Concern About Numbness After Fusion???
 

Hello,
I had a spinal fusion on 6-15-06 and they nicked my dura in 2 places and said I had huge epidural veins (NS said I would have bled out iif they were nicked )so only did L1-2 L3-4 and skipped L5-6...and I had to lay flat for 5 days and was in hosp 10....anyway my pain has been much worse since the surgery and little by little I am getting numbness in many areas starting with left hand and arm, and of course in random places on feet and legs and these past 2 weeks it is in both butt cheeks and pelvic areas and I am getting scared! Has anyone else experienced this?? If so did it get better??
Thanks in advance!

I had my fusion of L4-5 in March of this year. I had the same symptoms, but as the weeks went by, some of the numbness went away, others remained and some got worse in areas that it was not before, or was but it intensified.

I hope for you that it goes away too, and that it does not do what happened with me. If you are concerned, contact your surgeon or physiatrist and check with them. They did tell me that some of the traveling numbness was normal and due to the nerves being moved around.
Sandi

Hi Junie~
 

I had Fusion Sept. 5 of this year. I always have some numbness with surgery. Consider it a blessing, for if you have to work at anything, the pain is there. I have to do for myself soon after surgery now, as I loss my husband to cancer this summer. I am now getting ready for another surgery for a hernia repair. I'm about ready to move too and there will be no lifting. I don't know how I will manage this time. The two fusions was bad enough, with me trying to paint and wash the house down. Each time I work a hard day I pay for it with a couple days taking it real easy.

I am going back to see my doctor soon. I wonder what he'll say. You can't live alone and not work. I didn't get hardly no rest' I only wish I could experience some numbness now.
Blessings,
Billie:)

Thanks for the info.........and I hope this goes away soon as it is strange when it feels like I am wiping someone elses butt (sorry if to much info)!
Bille, the numbness is all on the outside, reminds me of a dental shot...and it does not help at all since my pain runs much deeper!

Hope you check into this~
 

Junie, Have you seen a specalist about this? My numbness was just for a short time after surgery.I have had 6 back surgeries. It sounds like some nerves are involved. I noticed you have had spinal stenosis. Do you grow scar tissue real fast? I do and even that has to be cut out. It is so painful too. I don't believe I ever stayed numb like you are experiencing.

Perhaps you should see the surgeon that operated on you. He would take an MRI or something, maybe just plain xrays would show something. My surgeon would want to know this. This has been going on since June? Let us know what they tell you. I don't think you should be having it this bad. Let me say tho, I am no DR. It is only a sugestion.
Hugs,
Billie:)

regarding numbness
 

I think everyone reacts defferently depending on many things. and also what type of surgeon, ie neuro, or ortho did the op. I had a neuro do mine, and although my story is not a particularly great one, I met a man yesterday who had the same but done by and ortho. It is thought perhaps that sometimes they are not so careful with the spinal nerves but maybe I should not make such a randon sweeping statement. Anyway his ability to way was about 50% of mine. I am a good mover, and although I use a crutch, I dont need it all the time. I have a lot of numb spots especially in my left leg. My left arm is not good either. I have been worst affected internall, as just about all of my organs have now proplapsed one by one. Last November, I had a hysterectomy, and My bladder was put back, and small intestine. I needed to self cath for over six months. I have had a lot of tests over the year and have just learned that my bowel is not working because of spinal nerve damage, and is unlikely to work by itself, without considerable intervention. It also now has proplapsed. So although I can walk, and my damage is not obvious, its hit me on the inside, and I also have peripheral nerve damage which makes my skin prickle and tingle all the time, but hey actually you get used to it. I'm getting used to the idea of more surgery, and intend to get it over and done with as soon as possible. I have too much to be getting on with. Billie, its really lovely over here in the lake district, in Autumn. Where are you from. The colours are amazing, green, gold, orange, brown. Its so beautiful I think you should pay UK a visit. You'd love it. I know about doing too much, and paying for it, but I'm not going to next time, which could be before Christmas. Junie, when you've been in this boat for a bit, you stop being embarrassed, and truly you have to laugh at yourself, otherwise you'd just cry all the time.
Take care anyway.
M.x