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Laminotomy Recovery?

Posted by iso7bel @iso7bel, Aug 30, 2025

Hello! I am scheduled for a Laminotomy to relive the symptoms of numbness & intense heat in my pelvic area and left leg (cauda equina syndrome). I am over 70, have stenosis, scoliosis and osteoporosis and am fairly active: swim, Pilates, weights machines, elypical machine. I used to walk for an hour a day, but my symptoms are making that difficult. Has anyone had a laminotomy? How long is the recovery? Any info or tips would be helpful! Thank you.

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Profile picture for rjones404
rjones404 | @rjones404 | Jun 13, 2024
In reply to @annie1 "I have painful cramps in my calf muscles, My diagnosis was Lumbar stenosis and I had..." + (show)
Profile picture for annie1 @annie1

I have painful cramps in my calf muscles, My diagnosis was Lumbar stenosis and I had minimally invasive Laminotomy surgery (not Laminectomy) on March 1 for it. I had a good response in most areas, I stand up straighter, I can stand longer and walk longer but now the cramps are returning only four months after the surgery, I don't know if it's "the nerves healing" a line the PA for the surgeon gave me about this, but I am wondering if the surgery did not completely stick. Does anyone out there have leg cramps from lumbar stenosis and what helps it ?

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Annie,

Since 1994 I have had several back surgeries, including a short fusion from L4-S1. BTW, the fusion didn't fuse all the way. Another topic. To the point, I have leg cramps most of the time especially if I over due it. On a side note: I have seen several surgions (experts) in spinal stenosis, disk degeneration, etc. I have also had ablations, as well as blocks, none of these have helped that much. Now the Doc's want me to have a PSO. Virginia Mason in Seattle, WA performs 700+ of these a year. It's a very length surgery and a year if you are lucky for recovery. I tell you all of this so that you are aware of the road you travel. Be very careful with whom you elect for any future back specialists. As you know the hospitals are for profit.

The last thought: if I had to do it all again I would go to PT for as long as you can until the pain is unbearable and consider AZ, CO, CA, NY TX for second opinions. Well, that's my two cents and probably more information than you really need. Just thought I would share.

Good Luck

REPLY
Profile picture for janagain
janagain | @janagain | Jun 13, 2024
In reply to @dlydailyhope "@annie1 I have lumbar stenosis and DDD. I have been getting injections to delay surgery as..." + (show)
Profile picture for dlydailyhope @dlydailyhope

@annie1

I have lumbar stenosis and DDD. I have been getting injections to delay surgery as long as possible. Did you have cramping before surgery and he is you have a neurologist do an EMG/nerve conduction study before surgery to identify the nerves involved? Did the neurologist or spine surgeon say that surgery would help address the cramping? I have not heard that lumbar spine would be linked to leg/calf cramping. I wonder if dehydration, blood flow, nutritional deficiencies, small fiber neuropathy, etc. could be linked to your symptoms. If the surgery was meant to relieve pressure on certain peripheral nerves causing your cramping, it could take a long time for nerves to heal or regenerate after being decompressed. You may want to look into what can be done through diet, exercise and supplements to support nerve health. Are you doing physical therapy to help increase movement, blood flow, strength and reduce scar tissue formation? I wonder if scar tissue could be compressing nerves causing cramping sensations.

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I suffer from leg cramps also. It's very painful! I also use heat to calm it down . It very well could be dehydration, I'm just not sure. I had spine surgery a few years back and prior to that surgery, I didn't have leg cramps. Now that I am in need of another surgery, this time the cramps are so bad, the pain goes all the way down my leg and into my foot and toes. It takes several minutes to get it to stop then, if you can stand up, I find that once I'm up on my feet and walking around it will eventually go away. Good Luck everyone!

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Profile picture for annie1
annie1 | @annie1 | Jun 13, 2024
In reply to @annie1 "I have painful cramps in my calf muscles, My diagnosis was Lumbar stenosis and I had..." + (show)
Profile picture for annie1 @annie1

I have painful cramps in my calf muscles, My diagnosis was Lumbar stenosis and I had minimally invasive Laminotomy surgery (not Laminectomy) on March 1 for it. I had a good response in most areas, I stand up straighter, I can stand longer and walk longer but now the cramps are returning only four months after the surgery, I don't know if it's "the nerves healing" a line the PA for the surgeon gave me about this, but I am wondering if the surgery did not completely stick. Does anyone out there have leg cramps from lumbar stenosis and what helps it ?

