www.spine-health.com/glossary/anterolisthesis

Hi, this is @gailb and I have been on the chronic pain Connect site as well as the Bone and Joint site before. I too have scoliosis that was diagnosed when I was about 5 years old. For several years as a child I had to wear leg braces to past my knees to straighten my feet and I suppose my back. Now that I'm approaching 69, my scoliosis has gottn worse and is noticeable. I had a laminectomy in December, 2016 due to my L5-S1 impinging on my spinal cord. The relief of my excruciating pain was immediate. I still had not quite excruciating pain on my right side, but that would require rods and pins so I have been doing everything I can to avoid that surgery on my L4 -L5. I stopped taking Gabapentin in March and amazingly my pain was somewhat less. I didn't like that med due to memory loss and feeling goofy all the time. I'll write more later, but I am very interested in this site for scoliosis. I called the Mayo Regenerative group to find out more about stem cell therapy since I'm considering it. They were supposed to call me back but still haven't called several days later. I see the stem cell providef for an evaluation tomorrow. I'll let you know what I find out.

The stem cell research sounds very interesting and Im sure better than rods that can twist and break.
I am a year older than you and have found the bones certainly no longer forgive a day of hardwork or a crunch on the ground. Best wishes for your next consult

If. Anything. Its. Better. To. Avoid. Surgery. If. Possible.