L4-L5 Microdiscectomy - Still Swelling Of Knees And Losing Balance
Mar 22, 2015
The excruciating sciatic pain is gone but I am left unable to walk w/o a walker or sometimes I can use a cane. My back, at the incision is painful and weeping slightly. My R. knee hurts like all hell , my R. hip has pain but is somewhat better. I am afraid to stay alone for risk of falling, as I tend to still lose my balance. Both of my ankles are heavily swollen to a point of being unable to put shoes on. I know that the muscular atrophy didn't occur overnight as well as, well most of my symptoms. So tell me, anybody who has been here, is this normal,? Should I expect up and down "victories" as I have described?, I know that I am young in my recovery but does this seem to be following a normal path of recuperation ?, or could something else be wrong? The Dr. never did mention what to expect post op.
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I had cortisone injections in both knees 5 days ago and both of my feet are really swollen. Is this a normal side effect of injections in knees?
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Does anyone else suffer from leg and feet pain when they get up so bad that you lose your balance at times?
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About 2 years ago I noticed a knot pop up under my right jaw bone. I thought it was a swollen lymph node, and it only really hurt when I swallowed and would start swelling back up every couple months on and off. Recently the knot had been swollen up more, I can always feel it, but it will swell up bigger when I am eating at times. Along with that for the past couple months you can see a sort of swelling or lumps and redness in the back of my throat ( I don't have tonsils) but that is also on the right side. This hasn't gone away at all, even when my throat isn't hurting. I also have swollen glands under my tongue that sometimes swell more and hurt when I eat. My family doctor has put me on two antibiotics, and I did test and was treated for type C strep, but no swelling went away after that.
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Took 2 tablets on the first day (a friday) went to sleep and then woke up the next morning unable to bend my knees. Assumed i had maybe slept funny. Kept taking the tablets but by monday morning my knees were a lot worse, slightly swollen, couldn't get up and down stairs, couldn't kneel on them and they also would give way without warning, basically had to walk with straight legs not good when i've got a 15 month old baby to look after.
Spoke to the doctor and he asked me to go in and he checked my knees and said to continue with the trimethoprim as it could be a secondary infection in my joints which can occur when you get another main infection. He gave me some strong Ibuprofen and some other tablets to take at night to stop the Ibuprofen from causing an ulcer in my stomach. So took these but had to stop as they made me feel nauseous and very dizzy (later told that this is a common side effect of Ibuprofen). Anyway got to thursday and finished my last 2 tablets. Woke up them Friday morning to absolute agony in my knees, so bad i couldn't even drive the car, which i had been struggling to do as had to run my 4 year old to school every day etc. Had to get a lift into the doctors and i saw a different one this time and he said that it seemed a very strange coincidence that i got this while taking the tablets and that it was probably an allergic reaction to the tablets. (at this point the UTI hadn't cleared up but did a couple of days later!!!) He sent me for blood tests to make sure that the pain in my knees etc wasn't something else and said that if i was still in paint in a week's time to go back. Well a week later my knees were 50% less painful so went back and saw yet another doctor who said my blood test results were ok, so definitely an allergic reaction and would make a note on my file not to prescribe again. He said that it could take a while for my knees to come right. well its not 7 weeks later and they still aint 100% right. They still ache when i get up, hurt when i kneel on them and lock when i stand in 1 position for a while, like when im washing the dishes etc. They are also still giving way occasionally. They feel incredibly week, like i've lost all my muscle round my knees so guess when the pain is a little better ill have to start doing some exercises to strengthen them up again.
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I have them bad in the front of my leg right where my ankles are. I have a cluster of ones that stick out near my knee. Any way to get them to go away?
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Diagnosed with md all usual symptoms but I am cold all the time and have pain in my knees and upper legs anyone else have this problem
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I have always had the same symptoms with my right sided sciatica being buttock and calf pain worse on sitting but for the last few months intermittently and permanently for the last couple of weeks I have also been getting knee pain in both knees and leg / thigh muscle weakness worse on walking.
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I have become allergic to something recently. I get itching sensation on hand , knees and other parts of body with small rashes. It disappears after sometime. My doctor prescribed me Exofen ( fexofenadine) tablets and dermovate cream.
I have finished 10 tablets ( 2 a day). Now again I had the itching sensation.
I am trying to find out which food I am allergic to. I eliminated mushroom , then egg. The problem persists.
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My mum suffers from severe varicose veins and all her legs have gone black all round upto her knees. She is in alot of pain and has arthritis as well which does not help
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I had L5S1 bulge removed 4 weeks ago, recovery has generally been good. Since the operation I have been having leg spasms when I turn onto my back and straighten my legs during the night? I am booked in for another MRI scan next week, the surgeon said there maybe now a problem higher up my back? Never had this before the operation?
