Spinal Stenosis Online Support Group

Hi everyone. My name is Esther. I was diagnosed with lumbar spinal stenosis almost three months ago.

I also have herniated discs in my lumbar spine, severe spinal arthritis, and issues with my SI joint.

I've had back trouble since my teens but no one ever took me seriously due to my age.

I'm 31 and the doctors that I've seen are shocked at my MRI.

I've done acupuncture, traction, chiropractic care, physical therapy, tens stimulation, pain meds, muscle relaxers, lumbar nerve blocks, and rest. Nothing has helped so far.

All the docs I've seen recommend surgery. The first neurosurgeon I saw told me he'd do a fusion of L5 S1 but not until my BMI is below 30%. My family doctor said BS and now I'm waiting to see a second surgeon. I have some days when I can sit upright and even drive. Other days, I do the exercises and then have to get back in bed. I have weakness in my left leg. I've fallen, had intermittent issues with bladder control, cannot feel much during sex with my husband. I have four kids and I cant even walk the 100 ft to our garden with them without tremendous pain. I've been off work since March. I feel like I'm at my wits end. My husband acts as though I should be able to do all I used to. He greatly resents the downward spiral of our sex life. We may even end up divorced.

Gah. I think I've put enough out there.

HI Ninjagomom

Here are three links to threads in mdJunction I set up to help you and others who have sciatica and stenosis.

Please look them over carefully .

I see you have tried a lot of things - but not all I have mentioned.

Have you tried a nerve pain med yet - such as gabapentin.

Okay - when did your difficulties with stenosis and sciatica (the herniated discs) begin - 3 months ago???? or much further back????

Had you been doing any lifting before this current flare up???

Do you drive a vehicle (or had You) much before this flare up???

What do you feel caused this latest flare up????

little thigs:

http://www.mdjunction.com/forums/spinal-stenosis- discussions/general-support/3636756-little-helps-that-add- up-to-be-a-big-help#3636756

Medicines:

http://www.mdjunction.com/forums/spinal-stenosis- discussions/general-support/3638244-medicines-that-combine- to-form-a-helping-net#3639422

stretches:

http://www.mdjunction.com/forums/spinal-stenosis- discussions/general-support/3638164-stretches-to- help#3638164

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I want to tell you this - it is terribly important.

Neurosurgeons recommend surgery - because that is what they do.

That does not mean it is right for you necessarily.

I will guarantee - the pain will not be reduced by surgery. Because you will be given the gift of scar tissue to deal with.

In your case - because you have reduction of feeling and bladder complications , surgery may be needed.

But make sure you must before you do.

Most often - one surgery leads to two and three surgeries.

And after three surgeries - the doctors will tell you - they are sorry, and they cannot do anything else. Period. So beware.

You need to get out of bed immediately.

Bed makes it worse.

And worse - it makes you and your core muscles worse.

The first 20 steps will be bad, but then it will lessen in pain.

use a cane to prevent getting into deeper manure.

Ask qustions.

I am here a lot. don't be shy.

I do care.

I have 4 herniated discs in my cervical spine.

I have 4 more vertibrae with stenosis in my lumbar spine .

And I have cancer in my T1 vertibra.

I am not in any pain right now.

I walk some.

I do goto the regular gym 4 times a week and do about 40 to 60 minutes of cardio every week.

My heart was 90 percent destroyed as diagnosed in 2007.

So - you see - i do understand what you are going thru.

I am not just someone talking out of my ass hole.

Please listen - I will try to help you the best I can.

Hugs, Raoul

Thank you. My doctor will not prescribe nerve medicine for me. I'm limited to what I can take for pain. I found out that narcotics dont help or cause hallucinations. I also have ulcers and have been told to stay away from ibuprofen, prednisone, and such. I'm allowed to take Tylenol and Robaxin. :'(

I do exercises the physical therapist showed me. I walk as much as possible. The first surgeon said a fusion would probably help more than a lamenectomy(sp) but my pain would never go away completely. I dont want surgery. I have narrower than usual foramen. From birth. The arthritis is hereditary. I was in 2 car accidents as a teenager. The doctors then refused to do xrays. Why I dont know. I grew up on a farm. I worked hard, maybe too hard, to prove I could do what the guys could do. I then worked on a load floor for a shipping company for 8 yrs before getting a promotion and desk job. My drive time increased to 3.5 hrs a day. I used to stop at a park and stretch halfway thru my drive. Take a short walk. But then I had to stop doing that due to time constraints. I was going to the gym at work 3-5 times a week.

My legs first went numb when I was sitting in a restaurant booth. I felt a twinge in the center of my lower back and both my legs went numb. It has been a rollercoaster since. My husband is not working and money is too tight for me to continue some types of therapies. My insurance company likes to deny, deny, deny.

Hi

Your job - lifting has done damage.

The car accidents have done damage.

The driving has and is doing damage.

You probably do not need surgery - the doctors are full of it.

You are causing the flare up.

You do need to go see a pain management doctor and get a shot of cortisone or triamcynalon in your butt very near the spine. That will help you a lot.

But nothing by itself will stop the pain.

It has to be a concerted effort of a lot of things.

why will they not give you gabapentin?

how long has this flare up been going on - meaning when did you have your first attack of major pain? must know this - very important...

you need the gabapentin.

you probably need to up your muscle relaxer.

yo need more pain meds.

you need an anti-inflamatory med such as either the shot of cortisone or

... aleve (taken always with an ant-acid)

do not understand them withholding the gaba or the prednisone .

oh you cannot take both cortisone and prednisone ...not withing 3 months of each other.

hugs, Raoul