congenital spinal stenosis

A

arabesque

New member
Hello everyone. I'm brand new here and want to run a scenario by all of you. I'm a 54 year old man who has congenital spinal stenosis. A recent MRI show severe stenosis at L4/L5....and pretty serious DDD at L5/S1.
I sought out advice and MRI due to my limitations in walking. I can walk fine mostly...it's just that if I try to go on a walk for much distance at all my back aches severely and both legs get nurab...my feet will go nurab as well...in both...but a bit worse in the right.
To ease the pain and nurabness I have to sit, squat down, or lie down.
When sleeping I must change positions a lot to find get comfortable.
What's weird is that I was the helper for a builder friend who just put up a big deck on my house. I carried some heavy stuff, clirabed ladders, walked up and down stairs, and did all manners of things....without my back being a big issue. Bending over to screw in the floor decking was the only real problem for my back.
I was on Celebrex for several years but discontinued it when the heart scare came about. Also I wanted to see how I'd do off it.
Currently I'm not taking any pain meRAB regularly. The day I screwed the decking in I did take some Ibuprofin.
My neurosurgeon, who is supposed to be "the best in the region" tells me he'd decompress L4/L5...and do fusion on L5/S1.
I've had some frienRAB who have seriously urged me to get a second, maybe third opinion based on my being able to do so much except walk a long way or stand for long perioRAB.

So, my questions are:
Even though I'm pretty mobile for the most part...do I risk permanent nerve damage if I let it go too long. I must admit my back situation has become a determining factor in what type of physical activity and the amount I choose to do. Riding a bicycle is fine.

My other question is: Are most people...all of you...etc....much for debilitated than I am before you decided to go the surgery route?
I would dearly love to rid myself of this condition I've dealt with for 35 years or so...but want to be sure I'm not going too deep into surgery for my level of problem.
Anyone have any ideas.
Thank you very much.
Steve
 
Hi Steve,

Based upon the moderator's comment, I have edited this post. I described my issues because I thought that was what your question required.

I will say I've had increasing pain for the past 3 years. PT did not help it and the pain meRAB just keep getting stronger, and Pain Management is not a route I wished to take at this time. I made this decision based upon deteriorating quality of life.

I do agree with your frienRAB and family though. Getting a second opinion is always a great idea. I would recommend a doctor who specializes in spinal issues above all others.

Good luck

Paula
 
Your post has been moved into a separate thread of its own. Please start a new thread to post about your own issues, and answer the thread originator only.

Do not chat on someone else's thread about your own issues. This takes away from the original posters post which is unfair. Also it does not allow your post to receive the attention it deserves.

Thank you,
Mod 08
 
Hi, it sounRAB like you might have neurogenic claudication caused by the stenosis (this is what usually causes the deep achy cramp-like pains in your legs). If your legs and feet get nurab and weak, then yes, it is possible if you go on too long lwith all that, you could have permanent nerve damage. I went approx. 3 years or so with worsening symptoms and had tried all non-surgical treatments (insurance usually requires one to do all this first unless you have an emergency situation like cauda equina syndrome). My stenosis got so bad I could barely walk at all anymore and when I did, I had to bend forward at almost a 90 degree angle. My feet also went nurab and I always had pins & needles in them, I had no left knee reflex and barely one on the right. I just was in so much pain and nothing was helping anymore. So I finally had multi-level laminectomies (which they also did foraminotomy and snipped some disk material as well). After my surgery, it was elating b/c I was able to stand up erect again! Now, I did do pretty well after surgery...but 6 months later I suddenly got severe left sided sciatica & it turned out I had some re-herniations and other disk bulges..plus I had alot of scar tissue build up in there which also causes problems. So the surgery was a pretty good success with no complications; but since I have spine OA and DDD, no surgery can cure that and it keeps causes me pain and problems. Chances are if you are getting worse over time, it will only keep going that way. I had alot of nerve problems, claudication, and parasthesias before surgery, but thankfully after 3 years of it, I don't think I suffered permanent damage but I do know it's possible.

If you have congenital stenosis, then your canal is much smaller than normal already. If I were you, I would discuss with your doctor what might happen if you develop alot of scar tissue; also ask if any hardware (from fusion) might ever impede in your canal to cuase problems. And....yes, it is always a good idea to get at least a 2nd opinion or even a 3rd. An opinion certainly can't hurt. OMG, sorry, I just noticed you said you've dealt with this for 35 years! That is a long time! So do get other opinions and do ask all the doctors about the possibility of permanent damage since you've had this so long.
 
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