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I had a microdiscectomy back in December 21, 2015 right before my 18th birthday ( today marks the 4 month post surgery mark ). I still have pain running down my right leg ( upper glut and sometimes in my calf muscle ). Before the surgery I have had the disc pinching on my nerve for nearly 10 months.... It ruined my summer and I couldn't do what most of my friends were doing... My parents were too scared that something would go wrong with the surgery, so we tried Physical Therapy for about 2-3 months. My pain was getting worse and worse. After a lot of convincing I got my parents to allow me to get the surgery ( No regrets at all ). I would rate my pain before my surgery as 9/10 and now after my surgery I rate it as 5-7/10. I can't even remember how it feels to have no pain... It is constant and doesn't go away ( I feel better when I lie down on my back or stomach ).. I feel better when I sleep on the ground rather than on my, what used to be comfortable, bed.... I am starting to lose hope on ever feeling better... Everytime I walk I have pain in my upper right glut ( every time I extend my right foot ) and sometimes it goes down my right leg to my calf.... I still can't bend down without a massive amount of pain running down my right leg... I can't even sit down for longer than 30 minutes because I start to have a lot of pain in my calf, which makes going to school really hard.. Are there any patients that have had this type of surgery and felt better in more than 6 months?
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I'm 28 years old and am about 4 months out of surgery for my herniated disc now and have had no issues since, recently ran out of the Pain meds they had me on (Norco 10-325). I was off work for 2 months and have been working at my automobile factory for 2 months without any issues. The past two days I have had severe restless legs, while getting up and walking around helps, it gets bad even while at work. I haven't been able to sleep and just feel plain discomfort. Like my back needs to be 'cracked' and severe pain also. I guess my question is, is this more than likely caused from my lack of pain meds or could it have been there since surgery and I haven't noticed because of the meds? Doctor cut me off them and said I need to find a new job, but I think it can be fixed or handled so I can at least be comfortable. Also on the mri that showed the herniation there was a bulging disc. Could that have herniated as well? I am also on celexa lisinopril and adderall ( which I haven't taken since getting on the narcotics except for the lisinopril ) any advice is helpful to find out more. Have an appointment with a new doctor on the 14th would like to know what to say. I know people abuse narcotics and I don't want my doctor to get the wrong impression.
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I had L4/L5 microdiscectomy and laminectomy about 4 months ago. I had on and off low back pain for 6-7 years but it became unbearable couple of years back. Prior to surgery I had buttock pain and I couldn't walk or stand without pain. I am recovering pretty slowly. I am off pain meds and I walk 45 mins a day and do gentle back stretches as advised by the surgeon. The surgeon said that I had a big herniation and he removed about 60-70% of the disc. Is it common to have that much removed?. Will I be able to recover fully or will i need more surgery like fusion in the future. I am just 27 yrs old and I don't want to live in pain.
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I am a RN and I have had years of low back pain with a history of herniated
discs from L3-S1. These symptoms would aggravate me from time to time but, being a nurse, with a
familial history of arthritis I thought it was just par for the course. Until three months ago when i
developed sciatica pain down my left leg and it was present every day, and it ruined my summer.
I couldn't walk without pain, bend without pain and basically was bedridden and depressed all
summer. I am healthy, took NO meds up to this point and I was always a pretty active person. I finally
decided to have the surgery. On Monday 09/30/13 I had a microdiscectomy and was pleasantly
surprised with how easy it was to go home the next day. My pain was minimal, honestly, I do not
think I even needed the Oxycodone, it wasn't that bad. However, I did need the Valium, I noticed
the incision was sore in the am and was happy to have the Valium. By day 3 post op, I was off all
of the narcotic meds and only taking ibuprofen and tylenol (valium at night). Day 5, I was walking, no numbness, no tingling, doing fine... Until I coughed. I literally re herniated from a cough and ended
up back in the hospital undergoing a second round of emergency surgery to remove the extruded
disc. I now have numbness in my left foot and toes that I am so sad about. I have read and read on
line and all that I have heard is that it very rarely goes away, yet the surgeon says it will? Who do I
believe? And how long does it take? I just want my life back (much like everyone here) so, any
information you can provide me with would be very much appreciated. I'm still not having any pain to speak of so, for those of you worried about post op pain, it's really really not bad at all!
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I am 29 year old female and for the past 2 years I have been feeling off balance and sometime dizzy, but mostly off balance.
I have went too 2 different Neurologist, A E.N.T, and A Cardiologist. I have endless blood work, A CT of the brain, and a MRI of the brain. Everything was always NORMAL! Once I was anemic and my b12 was low which is normal now.
This past weekend I was dizzy, and I got scared, I went to the ER which was nothing but a waste of time, they just told me sometimes people get dizzy and that's all.
I went to a doctor I had seen before but not alot she had looked at the blood test that one of the Neurologist had order and found out I was anemic and had a b12 deficiency and re-order blood work so she knew I had been having this problem for quite some time.
I went and did my blood work the next day she called me and told me that everything was back but my VIT-D but everything was ok, she said my b12 was on the low end of normal and she was gonna give me a shot once a week in case my body was just needing more than normal. I said thanks and went on my way at work. I was truly starting to think I was crazy.
