Sciatica after RP?

[studioj]

My husband has developed painful sciatica 4 months after his RP. Xray shows bulging disk. He can have an MRI 6 weeks after PT. Is it possible that there is a relation to his prostate surgery?

[Mgtd]

I have had both. In my opinion they are mutually exclusive and it is just by coincidence in your case that they are related. Good luck with the PT and the disk issue.

[studioj in reply to Mgtd]

Thanks - this is what his surgeon says. He has started PT and is feeling better

[Murk]

I am no expert but having had an RP and back / sciatica issues for years, I would think that his issue was slowly developing overtime and now surfaced. I know for me both physical and mental stress can bring on a sciatica flare up and irritation. Hell it gave me fits around my RP time for this same reasons.

For me, I went to a Neurologist and had MRI's and other test to determine that yeah I had a pinched nerve that was the cause. They wanted surgery of course. So I opted for a second opinion from a well respected Therapist and Chiropractor. His treatment & back manipulations brought me around pretty quick.

My research showed 50% of the people who opted for surgery were re-operated on in 5 years. Once I was feeling better, I started an every other day workout routine of Stretching and Planks. I believe this really helped and eliminated my need to visit for any additional treatments or a need for surgery.

All just my experience.

[studioj in reply to Murk]

Thanks, very helpful. He's now in the stretching mode and will try to avoid surgery.

[janebob99]

I've had 4 low back surgeries (including fused joints L3/4/5), and I don't think there is any connection with prostate cancer or prostate surgery.

[studioj]

Phew - good to know. Hope you've recovered

[sciaticaman]

I had a bad bout of sciatica before I had prostate cancer and recovered after physical therapy for several months. I did not have a prostatectomy but had radiation together with 6 months of ADT. While I lifted weights and hiked in the mountains I still got a lot of muscle atrophy from the ADT. At the end of my 6 months of ADT I developed sciatica again. Several doctors think that my back muscles atrophied and caused one of my small back muscles near the sciatic nerve to strain and put pressure on the nerve. I am currently doing physical therapy to hopefully make it get better especially now that my testosterone is coming back up. I think my sciatica (and other joint, muscle and nerve pain) is from the ADT which is not the case with your husband (I am assuming he is not on ADT) but both of us may also be reacting to the stresses and tension that we are experiencing in our lower back and pelvis. I hope your husband improves because chronic pain is not good.

[studioj]

Thanks sciaticaman - honored to hear from a specialist - I hope you improve soon so youy can change your user name. My husband is not on ADT but you're correct about the stress!