Originally Posted by metoo

Hi, I am 40 years old, always had eposides of back pain, but 2 months ago I woke up with unbearable pain (25 on the scale on 1-10) in the leg/foot, could not step on it, could not work etc. Ended up in ER. They performed neroexam and said that everything is fine, it is sciatica and will get better. Well, next day I had big toe totally not moving. Long story short, saw neuro, he said to go conservarive route but see neurisergeom nevetheless (who I aslo saw and he gave me steroid and said that I should try conservative route too). MRI result l4-l5 disk protrusion with l5 nerve root impingement. Anyway, today is 2 months since that episode, I am definitly better, I still have back pain and calf pain but I am not even using vicodin on most days. However, my foot strenth is not coming back completly, it is better , but still pretty weak. Today I saw neuro again for follow up and he refered me to neurosergent again saying that I should consider surgery. I am in total shock since he is very conservative doctor. He said that I still have limp and in his opinion the strenth will not return unless I do a surgery. Anyone was in my shoes? I see a lot of posts about sciatica pain, but not much about sciatica nerve damage in foot from disk herniation. My pain today is bearable, it is the nerve damage that consernes me. I am going to see surgent nexy week but in a mean time I am looking for simular situation. Thanks!