"Severe" cervical spine stenosis

Sorry - that should be delay not debate! Autocorrect should be banned haha

If you are in pain this procedure will help. Have you gotten a second opinion? Spine surgery is tough...and even tougher the older you are.

No pain just loss of function.

@hastobekatt
I have most of what you have. I have a clotting issue but mine is more risk for clotting than risk for not clotting.

A diameter of 5mm is suffocating your spinal cord of blood flow and oxygen and spinal fluid. An average person has a diameter of 13-15mm. Yours is extremely compressed with is a cervical myelopathy spinal cord injury. You can become paralyzed if you fall so it is a priority to get surgery to stop the further damage to your spinal cord. This compression damage can become permanent.

I had ACDF surgery on c5-c6 and soon to have ACDF surgery on c6-c7. I have a herniated disc at c6-c7 that is making my already congenitally narrow spinal canal only 8mm.

You should ask your surgeon if your cervical MRI shows that you have a congenitally narrow spinal canal (believe this would be anything 10mm or less which is what I have). I started having problems in my 40s and I am now in my 50s. People with congenital stenosis have more issues with degenerative changes earlier than others (many don’t have issues until they are in their 60s).

@hastobekatt
I have some permanent weakness in shoulders, arms and hands due to misdiagnosis of my degenerative cervical myelopathy. It took over 5 years and 4 different orthopedic spine surgeons to properly diagnose me. It got to the point I was dropping things and handwriting worsened plus was losing bladder control and had a hard time walking (felt like I was wearing cement boots). I had some improvement after surgery and symptoms returned when I got a new herniated disc at c6-c7.

@hastobekatt Welcome to Connect. Decisions on spine surgery can be difficult to make. You have a lot on your plate right now. It may be helpful to keep a journal with dated entries so you will know how fast your symptoms change over time. That may help in your decision making when the time is right.
It may help to get other surgeon's opinions so you are in the best position to make a decision when you are ready.

I'm scheduled for ALIF which is the Lumbar region and ACDF is the cervical. Both Anterior with disc replacement and fusion. I recently suffered an injury to my Lumbar spine. Previous to this I also have spinal stenosis < 9mm cervical and < 7 lumber with nerve damage and impingement. I have Ankylosing Spondylitis. I also have DDD, spinal bone spurs, and bulging discs. Inflammation is my enemy.
My traumatic injury to lower back caused a "burst fracture" of L3 and L4. The ALIF was absolutely necessary and I'm only having it done because of the burst fractures. "A burst fracture is a serious spinal injury where a vertebra breaks and shatters, potentially pushing bone fragments into the spinal canal. This type of fracture typically results from high-energy impacts like car accidents or falls. It can lead to nerve damage or paralysis".
Before the injury, my specialist told me surgery was an option. He also told me it often doesn't alleviate pain and damaged nerves take a very long time to heal if they are even able to. It just depends on the extent of the impingement, whether pinched off or completely crushed and no longer viable.
I'm sorry to hear what you're going through, hastobekatt. With your pre-existing conditions and stenosis. Not everything is for everyone. Keep asking questions to those who can provide you professional and experiential insight. Before I landed on concrete on my back the "cons" outweighed the "Pros" to have surgery. Now, it's the other way around. Things sure do change quickly, I'm sure you and others here know all too well. I wish you the best with whatever decision you choose. Lola