Nerve Pain In Foot after Laminectomy

@smn1

Here is what my last lumbar MRI showed in 2024.

FINDINGS:
Vertebral body height, signal intensity and alignment:
* Type II Modic endplate changes around the degenerated L2/L3
intervertebral disc.
The conus has a normal configuration and terminates at level of L1
pedicles.
At the following level(s), SPONDYLOSIS, e.g., degenerative disk disease,
infolding of ligamenti flavi, uncovertebral hypertrophy, facet arthrosis
or some combination, causes:
L2/3: Mild central and mild bilateral foraminal stenosis
L3/4: Mild central, moderate RIGHT foraminal and mild LEFT foraminal
stenosis.
L4/5: Severe central and moderate bilateral foraminal stenosis.
L5/S1: Mild LEFT foraminal stenosis.
Paraspinal soft tissues and visualized bony pelvis: The visualized
structures are unremarkable.
IMPRESSION:
Multilevel lumbosacral spondylosis, as described in the body of this
report. In particular at the L4/L5 level there is severe central and
moderate bilateral foraminal stenosis, but that has not changed relative
to most recent comparator (see above).

At the time, I had pain/numbness/weakness in my lower back, hips, buttocks, legs and feet bilaterally. Most improved after surgery but I have some residual numbness in my right foot big toe. I do have some nerve pain in my hips/hip flexors at times but I also have bilateral gluteal tendinopathy and bilateral hamstring tears so not sure if that is contributing to my sensations (don’t believe it has fully healed yet).

My compression in my lumbar spine started in 2011 and I have a congenitally narrow spinal canal so long term compression and nerve injury will take a while to heal. I was also told that you don’t really have a clear picture of surgery outcome for a full year.

For my cervical spine surgery in 2022, my c5-c6 was decompressed and fused and it relieved my daily headaches, neck/shoulder/shoulder blade pain and knots, some arm/hand pain/weakness and pain/numbness, improved bladder control, walking didn’t feel like I was wearing heavy cement boots anymore, etc. I have a new herniated disc at c6-c7 and some symptoms have returned (mostly neck pain, arm pain/weakness/numbness, bladder control issues and balance issues.

For me, I really have no choice but to have surgery when there is compression because my narrow spinal canal I was born with causes many symptoms and issues with the slightest degenerative changes. Physical therapy and spinal injection will only help so much for a short period of time.

Had a Laminectomy too but only at L3. My surgeon was also going to do L4 which he did not. He also said he was going to do a disectomy which he didn't do either!!! After the surgery, I was able to stay in the hospital for one day. When I went to stand up, I wasn't able to walk. I told the nurse and she said I was already checked out. My son brought me home and practically carried me into the house. I stayed home one day and used a walker dragging myself around the bedroom. He came over the next day, called an ambulance who took me to a hospital for 5 days, never getting out of bed. They told him to find an inpatient rehab facility which he did close to his house so he could check on me. He is my godsend since I live alone. I was fine in two weeks and returned home. The pain never went away and three months later I developed neuropathy in my waist, both legs and feet. I went to see him last week and he said to do yoga and walk more. Since I have all these problems, I can't do either of them. He was a real jerk. I am currently on Norco, Gabapentin and Tizanidine for 5 years..If I didn't have this, I couldn't live alone. This comes from my Pain Specialist who told me not to have surgery. I am seeing him tomorrow to ask for help . I heard of a new medication called Jouravx which is for pain and is non opioid. Walgreens has it in. Maybe this will be the answer to all my problems.

I take Journavx for chronic pain. It is not an answer but it is a tool. I think it is mainly an adjunct and may make your current meds work better. There may be an issue with taking it with Gabapentin..it's so new that there is much that is unknown.

That is horrible. I am able to walk with a cane, and sometimes without if short distances around the house. I don't want to be on medications for life either. This surgery was supposed to allow me to have my life back, not make it worse. I do feel like my doctor was more disappointed in his 'quiz' stats that I wasn't doing well then he actually was in feeling bad that I wasn't doing well. I've tried every cream, or massage therapy on my foot, nothing helps. I cannot even go back to work in the office because I am to afraid to drive with my bum foot, so I am still working at home.

Hi,

I had the exact same thing happen to me in 2021. I can offer you a trove of information, including all the treatments I have tried (9) and my experience over the past 4 years. Let me know if you would like to discuss.

I am experiencing very similar issues. Ongoing for 11 months now. Laminectomy was done on November 27, 2024 and within a couple weeks I started with the foot pain, sharp, electrical like feeling with dorsiflexion, weight bearing and sometimes just subtle movement. None of my doctors from my Neurosurgeon, ortho or pain management thought it was related to the laminectomy, but I am now finding others like me. I did 9 months of Physical Therapy which helped somewhat and am currently taking Gabapentin and Meloxicam. I went through a series of 5 injections in my foot, as a pain management doctor found 4 inflamed nerves stemming from the tibial nerve. Toward the end of these injections the same extreme nerve pain started on outside of foot with Sural nerve. So far 1 injection for that. I am to do more injections in 3 months. The Tibial injections brought some relief, but so far the Sural injection has not. I am also to switch to a Lyrica and quit Gabapentin soon. Still unable to walk unassited. Currently using cane or crutches and even with those can not walk far at all. The shoe issue is still a problem. Cushioned open back shoes work the best. If someone is ever to be able to get rid of this pain I will update here. I will monitor for others that are on a similar pain journey as myself.

@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.