Medical obstacles, feeling hopeless.

Pensworth · March 2013

For the past few months I was dealing with sciatica so bad that it was hard to even get up for prolonged periods of time. During this period I also lost my job, and I tried to use the time to focus on my health. An MRI revealed the cause was an extremely herniated disc. This herniation was so bad that it looked like it cut off all the nerves in my spine. I lost the feeling in my foot, from above the ankle into the toes, including my heel. This screwed up my walking gait. This past week I had surgery to remove the herniated part of the disc, and it was successful, but the numbness is unchanged.

I am in my apartment every day, unable to do very much. I can't drive for another week or so. The incision site on my back is still tender, and the sciatic nerve was irritated slightly from the surgery, causing muscle spasms in my leg that I have to treat with medication. My walking gait is still messed up. The numbness in my foot also throws my balance off. I cannot use my hula hoop, which was an activity I loved. I have wii fit, which I would like to use, but most of the exercises involve too much hip movement at this time for me to do them. I resist walking around outside partly due to the weather, and partly because I hate what has happened to my gait. I know that walking around will supposedly help my recovery, but I have found the whole thing to be depressing.

I am afraid the numbness in my foot will never go away, that I will have to live like this for the rest of my life. I understand the numbness can take anywhere from a few days to several months to go away, or it might even never go away. I find it very hard to be active and deal with this at the same time. It frustrates me to no end.

If anyone else has dealt with or is currently dealing with similar circumstances, how do you make it work? I am relieved at least to get this off my chest, but I would be very interested to hear other peoples' experiences.

acogg · March 2013

I have some of the same numbness, but no surgery. I lay on my back, ball myself up, and rock back and forth. I also roll a can of vegetables under my foot. It has slowly helped my numbness. Consider starting with hand weights and resistance tubes. They take up very little room and just a little bit of use each day will do wonders to build strength.

beasilvac · March 2013

First is first, one thing at at time. Yo can't be worrying about dieting and working out at this time. Your main concern is ur health, both mental and physical. U don't have to walk alone, look for a friend to go with u, u will be chatting along and soon u'll forget about how weird you supposedly look. This too shall pass. I'm an asthmatic, I live in a polluted city, I'm not supposed to be able to walk around or do any work out. This is a chronic disease and I have to take my treatment twice a day. Currently I walk 6 km and run 1.5 , 4 times a week and do pilates 2 twice a week. It will get better for u. U just have to treat urself very well right now, indulge and be forgiving, listen to ur body, is the only one u'v got. U'll be back with the help of friends and family

MelissaGraham7 · March 2013

I'm not a doctor and can't begin to advise you on sciatica, back pain, numbness, etc. But I can say, dealing with my own medical issues, that walking is just about the single best thing you can do for yourself to keep yourself moving, continue to improve joint mobility including the back and feet, and handling depression. Exercise of any sort is wonderful as a mood stabilizer. So, if you can walk at all, you should be walking when and where you can as long as your doctor has cleared you for that. If you can move, move! You will not regret it and if nothing else, it will help with your depression and mood, which will in turn help how you cope with all else!

Sqeekyjojo · March 2013

You're not even more than a few days post surgery. Everything's bruised, sore and not settled down.

Have you been referred for a physio/rehab course? If not, it would be good to ask about one, as I attended one after I prolapsed a disc in my lumbar region, fell down the stairs as my balance was affected, then badly sprained my upper neck trying to clear snow from the front path. There were people there that had similar surgeries to yours.

It would be stupid to tell you anything medical - I just saw people at the classes slowly and gently mobilising over time.

But none of them were as near to surgery as you.

Keysted · March 2013

How about a yoga class? Minimum of movement and would help calm your mind. Call your park district now to find out when the next class starts.

Pensworth · March 2013

Thank you everyone for the responses. When it comes to walking, I hope for spring to come soon to make it easier. The rest of the time I prefer walking in the mall that is nearby, as it is very large. I will try to be more active. At least a walk around the apartment complex would be a start, I suppose.

