Have you tried to see a chiropractor? You may need to have some decompression done on him. What about cold packs.... I do understand drugs and surgery. I have read so many things and been apart of a few accidents in my time that recovery is tough. Only after stretching, massage therapy and chiropractic care did I get better. The key is having a neuromuscular massage therapist versed in reflexology, acupressure, and deep tissue massage.

My very personal opinion on this is that it is pain left over from surgery. How can that be????? I do believe in NLP or neuro logical pathways. Sometimes your body will mimic something that was wrong and it may actually happen again or just make someone expierence real pain all over again. So what should be done is correct it through setting the body on the right path with a chiropractor, NMCT (go to the sauna or epsom salt bath afterward) and stretch lightly

Take him to a Neurologist and have an EMG. If you have the before and after MRI's take them or have them download them (which they can do now).
I don't know why people say go to a chiro or go have PT when you don't really have a diagnosis. Get a diagnosis before you experiment with treatment. My husband's neck, back, and testicles have been saved by a Neurologist in 1/2 hour appts. Cut to the chase and see the specialist. They know the body and Diagnosis is their speciality. They are not neurosurgeons. My husband was referred to a neurosurgeon years ago, he went and the neurosurgeon said "I make my money doing surgery and I'm here to tell you that you don't want it unless it is the last resort" He is the one that sent him to a neurologist!

Diagnosis, Chiropractors HAVE to do a diagnosis on you before they treat you. They will refer you out to have any kind of tests done.

As a side not Chiropractors have MORE time in for DIAGNOSIS than MD's of any profession. They must do tests to see if you can be adjusted. Save the money and see a chiropractor.... that is my advice. Maybe LESS expensive than a neurologist.

Thanks, we live in Canada so we don't pay for Medical care.

He is on Steriods which seem to have helped a little. He goes for Accuputure & PT 3 times a week. The pain is starting to go away but he still has days that he is bedridden. It is just a waiting game for now to see if he gets better.

Glad to hear it. Something that helps with inflamation is mangosteen. I would buy the pills.... although more antinflamatories are in the liquid form. But if what is working is working then stick with it. Ginger helps to.

Tooyoung48,

It is quite possible that the pain is still from the nerves healing. If there was scar tissue around the nerves and it was removed, the nerves are very sensitive right now and can be for some time to come.
It can take up to a year for the nerves to settle down and recover, heal and regenerate after surgery.

have the doctors offered or advised that your husband start taking some nerve pain medication? Either Neurontin or Lyrica? That can be very helpful to relieve some of his pain.

What about some muscle relaxers? You could ask about those too.

Please, don't have your husband start taking over the counter medications and supplements without checking first with his doctor.
Many of them are not safe to combine with any medications that he is taking or could interfere with the healing process

Good luck

Fran

Hi again, Pain is back, had another MRI and it shows a lot of scar tissue,which is causing leg pain and numbness in his left foot. The Neurosurgeon said that there is nothing he can do for him. HELP, he can't live in this much pain.

Scar tissue is difficult to deal with and correct surgically, but depending on certain criteria, it is possible to alleviate some if not all of it.

If it is possible, I would seek a second and even a third opinion and would do that with an orthopedic surgeon that specializes in spines.

Many times an orthopedic surgeon that specializes in spines is more up to date on new procedures that can help your husband.
I have found, from experience, that neurosurgeons are stuck in their ways with older methods and don't bother to update to new procedures and surgeries when they are specialists in the spines.

Good luck

Fran

My husband is back in the hospital and the DR's don't know what is causing his pain. He now has a left drop foot plus no feeling in it also. He just had his 5th MRI and it shows scar tissue still. The DR's can't find any pain meds to help. ( He can't sit or Stand) The only thing that helps is Oral Steriods but they can only be used short term, my husband is starting to have signs of Cushing Sydrome from the steriods.
The Dr's say that they don't know why the steriods are working.
Any thoughts what this is?

Thanks

I'm so sorry to hear that your husband is back in the hospital and having so many problems.

It still sounds like the scar tissue is wrapping around nerves and causing the pain.

I would think that the steroids are helping because of their strong anti-inflammatory affect that they have in the body.

Foot drop can come from the nerve compression.

If these doctors can't find what the cause of his pain is, you really, really need to get some other opinions from other spine surgeons.

Obviously there is a cause for the pain and you have an MRI that show scar tissue buildup.
It should be obvious to them that this is or may very well be the cause of his pain, yet they are saying they don't know what is causing the pain.

If the pain is nerve pain then pain meds really won't help him.

Have they started him on any meds for nerve pain, either Neurontin or Lyrica?

That is something he should be taking to help ease the pain from nerve pain.

Signs of Cushing Syndrome from the steroids is not good, and he will have to stop taking them.

Please consult some other spine surgeons that are not part of the practice that your husband's present spine surgeons are part of.

Preferably consult with spine surgeons that are not part of the hospital that he is in as well.

Doing both of those will give you a real different opinion and not one that is tied to the present doctors and hospital.

Good luck and keep us posted.

Fran

He is taking 3200mg of Gabapentin, 60mg Amitriptline, 1000mg Naproxen 50mg Oxycong , and 80 mg Baclofen a day.

We are getting 2 other opinions in the next few days.

We are refusing to leave the hospital until we get some answers.

Just got home from the hospital and one surgeon is thinking of doing a fusion and we'll find out tomorrow what another surgeon recommends.