severe spinal stenosis and travel

@fifilacarnivali thank you so so much for this. I can’t tell you how much this helps with encouragement. I do want to find non-surgical approaches and my doctor recommends this also. Right now we are in Hawaii and the plane ride of five hours even though I got up -I probably should’ve got up more -got up once and managed OK in the airport. did get a wheelchair there we thought it would be better to save energy to the gates.

I’m really having a hard time walking and it’s very discouraging and upsetting and I know you know what I mean.
All this information you gave me is so helpful !! I am being faithful to my exercises twice a day, and I am going to look into the myofascial treatment. Ironically, a physical therapist I had who retired was doing that and I did really well with that and then when she retired and I got another therapist, they were having me do things that I found out was not a good recipe for the situation.
So am going to try to find someone who will do that. I will write more when we are not on the trip, but I just wanted to tell you how very much this meant to me as I have been so upset and discouraged, even though I know I’ve progressed since April.

The tip about using your abs and engaging when you’re walking is really a great idea and I will incorporate that and look up the YouTube info that you mentioned. My physical therapist has been great and has mentioned some of the things that you’re saying, but it’s always good to hear from someone who has gone through the same thing !! And when I saw your post, it sounded so familiar. So I do appreciate you writing and sharing and want to get back to all the things that you mentioned that you are now back to… Including dancing 🙂

thanks so much and I will keep in touch and again so appreciate your responding and your progress is so encouraging!!

@loriesco
thanks so much for your response.
The RFA radio frequency ablation I have heard of and have done some research on it so thank you for your input about that.
and the tips on traveling are very helpful and what works for everyone with pain meds.
so appreciate your response and your tips!!

@sbcarcht this is very encouraging and I will definitely look into it. So appreciate yours and everyone’s response. as you all know firsthand it can be so discouraging and upsetting. Thanks so much.

@gidget1280 i won’t disrupt your precious holiday time, but just wanted to say, oh i know how discouraging and upsetting it is to feel so incapacitated and in pain! it’s like, “wtf happened to me”? and it’s hard to not succumb to fear around what this might look like down the road. i’m not always strong enough to feel up to dancing, but when i can, i do! it took a year to feel confident enuf in my mobility and walking “properly”. now i’m trying to build more strength. baby steps, my friend. it’s all a big change to get your head around. be extra soft with yourself as there is loss here as well as physical pain. 🥲
always here if you want to chat. enjoy that sunshine and let it warm up all those ouchies you are feeling. 🙏🏼❤️

@fifilacarnivali oh no worries at all about the vacation. It is really helpful to me to hear this in general, but especially now being on vacation as I am almost in tears about things that I can’t do. So yours and everyone’s input has really helped to know that there is improvement down the road, but takes time and looking into many different methods and treatments.

I can’t tell you how much your words have meant with encouragement and I’m going to look into the method that someone else suggested that you said helped you and also some of the other treatments. My doctor has said that the surgery is only 50-50 for the situation that I have so it’s not something I want to do anyway, and have not been suggested by anyone really. so I am committed to doing this on non surgically and everyone’s words of encouragement helps. and especially helps to know that you have been through this too with the walking, etc., and have found ways to manage and improve.Thanks so much again and will keep you posted.

I too use a seat cushion, but I use one that is lower in the front than the back. That seems to be important for me. I use it in the car, restaurants, and basketball games. I also use a chiropractor that uses the active release technique. I find that to be very helpful. I have also had radio frequency ablation (RFA) and it really does help me

Hi fifilacarnivali,

I'm responding to your initial post from 2024, so my apologies if this has been covered.

I don't have any tips for traveling all the way to Asia with the condition (sciatica, I think) and pain you have. I was diagnosed with spinal stenosis at S1-L5-L4 many, many years ago. As far back as 2008 it was recommended I have all three vertebrae fused. I passed and that bout of sciatica calmed down. No fusion.

But it showed up again in 2014. The first surgeon I saw would only do fusion. At the time, I also had a partially ruptured disc at S1-L5 and it was stuck in the spinal canal. I found a surgeon who did laminotomies on these vertebrae - essentially, he drilled holes in the back of the vertebrae (which maintained their structural integrity), he removed the ruptured disc material, and closed the incision w/o stitches (he used a plastic patch to hold the incision together). By drilling those holes, he made more room for my sciatic nerve. I still have a problematic lumbar spine, but do a lot of core exercises to hold it all together. No fusion.

Again this is a late reply, sorry. Hopefully there is something here that is helpful. I know the pain you're describing, and I traveled the world for my job (including Chicago to Taipei). Those flights are brutal for a healthy person.

All the best.

Joe

@gidget1280 hello, well your doing the right thing, my suggestion is simple, look at your exercises first, what you want is to build the muscle up around the core, your core muscle . some exercises do not really help as much as others. biggest threat is yourself fand having patience. seeing is not necessary , feeling is . not sure your age, there is exercise programs for every injury. just dont over due. takes longer to regain ground. i was bed ridden over 6 months its taken a while but i can walk 2 miles one way and back as long as i take my time. breaks are mandatory in some positions, use a prop, chair back or something to lean into. hope this helps, ps i have a ruptured L3. i just built the core up better.

@randallshields56 Thanks so much for your input. You asked my age ..I am 70 and have always been active and still was till this happened . i realize it did not happen overnight and due to my age there are degenerative issues and arthritis. But being bent over at waist in the morning and taking awhile to get up from sitting and with pain..those are all new to me this year. The MRI revealed the degenerative age-related wear and tear but the most significant issue is at the L4-L5 level, where one vertebra has slipped forward slightly, and severe arthritis has narrowed the spinal canal there which they say means a nerve is compressed in that area due to that . The dr and Physical therapist said exactly what you have.. build core muscles. And I believe too my biggest threat is losing patience but I am very committed to the PT. And I know in spring when we were away and before I started PT and chiro regularly and before the MRI ..i think I did overdo and not give it enough rest. for instance I pushed through on the treadmill at the gym,
not for a huge length of time but enough to set me back. And one physical therapist did me more harm as he had me doing press ups which I have heard now is not good at all.
Your progress after being bed ridden for six months is incredible and encouraging and glad you are doing better.
Thank you again for your input. I know it is a long road and there is no cure but good to know otters manage it and do make progress . I just get discouraged and down worried I will not make more progress as it is day to day with how I feel. And do not think the pain meds.. celebrex and extra strength tylenol are a huge help.
Thanks again for your encouragement.. it helps!!

@erdocsmom Thanks so much. We have a lot of travel we want to do and I am disheartened that I will not Be able to manage . So these tips so help

The RFA helping you is encouraging and will look into it. was it out patient?

Thanks so much for taking the time to give me tips. So appreciate it!!