Does anyone have Spinal Stenosis that is extremely bad at wake up?

@heyjoe415 the sciatica starts each evening and both legs ache like toothaches. I have brittle bones so my exercised are with my physical therapist

Thanks Dallas, and I'm so sorry for what you're going through.

I've had two bouts of sciatica - the first one resolved after about a month, but it was awful. Felt like an icepick in my calf.

The second bout was many years later. The disc at S1/L5 had partially ruptured. A surgeon used a minimally-invasive surgery (is that an oxymoron?) to remove the disc fragment and create room for the sciatic nerve via lamintomy. Still haven't need fusion, and that's why I keep my core strong.

Is surgery an option for you, probably fusion, but maybe something less intense? What does your back surgeon think? I imagine having osteoporosis (brittle bones) also plays a factor.

I dread fusion surgery. I've had four joints replaced - both knees, one hip, one shoulder - and got almost immediate pain relief. But if sciatica came back and the pain was chronic, I guess I'd do the fusion.

In the meantime, I suggest icing your lower back to reduce inflammation around the sciatic nerve. Never use heat as it results in inflammation and more pain.

All the best to you Dallas, and I sincerely hope you find some relief.

Joe

I experience the same. Have you had any physical therapy? They can help with your mobility and stiffness. I have severe stenosis L4-L5 and it has made a difference along with a steroid injection. I am not perfect but am moving better. I am also focusing on stretching and moving as much as possible.

I have lumbar stenois getting going in the morning is a ritual I'm and early morning gym person it seems when I get out of bed and my body settles and realizes it's upright some days it's like OMG so I have to get up early enough so I can do what needs to be done before I can get out of the house walking you might want to say "half way normal" hot rag compresses on my lower back (oh how I don't want to stop it feels so good) stretching is a must before I leave the house, I down a yogurt and take 2 Tylenol. I was reading in another health community site on this subject someone suggested the patches(Bio-Freeze)what I first used but they are good but expensive before bed with Tylenol so I tried it one weekend boy did it help no more hot compresses. My husband shared a couple of his lidocaine patches with me, He said he didn't like that cold feeling when applying them, I didn't care they worked for me I got a script from my the Dr. for Lidocaine patches 5%(can only be gotten through Insurance) and it makes things for me more manageable in the mornings, may drop a couple of Tylenol during the day. I'm to the point I skip some nights with the patches. Hope this can help you in some way.

@heyjoe415 Thank Joe. This has been going on for a number of years. Rehab Drs have said surgery is not an option for me with osteo and being a DES Daughter. Physican therapy, pain meds and now my new recliner - from Relax the Back - had helped soooo much. Do not need my canes like I was relying on. I use ice.. so helpful. I have had a back week of night pain. I use Ralph's secret sauce to help with the pain.

Being a DES Daughter has been rough my entire life..especially the past couple of years.

Karen

try sleeping on a gentle heating pad.

Hi Dallas,

Well I'm glad you've been able to reduce reliance on a cane. And icing really works wonders. Too many people choose heat because it feels good immediately. Ice is an acquired taste. But heat draws in blood, white blood cells, and inflammation - increasing pain ultimately.

What does DES stand for?

All the best, friend.

Joe

@heyjoe415 DES = Diethylstilbestrol

It was prescribed to pregnant women between the late 1940s and late 1970s. It is a powerful synthetic hormone that was also a carcinogen and teratogen. It affected my reproductive organs and my spine.

Thanks for the info Dallas and I am so sorry for what happened to you.

Medical science does make progress, but it is slow and measured, and even then, mistakes are made.

In the early 70s I suffered my first panic attack and chronic depression at age 18. I had no idea what was happening, and neither did my frustrated parents, or our "family" doctor whose advice was - "You need to grow up and paddle your own canoe Joe." Geez, thanks doc.

That was before anti-depressants became available, so I've somewhat forgiven the Dr. My parents shunned me though, thinking me mentally ill, and that was taboo around our house. I finally got the help I needed in 2002, almost 30 years later. I also started talk therapy then and continue to this day.

And I am in no way comparing what I went through with your situation. Bad medicine and stigma affects a lot of people.

I wish you the best Dallas. You deserve some good karma.

Joe

I have same issue... I've been setting an alarm in mornings to wake up an hour before I need to get up, so I can take my Meds, go back to lying down or sleeping more, until I get out of bed an hour later when the meds have kicked-in.