Prolapsed disc?

Question

I have had back trouble for yrs up to the point where I had a prolapsed disc last yr which left my left calf & foot numb. I have been able to cope without an op but over the last few wks I have had pains in my back & down my right leg. Last night the pain was severe & this morn my right calf & right foot appear to be going numb & my right leg feels as if it might give way on me (although this hasn't actually happened). I would prefer not to hav an op but I am worried about how bad the numbness can get & what happens if my leg does give way on me, would it be permanent or can it be 'fixed'? The pain is worse when i sit down, more so round the calf.
Any advice on pain relief would be a great help. I am currently taking anti-inflamatories & tramadol. Lyrica has helped me before but it put on a lot of weight which just added to the prob in the long run. I have since lost the weight again & dont want to put it back on by taking medication which might do so.
Any help would be appreciated

For pain relief I have tried acupuncture, physiotherapy, traction, tens and swimming. Even reflexology

Answer 1

x. i understand totally, have suffered with back problems for years prolapsed disc and crumbling discs, i also take tramadol, i was wondering what strength you are taking and if your taking tramodal SR. I would suggest 100 mg tramodal four times a day every four hours and then in between each dose take two 500mg paracetamol, the paracetamol sort of gives the tramodal a kick up the backside,, this way you are taking pain relief every two hours, this is the plan i have been put on over the last 2 months and it has made it a bit more bearable. other than that gentle exercise. good luck. x

Answer 2

I am 49 have a prolapsed disc. I had the same loss of sensation in my right leg, so my Doc sent me for a NCT. Based on that result, surgery. If you are having loss of sensation, numb, then you need to tell your Doc asap. Numb means the disc is 'cutting' off the nerve supply to your legs, therefore surgery, otherwise no legs! I was lucky because just before I went for the NCT, the disc moved again, I went down in pain, while on Fentanyl. I had to increase the fentanyl to get me over this four days of hades and get the legs back under me. However, the loss of sensation returned, which was a bonus, but I was still sent for the NCT! Numbness means nerve problems, nerves you need to make the muscles in the legs work, if you have numbness, you are looking at a wheelchair if you do not get it sorted. I was in a wheelchair, March to July and it was not fun.

Answer 3

You are in quite a dilemma and I entirely sympathise (fellow sufferer - I had a scan some years ago and was told my condition is degenerative and will only get worse and I did some minor gardening last week which has me crawling around to get off the sofa and nothing will touch it in terms of pain relief.) My only experience of somebody who had back surgery was that it was not only horrendous, but it didn't work. She was quite elderly however, and it may have been a lost cause right at the outset. The problem is 'controlling pain' can leave you in a permanent zombie state and at best, can affect your stomach. I think you need to discuss this further with your Consultant but I regret there are no easy answers here. The fact is humans should never have got up on two legs.

Answer 4

Had two discs taken out many years ago and can still
remember the sublime joy of having no pain at all
after the op and three weeks later my legs worked
fine after years on pain full numb legs plus back pain.
Now 25 yrs later don't have a problem just like you will
be pain free and your legs will work as the pressure
on your spinal cord will have been removed.
Mine was done on a a New years eve,best present ever.
PS had all what you have had done,so many hospital visits pills pills pills never worked but op did the job for me.

Answer 5

Taking drugs for pain doesn't permanently remove the pain because the cause of the pain is still there. I had mine operated and it's been 7 years of relief. My sister also have the problem but she opted for the non-invasive procedure. She had tried the whole lot of medication and therapies before - physio, chiro, pain reliever, epidural injections . . . but still no permanent relief.

I can imagine the pain, I cannot sleep at night, I cry, I got thin, my legs loss muscle mass, the shooting pain. It's a nightmare.

Answer 6

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Answer 7

Ask your doctor about an exercise routine. Regular exercise, such as walking three times a week, may reduce neuropathy pain, improve your muscle strength and help control blood sugar levels. Gentle routines such as yoga and tai chi might also help.

Answer 8

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