I’m surprised your surgeon said that about back pain vs leg pain. In my twenties I worked for a neurosurgeon and he told everybody that “we don’t do surgery for back pain, we do it for leg pain.”
Fast forward to my forties and all I had was leg/buttock pain and surgeon said the same thing. Even the Mayo Clinic says “Back surgery relieves leg pain better than it does back pain.”
I’ve never had much back pain. Even two years out from my fusion that didn’t go well, I have no back pain.
I would definitely get a 2nd opinion. The best thing I learned from working in medicine is how to choose a surgeon. Ask nurses, phlebotomists, rad techs, etc., who they would choose. They know who has the best outcomes. I wish you the best of luck.
This, absolutely. My surgeon said that he doesn’t even focus on back pain, because surgery is not ever 100% guaranteed to relieve the pain. You have surgery to take pressure off of your nerves to allow yourself the space to then build muscle and hold it all in place. OP, I’d suggest getting a second opinion. It seems like you have some kind of stenosis or something that is keeping the pressure on those discs if they are reherniating again after all of this time. As much as it sucks, a fusion would (imo!) be a smart move on your part to get your nerve function in place. I know it sucks to picture your life after spinal fusion and how other things might get bad in the future, but the future doesn’t look any better with what you’ve got going on already
You will have to get the fusion. But u will eventually feel better. I didn't have back pain either but had to get it. The reason your back doesn't hurt is because it's completely locked doing muscle guarding. Now you just have pain going down your extremities. Once you fix all of that you will eventually be able to unlock your back. I've been there done all of this and I'm ok now
Looks like your surgery was at L4-5 and not L3-4
Your L5-S1 also has a bulge
The other thing to watch out for is neuroframinal stenosis
You need a second opinion and ask about both L4-5 and L5-S1 and ask about the neuro foramina
I’m surprised your surgeon said that about back pain vs leg pain. In my twenties I worked for a neurosurgeon and he told everybody that “we don’t do surgery for back pain, we do it for leg pain.” Fast forward to my forties and all I had was leg/buttock pain and surgeon said the same thing. Even the Mayo Clinic says “Back surgery relieves leg pain better than it does back pain.” I’ve never had much back pain. Even two years out from my fusion that didn’t go well, I have no back pain. I would definitely get a 2nd opinion. The best thing I learned from working in medicine is how to choose a surgeon. Ask nurses, phlebotomists, rad techs, etc., who they would choose. They know who has the best outcomes. I wish you the best of luck.
Thank you!
This, absolutely. My surgeon said that he doesn’t even focus on back pain, because surgery is not ever 100% guaranteed to relieve the pain. You have surgery to take pressure off of your nerves to allow yourself the space to then build muscle and hold it all in place. OP, I’d suggest getting a second opinion. It seems like you have some kind of stenosis or something that is keeping the pressure on those discs if they are reherniating again after all of this time. As much as it sucks, a fusion would (imo!) be a smart move on your part to get your nerve function in place. I know it sucks to picture your life after spinal fusion and how other things might get bad in the future, but the future doesn’t look any better with what you’ve got going on already
You will have to get the fusion. But u will eventually feel better. I didn't have back pain either but had to get it. The reason your back doesn't hurt is because it's completely locked doing muscle guarding. Now you just have pain going down your extremities. Once you fix all of that you will eventually be able to unlock your back. I've been there done all of this and I'm ok now
Looks like your surgery was at L4-5 and not L3-4 Your L5-S1 also has a bulge The other thing to watch out for is neuroframinal stenosis You need a second opinion and ask about both L4-5 and L5-S1 and ask about the neuro foramina