Back trouble, Screws & Plates

mr8ball

mr8ball

Registered
Back trouble, Screws & Plates. Anyone had any experience with it? In 2006 I had a Posterior Lumbar interbody fusion with Posterolateral Fusion and Internal Fixation. Short version, replaced 1 disk installed 6 screws and 2 plates. Now in the past month or so I have started to have a lot of pain and some weakness in legs. I feel at times very unstable and that it is going to let lose at anytime. Everything I have read about it states it could be anything from the screws starting to back out to having one that might have broke off. I am in the process of getting an MRI or CT Scan to see what is going on. I have to go tomorrow for a test on my legs for all the pain and burning I am having in them. I have been up all night with what feels like someone is stabbing my middle toe with a hand full of needles. I know a lot of members here have back trouble and was looking for some insight on this. Th Dr that did my surg has retired at the ripe age of 50. So I cannot see him anymore. After my heart attack last year I started to feel pretty good and was starting to have somewhat of a normal life again and then all of a sudden BAM Bad Back pain is back again. I sure do not want to go through this again and pray to God its a simple fix. Any thoughts? Thanks in advance
 
I have not experienced anything like you have described but I do occasionally suffer from lower back pain, related to muscle strains. Not to mention flair-ups of arthritis.....I feel for you and hope the problem is discovered and easily corrected. This day and age imaging technology is awesome and the cause will likely be pinpointed. Good luck!!
 
Let me know how everything goes with your visit and thoughts and prayers:please: that everything is ok. Let me know if i can do anything.
 
I don't have any experience with that kind of back problem. Prayers sent for an easy fix though. Sounds like you should look into getting your medical weed card though. That might help you quite a bit.
 
Ouch :( I get a lot of pressure in the middle of my leg from the rod and intermittent pain in the areas where screws are in my knee and ankle but not bad. Massaging my shins helps the pressure oddly enough and I have to deal with the rest. I can imagine the back being much, much worse though :(

Good luck with it all buddy :please:
 
What you describe sounds more like problems with your sciatic nerve and not the surgery.
Tingling in toes and stabbing feelings is nerve related. The MRI will show how close plate and screws are to it.
Maybe rubbing it with them?

Pain only in lower extremities or does it transfer up under shoulder blade and into neck?
 
Best wishes. I have those stabbing pains in my toes at night sometimes but it's diabetes, not back issues. Hope all works out bro!
 
Blanca Busa said:
What you describe sounds more like problems with your sciatic nerve and not the surgery.
Tingling in toes and stabbing feelings is nerve related. The MRI will show how close plate and screws are to it.
Maybe rubbing it with them?

Pain only in lower extremities or does it transfer up under shoulder blade and into neck?
Click to expand...
Its in my legs. My right leg has been numb every since I had the surg in 06 and the Dr said it would grow back about 1/2 inch a year. It had got a little better over the years but the burning and stabbing has got to be pretty bad over the past few weeks. I can ride my bike but to drive my car and the pressure from the seat kills me. They had to remove some scar tissue off nerve from my first surg so I know all about the sciatic thing. My left leg locked up and I got limp foot before the first surg and then after my left leg was fine but after the 2nd surg I have had all the trouble with the right one. I am hoping the test tomorrow will tell me about my legs and I hope to get the other test next week. Thanks for all the prayers and thoughts.
 
Sounds like a loose screw or built up scar tissue pushing on a nerve. I've had both issues before and the correction was another surgery to "fix" it. I have had 21 surgeries so far and have had screws/plates in my left wrist, lower back, both sides of my pelvis, and right foot. The MRI should tell all.... Good luck brother, I feel your pain.
 
mr8ball said:
Its in my legs. My right leg has been numb every since I had the surg in 06 and the Dr said it would grow back about 1/2 inch a year. It had got a little better over the years but the burning and stabbing has got to be pretty bad over the past few weeks. I can ride my bike but to drive my car and the pressure from the seat kills me. They had to remove some scar tissue off nerve from my first surg so I know all about the sciatic thing. My left leg locked up and I got limp foot before the first surg and then after my left leg was fine but after the 2nd surg I have had all the trouble with the right one. I am hoping the test tomorrow will tell me about my legs and I hope to get the other test next week. Thanks for all the prayers and thoughts.
Click to expand...

Sounds like you have some peripheral neuropathy going on….have you tried a drug called gabapentin (spelling???) it started out as a anti-seizure med that docs found works for neuropathy. Good old fashion pain killers work too but drug you up and are additive, the gabapentin does not do that. I had the limp/drop foot on my left side and half of my foot and lower leg are numb. When the nerves were 1st crushed my foot was so sensitive that you couldn’t even touch it; just the breeze you would create walking next to me would cause major pain. After the meds got it under control the docs tried elctro nerve stimulation but that was too uncomfortable. My injury was in Aug of 07’ and I still have the neuropathy…which causes my foot to hurt everyday…..the more I stand on it the more it hurts. It has been getting worse the past few months so I was thinking of truing the electro shock treatments again to see if I can handle them now. Let us know what you find out with your test today….hoping for the best!
 
Hey guys, Everything turned out good from the test today, It was test to see if the circulation was good in my legs. They were thinking that was causing all of my leg pain. The lady that did the test said she had been doing it for 16 years and she could see nothing wrong but the people who would read the test would look at it tonight. I am waiting on the Dr to set me up the MRI or CT Scan. As far as the pain meds, I have methadone left over from when I was taking it before. I told the Dr I did not like taking it so he gave me some Tramadol wich does not do much for me. I have to take 2 50 MG at a time to knock the edge off but anything is better then nothing. I will have to ask the Dr about the gabapentin and see what he thinks. Right now if it will help I will try it.

Hey Marty, I am still planning on going Sat. I guess if it gets to bad I can always come back home. Let me know for sure what time you guys are leaving. I hope to here from The Dr tomorrow about more test. Thanks again for all the advice, thoughts and prayers.
 
Will do Doug, glad things went ok.
I'll text you when we leave my house, which hopefully will be by 10:30am, if not before.
 
the gabapentin will only help if its a nerve pain, its not like a normal pain pill like oxy or vicodin. It wont help with any other type of pain... glad your circulation is good.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

dolilind
Dam the bad luck!!!
Replies
15
Views
747
VaBusa
VaBusa
F
Back home after back surgery
Replies
18
Views
1,090
JBradley0181
JBradley0181
NINJA KILLER
Back Pain
2 3
Replies
53
Views
2,223
PocketRocket
P
Rocketman
Got the spinal fusion finally...
2
Replies
22
Views
1,160
Rocketman
Rocketman
TruWrecks
Totally bummed right now.
2 3
Replies
40
Views
1,942
Bosshound
Bosshound
Back
Top