My back surgery in 2004 was to remove a portion of the disk located at the S5-L1. It was an emergency surgery, in that some disk material had become lodged in the main nerve root going down the left side of my lower body. The pain was so bad that I was put on a morphine drip and believe me when I say, I was hitting the button when ever I was alowed. The surgery went well and for some time I was pain free. The thing that the neurosurgeon didn't tell me is that when you have this type of surgery it causes more stress on the adjoining disks in the spine. The rigidity I now have, contributes to the stress placed on the area of my back that the surgery was preformed. My neurological symptoms became much more pronounced about two months after the surgery. Looking back I may have had symptoms prior to the surgery, but I'm not sure.
My local neurologist has discussed "Stiff Man's Syndrome", but he is inclined to rule that out because of other upper motor neuron problems that I am experiencing. He has also discussed Multiple Systems Atrophy, but again I have some symptoms unrelated to this disease. Mayo Clinic is simply in a holding pattern, waiting to see if more symptoms develop. My next EMG will done sometime in the next six months.