Connect
Comment receiving replies
@mmalone1804 - Good morning. I'm sorry to hear of your severe stenosis. I understand the discomfort along with your very real quandary as to what to do next. My neurosurgeon (who I grew to be close to and who was very willing to talk straight with me) described my spine as "a mess". In 2023 I did a 4-level job on both cervical and lumbar regions. One year+ post surgeries - I'm happy to report that 99% of pre-surgical symptoms are gone. But recovery is still progressing.
I had all the symptoms you mentioned including rectal pain (at times almost unbearable) and GI problems. Now? All of those discomforts and inconveniences are totally gone! And I don't miss them. Folks who've never experienced "sudden and surprising onset of a bowel movement" may not appreciate how much your life can be impacted!
Where are you in the diagnostic process? Do you have a strategy in place? Mayo Connect is a great place to ask questions, share feelings, and gain new knowledge.
Replies to "@mmalone1804 - Good morning. I'm sorry to hear of your severe stenosis. I understand the discomfort..."
Hi again,
I’m just reviewing the posts from last month. I have since had the caudal injection and my back pain has improved about 50-60%. I’m grateful for that. The surgeon has mapped out a plan, but does not think that the surgery will relieve any of the rectal pressure and urgency. As soon as I’m upright, I feel the strong need to eliminate, but nothing is there, aka Tenesmus. It goes away when I’m sitting or lying down, but that’s no way to live.
You mentioned that your stenosis caused rectal issues. Can you be more specific, and did your surgery correct the problem?
Connect
Thank you so much for your reply. I’m into the third year of this nightmare. Starting with GI and colorectal doctors finding nothing. Then urogynecology and vascular, again unable to find anything wrong. Finally, a lumbar MRI shows severe stenosis, a possible culprit. We’re starting with an epidural injection into the caudal space to see if I get improvement and a surgical referral. What levels did you have your surgery performed on? I am happy you have gotten relief, and you have given me hope that I am finally on the right track.