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Neuropathy from lumbar stenosis?
Has anyone experienced neuropathy in the buttock and posterior thighs as a symptom of L4-5 nerve compression from spinal stenosis. If yes, did surgery help?
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I am a 59-year-old female who has had 2 lumbar surgeries (2nd one the placement of hardware) and 2 cervical surgeries for my spinal stenosis/arthritis. Upon the lumbar I now have neuropathy in both feet from the knees down (I feel very little) which has created Charcot foot and now I wear a custom boot on my right foot. I also have balance issues due to this. And after the cervical surgeries I now have neuropathy within both my hands. I get muscle spasms in my legs, feet and hands along with electric shocks (that is what I call the sudden sharp pains I get as it does feel like getting an electric shock). My hands/fingers hurt, and I have an office job requiring me to type all day. I do take tramadol and gabapentin but are there any other suggestions especially for my hands.
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4 Reactions@lkristoff Welcome to Connect. Are you still in a recovery phase from spine surgery? Have you had any physical therapy? What does your doctor say about electric shocks? Has there been any testing or imaging to diagnose this?
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1 ReactionMany issues here give me reason to be grateful for my many problems. I'm so very sorry so many are suffering and am hopeful there will be a cure or at least decent treatment for the PN and other stuff.
February 3, 2023, I had what I was eventually diagnosed as a transverse myelopathy "attack" of some sort. The ONLY thing that could be blamed for these problems was a tiny blip in my spinal canal at C2-3. Initial problems were that I couldn't walk or stand, PN in both hands and feet, mild weakness of the left leg, numbness of the right side from toes to armpit, and severe leg spasms in both legs. Yes, kinda like the "electrical shocks" described by some. Lots of testing and trial-and-error with meds, finally came up with Baclofen for the longest lasting and most troublesome issue of the severe leg spasms. They do not happen as long as I regularly take this med. I also take pregabalin (Lyrica) and tramadol twice daily for fibromyalgia and other pain. The hands and feet neuropathy has not gotten worse so I just ignore it, but the numbness is increasing such that I can't feel the back of my left shoulder to the neck and sometimes can't feel my right arm on the pinkie side. The numb areas react to hot and cold as pain! Coming up on two years now, and the neurology specialist doesn't have any more answers than when we started, and just notes the new numb areas when she checks me for weakness. I hadn't related the balance issues to the myelopathy, but I will ask when I see the doctor next year. At that time she will likely repeat CTs and/or MRIs along with the continuing blood tests. I agree about the "golden years"; they feel pretty rusty to me! I hope maybe some of my story and/or medications that have brought me some relief will help someone here. Wishing all the best of luck - and Happy Thanksgiving.
I have progressive Peripheral Neuropathy.... meaning it started in my feet/toes and hands/ fingers after femur replacement surgery and after twoyears of searching for a cause...I not only haven't found a cause,but the neuropathy has spread all through my body and into my face. Also had surgery to correct cervical stenosis which my neurologists thought might be
a cause of my condition,,.but it wasn't.
I am now still searching the internet for info on what this is that I'm dealing with ,but I'm more involved with working on trying to get on with my life in spite of my debilitating condition since it may be part of my daily life well nto the future!
Thanks for your interest, EB
I’m dealing exactly with what you are and it started 12 yrs ago in my toes and in my lips which have been numb since then.
Makes it difficult to eat because I can’t feel food that’s on my mouth.
Some of my face was also numb at that time
No one figured out what caused it, but over the years it’s traveled from my feet,to my legs and up my body
Have no feeling in my rectum or woman parts, can’t feel sometimes when I have a bowel movement.
Broke my ankle where the bone came thru my skin, and I felt nothing, totally numb.
Hard to walk, balance is horrible because both feet totally numb.
I’m like a weeble!
Right now my right hand is totally numb and my fingers are bent like a claw
Recently my primary sent me to an ortho doc and I had an EMG done
Awaiting results any day now.
Needless to say my quality of life stinks,can’t do much daily, can’t walk long distances,can’t find comfy shoes, my feet are in constant pain everyday.
So afraid to lose full function of my right hand because I’m a righty.
Trying to use my left hand more but it’s hard to
Can’t write or sign things now because I can’t hold a pen.
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1 ReactionI have PN and it started the way you express. It has gotten worse over the 12 years. Went to doctor at spine institute told me they would not do surgery and if they did procedure would be 15 hours and no promises. Not even promises LOL! I have not had any surgeries over the years since I see poor results. Doctors love surgery when they have no clue $$. Seems nursing homes have lots with mal practice back surgery. After having every test and doctor I am 70 and there is no cure for this condition. Drugs............I can't get to physical therapy and realize this is the hand God gave me and I will do it until pain is just pain. Not the way golden years should begin. The realization is the hard part to know it will not get better just worse. Happy New Years!x
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1 ReactionMine started in my hands and feet in 2011. I am still fighting for an official diagnosis and cause. All symptoms point to small fiber neuropathy, autonomic neuropathy, and peripheral neuropathy because my sensory, autonomic, and large fiber nerves are all affected. I also have degenerative disc disease and spinal stenosis unrelated to the neuropathy and have had two cervical spine surgeries. I believe an immune deficiency and a virus caused mine. There are MANY causes of neuropathy, including but not limited to autoimmune issues, metabolic disorders, viruses, vaccinations, surgeries, and nutritional deficiencies. If your neurologist is not seeking a diagnosis with testing or seeking a cause, I highly recommend finding a new neurologist. I am seeing a new neuro next week because my current neuro only wants to focus on my chronic migraine. Everything I have learned about what is happening to me is from support groups and medical journals, not my doctors. Check out the Facebook group called Small Nerve Fiber Neuropathy. It is a good place to start since symptoms have spread to your face. Many people in the group, like me, have body-wide symptoms. The people are really helpful, and many are well-informed. Also, check out a video on YouTube, Small Fibers, Big Pain, and Radcliffe Institute, with Dr. Anne Louise Oaklander. I wish you the best.
I too have stenosis between L4-5; I had a corticosteroid shot in my spine in that area & my back pain & PN pain went away for 3 months. You can get 3 shots a year paid for by Medicare. Surgery is not the only answer for stenosis or PN. Find a good pain doctor & explore this option. Hopefully, this is helpful.
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1 ReactionBeen there and done it. Bad back and neuropathy are perfect mix for pain. Good luck and there are some people that shots work for them and get every 3 months. Good Luck on your treatment.
It's not fun. Good luck!