spy147

LOCATION AND QUALITY OF PAIN
Starts from the lower back (surgical site), migrates to the back of the thigh, back of the calf and ends up at the foot (outer two fingers and under them).
It’s not constant but mostly a feeling that everything’s about to cramp up and when it actually happens it’s a stabbing pain mostly concentrated in the back of the calf. When lying on my back the feeling softens but when I lie sideways it gets more intense as well as when I sit. When I walk it’s mostly concentrated under the foot and I get a constant crack low in my back everytime I extend my right foot. When I swim I don’t hurt but I’m dragging a half numb leg in the water (I can’t flap my right leg when I backstroke because of the numbness). I don’t have any other activities during the past five months and I don’t BLT as per instructions by my surgeon.
The skin is not hypersensitive to touch.
There are no associated skin changes.
PERCENTAGE OF PAIN BY LOCATION
The lower back after surgery has me in a lot of discomfort when sitting 60%, less when standing 30% and even less when walking 20%. When resting on my back it doesn’t hurt or put me in discomfort.
Where it concerns the leg it is definitely posterior traveling down the back side ending at the outer two fingers of the right leg.
INTENSITY OF PAIN
The pain is not as intense it was last year. Lower back pain 2-3 constant when not lying down, leg pain (from thigh to foot) 2 (but ready to cramp at all times), 7-8 when cramp occurs. When it does and eventually subsides the pain left for several hours is close to a 4. Last year when I had severe sciatica for about 40 days the pain was close to a 9.
WEAKNESS
This is in my opinion the main issue that I’m stuck with after all these months. Because of my right sciatic nerve impingement for so long (and even now, I’m not sure about that) my right leg is weak. I feel that it’s at 60% of what it should be. I don’t have a limp (I’m walking funny though as I’ve been told) but everytime I step on it it’s dull. It’s not what it was like when I was normal.
Climbing stairs is a little problematic due to weakness (I have to hold on to something) and I definitely cannot stand on the toes of my right foot (it drops instantly). No foot drop whilst walking, only slight discomfort. (Although I get the feeling I need to learn how to walk properly again).
ONSET AND LENGTH OF TIME SYMPTOMS HAVE BEEN PRESENT
Never had back problems in my life. I suspect it all gradually occurred since 2006 when I began playing golf at age 35. I didn’t stretch pregame or post game and I played very athletic golf everyday at least for the first four years. I had a bout of sciatica in 2010 which lasted several months, I didn’t pay much attention and it went away. Todays woes began in January 2018 and progressed as I describe in the above post.
ACTIVITIES
Sitting increases the pain and symptoms whereas standing reduces them.
I can sit for about 20’ before I have to get up both because of lower back pain but most importantly leg symptoms.
I can walk for about a mile without much discomfort whereas in the winter I could walk for as long as I wished.
Bike riding on a stationary bike can be done but slowly since bending and straightening of legs brings a little discomfort (leg neurological symptoms), standing for a while is ok, walking up to a mile is ok, sitting is not good yet (neurological leg symptoms), no lifting, no jumping, computer work not easy (neurological leg symptoms), driving for about an hour ok, I haven’t flown yet.
Lower back hurts a little when sitting and more when bending, leg produces muscle spasms in the calf when sitting not when standing or walking.
I have neck pain because of the lower back pain not primarily. Last year when the back pain was somewhat resolved the neck pain vanished.
There is no excruciating pain since I don’t BLT, so I’m being extremely careful.
Daily function has dramatically changed for me since March when the leg neurological symptoms began. In a nutshell I would say that since then I move around like a seventy year old with arthritis instead of my forty eight years and unfortunately I can feel it through my extreme body stiffness.
PAIN INTERVALS
I have muscle spasms that lead to cramps when sitting. If I swim, or walk, or stand, or lie down (I’m not lifting or jumping, or doing anything so active yet) I do it all on a weak, dull, numb right leg.
I get good days, followed by bad days and then good days again and bad days and so on. Fifty days out of surgery and my situation is the same as preop. I had some good days and then some bad days. When my leg cramps I’ll usually have a couple of bad days in a row where I won’t walk or do my PT etc
ACTIVITY AND OCCUPATIONAL RESTRICTIONS
It has 100% changed my life. Up until January 2018 I worked out, I golfed, I played pool, I hiked. I was a very active person.
I don’t golf anymore, I don’t go to the gym, I can’t bend over to play pool. Basically, my previous live is on hold. I genuinely feel like an old man since March.
What I do now is light PT, some walking, some swimming (summer in Greece) and nothing more I’m afraid.
I work doing sports commentating from inside a studio which has me sitting for hours (that’s a problem). At least I work at an average of fifteen days a month.
LIABILITY
No liability
PREVIOUS CONSULTATION OR TREATMENT
I’ve been to physiotherapy during my first period of light sciatica (Jan-May 2018) which worked until I dug a hole for my dog.
I had an epidural steroid injection in July 2018 which dropped the high levels of pain I had in June-July 2018.
I did pilates and light exercises during the winter of 2018-2019 plus walking which helped a lot. Physiotherapy in March,April and May 2019 which helped a lot with the back but none with the leg symptoms which worsened.
Consulted two neurosurgeons for the leg and was advised to have a microdiscectomy which I had on June 24th.
Sadly, as I mentioned above nothing has been resolved and that is why I’m looking for answers wherever I can.
Thank you in advance if you take the time to read and evaluate everything I sent.