Question
hi  have had pain in left buttock for some years and bowel
   problems after a fall on my left buttock,recently had
   epidural in sacroiliac joint but no change,had mri scan
   month later which showed L5 disc bulge then had another
   epidural in L5 disc,a few weeks later started having
   pain down the back of my left leg this got worse after
   having 3 hours sleep i would wake up in agony with pain
  around my lower leg,this lasted about 4 weeks along
  bowel and groin problems,the epiduralwas not done under
  xray have now been told that i have foot drop which
  which i have for life and will require surgery on the
  disc, i feel my problems have got worse since having
  the disc epidural due to never having pain while
  walking which i have now.
                          ken harris  

Answer
Dear Ken,

Sorry to hear about your situation.  You really didn't ask a specific question, so I hope this will address your concerns. Let me know if you need any further clarification.

Foot drop is definitely from encroachment or dysfunction of the L5 nerve root, and it means that now the motor portion of the nerve has been affected, which is always worse than just the sensory portion.  The possibility of never regaining the full use of the foot is real, but there may be another answer and it is called intervertebral disc decompression.

I would suggest that you research the technique, which is a traction technique, and look into all your options as well as the surgery.  Look up DRX 9000, Accuspina, Spinal Aid, and Lordex for more information.

Concerning the epidural, it is a very real possibility that the shot has made the issue worse.  Epidurals will do nothing to correct ongoing problems from the disk, nerve roots, or spinal cord...although they can lower inflammation, they mostly help mask the pain, and  they can actually leave people with chronic low back pain or severe headaches.  This should have been disclosed to you before the procedure...it is called "informed consent", and you should have been required to sign off on it.

Hope this helps Ken.

Respectfully,
Dr. J. Shawn Leatherman
www.suncoasthealthcare.net