Foraminotomy: Anyone have any experience with this procedure?

I have central canal stenosis and spondylolythesis also ! I already sleep with a pillow under my knees or on my side between my knees. The surgeon says the foraminal stenosis is what is causing the twitching and wants to do fusion surgery which I am afraid of due to my osteoporosis.

annie1, Forteo or Tymlos would make surgery safer for you. You may want to avoid surgery anyway.
The spondylolytheses would make the spine less stable after foramenotomy.
There is a non-fusion surgery https://consultqd.clevelandclinic.org/for-spondylolisthesis-posterior-lumbar-facet-arthroplasty-promises-a-mobility-maintaining-alternative-to-fusion You wouldn't want to consider it without osteomedications, though.
Physical therapy could strengthen muscles and ligaments around the slipping vertebra.

I had a similar situation as Annie back in 1988 and had fusion with laminectomy L5 w/ fusion L4-S1. Mine was done with stainless steel plates and screws which are no longer used. Titanium is a much better choice now used. I have no regrets except I cannot have an MRI.

Did you have Osteoporosis when you had your fusion ? I do and that can be dangerous from what I have read if the bones aren't strong enough to hold the screws and plates in place. How long was your recovery ?

In 1990 I did not have osteoporosis. My recovery was lengthy and I was on SSD for 4 years before returning to work.

My physical therapist suggested sleeping on my back, and surprisingly, that seems to help. I have a sleep number bed (set at 50 usually) and have the head elevated to the Snore position (20-30 degrees?). I spent so many years sleeping on my side, that I still sleep part of the night on my side, but if I wake up and roll back on my back, I go right to sleep. Therapist also recommends I do some lumbar stretches in the bed before getting up in the morning, and that helps a lot. I notice a difference in the stiffness if I don't do those first. I change the bed setting to max firm (100) and do a set of 20 gentle side to side of bent knees, flat back--gentle. And 15 pelvic tilts. And 2 x 6 single bent knee to chest exercises, keeping the other leg/knee bent, not flat (previously, I had been told and seen in ex books to keep the other leg flat, but this PT says for lumbar stenosis, to keep the other leg bent at the knee with the foot on the bed, and it feels different/better). These are not meant to be done as strengthening, but rather, as gentle stretches to loosen up before walking around.

If screws can’t be used, my doc will use cement.

I had a laminotomy/decompression of L 3-4 in March this year, which helped alot in some ways, I can walk longer and stand longer, but now since mid July I have new pain that the surgeon says is foraminal stenosis and wants to clean it out and do a fusion. I am wary of fusion. I have read about a surgery called "foraminotomy" and want to know if anyone has had this without fusion. Please advise.

My primary symptom is twitching in my calf muscles which is painful and now I am having pain down the side of my leg and front also. I really don't want fusion.

@annie1
have you received second opinions. You might send your MRI to https://www.bonati.com/free-mri-review-help-diagnose-back-pain/ I'm not recommending Bonati, just the free evaluation to understand if you have better options than fusion.