Greetings. Im new to this site . Thank you for being here!
I was diagnosed with a very large herniated disk and had surgery to remove it the first week of Feb.
Since then I have had so much pain in my sciatic nerve all down my leg and my foot is either numb or feels like someone set it on fire.
I have had physical therapy and am doing water therapy every day. Doctor put me on gabapentin for the nerve pain, which is pretty profound.
I have had acupuncture, chiropractor and am on a diet to help me heal but Im bascially crippled. Ive fallen 4 times. I hurt all the time or Im numb.
I went for my 3 month follow up yesterday and doc said I was doing everything I can to help myself... water therapy etc...and to wait a year and whatever I have regained by then will be what I have for the rest of my life.
I dont buy that.
I kn ow surgeons know what they know.. surgery and he said I had the largest herniated disk he'd seen in 30 years of surgery...but hes not a nutritionist, an alternative medicine practitioner or anything other than a surgeon.
I KNOW myelin is the sheath that has been compromised by the herniated disk . I cannot believe that there are not vitamin and diet and other treatments to help heal my sciatic nerve. Im NOT willing to just do water therapy and hope for the best.
Who else has had herniated disk and nerve pain and had successful therapies?
Im a person who believes that it is possible for us to heal ourselves and there are many things we can do to create an atmosphere of healing in body, mind and spirit.
Im a person of strength and determination but this is the most difficult thing I have ever faced.
Any help would be greatly appreciated
thank you.

Have you been re evaluated by an independent surgeon?

You might read on our RSD forum, in case your surgery triggered that condition..
not sure of that at all -just an offhand idea -
http://neurotalk.psychcentral.com/forum21.html

also-

Vitamins, Nutrients, Herbs and Supplements
http://neurotalk.psychcentral.com/forum49.html

Medications & Treatments
For discussion about medications and treatments for any disease or health condition, including issues of medication toxicity.
http://neurotalk.psychcentral.com/forum72.html
Sub-Forums: SCS & Pain Pumps
http://neurotalk.psychcentral.com/forum118.html

Hi Leaffe ~ You may not believe this, but I had the same thing as you -- that was in 1986. I also had surgery in 1987, in January. The surgeon removed the part of the disc that was herniating, like your surgeon did. They CANNOT remove the WHOLE disc or you'll have bone-on-bone between the vertebra.

After surgery, I still had pain. And today I STILL have the same pain, 26 years later, except it's worse. I've done everything I'm supposed to -- changed my diet, tried to exercise (exercising may it MUCH worse -- even pool therapy). I've walked until my feet were so sore I could cry. Nothing has helped.

My spine is in rotten shape. In 1995 I had to have another surgery on the level above the first one (Domino effect). It didn't help the sciatica. And now I have Fibromyalgia.

I sure never thought I'd have sciatica for this long. It can be very depressing to say the least. I pray you aren't "sentenced" to a life of pain, but it happens.

Best of luck and please take care of yourself! God bless. Hugs, Lee