Juggling CECS, Nerve Compression, and a Suspected CSF Leak. I’m Exhausted.

Hey all, I just wanted to blow off some steam because I’ve been on thrill rides all year… and I really, really hate thrill rides.

It all started with increasing leg pain. I figured, “Okay, I’m just out of shape, nothing major.” But the pain kept escalating — a little worse, then a lot worse. Eventually, it felt like my legs would snap under the pressure. I told my doctor exactly that.

At first, I got diagnosed with shin splints. Months of recovery later… plot twist: it wasn’t shin splints. It was Chronic Exertional Compartment Syndrome (CECS). CECS caused foot drop, tingling, tightness, and pain that just wouldn’t stop. When I finally got pressure testing, my anterior compartments hit 95 mmHg with the rest close behind.

Once we had that figured out, it was time to meet with the surgeon. Within a few weeks, I had a surgical consult, and my surgery was scheduled within a month.

Sigh… do I need to say more? If you’ve read this far, you’d probably assume I had surgery back in June and I’m recovering. Haha, I wish.

Nope. I’m currently awaiting a spine consult. Why? Well, here’s where it gets “fun.”

A week before my CECS surgery date, I developed positional headaches and back spasms. The spasms? Okay, maybe I pulled a muscle. But the headaches? I’ve never had those in my life. After some research (and panic), I found that CSF leaks are often linked to positional headaches. So I spoke with my doctor and got MRIs set up.

And what did the MRI reveal? Turns out I have a C6-C7 disc herniation pressing on my spinal cord and right nerve root, and a L4-L5 disc protrusion hitting a nerve in my lower back.

So now what? Do I need back surgery? (God, I hope not.) When will I be able to do the leg surgeries? So many questions, and not nearly enough answers yet. I’m hoping my upcoming spine specialist appointment will finally give me some clarity.

Right now, I’m on short-term disability, trying to stay as comfortable as possible while helping my wife take care of our 2 kids. But honestly, most days I just feel drained by everything — physically and mentally.

Thanks for reading. I just needed to get this off my chest.