In January 19 of this year I had a left L5-S1 microdisectomy surgery. Intro operative findings were that of a subligamentous degenerative disc herniation with forominal stenosis. 16 days later I still have a non-stop cramp on my left foot on my left side, especially on my last two toes tat has not stopped since the surgery day. I feel electricity flowing in the left side of my calf and a lot of pressure in the back of my left knee. Sometimes I feel stabbings all over my left foot, but not to a point in which it hurts. I just have a lot of discomfort in my left leg. I still have the electric shocks radiating on my left hamstring and I still feel the tickling in my butt locks. Why do I still feel all this? Isn’t this supposed to be over?
Left L5-S1 microdisectomy surgery question,
- Thread starter velezpr
- Start date
You need to get to your doctor ASAP and tell your doctor. We're not doctors here, so we don't give medical advice.
But if this was happening to me, I'd get back to the doctor and let him/her know!
nwlivewire
But if this was happening to me, I'd get back to the doctor and let him/her know!
nwlivewire
nwlivewire ,thanks for taking a little of your time to answer my thread. The reason I wrote this here is because I am really nervous about this. But like you said, tomorrow I have an appointment with my doctor at 0800. Maybe someone in the forum has had the same situation as the one i am having at this moment. I am in the process of getting all my medical records and getting prepared to file my claim in the future. Right now i am reading CFR 38 part 4. But for the time being I am nervous about this situation. I tell my wife that everything is ok when it actually is not. i am a little stressed because of this. This stuff is starting to get to me. But I don’t want to show my real emotion to my family. They will just get nervous and I don’t want that. If anybody knows something, please inform me. Tomorrow like I said I have an appointment with the doctor. i will let you know what happens. Thank you.
hey velezpr, and hello nwlivewire! sorry I've been gone so long. lots to tell later...
Velezpr, nwlivewire is right and I'm glad you have your appt. Yep, I can literally feel your pain.
I'm sorry you feel it, especially after having surgery. Your docs will for sure have answers for you...it sounds a lot of like nerve pain/radiculopathy. You said "still have"...so I'm assuming that you did have symptoms with your herniation/stenosis. Hopefully they will be able to come up with something and take care of this once and for all for you. Make sure you are resting during this healing period. Please do update us after your appt tomorrow. Keep the faith....it could be residual from the surgery. It could be that you need to heal from surgery. I know, I really do know that its hard to have this pain...and disappointing that you still have it after surgery...but, again, keep the faith-lets see what your docs say. Best of luck to you.
Velezpr, nwlivewire is right and I'm glad you have your appt. Yep, I can literally feel your pain.
I'm sorry you feel it, especially after having surgery. Your docs will for sure have answers for you...it sounds a lot of like nerve pain/radiculopathy. You said "still have"...so I'm assuming that you did have symptoms with your herniation/stenosis. Hopefully they will be able to come up with something and take care of this once and for all for you. Make sure you are resting during this healing period. Please do update us after your appt tomorrow. Keep the faith....it could be residual from the surgery. It could be that you need to heal from surgery. I know, I really do know that its hard to have this pain...and disappointing that you still have it after surgery...but, again, keep the faith-lets see what your docs say. Best of luck to you.Thanks for posting Mr. Chinook. As soon as I finish with my appointment I will give you an update. I was given 20 days to rest. My 20 days are almost done, just have 4 days left. Honestly, I am not ready to go back to work. Hopefully he will extend my resting period. If not then bad times are coming. I still need a walker to walk around. Don’t get me wrong I can walk by my own, but for a limited time. My daughter calls me happy feet. She says that I am walking like a penguin. Kids. Let’s see what happens tomorrow. Thanks for your post.
Just getting out of the Doctors office. I told him everything regarding my symptoms. He told me that it’s normal that I am feeling this stuff. He said that every person responds differently and that there is no need to worry. He initially gave me 20 days of convalesce leave. Today he gave me an extra 30 days. He told me that if my symptoms continue he will refer me to have an MRI to see what’s going on. Gabapentin and Esomeprazole (Nexium) have been added to my medication list. I am no doctor but taking 13 pills a day is wrong.
I didn’t receive the answer I was looking for but I will not question him. He said that this is normal, therefore I believe that everything is ok. But the reality is that I don’t feel ok. At least I have 30 more days to study the CFR 38 and read some more books regarding the VA and the claims.
I didn’t receive the answer I was looking for but I will not question him. He said that this is normal, therefore I believe that everything is ok. But the reality is that I don’t feel ok. At least I have 30 more days to study the CFR 38 and read some more books regarding the VA and the claims.
Originally only 20 conv days for a disectomy? I had a disectomy done last April and I had 60 days given to me. The first few weeks were horrible. It was hard to walk on my own and pretty much the most pain I have ever experienced.
I did NOT however have radiating feelings down my legs or numbness. Like the doctor said though, everyone reacts differently. If it was me, I'd try to hold out till the end of the 30 days and then if it's still bad, get a MRI asap.
Dear velezpr:
I noticed you wrote you are Active Army.
Are you in the Wounded Warrior program? If so, have you been assigned a Nurse Case Manager?
Or, are you still in your regularly assigned unit?
What is your MOS? Years of active service?
What part of the world are you located at?
LOD (Line of Duty) is a very important document to have for your injury as you are claiming this injury results from accident/injury while training/performing duties.
You have found a great site to get accurate info from.
Keep "tooling up" your knowledge base.
There are several threads here that fall under your issues related to your back. Use the search feature on this site to find and read them. The downloads are also a repository for you too. You can transfer data to your PC.
Keep us posted!
Sure hope your pain passes quickly and that you heal up sooner than later.
Do not suffer in silence. Keep your family informed of your issues. From my readings here, it often seems like family (parent/spouse) can be a real rock of support as you move forward.
v/r,
nwlivewire
I noticed you wrote you are Active Army.
Are you in the Wounded Warrior program? If so, have you been assigned a Nurse Case Manager?
Or, are you still in your regularly assigned unit?
What is your MOS? Years of active service?
What part of the world are you located at?
LOD (Line of Duty) is a very important document to have for your injury as you are claiming this injury results from accident/injury while training/performing duties.
You have found a great site to get accurate info from.
Keep "tooling up" your knowledge base.
There are several threads here that fall under your issues related to your back. Use the search feature on this site to find and read them. The downloads are also a repository for you too. You can transfer data to your PC.
Keep us posted!
Sure hope your pain passes quickly and that you heal up sooner than later.
Do not suffer in silence. Keep your family informed of your issues. From my readings here, it often seems like family (parent/spouse) can be a real rock of support as you move forward.
v/r,
nwlivewire
Hi nwlivewire
My unit has “been trying” to get my paper work done to get me to the WU for 6 months now. Its obvious they haven’t been doing anything about it. That’s why I went to the ombudsman and told him my situation, he said that he will work i=on this process and make it happen. But for the time being I am still in my unit.
I am a 35M, Human Intelligence collector (Interrogator). I have been in the army for 2 years. I am stationed in FT Bliss. Regarding the LOD I ask my unit if there was an LOD of my accident and like always they told me “I don’t know”. So, I went to the F.O.I.A (Freedom of Information Act) office and filled some paper work to get that LOD or at least know if it exists.
What really bothers me about this situation is that my chain of command just forgot about me. They didn’t visit me in the hospital, they haven’t visit me at my house, they haven’t called me to see if I am alive or if I need anything, when I call them they always give me an “I don’t know” answer for EVERYTHING. That’s why I decided that from now on anything I need I will do it through the army civilian side.
The other thing is that from the accident I had 4 herniated discs in my L area and 3 more on my T area. The doctor told me that within 10 years I will need surgery again for one of the disc on my T section.
But you know what, from that accident I was blown 15 feet away but I am alaive and I can still walk, so I am grateful to life.
My unit has “been trying” to get my paper work done to get me to the WU for 6 months now. Its obvious they haven’t been doing anything about it. That’s why I went to the ombudsman and told him my situation, he said that he will work i=on this process and make it happen. But for the time being I am still in my unit.
I am a 35M, Human Intelligence collector (Interrogator). I have been in the army for 2 years. I am stationed in FT Bliss. Regarding the LOD I ask my unit if there was an LOD of my accident and like always they told me “I don’t know”. So, I went to the F.O.I.A (Freedom of Information Act) office and filled some paper work to get that LOD or at least know if it exists.
What really bothers me about this situation is that my chain of command just forgot about me. They didn’t visit me in the hospital, they haven’t visit me at my house, they haven’t called me to see if I am alive or if I need anything, when I call them they always give me an “I don’t know” answer for EVERYTHING. That’s why I decided that from now on anything I need I will do it through the army civilian side.
The other thing is that from the accident I had 4 herniated discs in my L area and 3 more on my T area. The doctor told me that within 10 years I will need surgery again for one of the disc on my T section.
But you know what, from that accident I was blown 15 feet away but I am alaive and I can still walk, so I am grateful to life.
I'm not trying to say that it's ok for your chain of command not to have seen you or contacted you. But....you have to take your future into your hands and be proactive about everything. Call your supervisor at least once a week and let them know you're alive, give them any updates, ask for anything you need, etc. Just because you're on con. leave, doesn't mean you can't contact your supervisor.
In the end, they are still your chain of command and you will need them to do a lot of things. Be as proactive as you can. Sometimes commands are overcome by the endless fires they have to put out and while that doesn't excuse them from checking on their troops, it is a reality. If you keep them apprised of your situation, they will be current and able to assist better when the time comes. You are your own best advocate, and the more you can do the better. Don't call them every day, but I think once a week is enough to let them know what's up and keep you fresh in their mind.
In the end, they are still your chain of command and you will need them to do a lot of things. Be as proactive as you can. Sometimes commands are overcome by the endless fires they have to put out and while that doesn't excuse them from checking on their troops, it is a reality. If you keep them apprised of your situation, they will be current and able to assist better when the time comes. You are your own best advocate, and the more you can do the better. Don't call them every day, but I think once a week is enough to let them know what's up and keep you fresh in their mind.
yellow dog
PEB Forum Regular Member
Velezpr,
I know you said this is from a spinal surgery, but it sounds like symptoms I'm having after having had a knee surgery, high tibial osteotomy. After the pain block medication wore off, my left outer, anterior, calf and left foot felt like burning pins and needles. I was driving me crazy with the pain, I couldn't sleep, wear socks have anything touch my foot/leg or it would get set off. After a couple of days of that, I spoke with the doc. Said it's not common but can happen from trauma during a surgery that a nerve gets stretched or pinched and could take a while to calm down. Doc wanted to put me on Lyrica, but I was put on Gabapentin because that's all Tri-Care would allow. After taking that for 30 days up to 1800mg a day and having no relief at all (still getting maybe only 2 hours of broken up sleep a day), doc was able to put in an appeal and get me put on the Lyrica. I noticed a change after a day on it, I'm at 300mg/day. 2 and a half months later, I'm still feeling the pain, but it has subsided significantly and I can actually do things. I know the problems still there because I missed a dose for a day while I got a refill on the prescription and the pain level was starting to go up and my attitued turned to crap.
Last meeting with him he suggested he thinks it's Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy, or RSD. I am just now starting to do some research on it, so don't really have any info on it other than it can occur after surgery if there is trauma, edema, or damage to a nerve.
I know you said this is from a spinal surgery, but it sounds like symptoms I'm having after having had a knee surgery, high tibial osteotomy. After the pain block medication wore off, my left outer, anterior, calf and left foot felt like burning pins and needles. I was driving me crazy with the pain, I couldn't sleep, wear socks have anything touch my foot/leg or it would get set off. After a couple of days of that, I spoke with the doc. Said it's not common but can happen from trauma during a surgery that a nerve gets stretched or pinched and could take a while to calm down. Doc wanted to put me on Lyrica, but I was put on Gabapentin because that's all Tri-Care would allow. After taking that for 30 days up to 1800mg a day and having no relief at all (still getting maybe only 2 hours of broken up sleep a day), doc was able to put in an appeal and get me put on the Lyrica. I noticed a change after a day on it, I'm at 300mg/day. 2 and a half months later, I'm still feeling the pain, but it has subsided significantly and I can actually do things. I know the problems still there because I missed a dose for a day while I got a refill on the prescription and the pain level was starting to go up and my attitued turned to crap.
Last meeting with him he suggested he thinks it's Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy, or RSD. I am just now starting to do some research on it, so don't really have any info on it other than it can occur after surgery if there is trauma, edema, or damage to a nerve.
Dear Velezpr,
I noticed you wrote:
But you know what, from that accident I was blown 15 feet away but I am alaive and I can still walk, so I am grateful to life.
Please take it upon yourself to make sure you get an LOD (Line of Duty) for this! Your Command is responsible to make sure you have one.
Did this incident occur in Iraq or Stan? If so, were you seen by medical over there? Gather up medical records if you did so you have evidence.
Jason and maparker are moderators here (as are others, too). You can take their word to the bank.
Have you been checked for TBI? Just wondering as a blast of 15 feet can do some damage.
v/r,
nwlivewire
I noticed you wrote:
But you know what, from that accident I was blown 15 feet away but I am alaive and I can still walk, so I am grateful to life.
Please take it upon yourself to make sure you get an LOD (Line of Duty) for this! Your Command is responsible to make sure you have one.
Did this incident occur in Iraq or Stan? If so, were you seen by medical over there? Gather up medical records if you did so you have evidence.
Jason and maparker are moderators here (as are others, too). You can take their word to the bank.
Have you been checked for TBI? Just wondering as a blast of 15 feet can do some damage.
v/r,
nwlivewire
Yellow dog, RSDS is nothing to mess around with. You have a limited time to get it treated before it rewires your brain and it becomes a lifelong progressive (gets worse over time) disability that can spread. Suggest you contact our Facebook Group: Military and Veterans with RSD / CRPS Welcome to Facebook - Log In, Sign Up or Learn More and talk to others in the same situation who can offer advice. You need to get on a regimen of sympathetic nerve blocks ASAP from a pain management specialist if it is indeed RSD. The pain management docs will be able to perform a more accurate diagnosis as well. My RSD has gotten worse, and wasn't treated for 9 months
Nwlivewire I’m sorry to hear that. I will ask the doctor about this in my next appointment. This really has me thinking now, especially after the post I read from VA JUMPER. Hope everything gets better brother. Thanks for the heads up. Very appreciated!!!
yellow dog
PEB Forum Regular Member
Don't want to jack this thread, but thanks for the info. After freaking out the last day after researching this more, I got an appointment with my PCP today. He says he doesn't think that this is RSD, and if in the unlikely event of a water landing and it is, it's a very mild case. So here I have a general practitioner saying no I don't think so and one of the best Ortho surgeons in the south east saying he thinks it might be. Have to love docs with differing opinions. Long story short, waiting for Tri-care to approve the referral to a neuro guy who I think I will at least put a little more faith into his answer.
Side note, the PCP is trying to put me onto Cymbalta in addition to the 300mg of Lyrica I take a day for this nastiness. Of course now I'm having to wait since Tri-care says no way, it's a name brand expensive drug. Now the dog has to go through the whole this is why he needs it justification and appeal process. Had to do the same thing for the Lyrica and that took 30 days. Mean time, I'm left with burning razors and needles running through my foot/leg. Good thing is this is supposed to work somewhat synergistically with the lyrica on the pain side as well as give me the anti depressant part so I just won't care that I'm in pain. Joy.