What is the reason for recurring mobility problems and radiating pain in the leg despite having spine surgeries and medications?

Question

Hello doctor,

I am a 29-year-old. Nine years back, I had an MRI which showed disc herniation at L4, L5, and S1 that was putting compression on my sciatic nerve. It was causing many mobility problems and radiating pain down my right leg. I had surgery on L4 which gave me some relief. But a week after the surgery, when I sneezed, the pain came back to my leg. But this time I felt it more behind my knee and in my ankle. I had a second discectomy at L5-S1 by another doctor who said that was my source of pain. I had significant changes after that surgery. I do not have pain like earlier, but still have pain sometimes. I have also been diagnosed with peroneal neuropathy. My first neurologist said my neuropathy is due to my sciatic nerve being compressed for so long. I had to change the doctor as I shifted to a new place and my new doctor is telling me it has nothing to do with my back. I never had any problems until my back injury. So I just do not understand how my problem is not related to my back. My left foot has been numb since the first surgery. Three of my toes, the top part of my foot, and the left side of my lower leg have been numb. I cannot spread the toes of my left foot. I get pins and needles in both my feet and sometimes my feet move in weird ways. Currently, I am taking Gabapentin 100 mg at night. Earlier I had Lyrica and Topamax. Lyrica made me psychotic while Topamax made me paranoid and anxious. I also had many steroidal injections.

Kindly help.

Answer 1

Hello,

Thank you for stopping by!

I am here to provide expert opinions on your medical issues.

Back pain which radiates to the leg is a usual feature of lumbosacral disc herniation. As you have numbness in your left leg after surgery, there may be a few possibilities:

Severe compression at radicals which make common peroneal nerve fibers.
Injury of those nerve radicals.
Prolonged compression of the common peroneal nerve near the knee joint.

It is difficult to exactly tell the cause. I suggest you send your pre-surgery and post-surgery MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) and NCV (nerve conduction velocity) test reports.

I hope this has helped you.

Thank you.