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If anyone with lumbar stenosis they've had for over 5 years?
I'm wondering if it's true that the longer you wait to have fusion the less it can help. My stenosis symptoms started around 2017 and I was still able to walk and not really have that much pain. My symptoms got worse every year until 2024 when I had a laminotomy that failed after 2 months only. After that I interviewed many surgeons but haven't had fusion yet cuz I was traumatized by the first surgery that failed. I had consultation with a surgeon at Mayo this past week and I'm wondering if I should bite the bullet and do it at Mayo but I worry that it's been so long it might not help. I'm going to message the surgeon after memorial Day holiday to get more of a feeling for what he thinks. I've learned that since I've interviewed so many surgeons they can't really always tell and sometimes they really downplay the amount of pain you will have during recovery. I had pretty bad pain recovering from the laminotomy and that's not even as intense a surgery as fusion. Any comments? Thanks everyone
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I had a l4 l5 fusion with with arthropy bone removal and laminectomy 5 weeks ago. I had mod stenosis for years that progressed to severe about 1.5 months ago. I also had foot drop and some pelvic numbness. The pain from the surgery was less then the pain from stenosis for the most part. It is accute for 5 days. I had some sort of complications with the pain meds where it dropped bp too much so all I could use is Tylenol. Now 5 weeks out can sleep, can walk around block. I still have foot drop and a very funny walk but so pleased that the pain from before surgery has been so reduced.
Keep talking to the surgeons. You will find the right path and timing.
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4 ReactionsThanks for the encouragement. My pain is kind of unusual I think it's throbbing in my calf muscles look very painful throbbing. What was yours like? Anyway my life is pretty limited because I can hardly walk anywhere, so if the surgery will help me walk without the pain and I can start doing more things I love to do it'll be worth it. Where did you have your surgery?
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1 ReactionI had severe L4-5 stenosis with significant sciatica pain. I eliminated pains and have avoided surgery for many years now by learning and following the Gokhale Primal Posture Method.
@sbcarcht
I tried that but didn't help. Did you have degenerative disc disease also? I have several discs almost completely gone.
@annie1
Mine was throughout the leg to foot down the thighs with severe weakness and balance issues. It would wake me up nightly with a level 6 7 pain aching and then burning. The last straw was when I couldn't bare weight or sit down at night so ended up in ER where they had already done mri's 2 days prior so they knew the issue gave me steroid pack and pre gaba and IV meds. This helped me get to surgeon and then the surgery.
There is a very long recovery so it should be your last resort. It is helping me so far.
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1 ReactionI have had severe lumbar stenosis and a slipped disc for over 8 years. It was deemed "severe" in 2018, so was there long before 2018. I have put off surgery all these years, but trips to the ER are becoming more frequent. I plan to have surgery this summer.
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2 Reactions@annie1 No, only spinal stenosis diagnosis
@dsonderhouse
Yes I heard it was a long recovery. Where did you have your surgery done and was the surgeon honest about how long the recovery would be in the pain in the recovery? In my experience none of them really tell you that but I know from the laminotomy I had which is a much less severe surgery the recovery from that was very painful. And then my symptoms came back after 2 months, so I don't want to go through that times 10. My pain is pretty bad though after I walk and some days like today I overdid it because there was an event I really love and then afterwards I was so happy I forgot everything and went shopping walked around carried stuff and now I'm in pain. But if I'm still going to be in pain after a massive surgery I don't see the difference. And how would I know if the surgeon is being honest.
@ou14mejc
What do you go to the ER for, I mean what kind of pain or what happens that you go to the er? I've never gone to the ER even though I have severe throbbing in my calf muscles if I walk too much and walking too much can be just six blocks without sitting. I just don't want to end up worse off even though my life is fairly compromised. So I wouldn't go to the ER cuz I don't know what they could do for me for throbbing calf muscles. I was once given that blister pack or whatever you call it when I was in Europe for a conference and my legs were hurting but it didn't help at all.
@annie1
My surgeon was honest about pain and the fact that it can lead to future adjacent disease and the length of recovery. I will also say I went to a neurosurgeon who specializes in this area.
Pain will be there before and after. Its the amount and your overall quality of life. As a gage I couldn't do any walks only went to PT and then had to rest curled up for the better part of day and night. Even cooking dinner and standing was to much.
I am hoping you find your answers soon.