I was in physical therapy before getting a surgical consult, I got maybe four or five sessions in. They advised me not to resume the therapy until after my post-op appointment with the surgeon, which is at the end of this month.

I admit to being impatient with the numbness. The surgery was on Monday. I had my gall bladder removed before Christmas and found that recovery period to take longer than this current condition. I am able to do a lot more right now, than I was after that surgery. It can be hard to put things in perspective and appreciate them.

Roni_M · March 2013

I'm so sorry you are going through this. A friend of mine had a similar issue and had the surgery which was successful. It may be too soon to know if yours was (I think it was a couple of months before she felt normal although the surgery got rid of the nerve pain right away for her).

The good news is that losing weight is mostly diet anyways (if that's what you are working on). I have psoriatic arthritis and some disc issues (although not to the extent of yours, mine are 3 bulging and one narrowed). I exercise when I can but it is not uncommon for me to go months without really exercising (currently only one workout since xmas due to pain from my back issues).

At this point you should work on the things you can, such as diet, and when you are better able to manage exercise start out slow. You would be surprised at how quickly just doing short walks around your apartment will build up your endurance. You also may benefit from physical therapy because they can show you things to do that won't irritate your sciatic nerve.

Nerves take a long time to heal and you will adjust to the numbness and not even notice it. My daughter had jaw surgery and lost the feeling in her chin. The feeling slowly came back, so slowly she didn't even notice it. She still has a spot the size of a dime in the center of her chin that she can't feel and her surgery was 3 years ago. Doctors say it will probably still come back so they still ask her about it at her check ups. My grandfather was shot in the arm during WW2 and lost one of the bones in his arm and had nerve damage. He functioned perfectly fine with no feeling in that hand, no one would have known if he didn't tell them.

My point is that it is way too soon to know if you have permanent nerve damage but even if you do, your body will adjust and as it recovers and the muscles get stronger your gait will improve, likely to the point that no one will know except you. I really hope you heal quickly!

rickyc1952 · March 2013

I had lower back surgery at L4 and L5 years ago. Even then walking was my rehab.I think it's all mental. You have to have a positive attitude or it will swallow you up. The surgery gave me a new life.

I am currently diagnosed with COPD. It came from 41 years in construction using chemicals with no protection and smoking cigarettes. I am on diuretics twice a day and 2% oxygen. It makes it difficult to work out. Again it's all attitude. Sometimes I feel like I am fighting a loosing battle but I will NOT throw in the towel. Life is short. Enjoy it while you can. Many people suffer from medical conditions. My advice is bite the bullet and keep moving for your self. It will get better.

Mrsbusk · March 2013

I have a similar situation..I have a herniated disc nerve problems in my legs where it can leave both legs numb...and they can not figure out the particular problem is...every two months I've been having to go to a pain management to get an epidural shot..and it takes about 2 days to recover but two weeks to feel the full benefit... I'm still in pain every day but the shots have made it lessen they have even tried surgically burning the nerves in my back.....by the time I'm 35 or sooner I will have to have surgery..and the only way I can prolong it is to loose weight...it's been hard to bc I can't do a lot and I can't do long strenuous activities....it took me 8 months and pain killers to just figure out apart of the issue...my dr put me on neurotin and I have to take a sleeping pill at night just to sleep... Bc my legs get very adgitated at night..possibly i could have restless leg also..who knows.lol..
But...I just wanted to say after a surgery or anything similar to that is a very emotional time...and don't beat yourself up over it.. You'll start feeling better every day..bc you can't be physically active does not mean you can't still be on your healthy lifestyle....every time you feel a craving try to drink a bottle of water slowly and keep drinking until your next meal or even have a healthy snack my fave is peanutbutter and celery...focus working to get better and feel better.you can still loose weight when you can't exercise.:-).justnby saying you are fighting and still getting up and move says that you are strong and you'll get there.:-)

