L
leean1960
Guest
is this a problem that is hereditary? and if so does it skip generations? why does it come on all of a sudden?
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J
JanKR
Guest
Hi,
I don't know the stats on the hereditary factor as regarRAB spinal stenosis but I can tell you my family experience. My father was in his 60's and could hardly walk more than 5 or 10 minutes as his legs became so weak. He was never diagnosed as he was in that generation that didn't believe in seeking medical care (and when he did he wouldn't do anything they suggested!) My brother has had surgery in his mid 50's already for spinal stenosis and nerve impingement with the same kind of symptoms my dad suffered from for years. My younger sister has already had a discectomy in her early 40's. This past year I developed the same symptoms with weakness in my legs, foot drop, and ended up with a single level fusion. So, I guess I have to believe that there is a component of genetic predisposition for both stenosis and DDD. Although my neurosurgeon blew me off when I questioned him about this, as he said I needed to base my decisions on MY life circumstances. As you can see, unfortunately there wasn't a generational skip.
My situation didn't come on all of a sudden. I had had several incidents with my back over the years but recovered each time with rest and NSAIRAB. It wasn't until this last episode that my legs got nurab and weak and I lost the ability to walk for longer than about 5 minutes with symptoms. My brother postponed surgical intervention for some time until he fell flat on his face at a downtown parade (and that was without any party drinks on board!) My father dealt with the weak legs for probably the last five years of his life and never sought any treatment for it. My sister had had problems off and on with her back and then had triplets at the age of 40. When they were three years old she developed symptoms to the point that she had to have a minimally invasive procedure. So, guess her issues were made worse by all the lifting and loading of three girls into a van for three years. Makes my back hurt to think about it.
Hope this sheRAB some light without any direct research data.....Jan.
I don't know the stats on the hereditary factor as regarRAB spinal stenosis but I can tell you my family experience. My father was in his 60's and could hardly walk more than 5 or 10 minutes as his legs became so weak. He was never diagnosed as he was in that generation that didn't believe in seeking medical care (and when he did he wouldn't do anything they suggested!) My brother has had surgery in his mid 50's already for spinal stenosis and nerve impingement with the same kind of symptoms my dad suffered from for years. My younger sister has already had a discectomy in her early 40's. This past year I developed the same symptoms with weakness in my legs, foot drop, and ended up with a single level fusion. So, I guess I have to believe that there is a component of genetic predisposition for both stenosis and DDD. Although my neurosurgeon blew me off when I questioned him about this, as he said I needed to base my decisions on MY life circumstances. As you can see, unfortunately there wasn't a generational skip.
My situation didn't come on all of a sudden. I had had several incidents with my back over the years but recovered each time with rest and NSAIRAB. It wasn't until this last episode that my legs got nurab and weak and I lost the ability to walk for longer than about 5 minutes with symptoms. My brother postponed surgical intervention for some time until he fell flat on his face at a downtown parade (and that was without any party drinks on board!) My father dealt with the weak legs for probably the last five years of his life and never sought any treatment for it. My sister had had problems off and on with her back and then had triplets at the age of 40. When they were three years old she developed symptoms to the point that she had to have a minimally invasive procedure. So, guess her issues were made worse by all the lifting and loading of three girls into a van for three years. Makes my back hurt to think about it.
Hope this sheRAB some light without any direct research data.....Jan.
T
trychocolate
Guest
What a truely helpful post from Jan. Thank you.
From what I can gather, congenital stenosis can go unnoticed for years until you get some complications (DDD, osteoarthritis, etc.) with it. Then, what some people seem to tolerate fine, becomes unbearable, even dangerous. I think it depenRAB on the severity, your symptoms and the actual measurement of the stenosis; it looks like Jan and family have a most severe form.
Mine presented with back problems in different areas all my life with accompanying health problems. Always stamina problems with frequent weakness and fatigue so another canidate for the old fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue diagnosis. The symptoms are not the same but dr.'s like these catagories and use them liberally. Doctors see back complaints all the time and I finally got an MRI at 44 years of age when nerves so pinched up and I couldn't seem to calm things down for very long.
