Spinal Stenosis

[Chuckanut]

I just got diagnosed with a spinal stenosis. It's a pain for sure. I am not as bad off as some. I can do most of what I want to do except walk for long distances. One mile is the limit. No issues sleeping. And for now, I won't lift or carry anything heavy.

Interestingly, the doc says overall my spine looks in good shape for a 65+ individual. But, the pain, throbbing down the leg a times can be a drag to say the least.

 

[skyking1]

My older brother has it, and has kicked around his options for about a year now. He has now decided on surgery.

 

[Dash man]

I just got diagnosed with a spinal stenosis. It's a pain for sure. I am not as bad off as some. I can do most of what I want to do except walk for long distances. One mile is the limit. No issues sleeping. And for now, I won't lift or carry anything heavy.

Interestingly, the doc says overall my spine looks in good shape for a 65+ individual. But, the pain, throbbing down the leg a times can be a drag to say the least.

I’m sorry to hear that and I feel your pain! I have spinal stenosis and disc degeneration disease with nerve damage in both my cervical and lumbar areas of the spine. The ordeal began in 2006 and isn’t going away. There are good days and bad, but things have gotten to the point where standing or walking is limited to no more than twenty minutes. Zero running or fast walking for exercise. Surgery is not an option for me because it would be too complicated with a strong likelihood the pain could be worse. I’ve seen both orthopedic and neurosurgeons and they all say the same thing. Physical therapy helps when it becomes unbearable, but never makes the pain disappear.
Next Friday I’m getting another nerve block. I also get ablations to help when Medicare allows it (once per year per location).

 

[bizlady]

DH has it and will undergo surgery mid-May with an ACDF C3-4 and C4-5. He has balance issues and cannot do the heel to toe walk at all.

He has had chronic pain for years, but an allergy to naproxen and ibuprofen so just endures the pain. Thankfully he is one of those with a great demeanor.

Turned out to be a blessing and a curse for us. When he finally went to see a specialist for it late 2020, they did a scan only to find he had early-stage Hodgkins lymphoma in the neck. He is one year in remission now, and if we get one more year, his chance of recurrence is no greater than the general population.

 

[harllee]

I have not been diagnosed with stenosis but I do have degenerative disc disease and my back bothers me off and on. The things that help me are: physical therapy, a back brace (the doctors usually do not usually recommend back braces but i have found they really help me when my back is very painful) and a TENS machine (you can buy a rechargeable one on Amazon for under $50).

 

[JoeWras]

Everyone is different. Not all treatments work the same for everyone.

I tried everything, and the surgery I had 6 years ago gave me a new life. Chipping away those bone spurs made all the difference.

 

[Walt34]

I just got diagnosed with a spinal stenosis. It's a pain for sure. I am not as bad off as some.

"Welcome to the club".

Like you, I can do most of what I really want to, but am often limited as to when and how much. The neurosurgeon I went to see said "surgery is not an option for you" so that's off the table. It's not so bad that I'm desperate enough to run around seeking opinions until I find someone who will do surgery. I've heard too many stories of someone with a bad limp going into surgery and ending up in a wheelchair to make me eager for surgery. For me that really is a last resort.

For now pain meds, including prescribed opiates, are sufficient. I do wish those on their crusades that "opiates are evil' would bear in mind that there ARE people for whom strong painkillers are a respite from an otherwise very painful existence.

 

[Dash man]

I do wish those on their crusades that "opiates are evil' would bear in mind that there ARE people for whom strong painkillers are a respite from an otherwise very painful existence.

Exactly! I’ve managed to stay alive for sixteen years while using opiates as needed. I don’t need people warning me about the dangers of prescription drug abuse! Fortunately my primary care doctor and my pain management doctor know me well and know I don’t misuse them. But my Part D insurance doesn’t cover them. [emoji36]

 

[wingfooted]

I was diagnosed with spinal stenosis six months ago. Classic symptoms - difficulty walking long distances or standing. Doctor referred me to physical therapy, attended sessions twice a week consisting of TENS treatment, massage and core strengthening exercises. It helped a lot, you also have a list of stretches and exercises to do at home in between appointments. After five months I was in good enough shape to stop therapy sessions and am exercising at home to further improve.

 

[Bamaman]

A lot has gone on since I wrote of my wife's stenosis and back problems in posting #9 four years ago. She's methodically gone thru pain mgmt. (20+ years) including many, many injections and a couple of ablations. Her back has severe arthritis, and a bone spur is pressing on a nerve making her miserable.

The biggest problem is that some business major in state government is telling Medical Doctors (with Anesthesiology residencies and fellowships in Pain Management) how many meds to cut from pain clinic patients. Doctors are quitting the specialty to just "pass gas" in operating rooms. Pain clinic patients are getting sicker and they're going to street drugs laced with fentanyl to get relief. And thousands are dying because of politicians.

My wife is a model patient, and her last resort was to get a neurostimulator implanted in her back. It's helped her maybe 50%, but she still suffers with restless legs all night long--getting maybe 2 hours of sleep per night. Chronic lack of sleep makes her hurt more.

