Helo, can anyone advise me on the way forward. I have a degeneration disc at L5S1 which herniated massively. I was having severe lower back pain and some nerve pain in the right leg. I had a discectomy surgery in 2016. After the surgery, my back pain got worse and i started having bilateral tingling, pins and needles in both legs this time. I repeated MRI and nothing was seen as the cause of the pins and needles. I was given gabapentine which helped to calm the nerve pain. In 2018, the back pain and leg pain became worse. I repeated MRI which showed several bilateral foramina stenosis. I was offered spinal fusion. I had a spinal fusion in 2018. I recovered from the surgery but the back pain and leg pain in d form of pins and needles continued but this time a lower dose of gabapentine made me to be pain free. I eventually felt much better and stopped the gabapentine in 2022. I was doing well without any medication for complete one yr. Then about a month ago, the back pain and tingling and pins and needles in both legs slowly came back again and was progressively getting worse. I had to start gabapentine again which masked the pain. Right now. Am confused what made the pain reoccur after one yr of pain free. The pain am having is exactly the type of pain I was having before my fusion surgery. Anyone with similar experience?. I don't want to undergo any more surgery in my back. I can only see a neurosurgeon next yr.
DEGENERATIVE DISC DISEASE, FORAMINA STENOSIS,... - Pain Concern
DEGENERATIVE DISC DISEASE, FORAMINA STENOSIS, FAILED BACK SURGERY
I have had great success with a Nevro Spinal Cord Stimulator, ask to be referred to a Pain Management Consultant to see if this might be an option.
Thank u. I am just looking for alternative option other than pills. Gabapentine and amitriptylline work perfectly for me but they cause me massive weight gain. Before my fusion surgery , I was taking gabapentine 1800mg and amitriptylline 25mg daily. It offered me amazing pain relief but I gained a whooping 17kg in one yr without eating much. I moved from 80kg to 97kg within one yr. When I finally stopped the pills, I lost all the weight in 6 months. Am now back to 80kg. Am just scared of taking the medication again. Otherwise the combination does the magic for me.
Dear Nnabuike,
I am one of the forum moderators at Pain Concern. I have just been reading through your post and have put some links below to resources that I think could be of some help to you.
This 1st link is to a leaflet that explores the background of Gabapentin.
painconcern.org.uk/product/...
The next link will take you to an episode of Airing Pain, Pain Concerns podcast, that specifically discusses back pain and the management of back pain.
painconcern.org.uk/airing-p...
The following link will take you to the page that has the playlist for the Airing Pain Podcasts, where you will find other episodes that will be of interest to you.
painconcern.org.uk/airing-p...
Pain matters is a quarterly publication that has a wealth of information within each publication. You can subscribe to the magazine. The edition below specifically deals with back pain.
painconcern.org.uk/product/...
There is a fantastic website - 10 Footsteps, Living Well with Pain, that is all about self-management. This is the link to that website.
livewellwithpain.co.uk/ten-...
I hope you get some help from this information.
Best wishes
pain Concern
Thank you. I went through the articles and quite helpful.
I had L5/S1 fusion in 2020. They did warn me that it was possible for the L4/L5 to show signs further along the line. Not saying this is the cause but it might be worth asking for another mri through you GP, at least you will know if everything is ok. For me the severe pain went but it took me a while to get of the pregabalin which had increased my weight too like you. I will never go back onto it. I do experience more tingling recently but am determined not to have any more ops (had 5, 1 double). I am practising AT and walk 4K on avarage every day which helps. I do think nerves once disturbed can flare up again later on, this might be all it is, I know it is a horrible feeling but keep doing the exercises and keep walking x
Thank u Emma. My only surprise and confusion is I was pain free for one yr and wen the pain started again, it involves both legs at same time and progressed and became exactly like it was prior to my fusion. I believe whatever is happening is happening at same level of l5S1. If it is another level, the pain may be in one leg or at least different from my old pain. I did CT scan just to check my hardware and it is still intact. The CT scan didn't show anything wrong. It confirmed solid fusion has taken place. I will request for MRI. Is there anyway to counter the weight gain from gabapentine. This drug took away all my pains wen I was on it but the weight gain is scary. Thanx once again
The level above gives pretty much the same pain signals I believe but it coukd be just nerve flare up. Hopefully your MRI will confirm there is nothing to worry about.Interestingly I found or I kind of guessed that the pregabalin (sister drug to gabapentin as you no doubt know) started to irritate the nerve instead of making it better. I was on the highest dose which might have something to do with it. I decided to come off it by myself very slowly and the leg went absolutely mental but I persevered and in the end I was off it. I reckon the nerves got very used to the daily dose and wanted more which was not possible but getting of it sent them into overdrive. It would have been easier to keep on it but i was fed up of having to take it all the time. With regards to the weight gain nothing I tried helped too much while on it but when I was free of it the weight came of quite easily. The only thing that helped somewhat for losing weight while on it was the intermittent fasting regime, I did shift some stubborn weight but not enough to be happy (I did the 18/6 one, i.e no food for 18 hours and then during the other 6 I could eat - not as difficult as you think, just skip breakfast and have lunch and tea as normal but nothing in between or after).
Good luck
Thanx again. I laughed widely on ur description of pregabaline and nerve pain. As a matter of fact. Wen I was gaining weight while using gabapentine , I was not eating much. So I belive even fasting won't help me to reduce the weight gain. It was just incredible to see all d weight gain disappear immediately I stopped the gabapentine.
Not sure why you woukd laugh but never mind, just trying to help. I did look it up if this was possible and it said it was. But not common so if that is not your concern thats great. Weight gain is a bummer on these meds and as I said only coming of it had the real desired result.
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