Scared and looking to see if anyone else has had a similar experience
I (46f) had an L4-L5 microdiscectomy on 3/16 after enduring pain for three years. The surgery was the final decision because I couldn't complete my 12-hour shifts as a bedside nurse without heavy pain medication. I experienced immediate relief after surgery. However, a setback occurred post-op day 10. While walking to the bathroom, I lost consciousness and fell on my back. I immediately felt burning and tingling down my leg.
I contacted my surgeon the next day, and he prescribed a steroid dose. I felt some relief, but the pain returned with a vengeance on day 3 of the steroid treatment. I was instructed to rest, and he would evaluate me at my scheduled post-op appointment. He believed the pain was primarily due to inflammation and prescribed another steroid dose pack. I still had no relief and noticed weakness when walking down steps, an unsteady gait, and new pain in my upper thigh and knee. He ordered an MRI, which revealed persistent/recurrent disc material, ongoing narrowing, and compression of the L5 nerve root. While inflammation couldn't be ruled out due to the timing of the surgery, he recommended a spinal steroid injection for the L5 nerve.
I followed up with pain management, and they noted new weakness in the L4 nerve, which explains the pain in my upper thigh and knee. While I've experienced pain before, this is the worst I've ever felt. I'm in constant, unrelenting pain. It feels like someone is stabbing my hip with a hot knife and dragging it down my thigh, then beating my knee with a bat.
My FMLA ends next week, and I must either resign or return to work. I'm looking for success stories. I'm feeling nervous and defeated, fearing this will be my new reality. Fortunately, I don't have financial worries, as my husband can support our family. However, I love my job and am incredibly sad about potentially not being able to return.