The next day while at work, she called me again to tell me my Vit-D was low. It was a 19. And that is why I was getting Dizzy and Off Balance. I can't tell you how happy I was to finally have a answer!
So my questions are:
1.) Did anyone here get dizzy or off balance with a Vitamin D Deficiency?
2.) How long to I feel better? I am taking Vitamin D 50,000 units once a week for 8 weeks then going to re-check...
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Anyone else feel dizzy/off-balance every day? I don't think my doctor(s) believe me when I tell them that I feel this way (almost) every day....I've not actually fallen down, but it feels as though I'm swaying even when I'm standing (or sitting) still....in fact, it's almost worse when I'm standing/sitting still....I was talking to someone in the hallway at work yesterday and thought I was going to fall over (although I don't think anyone can actually see me swaying)....I also feel a weird "internal" shaking in my legs sometimes...I've had a ridiculous number of medical tests, and they all came back normal....my doctors have suggested that it's anxiety, but I'm wondering if it might be perimenopause? My periods have been very erratic for the last eighteen months or so (which is about when all of this began happening)....coincidence? Looking for some advice from anyone who has these physical symptoms....how do you get through the days? I'm so frustrated...I just want my life back!
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I am 19 years old and having my micro discectomy for herniation at L4/L5 tomorrow at noon. I am a smoker and have been smoking since I was 14 (I know I started young) and don't know what to do after my surgery. My doctor informed me that I should quit smoking or at least go a few weeks without it post-op because it could interfere with recovery.
I've tried in the past to quit multiple times and failed all of them. I smoke about 1 1/2 packs a day and the longest I've been without smoking is 3 days.
I'm really confused as to do what to do. I know quitting is the only right answer but I don't think I can at this point of my life.
So I was wondering just how bad is smoking post-op? What kind of consequences could come out if I do continue smoking? Is making a full, healthy recovery impossible if I continue to smoke?
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I am early on after my discectomy (day 3), but I am concerned. I see many people have immediate pain reduction, I woke up and still had my preop pain. Now it's just pain deep in my thigh and the surgical pain. I am also worried because I still can't stand up straight! I haven't been able to stand straight for two months following a car accident that reherniated my l5s1. The original injury was resolved to an acceptable level without surgery. It was interesting that the car accident immediately stopped all nerve pain in my right leg that I learned to live with, but it moved to the left leg!
I am just getting concerned since I see so many posts where people wake up painless and can walk freely. I can walk for maybe 2 minutes then i am in really bad pain, and i'm hunched over while walking. Should I be concerned? Any insights from people with less than storybook recoveries?
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I had a microdiscectomy, L5-S1 on March 24th of this year. My recovery was terrible at first, possibly due to my waiting 5 months to have the surgery after 17 injections! Anyways, I was in fantastic shape before my injury. I would run a few days a week and do body strengthening exercises at home. At my 6 week checkup, my Dr. said basically all I can do is walk and swim. No squats, no crunches, no lunges. I don't have a pool or gym membership and I live in a state where it's getting to be unbearable to be outside! I'm getting depressed about my body. The pain meds have made me much lazier (and for a long time, hungrier!) although I am only taking them at night now. I have a pretty strict vegetarian, mostly vegan diet and I go to school for Dietetics so I know how to eat healthy, however I have gained a few pounds, although people tell me I look like I've lost weight. I don't feel comfortable in my clothes or own body for that matter. All of my lean muscle is gone and I feel squishy. It's bathing suit season here soon and I don't want to hide out all summer because of my insecurities. I just can't seem to get out of this sort of funk. I want to be able to be active and motivated again, it just seems like its taking forever! On another note, I am an exotic dancer. I have been dancing for 12 years now, I'm pretty sure that's how I ended up in this mess as I was very hard on my body, doing crazy upside down pole tricks and so on my Dr. gave me the ok to go back to work, but I am NOT allowed to do any of those moves I used to do, no tricks, no sudden twisting movements, no extreme bending. I have worked one shift so far, took it extremely easy and feel ok (although my legs were very sore the next day). I guess I'm going off here, but does anyone have any suggestions about any exercises I can't think of that I would be allowed to do? Can anyone relate to what I'm going through, or have any kind of advice at all? I feel so alone, and NO ONE understands the excruciating pain I've endured, sleepless nights and feeling so awful that I had wished at times I would not wake up. I already take antidepressants and benzodiazepines I am NOT willing to mess around with higher dosages (I plan to get off them after I graduate).
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I had a microdiscectomy almost 4 weeks do to the disc pinching my sciatic nerve. The pain before the surgery went from my left butt cheek down to my foot, and felt like someone was sticking a knife in my hip and calf. Since the Surgery I have had severe nerve pain in my left foot in the ball of my foot to my toes. I am currently on gabapentin pills and gabapentin cream. I was just looking to see if anyone had any ideas what could help get me off the recliner. Or any ideas whether this would go away or how long this usually lasts.
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