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In reply to the discussion: I'm going to need spinal fusion surgery. [View all]MANative
(4,188 posts)22. Well familiar with that! It's exactly what I had.
Shooting, radiating pain down my hip, buttocks, thigh, and calf. No relief from any other therapy, including PT, chiropractic, anti-inflammatory drugs, etc. My surgeon told me that the best solution depends on why the sciatic nerve is being pinched. In my case, it was the disc that had ruptured and calcified. When that material was removed, the problem was completely solved. In my case, only the L5 was involved. If you've got both L4 and L5 issues, it probably will require a slightly different approach.
I empathize with your problem, and wish you a speedy recovery, no matter what route you decide.
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L4, L5. I am going to get another opinion and probably use a different surgeon.
MoonRiver
Dec 2014
#7
I suffered with the pain for nearly three years before finally giving in to the surgery.
MANative
Dec 2014
#24
You might want to think about taking the next few weeks to fully investigate...
MANative
Dec 2014
#27
I had a laminectomy and discectomy on the l5-s1 and wasn't so lucky as to be "instantly cured".
adirondacker
Dec 2014
#29
Here is a spinal fusion website my daughter used through her SpF ordeal.
misterhighwasted
Dec 2014
#30