I'm starting to go a little crazy here. Surgery was November 5 - so it's been 23 days, and I'm still bed-bound.
My legs are causing me so much pain I don't know what to do.
It started the day after the surgery when the nurse asked me to sit in a chair to eat my lunch - I managed to eat half my meal before I had to get back in bed and lay down, the pain was too much, and it's been a roller coaster since then.
The pain is only in the back of my thighs, from the knee to the hip, for a time it was only in the right leg, now it's both. For a period of time it only happened when I was transitioning from a sitting position to a standing position and it felt like the worst spasm I ever felt in my life. Then the pain changed to just a constant tightness regardless of position. Right now they hurt all the time, worst when I try to sit. It's not as bad in the morning (like right now, which is how I'm able to type this out) by evening, if I even try to sit in a chair it's torture.
Walking and standing make it worse too. Much worse.
I talked to my family doctor about it briefly when I had my staples out, at that point only one leg was hurting, I thought I was on the mend... She recommended PT.
Meds don't touch it. I'm on Flexeril for my neck, I've tried heat (electric heating pad) topical creams, massage...
When I talked to the nurse last, she said the surgeon said there was a possibility that a drop of blood got in to the sub arachnoid space and was irritating the nerves. Do you think that that could still be the case 23 days later?
I don't know.
Any words of wisdom?
Going to call the nurse again today, but need more reassurance.
Definitely go back to the doctor. Get ahold of the actual surgeon and make an urgent appointment ASAP! "It could be" is not a good enough answer for debilitating pain 23 days post-op! If they keep putting you off, spend that time in bed annoying the crap out of them until they get you in, sooner rather than later! Sending love and prayers!!
Sorry this is happening…let us know what you find out. There is another member who talked about the same issue a couple months back, maybe do a key word search. Hang in there Clair.
Nykki: I'm coping, the pain is a little bit better, thanks for asking.
Emmaline: I looked up the symptoms of TCS - it looks like a good fit. I didn't mention in my first post my bladder/bowel issues (didn't think they were related to the leg pain) but if it is TCS then it's all part and parcel. Thank you.
MRI is on the 15th, they are going to do the brain and spine all in one session, 1.5 hours on the machine. It's a shame there's no 'in flight movie' ;)
So, the surgeons assistant called me today to say that there's no need for me to come in. One of the doctors reviewed the MRI report and says there are "no obstacles" that could be causing my pain. So it's all in my head apparently. Meanwhile it's been getting worse and I'm still stuck on my back 23 hours a day.
Argh. I am super frustrated right now. She's emailing the full report to me tomorrow and then I'm going to go pick up the CD so I can look myself.
Also the hubs wants me to try acupuncture. Sounds good to me.
MRI is clean. Conus of the spine is sitting nicely at L1 with no thickening of the FT. No herniated discs. No fractures no bleeds no evidence that he can see that should be causing my pain.
Meanwhile, 8 weeks post op I'm still unable to sit in a chair, don't get the urge to pee anymore, and am in constant pain.
Sigh.
At least he agreed to have someone else review the scans and see me again next week.
I DO think it's TC, so occult it must be... But it's the NS who has to come to that conclusion before I can get treatment. :( He seemed so certain that it wasn't TC because I should have shown symptoms before the surgery. I think he shouldn't be so sure, especially since he didn't have any other explanations for me. Like I said, at least he has agreed to see me again next week.