babbys

Dear Dr. Corenman,

I just wanted to update you and seek your opinion.

Today I saw a neurologist for a second opinion.
He popped my mri’s in front of me which my surgeon never did.

He stated the first mri was such bad quality. It was sitting and i was slouched with a pillow because of pain. Was surprised surgeon even operated with it.

MRI with contrast from last week very clear. He said bluntly I Re herniated. I said but its just a small piece of fragment. He stated its still a reherniation and sees it pressing on L4 nerve.

Also what was never told to me or said on either MRI report was at L3 there is stenosis that he said I’d be back in 5-10 years for another surgery. He showed me my other disc spaces then that one how narrow it was.

He said these are my options.

1) Conservative with steroidal Injection and PT. He stated the body should Re absorb.

He said risk is waiting with compressed nerve and not feeling better in say 6 months surgery anyway.

2) Redo discectomy. But may reherniate again.

3) Redo Discectomy AND then Fusion of L4-L5. He would go in, do another disctomey to clean everything up then fuse.
Option A above only or
Option B Fuse AND fix the stenosis above at L3 to give it a bit more room. He said the risk is it could weaken the fusion.

He said some people just want peace of mind they wont reherniate and opt for fusion.

He said some people never want surgery again. And try conservative.

He said he can’t use same scar because for some reason he went far to the left. He didn’t know why he went out so far.

I’m just beside myself. 6 weeks post microdiscetomy and I still feel so raw to even begin PT. I did have weakness in my left leg when he pushed down. I could stand on my heels and toes.

Last few days i feel worse. More pain in back and nervy pains sensations into left leg as has been happening. I’ve even been feeling things in my other leg which is freaking me out but he said he doesn’t see anything contributing to that so now I have in my head i made myself worse since MRI

Could you please give me your opinion?

Is there a way I can pay for you to review my MRI’s?

Thank you in advance.

Best,
Stephanie

I’m sure I’ve overwhelmed you but think I should describe my symptoms better.

First initial symptoms upon accident was an excruciating pain that cane from outside of left buttock to outside of hip and wrapped top of thigh and hurt so bad Upon standing I needed cane or only releif was to go on floor on my hands and knees. Or sit on firm chair with posture cushion. Could only stand 20-30 seconds.

Steroidal Injection one week later
And felt more mobile in bending after couple days, still couldn’t stand long maybe 1-2 minutes with pain returning.

One week later another steroidal Injection. This is the one that exacerbated symptoms but different location. It over cane top of left thigh to top of knee and burned and squeezed with pain I literally wanted to die. Texted with dr and started prednisone again, Percocet every 4 hours and ketorolac. About 9 hours later the excruciating pain subsided enough for me to sleep. Days following was stiff again in totso area, needed cane, but then after maybe 4 days back to no cane, bending, could get up and down off floor. Was doing cat and cow stretches. Laying on back or stomach made that awful pain over come my outter thigh area.

Leading up to surgery I remember timing myself and stood in early morning for 10 plus minutes. Pain but not as excruciating. But by day end it would feel worse and i needs to sit often.

Microdiscetomy on 12/17/19. Woke up with just pain in incision area. Stood straight felt amazing. Everyone said how relieved my face looked. I still had nervy sensations into left leg but I didn’t feel that pain overcome my left hip over to thigh that made me stand bent over and crooked. What I forgot to mention above was first night after microdiscetomy i used restroom and my pants feel to ankles. Embarrasse to ask for help I put my right hand on sink and gently lifted my left leg ( im left handed so think that was natural but stupid to do) while trying to bring it up to me ever so slowly as i bend not over but down. Well i felt an electric shock from my knee down to shin into arch of foot. I told my surgeon the next morning my concern. He didn’t seem alarmed. I already had shin numbness and no knee reflex pre op. The sensation stayed with me but now comes and goes even to this day.
Because i was so concentrated on the pain upon standing it hard to remember what my leg felt like aside from the excruciating pain.

It wasn’t until 3 weeks post op I began to feel a different twinge/pain in my lower back below scar. Doesn’t feel muscular feels nervy. It also doesn’t really feel like it radiates down the leg.

Prednisone for 12 days didn’t do anything.

So here i am 5 weeks post op with feeling very vulnerable in back area still with a heavy uncomfortable nervy feeling. I can walk stairs and lead with bad leg and it doesn’t necessarily exacerbate the feeling.
After my post i layed in bed and lifted my left leg a bit straight and did not get the zap but I didn’t go to high. I do however feel very uncomfortable getting dressed still as i sit and have to help cross my left leg onto right knee to get socks on and its dicey because i feel the teinge in that area.

All i can do is walk albeit slower and a bit uncomfortable, lay in my zero Gravity chair, lay fetal position either side. I literally have been doing this for 5 weeks. Plus even more limited 5 weeks pre op. Everything aches from no use like laying on my sides.

To date My left leg is very nervy on top of thigh, down into shin which is still numb but different sensations too. And feel it into arch of foot a bit. Week or so post op my husband couldn’t touch my shin it would make me jump it was so painful now it doesn’t feel that way.
The sensations range from shooting to sharp zaps, cold etc. The leg feels weaker but I can walk stairs gently leading with left leg and I can stand on my toes and heels.

Thank you again and hopefully I didn’t overwhelm you too much.

Regards,
Stephanie