Jump to this post

Thanks for your response, I have to remember to drink more water !

REPLY
Profile picture for yrm
yrm | @yrm | Jun 14, 2024
In reply to @dlydailyhope "@annie1 I have lumbar stenosis and DDD. I have been getting injections to delay surgery as..." + (show)
Profile picture for dlydailyhope @dlydailyhope

@annie1

I have lumbar stenosis and DDD. I have been getting injections to delay surgery as long as possible. Did you have cramping before surgery and he is you have a neurologist do an EMG/nerve conduction study before surgery to identify the nerves involved? Did the neurologist or spine surgeon say that surgery would help address the cramping? I have not heard that lumbar spine would be linked to leg/calf cramping. I wonder if dehydration, blood flow, nutritional deficiencies, small fiber neuropathy, etc. could be linked to your symptoms. If the surgery was meant to relieve pressure on certain peripheral nerves causing your cramping, it could take a long time for nerves to heal or regenerate after being decompressed. You may want to look into what can be done through diet, exercise and supplements to support nerve health. Are you doing physical therapy to help increase movement, blood flow, strength and reduce scar tissue formation? I wonder if scar tissue could be compressing nerves causing cramping sensations.

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Do you have neurogenic claudication? I was told to stay hydrated (I do) and take tizanidine. Neither helped then I was diagnosed with neurogenic claudication. The only thing that helps is to lay down and get the weight off the spine. Good luck. I also take Norco (10 mg/5/day) and that barely helps.

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3 replies
Profile picture for dlydailyhope
dlydailyhope | @dlydailyhope | Jun 14, 2024
In reply to @yrm "Do you have neurogenic claudication? I was told to stay hydrated (I do) and take tizanidine...." + (show)
Profile picture for yrm @yrm

Do you have neurogenic claudication? I was told to stay hydrated (I do) and take tizanidine. Neither helped then I was diagnosed with neurogenic claudication. The only thing that helps is to lay down and get the weight off the spine. Good luck. I also take Norco (10 mg/5/day) and that barely helps.

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@yrm
I do have neurogenic claudication and need to read up on it again. I have so many things wrong with my spine that it is hard to keep track of what is causing what and what to do to feel better.

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annie1 | @annie1 | Jun 17, 2024
In reply to @yrm "Do you have neurogenic claudication? I was told to stay hydrated (I do) and take tizanidine...." + (show)
Profile picture for yrm @yrm

Do you have neurogenic claudication? I was told to stay hydrated (I do) and take tizanidine. Neither helped then I was diagnosed with neurogenic claudication. The only thing that helps is to lay down and get the weight off the spine. Good luck. I also take Norco (10 mg/5/day) and that barely helps.

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Yes I have neurogenic claudication along with Severe Stenosis. I think I mentioned that I had minimally invasive surgery on March 1, a laminotomy, not laminectomy. Anyway, after seven weeks of recovery I was doing really well, I could walk and stand much much longer than before the surgery, but then I started acting like I was "normal" again. Which means I would walk for twenty minutes without pain......until night. Then it started, the horrible cramps that go all the way up my leg, only one side, the side that has always been worse. The thing that worries me is that I started taking the Oxycodone they gave me and it helps for a few hours then I'm up again with awful spasms that go all the way through my whole body sometimes. I have alot of other fears, basically no real support system besides "I'm sorry your pain is coming back" from a few friends. My family dosen't help at all, no partner. I'm going to the surgeon this week for another post op so I hope he can offer some help. I was feeling so good I booked a flight for a conference in Europe and now I'm worried I will have to cancel. Sorry just ventilating. I'm really not up for another surgery. I have severe osteoporosis which is a huge contraindication for fusion.

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1 reply
Profile picture for annie1
annie1 | @annie1 | Jun 17, 2024
In reply to @yrm "Do you have neurogenic claudication? I was told to stay hydrated (I do) and take tizanidine...." + (show)
Profile picture for yrm @yrm

Do you have neurogenic claudication? I was told to stay hydrated (I do) and take tizanidine. Neither helped then I was diagnosed with neurogenic claudication. The only thing that helps is to lay down and get the weight off the spine. Good luck. I also take Norco (10 mg/5/day) and that barely helps.