lizbess1 · March 2013

first of all go slow this take time to heal and just start slow. my back surgery was in the summer of '11 with neck surgery 5 months later, I am still having problems with legs and arms going numb so that problem may never go away, depending on the amount of damage so wait til you go see your surgeon and take it easy do what ever you were told by pt when you left the hospital and try not to get yourself discouraged, it took me getting so big I was getting myself into his sized pants before I realized that I had to try and do something about my weight or I would never be able to move again and would be back in my chair and using a cane again so as long as you keep trying to move after you the approvals from the dr's and don't over do try to do as much as you can. I also have arthritis so the cane and chair are still a possibility again in the future but now I think I can watch and know how to avoid gaining all the weight back again I hope

Pensworth · March 2013

Thank you everyone. I have been trying to introduce a lot more vegetable into my diet. It is a half success, as some days I manage to get some green into every meal, and other times I just say "not today." It is a work in progress.

Before the MRI came in I had received two spinal injections, which I think were what really helped to eliminate the pain from the sciatica. I was prescribed more pain killers after the surgery, but I can say I have not needed any pain killers regularly for the past two or three weeks. I take the muscle relaxer faithfully.

I had been using a cane for about a month prior to the surgery, mostly to help me handle stairs, or at times when walking would become too difficult. I have not needed it much recently, but it is always at the ready...

Things always seem to rev up at night. I'll wake up with my hamstring contracted. I'm not sure why it happens when I am asleep. If I try to fold my leg up underneath me, this also makes the hamstring and calf start to knot up. It is weird not being able to do simple positions like this. It feels very limiting.

moparrunner6 · March 2013

i have a bad left ankle.i lost my job just like you over a year ago it was so bad i could not put any weight on it at all i was on crotches for over 8 mounths.i put on a lot of weight from this i now weigh over 400 pounds.all the docters were telling me that i needed to be on disability i sofferd from depression then one day i said to my self no more i went to a gym to see a trainer he has me on light stuff were not to hert ankle but helps every were else.its been 2 mounths now and im starting to move around easer.hes costing me 800 but i feel its worth it cause im starting to get my life back..i think you should go to a gym near you and consalt a trainer may be they can help you to .its wont be easy it going to be real hard for a bit.but if you take pain meds they will help the bigest thing you can do is hang in there dont lose hope

Mrsbusk · March 2013

See your doing so good then!! Once you feel better that weight will drop off bc you'll want to do everything.lol.you have such a great attitude.:-) I still have to take pain killers here and there..but not every day anymore..I try my best not to.i have the same problem with my legs ill be fast asleep and my legs will jerk really hard and contract...and I almost always kick my husband when it happens.lol.lately I've been debating if I want to have surgery sooner so that way I can do more things for my 2 year old daughter.....I'm only 23 tho..or even if there were something more i can do to help...I am also in physical therapy..
Cold weather can effect nerves too..:-( just keep pushing in.

Pensworth · March 2013

I didn't really want to have surgery, but after seeing the MRI for myself, I understood why the surgeon had such an easy time recommending to have it done. I don't regret having either surgery done, although I wish it hadn't come to that. Everything that has happened with my gall bladder and the disc, has challenged my views on medical intervention. I have always been the sort who wants to wait things out in hopes that it would fix itself. Being active in addressing these health issues has been kind of exhausting. I want it to be "over." Lingering symptoms like the numbness just makes me irritable and sad. I feel bad for my boyfriend, who has to put up with this every day... haha.

I am interested in joining a gym, mostly because I really want access to a pool. I am putting it off at this time until after my post-op appointment, and hopefully I regain some feeling in my foot. I am a little worried about what it would cost to get a gym membership. But, I hope it would be worth the expense. The only other pools in the area are part of hotels, or are only open in the summer.

Medical obstacles, feeling hopeless.

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