Is this an unusual symptom????

[LeslieRN]

Hello again

I have another question about symptoms first. My 1st spinal surgery L5S1! - I had footdrop . The second was to remove the metal from the 1st due to amount of pain I was having. Next was more pain and it was obvious on the MRI that L4 needed to be fused. Then there was a time for other surgeries- knee replacements and shoulder problems ETC.

In 2010, after 9 years of mis-diagnosis (they told me I had reflex sympathic Dystrophy in my left arm) After I put my foot down and demanded a MRI to be done on my entire back they finally knew the diagnosis - C5 to C7 were in the same shape as the Lumbar ones were - bone spurs, herniations etc. So I had the cervical surgery in September 2010. The pain went away right after surgery. Then early in 2011 the pain started to go down my left aram again. Spinal doc did not want to do another surgery since it hadn't even been a year. So we tried an epidural steroid injection. it only lasted a week.

As time went on, I know I needed to have the surgery before the end of the year since my copays would change for hospital stays- it was $200 a night and would change to $250 ( in year's past it had been only $50.00 per night). He finally agreed and I had the Fushion of C4 to C5 surgery last December (2011)

Everthing seem to be going quite well - Hubby had problems also including diabetic rentinopathy, bleeding into the eye and a bubble in his left eye - laser was done first then injections into the eye. (UGH) We are finally seeing the light at the end of the tunnel.

In the meantime, I guess it was the end of May that I started having a slight amount of spinal pain above the other surgery sites. I guess I went into deniel - I did not want another surgery!!!!!!! (None of us do, right?)
But as the days past the pain began to increase until Wednesday of last week and I could not deny it any longer.

I can't deny the pain any longer Plus there is pain going down my left leg (like the very first spinal problem I had)

Now here is the problem I have a question about - my back where the pain along the spine is actually is swollen and putting pressure on it even with the waistband of my P.J. is too much. Your rsponse will be appreciated. (I did make an appointment but my spinal doc is in surgery today so tomorrow morning we'll see what they decide.)

Thanks again

Leslie

[Mark N]

Leslie, sorry you are having more trouble with your pain. I don't think your symptom is unusually as I have had the same thing happen and remember many others talk about the swelling in their back too. I have had further spinal problems leading to pain but I have chosen to deal with the pain and not go through any more surgeries unless paralysis is occurring. It is a choice each of us have to make and I can't claim my life is what I want it to be but I was already looking at too much of my spine causing trouble and didn't want to go through surgery and still be disabled which is where I would have been.

[Big Joe]

Hey Leslie... I had a similar pain both before and after each of my lumbar surgeries. I am doing well since my last one this past winter, but I still get pain in the hip area about where the hip and spine join. I don't know that it is directly related to a particular spinal issue, as it was there before and still after. It is not so bad that it bothers me in any significant way, but it can get pretty tender and swollen. My surgeon basically says it is what happens when arthritis gets into the joints and when it gets irritated it will swell and that will make it hurt. I guess just like any other joint. It can be painful at times... sore at others.... not too bad at others, but usually not bad enough to worry about. I guess I have worse pain in other areas and don't worry too much about it. It usually bothers me most when I lay down in the bed at night. If I move a bit it will ease off and I can get to sleep. It is not bad enought to wake me though, so if I can get it to ease off enough to go to sleep I am pretty happy. Sorry you are having this pain.