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Sometimes standing is better than lying down now. Another question for everyone reading this, has anyone heard of getting collagen injections for DDD ? I see a homeopathic doctor sometimes who says that will slow down the DDD but I'm a little nervous about that.

REPLY
Profile picture for annie1
annie1 | @annie1 | Jun 17, 2024
In reply to @upstatephil "@annie1 - Sorry you have leg cramps! They can be painful and often interrupt sleep. I..." + (show)
Profile picture for Phil, Alumni Mentor @upstatephil

@annie1 - Sorry you have leg cramps! They can be painful and often interrupt sleep. I had both cervical and lumbar "big" surgeries in 2023 and leg cramping was not one of my pre-surgical symptoms. In fact, only at 12+ post surgeries did leg cramps become a problem for me. The fact that all my other DDD, stenosis, and spondy pre-surgical symptoms are gone - I can't make a connection between lumbar stenosis and leg cramps.

I have been experimenting and have found two things that seem to alleviate the cramping: (1) Greatly increase water consumption. I drink 80-100 ounces of water a day and consume at least 20 ounces of water containing concentrated electrolytes. I currently prefer Liquid IV. (2) I now take 500 mg of magnesium as a supplement. Magnesium is difficult to get through normal dietary intake yet a deficiency can create leg cramping.

So far so good. Cramping is much less frequent and when it happens, less severe. Might be worth a try for you? If you try it - let us know if it helped. Trying to build our knowledge base!

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Thanks I probably didn't drink enough water today even. Did you have fusion surgery ? Where and with what surgeon ? I think that could harm me, I have Osteoporosis.

REPLY
Profile picture for Phil, Alumni Mentor
Phil, Alumni Mentor | @upstatephil | Jun 18, 2024
In reply to @annie1 "I have painful cramps in my calf muscles, My diagnosis was Lumbar stenosis and I had..." + (show)
Profile picture for annie1 @annie1

I have painful cramps in my calf muscles, My diagnosis was Lumbar stenosis and I had minimally invasive Laminotomy surgery (not Laminectomy) on March 1 for it. I had a good response in most areas, I stand up straighter, I can stand longer and walk longer but now the cramps are returning only four months after the surgery, I don't know if it's "the nerves healing" a line the PA for the surgeon gave me about this, but I am wondering if the surgery did not completely stick. Does anyone out there have leg cramps from lumbar stenosis and what helps it ?

Jump to this post

@annie1 - I did have fusion surgery, both were four levels, and in the cervical plus lumbar spine. I always wonder why I don't set off the magnetometers at airports...

I had all my spinal work done at Mayo JAX with Dr. Pirris who is a neurosurgeon. In my case, since there was disk work done over many levels, the fusion was required to create the necessary post-surgical spinal stability/support.

Have you discussed your concerns about a fusion and how your osteoporosis might be a problem?

Go have another glass of water!

REPLY
1 reply
Profile picture for elizadolittle
elizadolittle | @elizadolittle | Jun 18, 2024
In reply to @annie1 "Yes I have neurogenic claudication along with Severe Stenosis. I think I mentioned that I had..." + (show)
Profile picture for annie1 @annie1

Yes I have neurogenic claudication along with Severe Stenosis. I think I mentioned that I had minimally invasive surgery on March 1, a laminotomy, not laminectomy. Anyway, after seven weeks of recovery I was doing really well, I could walk and stand much much longer than before the surgery, but then I started acting like I was "normal" again. Which means I would walk for twenty minutes without pain......until night. Then it started, the horrible cramps that go all the way up my leg, only one side, the side that has always been worse. The thing that worries me is that I started taking the Oxycodone they gave me and it helps for a few hours then I'm up again with awful spasms that go all the way through my whole body sometimes. I have alot of other fears, basically no real support system besides "I'm sorry your pain is coming back" from a few friends. My family dosen't help at all, no partner. I'm going to the surgeon this week for another post op so I hope he can offer some help. I was feeling so good I booked a flight for a conference in Europe and now I'm worried I will have to cancel. Sorry just ventilating. I'm really not up for another surgery. I have severe osteoporosis which is a huge contraindication for fusion.

Jump to this post

Thanks for reminding me to take my calcium, magnesium and zinc pill. I find this combination reduces or even eliminates spasms. Do your best to avoid opioids. I can't believe the difference in my thinking now that I am off them.

Best of luck.

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