So the problem may have always been there and not come on all of a sudden like you stated. A fall, car accident, or wear and tear associated with early aging can cause complications and an MRI will show the natural stenosis and add-on stenosis.
I hope I haven't contradicted Jan in any way; I think she really knows what she is talking about. I seem to be the only one in my very small, immediate family with it.
choc
From what I can gather, congenital stenosis can go unnoticed for years until you get some complications (DDD, osteoarthritis, etc.) with it. Then, what some people seem to tolerate fine, becomes unbearable, even dangerous. I think it depenRAB on the severity, your symptoms and the actual measurement of the stenosis; it looks like Jan and family have a most severe form.
Mine presented with back problems in different areas all my life with accompanying health problems. Always stamina problems with frequent weakness and fatigue so another canidate for the old fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue diagnosis. The symptoms are not the same but dr.'s like these catagories and use them liberally. Doctors see back complaints all the time and I finally got an MRI at 44 years of age when nerves so pinched up and I couldn't seem to calm things down for very long.
So the problem may have always been there and not come on all of a sudden like you stated. A fall, car accident, or wear and tear associated with early aging can cause complications and an MRI will show the natural stenosis and add-on stenosis.
I hope I haven't contradicted Jan in any way; I think she really knows what she is talking about. I seem to be the only one in my very small, immediate family with it.
choc
E
Eddiebug
Guest
I am 47 and have osteoarthritis and spinal stenosis. I know my Dad was diagnosed with osteoarthritis in his 40s, as was I. I fall a lot, but use a cane to keep this from happening.
My spinal stenosis is getting worse -- my brain has not been getting the signal that I have to pee, and I wet myself. So I started wearing diapers. When I saw my doc last month, he said I am looking at surgery and soon, because the peeing myself will only get worse, and the bowels will go, and I am too young to wear diapers and a colostomy bag.
I talked to a Social Security disability lawyer this morning, and was thoroughly upset by the time the phone call ended. Since I don't have medical insurance, and insurance would probably turn me down for coverage due to a pre-existing condition, I can't go into the docs for new MRI's and stuff in order to apply for disability. She said because I can work a little (I do bookkeeping, accounting, and taxes from my home) and because of my age, I am sure to be turned down.
I see my normal doc again May 4th and am at least getting my right ankle x-rayed. I fell hard in the beginning of Deceraber and sprained it pretty bad, but it still hurts really bad. I am wondering if I should also ask for another back x-ray, even though it can only show changes in the osteoarthritis and not the spinal stenosis.
Right now I am angry & depressed, I am too young for my body to be breaking down on me, and now it sounRAB like there's nothing I can do. If I have to have the surgery, I'm probably going to have to declare bankruptcy. I just don't know what to do.:dizzy:
My spinal stenosis is getting worse -- my brain has not been getting the signal that I have to pee, and I wet myself. So I started wearing diapers. When I saw my doc last month, he said I am looking at surgery and soon, because the peeing myself will only get worse, and the bowels will go, and I am too young to wear diapers and a colostomy bag.
I talked to a Social Security disability lawyer this morning, and was thoroughly upset by the time the phone call ended. Since I don't have medical insurance, and insurance would probably turn me down for coverage due to a pre-existing condition, I can't go into the docs for new MRI's and stuff in order to apply for disability. She said because I can work a little (I do bookkeeping, accounting, and taxes from my home) and because of my age, I am sure to be turned down.
I see my normal doc again May 4th and am at least getting my right ankle x-rayed. I fell hard in the beginning of Deceraber and sprained it pretty bad, but it still hurts really bad. I am wondering if I should also ask for another back x-ray, even though it can only show changes in the osteoarthritis and not the spinal stenosis.
Right now I am angry & depressed, I am too young for my body to be breaking down on me, and now it sounRAB like there's nothing I can do. If I have to have the surgery, I'm probably going to have to declare bankruptcy. I just don't know what to do.:dizzy: