hi, i just wanted to respond to your post i see alot of others have responded as well.i also have the same symptoms and have problems with the same disc. i have lived with the pain in my left hip since before the age of 13. i just assumed that it was arthritis until i was diagnosed. the pain in my hip is a horrible ache that is there all of the time. i also have the pain in my leg(only my left leg though),tingling,sharp shooting pain and my foot goes numb. sometimes if i stand for more than a few minutes it feels like it has fallen asleep and someone is stabbing me with needles. the pain in my back feels like someone is grinding my bones together or putting pressure on the top and bottom of my spine.some days i cant even walk because the pain is so bad and my leg just gives out and i fall or just barely catch myself.i walk with cane to prevent as many falls as i can,as they cause pain for several days. i explained this pain to my pm doctor and he says it is typical for this to happen. anyway, i just wanted to let you know and add my info to the list that someone else feels the same thing that you do. hang in there and god bless.

mine feels like someone is crushing it and pouring boiling water over it.my foot feels cold and numb but aches my calf feels like it is about to cramp and my back aches like mad
STRAKER

Hi Everybody, I am new here and just read this thread like it was written about me!!! I too have been having massive left leg,calf,foot pain that burns, stabs all the wa to the outside of my left foot! So unbearable at times that I wish I could amputate my leg all together!! I had one surgery two years ago...think it was a disectomy..(part of disc remeoved to take pressure of sciatic). Pain decreased a little after that...but never fully in my low back and leg. Recently (around thanksgiving)it started coming back slowing and ha increased daily to this point I am now! Horrible searing pain.I have an appt. this tues the 13th with nuerologist and am anxious to get rid of this pain. I have no idea what he will want to do...I have already had steroid shots in the past, didnt work, PT, didnt help..most recently steroids pills..nothing. I am on fentanyl 100mcgs and norco fot bt pain.
Thanks for any support and I am SO happy I found this site.
BTW I am a 38yr old female with two teenage daughters and happily married for twenty years this aug.

welcome to the site .you will find that we are a friendly bunch .i hope that we as a group can support you and advise you and just be there at 3 am in the morning for a chat! {i presume that like most of us that your sleep is disturbed?}
you can email me anytime at
tony.beer1@googlemail.com
if you want to chat
by the way even if you amputated your leg you still may get leg pain ! a phenonimon know as phantom leg pain {you can't win !!{i live with my wife Kath in Manchester uk i am 42}
STRAKER

Tarheelgirl and Cherish,

I think you did a great job of explaining what this pain feels like!

My pain is a constant ache in my lower back that turns into an incredible deep ache in my hip. It hurts ALL the time. The ache in my hip then turns into sharp pain that runs through my right buttock and down the outside of my right leg. It feels like a toothache sharp and very touchy. If I brush up against something or my DH touches me I can barely stand it. The worst are those lightening strikes that shoot out my toes, but lucky for me those have diminished somewhat over time. I also get horrible cramps and pins and needles in my foot and calf that come and go.

It's a lousy way to live because it is always there and it affects everything I do.

annewrig, thanks for sharing..we sound pretty identical! My flair up is better not since I took the prednisone...so the spasms have gotten somewhat better, but the other sensations are still here of course. Or perhaps my new relaxer is helping too?

Cheri, Hey! I'm glad your system is in and working...sorry about the problems getting it in. Please keep us updated on how it continues to work for you! Very exciting!!

Sorry Jenfab you are having these issues again...it really is torture! I"m now on the long acting flexoril and I have to take a sleeping pill and I still wake up too. I don't know what else to do.

sleeping bear...I've never tried herbal stuff.

Lunac...I would like to do pilates to stretch, but the problem is that I often get spasms doing hardly anything. My PT excercises even cause spasms for me, but I would think yoga would be ok? I know I can't when I'm having a flair up though!

thanks eveyone for posting back to me. I pray you all feel better soon.

Hi all

I came back to this site to share my experience that might help to other back pain sufferers like me. This time last year, I was in severe sciatica leg pain due to prolapsed disc between L5-S1. I couldn't stand straight, couldn't walk, couldn't sit, couldn't lie on my back. I could only lie on one side with my legs bent only for a short while. I was all on four for over 2 months and I actually lived and moved around like a dog for a few months.
I also had accident during MRI scan. I had to get out after 3 mins as I felt like I was electrocuted through my sciatica nerve in my right leg. They tried to stretch my leg which I couldn't stretch due to pain. I couldn't sleep as I had pain all the time. I could only sleep like 2 or 3 hours with the help of morphine.

My orthopedic surgeon said I would have to do the surgery.

My back pain started in Sept 07.
Pain shoot down to right leg at Oct 07.
Had MRI in Nov 07.
Dec 07, Jan 08 and Feb 08 struggling with the pain. depressed and couldn't decide whether I should do surgery or not.

within those months,I looked everywhere online where I could find info about back pain. In the end, I chose to try physio first .

I bought a book from my physiotherapist called " TREAT YOUR OWN BACK " by Robin McKenzie.

I did the exercises little by little as I could with the help of ice pack.
It took me 8 months ( til Oct 08) to become completely pain free. I am still doing that exercises for my back and I would recommend for anyone who have problems with prolapsed, herniated, bulged disc.

As you may know, sitting is not good for ppl with back problem. Try not to sit longer than 30 mins.

So all I want to say from my point of view is that don't jump to the conclusion to have surgery because of the pain.
Surgery should be considered as the last option after you have tried other options and your conditions doesn't improve. You also need patience. Your pain won't go away in a few days.

So I wish you all the best for your back pain.

Feel free to contact me if you want to know more about my experience.

Good luck!!
anpn23

I am new to this site but I am so glad I found it! Finally I have found a group that can understand.

I had L4-L5 infusion in April 2007. It went well and it did help alot. The only problem was when I sat for an extended amount of time (like 8 hours at work) I could feel the hardware...this started happening right after I went back to work. I went to the surgeon and he said I could remove the hardware after a year. Well, I waited almost 2 years since my job was getting eliminated and I didn't want to be on disability when it was my chance to get transferred to a new position. I had the hardware removed Feb 2009. I seemed to be healing fine until about a month afterwards and woke up to FIRE in my lower back. It felt like the incision inside was ripped open...but, outside looked fine. I had an MRI and was told there was fluid and I just needed to rest. Well, I rested about 6 weeks and no change. My Surgeon then referred me to a Pain Dr.

The PM dr started me in PT and on pain patches and continue Lortab (which I don't use much since it does not help with the pain it just makes me not care as much). I did the PT for a month and they said I had a ton of scar tissue and tried to work it out as well as strengthening exercises. It was not helping so th PM dr gave me cortisine shots and continue PT. I did it another month and no improvement. Then the PM dr gave me an epdidural...2 days later I had to go get a Functional Capacity Evaluation (FCE) since my work needed something proving to them I couldn't sit. The FCE showed I can only sit a maximum of 30 min. But, I guess I overdid it since the next 4 days I was in bed all day! I went to the PM dr again and he gave me another Epidural since he said sometime it takes a series of shots before it works.

I have numbness in all my toes. I feel like electric shocks are going down my legs when I turn to the side or bend over and I feel like I have a huge boulder starting below my waist and into the top of my rear when I am sitting, standing and walking...It isa little better when I am reclining on the couch and that's where I am most of the day unless I am in bed.

I was diagnosed with Rheumatoid Arthritis 4 years ago but I have it under control with anti-inflamatory meds amd Remicaid infusions.

My PM dr gave me a prescription for 50 mg Lyrica 2X a day today but I have not filled it yet. My father was just on it and it made him seem like he was so loopy it was ridiculous and I am scared of it. He was on it for shingles.

My dr mentioned SCS ot pain pump as my next options if the injections do not help.

Can anybody give me some advise on which would be the better choice and what medicine might be better than Lyrica?

Thanks for any help.

Lisa

I hope you try Lyrica for yourself to see if it helps you. The first few weeks for me I felt really tired and dozy. I was bloated from it though and still am on 150mg/day. It helped with the leg numbness and tingling and pain but I'm on Cymbalta which seems to being helping moreso with the small 150mg Lyrica. The epidurals I had helped also but still have weakness & burning & numbness. I also take other meds for pain like ms contin, muscle relaxant and something to help sleep. Keep looking for 2nd & 3rd NeuroSurgeon opinions as well as PM Drs. But truly a Dr. may have several meds to try but it's best for a 2nd or 3rd opinion. It sounds like you've been through so much already. I hope you find some relief. I always have my infrared platinum heating pad on my back mainly and legs and I recommend anyone in pain to try one. Take care Lisa and let us know what helps most for you. Charry

Hiya i am so sorry for you pain i do know how you feel You have done a good job of describing the pain, i do feel this too Tell the doctor exactly how you have told us , write it down and take it with you if you have to Keep us posted on your progress

Angie

I'm 5 weeks post-op with a return in the last 3 days of the pain I had before surgery ( stabbing pain in the rear, shooting pain down leg and numbness is the foot). WTF is going on? I've so much on this forum and gained so much knowledge. Is this temporary from the nerve damage? Or did a reherniation occur? My doc is on vac til next week, so I won't know what's going on for a another 5 or 6 days. Any ideas?

Similar to my experience. Had an L5-S1 microdiscectomy to fix a large disc rupture. Pain prior to the surgery was 8 or 9 out of 10. The pain was severe in my hip, hamstring, and calf and there was the numb needles in the foot all of the time too. Then there was the lightning bolts periodically shooting out of my 3rd and 4th toes. And the sit straight up in bed calf cramps in the middle of the night. Anyway, my pain level was down to about a 2 immediately following the surgury and the numb foot was totally gone. But, about 7 weeks after the surgery the pain went back up to 5 almost overnight. I was terrified that it had re-ruptured and went back begging for a new MRI. It showed a large amount of scar tissue from the surgery that was pushing/squeezing on the S1 nerve, just like the rupture had been. They told me that they could go in and remove the scar tissue but it would be very likely to return. They told me that they could give me a shot of steriod up against the S1 nerve that would probably do the trick since scar tissue schrinks fairly easily with steriods. I did the shot. It was perhaps the most excrutiating pain in my life, but at least it only took about 10 minutes. Within 4 days then pain was back down to a 2, and now 6 months later my pain is around a 1. Not sure if I will ever be "pain free" as they say there is probably some degree of permanent nerve damage, but I can live a normal life again. I am currently walking/jogging/eliptical and doing all kinds of stuff with the kids.

Get back to your doctor and insist on a new MRI to rule out re-rupture. I would bet you might have scar tissue like I did.

i have already posted on this 2 times as time has gone on my pain has flared up a few times and now i am thinking that its not a flare up this is how its going to be for ever ..its been 2 years this Nov since my last operation and i have been told by the medical crew ..no more surgeries for you reason too much scar tissue and extensive facet joint syndrome .the only time they would risk another operation would be if i lost control of my continance . my pain at the moment is very bad i wont give it a 0/10 scale lets just say its worse than the original reason that i went in to hospital for and very debilitating
STRAKER

Finally I found a great forum!

Had lower back pain since Feb 2008. At the initial stage, it was very painful for about 2 weeks. Took 2 months to heal completely. I thought it was just a simple backache at that time. A year later, same symptom occurred. Painful hip and buttock just like being stabbed by a hot knife over and over! A slight movement is enough to trigger a very painful sensations-much like my hips on fire! My lower back pain gradually getting better but began to feel shooting pain down my leg...tingling/pins and needles numbness down my leg, especially my toes. In Aug 09, went to see specialist and ordered x-ray (turned out normal). Doc prescribed medications but still no improvement. Today went back to the doc to do MRI. MRI picked up moderate L5/S1 disc protrusion. Now I'm feeling o.k when sitting down or lying down. Although cannot stand for a long period or walk too much. I'm worried that the L5/S1 disc protrusion might getting worse....

For those of you having the same condition...All my best to you...hopefully everything will be ok.

I haven't read all the responses, but you described it pretty well, I went through surgery last year. My pain was so severe that I could not sit/stand/walk. I lost all strength in my legs and bladder control, so I had surgery, after a horrific 3 week ordeal where I ended up in the ER 3 times, once by ambulance.

My surgery or lack of prompt care led to severe nerve damage, just read my signature line below. I am only 32 and I walk with a cane, not all the time, but when I'm going somewhere I can't lean on a shopping cart for support. Right now, I'm mostly bedridden with a thoracolumbar junction herniation and am using a walker again since now the left leg is being affected by that. I've got 4 kids, ages 11, 7, 6 and almost 2. They don't care about me walking with a cane, or using a wheelchair when I have to. In fact, my almost 2 y/o just LOVES to steal my cane and go runing off with it, laughing hysterically. He thinks it's a really fun game. As long as he sticks to doing it a home, it's ok. It's when we're out, that I have a problem, butI don't go drive any more and therefore don't really go anywhere without my hubby.

Oh, and I sometimes, usually a few times a day, have an intense, horrific, unbelievably painful lightning sensation from lower back all the way down my leg and into my toes. When this happens, it is all I can do to keep from screming out in pain. This is one of the reasons I don't drive. I know if it were to happen when I was, I'd most likely crash the car.

Hiya I take quite a few different meds and i have a morphine patch , and one of them is lyrica , I take 600mg a day and they do help for nerve pain , the electric pain you get , the lyrica should ease that off . let me know how you get on .

Angie x

When my pain is really bad it feels like a butter knife is being jabbed into my back. Luckily so far with my latest flare up I haven't had this sensation, it usually comes on when I am sitting in a chair if it is going to happen. What I get every time though is a moderate to severe ache under my left knee and numbness that moves around my left foot. With the pain under my knee I am left to limp around. I have had an MRI and EMG and both were negative but I was told by the doc the issue is probably L5/S1 related from what minimal issues he could see on the MRI. For me it goes away anywhere between 1-2 months at onset. And I am finally figuring out what sets it off is putting weight on my lower back at an odd angle, this last time I messed it up by loading and unloading heavy items into my car and carrying them into my yard.

Yes, what you said does a pretty good job of describing my hell. I have numbness on the outside of my right leg from hip to ankle and heel and toes. Back of right leg is excruciating burning pain from high on buttock all the way down to heel. I cannot walk at all unassisted. Am also experiencing foot drop. I get relief to some extent lying on back with legs elevated 90 degrees, or on left side with legs pulled up fetal position.

Vicodin takes the edge off but only slightly. I've done a lot of crying/screaming when the spasms are bad, which is often.

This post has made me feel better in a strange way. The descriptions are very similar to my own and there is comfort in others who have the same. 2 months ago I went to new surgeon who ordered x-rays but due to the amount of spasms I ended up with an injury to my left arm and shoulder (muscle and nerves).My life has gone down another level. Feeling sorry for myself when I read all the posts, now there is some comfort that my reactions to the pain is similar to others. Currently having P/T, accupuncture,TENS, heat packs, Oxcycontin, diazapam and being weaned off oxcynorm. Feel guilty at looking at lyrica with interest but the pain at times is pretty horrible. Thank you for such a helpful post and letting me vent, at times its hard to find a reason to struggle out of bed each day. Now I know there are a heap of us all struggling to dress ourselves and still searching for answers. Gentle Hugs n' Loves - Paula

This pain is just so hard to deal with, both physically and emotionally. I know for myself, having had 2 c-sections as well as abdominoplasty to repair the butchery done with the first c-section, that this is the absolute worst pain I have ever had in my life, and nearly impossible for me to find any significant relief. I am trying to get in to see my ortho asap. Right now am on schedule for Dec 4, unless someone cancels so they can bump me up.

I've dealt with chronic sciatica and cervical pain for 20 years, but this has just gotten beyond the realm of what I can 'stand' (figuratively, because I cannot stand for more than a moment or two literally).

I am so sorry all of you are suffering like this...but it does help to know I am not alone. I hope we all find some relief. Early this spring I had my lumbar MRI, which showed the L5/S1 herniation. At that time, my doc said surgery would not help me. My symptoms have gotten so severe over the past 2 months that all I can do is pray that there is some kind of option for me now, that maybe surgery would help me now. If he says that it won't help this time, I am definitely going for 2nd and 3rd opinions. This sure is the pits.

Hello everyone,

I am new to this forum, and very grateful I stumbled across it! I also will sentiment that I feel for those experiencing any of this-- but so very glad i am not alone. I have learned so much- from all of you and your true words.
I am curious, as most of these posts were two years back or so-- how is everyone doing today?
had relief? if so, how??

I am not a surgical candidate-- am seeking another opinion, but honestly, don't want surgery-- it is a last resort if I can't get out of bed or am screaming in pain all day.
I am still hopeful that I will find my relief somehow- and regain my life back-- the way I want it. After four years though, hard to be positive.

So... how is everyone doing?

Thanks!!

I posted in 2009 here and my L5-S1 herniated disc resolved on it's on within 15 months as per second MRI but I still have all the same symptoms with a diagnosis of mild DDD throughout lumbar spine. I'm going for another MRI and EMG/nerve test(1st one abnormal and shows L4-L5 being the culprit) in October to see how things are since the pain and numbness are getting worse.

It's awful that we have to scream many times through the day and finally a new set of eyes a Sports Med Dr. is ordering this tests for me. I'm also seeing my Family Dr. who gives my pain meds and let her know I need an increase as the pain is too much.

Sorry to hear you've had pain for 4 years and no resolving of pain yet for you. Have you had any recent testing done? Never give up looking for a Dr. to help you. Charry

I have had "restless leg syndrome" for about 10 years now. I kept telling my doctor that it was not RLS because it is happening 2 times a day and getting worse. I can NOT take the RLS med and have pain, or I CAN take it and vomit and pass out. Which is worse? I was told I needed to exercise to lose weight because I had gained a lot of weight and told that this was why I have back/leg pain. I couldn't do exercise because I would be in worse pain than before and not be able to sleep at all while I cried in pain. I decided to get gastric bypass to help with the weight because I just wanted someone to help me with the leg pain. I am down 75lbs, and I have a new primary doctor now. She sent me, after having me try muscle relaxants to no avail, to a sports medicine doctor. I told him I felt like my legs were in fire, and the response that tells me to pull my limb out was going off repeatedly. I told him my legs felt cold, buzzed, cramped, that I repeatedly sprain my left ankle, I stand on one leg if I have to stand in one place, that I can't stand for anyone to touch my legs gently because it feels like pain, and that I now get "RLS" several times a day and that it was affecting my school studies because my legs went numb or hurt if I had to sit very long. He immediately ordered an MRI and diagnosed me as having a "significantly" bulged disk in the S1L5. I got my first cortisone shot a couple of days ago and I now have one mildly restless leg and one fine leg. WOW! I was feeling like I wanted to die just to stop the pain. The doctor, after seeing the MRI, did not sound hopeful that I would NOT need surgery. He has been amazed that it worked as well as it has. I go back in a few days to see what we need to do next.

Does the cortisone wear off quickly?