[dham53]

History:
*53 year old, hurt at work catching a falling IV pump attached to a NICU infant(INJURY WAS 6 MONTHS AGO)
*Herniated L5-S1 with large fragment on S1 nerve root on right side
*laminectomy approx. 3 weeks after injury due to severe nerve pain in right leg, weakness and foot drop
*felt better for approx 4-5 weeks then nerve pain returned in right leg and foot although not as bad
*at 6-7 weeks post op started with some nerve pain in left leg (injury was NOT on the left) pain on right intensifies
*epidural steroid injection in August and October (one in August helped somewhat, the one in October made the pain worse)
*Meds: LYRICA(helped a little, had to stop because I could not function)
NEURONTIN (currently taking only at night, again, can't function during the day if I take it.....does help the pain a little)
CYMBALTA (have taken for 3 weeks...notice no difference in pain or mood)
VARIOUS PAIN MEDS
*MRI 3 weeks ago shows irritated/injured/inflammed nerve root at S1 on right...nothing on left so no reason seen for pain on left side...no reherniation...no remaining fragments
*EMG shows chronic/permanent nerve damage on right
*PM doc wants to do a sympathetic nerve block next week
*PM doc does not feel like it is RDS

Symptoms:
burning, tingling, numbness, pins and needles, aching in right AND left calf, toes, feet, bottoms of feet
no temperature or color changes (why doc says it is not RDS)

Do any of you have any input, comments, ideas etc? I am really at a loss as to what to do. Sometimes I think the docs think I am making up the pain or imagining it! Thank you all so much!

[fiberowendy2000]

I have similar issues with pain in my left leg. I have joint facet syndrome in the L3-L5 region and I get Radio Frequency Ablations done every 6 to 8 months or so. Basically the burn the nerve with sound so that the message doesn't get back to the brain. Neurontin and its sister Lyrica are awful drugs. I gained 50 pounds on Neurontin and am much happier off it. Cymbalta also did nothing for me.
I sympathize...it really does hurt and none of the pain meds in the world will touch it. I also take muscle relaxants so that the glute muscles don't contract around my sciatic nerve causing more pain. So far, it has helped tremendously. Much better than the pain meds and Neurontin.
Good luck with finding a solution. A nerve block may be what you need.