Nerve Pain from HELL

I had a spinal surgery to remove a fibroma on one of my vertebrae that was causing me back pain and sciatica like pain going down my leg. The surgeon had to cut a nerve to remove it from my spine. My back felt great after the surgery, but it left my left leg from the knee to my ankle completely numb, and my left foot in intense pain, even to the touch. It's been almost a year, and no changes. I can't feel my leg, can't touch my foot, can't walk on it. My leg is like Jello and my foot has pulsating jolts tha takes the pain up several notches. On a scale from 1 to 10, 10 being the worse pain ever, it's a 30. I've been to 6 Dr's and nothing helps, pain meds, muscle relazers, Pregabalin, NOTHING. I can put Tens unit pads on my leg and crank it to 10 and I don't feel it. If I put it on my foot and set it to 3, the pain is through the roof. Nothing helps, and the pain is NEVER ending. I can't even do anything. Anybody have any thoughts or suggestions? Any feedback or comments are very welcomed. Thank you.

@insanepain - welcome to Mayo Clinic Connect. I'm sorry to hear you've ended up in such pain and also numbness.

You mentioned you are seeing 5 doctors currently who didn't know what to do. What input have they offered on your current condition? Do they feel this is fixable? Have they referred you to another surgeon or medical center?

Test, test, and more tests. Pain Management ordered my current MRI (that's done), and an upcoming EMG (my 3rd), to see what's what with my leg and foot. Also going to see Vascular Surgeon to see if they can do anything to possibly treat my condition. Physical Therapy said they cannot do a thing for me in my condition, and the evaluation was interesting, since they could barely even touch my foot without causing me excruciating pain. Their report was more detailed than most of the actual doctors. They woundered why I was even sent there. The Neurologist wasn't much help, only perscribed meds that do nothing, and suggested topical creams that are a waste of money. I've been down this road before when I was trying to get both of my back surgeries. Most of the specialist Dr's (surgeons) didn't want to touch me, said it was 'inoperable', and I'd have to live with. That's for both of my back surgeries. Only one doctor was willing to operate on me. Having neuralfibromatosis is a curse. I know that nerves can take years to heal, but this is an insane pain to deal with for years. I am hoping for something or someone to expedite this. Sorry, not trying to be long winded. it's just hard to try and explain everything in one sentance. lol

@insanepain I take Lyrica and Panacod to my nervepains. P. is not the nervemedicine, but it helps you to sleep and relax.

@insanepain Hello, I'm sorry to hear about your pain. I have been searching for 3 years now after low back pain turned into chronic back/flank/oblique pain from cramped/spasmed muscles on my right side. I am in pai from when I get up until I go to bed, and no one (I've literally seen more than 30 medical professionals in 3 years) has any idea why.

The reason I'm writing is because I ended up have spinal fusion surgery (L5-S1) last November, so about 7 months post-op right now. My surgeon found I had a collapsed disc on the right side and performed the surgery. About 10 days after the surgery, nerve pain started in both legs, and it was all night long. I did not sleep for four straight nights. The 5th morning I went to the ER to see what was happening. They did ultrasounds on both legs, everything was good there, no blockages.

Then the ER doctor prescribed Lyrica, and my surgeon's PA upped the dose from 25mg to 75mg, three times a day (morning, noon, and night). By the second day, the pain was gone, it worked that quickly. I took the Lyrica for about 2 months (December and January), and I slowly came off of it by going one week on twice a day, then the next week on once a day, and then I stopped (last week of January). The pain has not come back. If you have not heard of this, I would ask your primary about it to see what they feel is the best course of action.

@marcd2k I do take Lyrica 75mg 3X's daily, for several months now and no help. I also take Methocarbamol 750mg twice daily, and Baclofen 20mg twice daily (not at the same time), all have little to no effect.

@insanepain Okay, sorry to hear that, it was the only thing that worked for me. Other prescriptions and OTC meds did nothing.

@marcd2k It's ok, thanks for the help/sugestions. The problem with my Neuropathy (if that's what it truly is), is that it's the result of the surgeon severing the nerve. While my leg remains numb and Jell-O like, the pain I am experiencing is solely in my foot and the pulsating jolts (not spasms, which is why I think the muscle relaxers are not working), I am experiencing I believe are the nerve(s) regrowing, a possible form of plasticity. I'm no doctor of course.

I had used myocalm (natural ingredients given to me by chiropractor)for many years. I am now using Nerve Support from Research Verified for about a year. This has taken care of the foot pain and tingling. Hopefully this might help.

@insanepain That does make sense it would be nerve related for the symptoms you have. This is something I believe is going on with my medical issue.

On my right side, the "love handle" area is the best way to describe where this is, has been numb for three years. This starts in the obliques, goes around my right hip, and ends in my right flank. A good 8 inches around, and 2 to 3 inches from top to bottom of the numb area. I also get jolts in my side on top of the cramping I have all day.

I did EMG and Nerve Conductivity tests last year, and they confirmed there is Denervation from the T12-L1 area that goes around my right side. They call this Radiculopathy, with the pain and symptoms circling around my right side.

Unfortunately, I have had three epidurals in the past 2 1/2 years, with the first two doing absolutely nothing (not better, but not worse), and the third one back in February this year, making it worse. There was a lot of pain during the epidural, which I did not experience with the first two, and 48-hours after, I was in more pain than before the epidural. This has continued until today, with more pain and cramping than I have had before.

I don't understand how the literal top physicians in my city, at every major hospital we have, (I've been to them all), have no idea what this could be. I cannot be the only person in the world this has, or is, happening to.