Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunter's Campfire Spinal Stenosis Treatment

So I had my L4-S1 fused and a Jack put in at my L5 as it was crushed. This was 2016, and I regret doing it. It took 8 years and reinjuring my back before a military doc listened to me. Then he said the injury was so old they sent me to an off base specialist. That lead to injections that did not work, which led to finding out the issue at my C3-C4, which led to injections there that leaked out into the base of my brain casuing migraines.

I went to a doctor here in Alaska that I was told fixed other doctors screw ups. Well, let’s just say I’m screwed up from it now. I could have lived with my feet going numb as I could still run and workout daily. Now I have constant back pain and two 6” scars on my lower back. If you can find a reputable chiropractor go see them. I credit the one I go to weekly with keeping me waking and being at least somewhat active in life. I just wish the military didn’t think they were quacks 6+ years ago. Now they send people to them often.

Tag.

Surgery is to basically remove bone to make room for the inflamed tissues. Good luck. I hope they can get a handle on it without surgery.

You being a nurse,

You know that individuals will respond differently with the injections.

Have they scheduled or offered physical therapy for you? That may help you.

The injections and physical therapy will work for some and not for others.

I think that they space the injections out a few months between them and then after about 9 months to a year it is decision time.

Am I better, the same or in poorer condition. Again, it comes down to each individual on what you decide to do.

I lived with the pain discomfort until it limited too many things I like to do. Last September had L4 L5 fused and so far not looking back I am doing things I havent been able to do in 10 years so far so good I dont reget it at all

Glad to hear that.

Been going through this for 20 years last month. Started with 1 disc and a couple months later it was 2, had surgery which didn't work. Then 3 years later had another surgery for 3 disc counting the first 2, 3 years later another with another disc and 4 years later had entire lower back fused. Still have pain but deal with it. Pain Dr just put me on Cymbalta and he thinks this will help, been on it a week and no change but it says could take 6 weeks to notice results. If this doesn't work they will be putting in a spine stimulator, I went through the trial phase with a trial unit and it really helped my legs, especially the balance. Good luck and don't give up.

I had a herniated disk “cleaned up” in 2005. Had fusion on 3 vertebrae in my neck in Dec 20. No problems with either of them. Had the same surgeon, an orthopedic spine surgeon at Geisinger in Danville PA. Best Dr. I’ve ever been to in my life.

I had lumbar spinal stenosis surgery on my back 6 days ago. Been fighting with pain, numbness, tingling and incontinence for about 9 months. I have degenerative arthritis in multiple joints that I have had replaced My back hadn’t given me many issues until last year. Injections helped, but after a three week trip to Europe in may that entailed a lot of walking the old girl had enough and gave out. Growths and spurs both north and south of L4 and L5 pinching my nerve severely for several inches. My surgeon said we are out of options and scheduled me for surgery the next week.

He’s confident of a hundred percent recovery. However wasn’t optimistic it would be quick due to the severity of the compression on the nerve. Recovery so far has been interesting. Extreme weakness in my legs and buttocks right out of the gate. However by the end of the second day it began improving considerably. Now on day 6 after a great deal of my strength has returned and I’m completely off pain killers.

I’m thinking 2-3 weeks will bring a significant improvement. Good luck with your journey. Hope you find relief.

Stenosis was the diagnosis the orthos stated, and they said the progressive efforts for relief were - complete rest for several days, and if that did not work - extensive walking for several days, and if that did not work - an epidural injection. If that did not work it would be surgery.

I failed to see how - with the levels of pain and extreme discomfort happening - I would be able to gain "complete rest", or then "walk extensively" - etc. But, I tried to do what they prescribed and eventually had the epidural - which simply made everything worse.

So much worse that I soon was carried into a hospital (a great one) where the docs diagnosed the actual problem within an hour - and it was far from stenosis. The orthos missed by a mile on that one.

The point of this post was to relate what the docs said about the routine for stenosis.

I put off having surgery until I got cauda equina syndrome and had to have surgery within 24 hours or loose all bowel and bladder function. I was on my way to the airport I'm slc and stopped to pee but couldn't do it because everything was numb. Felt like I'd been riding a bicycle for a few days straight.

I didn't get on my flight and went to a neurosurgeon an inlaw had worked with. He did an mri at 5:00 pm and then surgery at 7:00 am the next morning. Mine was central stenosis at L3-L5. The U of U wanted to do full fusions and rods and everything. This Dr Pingree at St Mark's said you're too young for all that and just did open laminectomies. He said it would buy me about 10 more years.

That was 2014 and I haven't had to have a fusion yet but it's coming soon. I've still had low back pain but the surgery eliminated most of the radiating leg pain. I later found I had ankylosing spondylitis and that's why my central canal had narrowed from about 15mm to under 5mm. Central stenosis can not be helped by steroid injections and most other treatments if the bone has narrowed. I don't regret surgery at all. It bought me some time when I was at my witts end.

Sometimes surgery is the best option but get a good surgeon and get multiple opinions. If it's not narrowed bone maybe work on a disc or steroid treatments could calm it down. Peripheral stenosis can also be helped without surgery sometimes. If it's central and the bone is too narrow then don't screw around and let them open it up.

Bb

My niece had a Stimulator put in, changed her life.

Good Luck.

My niece had a Stimulator put in, changed her life.

Really good to hear.

I still wear an external TEN"s unit at times. I was leery about having wires sticking out of me or getting an internal battery replaced once a year.I think it is my future though

The permanent stimulator is all inside so no exposed wires, you use a remote control for intensity.

Right. Mine is implanted and I control it with an “app” on my phone. I can control which of three stimulation patterns and the level of stimulation, turn it off when I have an ECG, etc.

I forgot about it on my last ECG and you should have seen the nurse’s eyes when she turned on the machine. 😳

Thanks .That is good to know. Does the simulator run the length of your spine? How is it put in?

The battery/impulse generator is generally implanted above and behind the hip bone and you can pick the side. If you have a CCW you can have it on the opposite side from your carry side. The leads are tunneled under the skin to the spine and then threaded up the spine to the level that needs the stimulation.

There’ll be about a 2” incision for the generator and another along the spine, the length depends on how many levels are targeted. Mine was about 3”. My unit is an Abbott and has a battery life of UP TO 6-8 years IIRC

There are some different techniques but that’s what my doc did. So far, so good..

Also if going with the stimulator Dr told me that you go home same day, big plus.