Cauda equina

juliePettman
juliePettman Member Posts: 2
in Living with arthritis

After suffering lower back & buttock pain for 6 months 5 weeks ago whilst out walking I got a burning pain and them numbness in my right bum cheek, lower buttock & right side of area when you wipe after urinating. I contacted Go & was sent to a& e for emergency mri with suspected Cauda equina. Mri found osteophytes in the L4/5 region & a cyst arising from the right ligamentum flavum in the spinal canal.

Neurologist suspected Cauda equina so admitted for emergency op next morning. When surgeon came to see me before op he said that he couldn’t say if op would help pain and gave me a frightening list of what could go wrong similar to what could happen if the Cauda equina progressed. Because I had the numbness for 5 days before I got the mri he said he was prepared to watch & wait rather than operate straight away. I came home after 4 days but constantly waiting for it to spread. Had to cancel holiday as he advised not to travel at present .It’s now 5 weeks later and the pain when walking has got worse which also brings on the burning pressure where the numbness is. It hasn’t travelled further.

I have a telephone appointment with surgeon on Friday and just don’t know where to go from here. On leaving the hospital which is over a 100 miles from where I live he said if the symptoms get worse call for an ambulance. How long will I have to wait until I can think about watching out for red flag symptoms and being able to go anywhere other than where I live? Should I have the operation with the risks or risk Cauda equina coming on if I don’t and paralysing me because I can’t get to the hospital quick enough?

Any advice would be very welcome.

Comments

  • Brynmor
    Brynmor Member Posts: 1,755
    edited 17. Mar 2022, 10:54

    Hi @juliePettman welcome to the Online Community for Versus Arthritis.

    I had to look up Cauda Equina Syndrome as this is not an arthritic condition and naturally we hold no information regarding this. As a result, I'm not sure how much we can help you as no one with the Community has the qualifications to give good medical advice.

    Your first port of call must be your GP who is treating you and your surgeon who is proposing to carry out the operation.

    If you feel that you have reached the point where you should call for an ambulance or contact the surgeon as a matter of urgency, please do so.

    I wish you well.

    Brynmor

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