We met with a neurosurgeon a couple of weeks ago, and she's going to have surgery in the near future to remove 4 discs and have another laminectomy--and a quadruple back fusion. The newest minimally evasive surgical techniques will be used, however the surgery will take so long that it'll be on a Tuesday and a Thursday. Recovery will be 6 mos. to a year, so we have no idea what we're going to be facing.

I've found YouTube to have great animated examples of back surgeries and superstar doctors talking about the subject. The strides they've made in back surgery over the years very interesting. Unfortunately, sometimes surgery is required--to keep someone functioning in society and out of nursing homes and hospitals.

 

[CaptTom]

The biggest problem is that some business major in state government is telling Medical Doctors (with Anesthesiology residencies and fellowships in Pain Management) how many meds to cut from pain clinic patients.

Yup, same here. They cut the only pain meds which worked for my wife, who was on a very low dose for a very long time, and as far as I know, never knocked over a liquor store to get a fix. She's been trying to figure out dosing and selection of CBD, THC and all the other blends at the now-quasi-legal dispensaries in our state, but there's almost no hard data and all you have to go on is the word of some stoner behind the counter.

In the years since I first posted to this thread, my own back problems have waxed and waned. I've been off OTC NSAIDs for a couple of months now, but as I get busier around the yard and getting the boat ready for summer, I'm sure all the lifting and bending will force me back on them.

 

[Rianne]

Everyone is different. Not all treatments work the same for everyone.

I tried everything, and the surgery I had 6 years ago gave me a new life. Chipping away those bone spurs made all the difference.

My brother had spinal stenosis since high school. Just had surgery 2 years ago. He lived with it all these years, unbelievable. After surgery recovery, he did not walk and exercise enough. He swims every day but the doc said walking is very important. The thing about bone spurs and calcium build-up was terrible. The surgery was 5+ hours long.

 

[Chuckanut]

The doc has recommended I get micro surgery to enlarge the canal opening. It seems I have some aging tendons/ligaments left over from when I was in my spine’s formative year. they have grown a bit and are not leaving the nerve much room to do it’s thing. They perform no useful function in an adult.

He does micro surgery on an out-patient basis. They insert a tube through an incision in the back, and work its way past the muscles to the affected canal. Then they insert a small tool and a microscope which they use to grind (not quite the right word) away the excess tissue and open the hole that releases the pressure on the nerve. Patients can walk immediately, but have to limit lifting weights over 10 pounds for about two months. No muscle is cut and other structures are untouched. Apparently, I don’t need any screws or other things attached to the spine. Just opening the canal up will help. No guarantees, of course.

Anybody has this micro surgery procedure where they clear out excess ligament and bone tissue to open the canal for the nerve?

 

[mystang52]

DW had it done for nerve compression from herniated disc. She had been literally bed bound as even sitting up put unbearable painful pressure on the nerve. Had that outpatient surgery, walked to the car with me. I don't remember the full-recovery time, but it was short.

 

[folivier]

NSAID = non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug, such as ibuprofen, advil, etc.

 

[folivier]

Dash Man have your doctor check again on the nerve ablations allowed by medicare. My doc is doing 2 per year and I'm on medicare. He does 2 locations each time, actually does a 3rd location as a freebee.

 

[Koolau]

For several years, I tried just about everything mentioned. I finally settled on an implanted stimulator. I call it my "back pace maker." I still have pain but now it is bearable instead of unbearable. I still find it difficult to be on my feet or to walk long distances. I hope we can find a better setting to give me better pain control.


I agree with those who have been "cut off" from pain meds as doctors are now afraid to prescribe them. One thing you gotta say about gummint: When they finally decide to do something (deal with opioids) they really DO something. They take the meds away from law-abiding citizens and make it possible for drug dealers to make a fortune selling killer drugs on the street. Makes a lot of sense. We're killing 100,000 people a year with Fentanyl and pain sufferers (who never died - maybe a few got addicted, but never died from opiods) now have to suffer. But, by george, the gummint finally DID something about opioids. I know I'm very proud about it.

 

[Chuckanut]

Thankfully my spine responds very well to one or two ibuprofen on bad days. My exercise program also provides considerable relief. But, over time it looks like surgery is the only way to get on going nearly permanent relief. So says the doctor.

 

[pacergal]

DH has bulging discs, stenosis and arthritis in lower back. Has had injections which helped to a point, no longer. Currently takes NSAIDS, does back PT exercises and has a brace that was fitted by Ortho PT and occasional narcotic. Right now, the brace helps the most.
No surgery at this point.

 

[Koolau]

Thankfully my spine responds very well to one or two ibuprofen on bad days. My exercise program also provides considerable relief. But, over time it looks like surgery is the only way to get on going nearly permanent relief. So says the doctor.

I can't take anything but acetaminophen - but it does help quite a bit along with my stimulator.

 

[JoeWras]

Here's my MRI. I suffered. Tried it all. Surgery finally gave me my life back. (Using this as a test case for the new forum software. Will drag and drop work?)